Thursday, July 3, 2025

Bees and Wasps at RSPB Sandy

Yesterday started pleasantly cool for our macrophoto outing to RSPB Sandy but, by lunchtime, the clouds began to break and lots of insects especially Bee and Wasp species  became active including Green-eyed Flower Bees on the Lavendar, a Sharp-tailed Wasp and a Cercaria Wasp that catches and transports various varieties of Weevils to it nest burrows in the sand.

I have identified the ones I photographed as far as possible in final image.



Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Riverfly Survey in Toft

Toft Bourn Brook Group is carrying out surveys of the invertebrate species in the Brook according to the Riverfly rules and regulations for acquiring the samples and then counting the species found in the water. The species that are monitored include Mayflies, Olives, Stoneflies, Shrimps and  Caddis flies. Timed samples are taken and then examined for the Groups shown on the circular chart and the numbers of individuals counted. We also found very young Loach and American Crayfish plus Beetles, various Midge larvae and Pond Skaters etc




Sunday, June 29, 2025

Garden Project - Effects of the Heat

The garden is about a month ahead compared to the last two years and has a definite mid to late summer look. For instance, the Yellow Foxgloves (image 6) are almost over this year but don't usually start flowering till July. The fact the borders are well packed with different height plants has helped but the soil is so dry and compacted now. The 

Compare with July 17th last year - Ann Miles Blog: Garden Project 13 - In the Summer Heat


Friday, June 27, 2025

Paxton Flowers and the Dry Weather

This first image shows the Redlands area of Paxton Pits in 2024 - covered in Ragwort - to compare with this year's same view completely devoid of vegetation with the dry conditions. Tomorrow we have a wildflower walk in the morning and I feared that it would be without many subjects but a walk around yesterday morning produced 56 species so plenty to keep the group occupied.

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Marbled Whites, Privet Hawkmoth and Smaller Species

 For the first time, we had a couple of Marbled Whites on our Lavender bush and an impressive Privet Hawkmoth on the pear tree. Apart from these, there were lots of smaller insects to add to the garden list including this exquisite Ruby-tailed Wasp, which is a parasitoid on small stem and wood-nesting wasps, and very strange Hemipteran that feeds on small insects as well as plant buds and unripe fruits.