Art in the Garden

Sometimes my two major interests, Art and Nature, come together as with this red bug on part of an ornamental bird feeder that has corroded to some beautiful colours. The second image intrigued me until I realised that it is the result of an insect chewing through areas of the flower bud which is pleated much as we do to make paper cuts (eg paper doilies). Otherwise a few more gems from my garden including a Wolf Spider species with very newly hatched spiderlets on its back, male and female Large-headed Resin Bee plus one in the jaws of a Labyrinth Spider and Hummingbird hawkmoth eye - the species list will be very long by the end of this season.

Life in an Ancient Wood

I eventually found time to walk up to my local woodland at Hardwick - a bit more strenuous than previous seasons as the field verges have not been cut which is very good for the wildlife but makes heavier going for walking. I was rewarded with sunny lit glades full of butterflies enjoying this year's abundant bramble flowers!! Not a lot of Silver-washed Fritillaries about but getting late in the season. Also Ringlet, Comma, Green-veined White, Peacock, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Small Skipper (also seen Large and Small Whites). Dragonflies flies - Southern Hawker and Common Darter, and Band-Eyed Brown Horsefly.

Roosting Butterflies Toft Wood

Although reduced in numbers from some previous years but there were around 8 Marbled Whites plus Meadow Browns and many skippers roosting in Toft Wood this week. There was also a very yellow Green-veined White, which was the second very yellow one that I have seen this year.

Toft Raptor Show

 Yesterday afternoon we were treated to our own personal raptor show as Buzzard, Kestrel and Red Kites swooped down into the field next to our bungalow when the hay-making machine disturbed rodents and insects. The light wasn't very good for most of the time and backgrounds difficult but quite an experience seeing them sometimes very close.

Beewolf Wasps

We made a brief visit to the Beewolf Wasp colony near Sandy to assess the activity and found them very active as two trail bikes had just driven through and obscured their burrow entrances. Always fascinating to watch them come in carrying their Honeybee prey and try and locate their burrow entrance without upsetting the neighbours! It was windy and overcast so not the best for getting shots.