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four
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16 July 2024 17:46:58
Wild orchids seems to be having an exceptional year I have never seen so many Pyramidal ones.
It might be related to the very generous and frequent rain if only because grass where they are has gone mad so rabbits haven't kept it down.

https://i.postimg.cc/R0c9PZwf/o2.jpg 
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Roger Parsons
17 July 2024 13:40:21
Wot? No Wopses?
"A Lincolnshire pest controller has said they are being called to fewer incidents involving wasps as numbers of the insects are down.
According to Trevor Brighton, who has dealt with wasp call-outs for 25 years, the species are “vulnerable” because of bad weather.
“A long miserable spring has not allowed wasps to flourish,” he said.
Wasp numbers decline 'really sad' - wildlife trust
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c903dd5y557o 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
NMA
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18 July 2024 11:06:59
Flying ant day as I type.
UserPostedImage
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Retron
18 July 2024 11:33:05

Big Butterfly Watch - will you be doing it?

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


Thought I'd give it a go today - here are this morning's results:

https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/count/24061245 

(Not as many flying around as there are usually in the afternoon, they seem to be very good at hiding in the bushes and long grass!)
Leysdown, north Kent
NMA
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18 July 2024 12:01:26
Very good Darren.
A quick look outside and I can see just two species you list.
Large white and gatekeeper.

Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Retron
18 July 2024 12:06:47

Very good Darren.
A quick look outside and I can see just two species you list.
Large white and gatekeeper.

Originally Posted by: NMA 


From looking at the other results on Sheppey, it seems my mix is different to others - but I suspect that's also because I have a fair amount of "wild patches" in my garden and most of the other domestic gardens won't. Indeed, several counts are in newbuild areas, with gardens barely 20ft square.
If you want butterflies, you have to have caterpillars, and to have those you need certain weeds, e.g. nettles, of which I've an abundance.

I was cheered by the speckled wood butterfly - just the one, but I've seen up to three in recent days (just not today). Nobody else has reported them on Sheppey, and I suspect I won't have the only ones... but you have to look carefully for them. Today's was resting on a blade of grass on the lawn, of all places!
Leysdown, north Kent
Retron
18 July 2024 12:08:48

Flying ant day as I type.
UserPostedImage

Originally Posted by: NMA 


Makes me think of all the trepidation they caused at school - the rumour was that if you got too close, they'd give you a painful bite! I didn't get close enough to fine out.

Interesting that yours have taken flight today, I thought it would have needed to be warmer and more humid (as tomorrow will be). Perhaps they were just eager to get going!
Leysdown, north Kent
Roger Parsons
18 July 2024 12:12:16

Thought I'd give it a go today - here are this morning's results:

https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/count/24061245 

(Not as many flying around as there are usually in the afternoon, they seem to be very good at hiding in the bushes and long grass!)

Originally Posted by: Retron 


Not bad. Not much here despite our "No Mow May". On casual observation a Meadow Brown and a couple of "White" species. We'll do the formal count later. My other half found a 14-spot ladybird! 👍
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/61532-Propylea-quatuordecimpunctata 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
NMA
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18 July 2024 14:20:15
Not a lot really in the garden insectwise.
Two of these. One on the tobacco plant and the other on a peppermint leaf the other day. Speckled bush-cricket?
And bumblebee on wild marjoram just now. For high summer in perfect weather i.e. light winds not good.
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UserPostedImage
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
DEW
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18 July 2024 14:34:02

Flying ant day as I type.
UserPostedImage

Originally Posted by: NMA 


Shoppers even in the centre of Chichester this morning being much vexed by them
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
NMA
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19 July 2024 06:57:48

Shoppers even in the centre of Chichester this morning being much vexed by them

Originally Posted by: DEW 


The fish liked to eat the ones (ants not shoppers) that fell in the pond. Makes a tasty change from pellets.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
StoneCroze
19 July 2024 12:00:13
Ant day down here as well yesterday!!  Just at dusk. Gulls go mad for them.
Discovered something interesting this week, I do a walk every morning at sunrise, I'd noticed oystercatchers on the dirt road which borders directly the beach below and wondered why they were there. I realised they are after the snails, loads around this year. 
Alderney, Channel Islands. (previously known as Beaufort)
NMA
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19 July 2024 13:41:25

Ant day down here as well yesterday!!  Just at dusk. Gulls go mad for them.
Discovered something interesting this week, I do a walk every morning at sunrise, I'd noticed oystercatchers on the dirt road which borders directly the beach below and wondered why they were there. I realised they are after the snails, loads around this year. 

Originally Posted by: StoneCroze 


I've heard that the sandeels are around in huge numbers in your part of the world too.
There were millions of pin ones earlier off Dorset but they seem to have moved offshore for the moment.
The snails though I've never heard of oystercatchers targetting them.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Windy Willow
23 July 2024 09:25:14
I'm planning on starting the butterfly watch today after we saw a Red Admiral sunning itself on the patio, late yesterday afternoon. it was possibly taking a breather as it was pretty breezy then.
South Holland, Lincs 5m/16ft ASL

Don't feed the Trolls!! When starved of attention they return to their dark caves or the dark recesses of bridges and will turn back to stone, silent again!
Northern Sky
25 July 2024 20:04:16
We've had a moderate increase in insect numbers over the last two weeks. Numbers are down on usual but they aren't as bad as many of the reports I've seen across the country on X, particularly it seems from Southern England. 
Now starting to see a few butterflies and will do the butterfly watch tomorrow. 
Northern Sky
27 July 2024 06:52:57
Results of my count were - 
1 Gatekeeper
1 Speckled Wood
1 Large White
Not bad considering that only a week or two ago my chances of seeing any butterflies at all were very slim. I'm pleased to report there were good numbers of many insects around, lots of flies, small wasps, and hoverflies on the ragwort, bumblebees on the red clover and loosestrife, and big numbers of honeybees on the marjoram - chased away by the gatekeeper who didn't seem in the least intimidated. 
A success this year has been dozens of dragonflies emerging from my pond  - I'm pretty sure they were/are Southern Hawker dragonflies. The nymphs were massive and slightly alarming if I was removing duckweed 🙂 
Retron
29 July 2024 14:38:25
Thought I'd have another count today, marking it as the other side of the garden (there's the new section with a few trees, shrubs and ferns / other miscellaneous plants) and a lawned area, which is surrounded by areas I've left to go a bit wild.

There's a gentle breeze, it's sunny - clear blue skies - and humid, with temperatures a degree or so above average.... ideal butterfly weather.

https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/count/24524785 

I was rewarded with quite a display, and it's either butterfly bonking season, or there are territorial disputes going on, I'm not sure which!
Either way, there were pairs of butterflies dancing around each other, plus a threesome of white butterflies orbiting each other. There was also some sort of moth (grey, small copper butterfly sizes, wings almost a blur)...

Walking around the local area showed my end of the road is a butterfly hotspot, doubtless because most people have smaller gardens with trampolines and no shrubs, let alone trees, and no weeds either. As I said to one of my neighbours, nettles, thistles, etc provide a useful habitat for caterpillars. And you have to have caterpillars if you want butterflies!

NB - as far as I'm aware, pesticides haven't been used in my existing garden, or the new area, for at least 35 years. That probably helps too!

Leysdown, north Kent
DEW
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30 July 2024 06:27:31
I'm more of a botanist than a butterfly or bird watcher, but FWIW I was out for a day's walk on the Hampshire Downs north of Andover on Sunday and noted 91 species of wild flowers in bloom - a good total but not exceptional for this time of year. What undoubtedly helped was that farmers in the area, for whatever reason, were leaving unusually wide headlands which were effectively wild flower meadows, far more generously than further to the southeast. 
And there were a fair few butterflies.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
Roger Parsons
31 July 2024 07:26:55
Nice trailcam clip last night - a badger drinking from a birdbath on the ground. 😁
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
speckledjim
31 July 2024 07:32:42

I'm more of a botanist than a butterfly or bird watcher, but FWIW I was out for a day's walk on the Hampshire Downs north of Andover on Sunday and noted 91 species of wild flowers in bloom - a good total but not exceptional for this time of year. What undoubtedly helped was that farmers in the area, for whatever reason, were leaving unusually wide headlands which were effectively wild flower meadows, far more generously than further to the southeast. 
And there were a fair few butterflies.

Originally Posted by: DEW 


There seems to be a concerted effort to do this throughout the country and I'm noticing it in particular with local councils. It's having a huge benefit and long may it continue
Thorner, West Yorkshire


Journalism is organised gossip
NMA
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31 July 2024 08:07:45

There seems to be a concerted effort to do this throughout the country and I'm noticing it in particular with local councils. It's having a huge benefit and long may it continue

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 


There is here a change here too from perhaps ten years ago in grass management. The local council when they cut grass, often use a grass collector. The advantage is that it reduces soil fertility and encourages certain flowers to do better. The parish council do not  but sometimes mow leaving islands of flowering plants before giving it them chop.

But there is an embankment both sides of a road that used to be covered with cowslips, oxlips, primroses and various orchids ten year ago.
Another five years and these will have gone, to be replaced by a mix of scrub, sycamore and ash.
Not perhaps joined up thinking from the Highways people if you consider grassland species like these in such a prime location might have a value.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Bertwhistle
31 July 2024 13:22:02
Territoriality in butterflies: a question for any experts or enthusiasts (eg Roger- you know your insects) or anyone who watches wildlife.
We have an area in our garden known as the 'woodland bank' starting from the tree fern outside the conservatory door and running most of the length of the garden to the remains of an apple tree at the end. Shaded in summer by an apple, plum, camellia and large tree-fern, in spring the bank, built up towards the boundary from soil when I created our pond, is awash with classic woodland & hedgerow flowers including celandines, wood anemones, primroses, bluebells, campions, cow parsley and some cultivars including pulmonaria and alkanet. 
For over 20 years this stretch has been patrolled by speckled wood butterflies (for most of the summer just one each year, but occasionally more). Each generation bears a fascinating behavioural trait: they seem to wait at a vantage point (high leaf, twig top etc) and launch themselves at whatever & whoever comes by. I've researched a bit on butterfly territoriality and it's quite established knowledge, but most papers & discussions attribute it to butterfly-on-butterfly aggression, and many to the vanessids group (peacocks, admirals etc). 
I can't find anything referring to broader agitation- ours each year will come after other flying insects, birds who perch too long (eg robin), and even our two daschunds. Once, it checked out my knees in a gyrating flurry but seemed to get quickly bored- perhaps my vulnerable features were too high off the ground. I ask has anyone else witnessed behaviour like this in butterflies?
Bertie, Itchen Valley.
Retire while you can still press the 'retire now' button.
Roger Parsons
31 July 2024 13:43:47

Territoriality in butterflies: a question for any experts or enthusiasts (eg Roger- you know your insects) or anyone who watches wildlife.
We have an area in our garden known as the 'woodland bank' starting from the tree fern outside the conservatory door and running most of the length of the garden to the remains of an apple tree at the end. Shaded in summer by an apple, plum, camellia and large tree-fern, in spring the bank, built up towards the boundary from soil when I created our pond, is awash with classic woodland & hedgerow flowers including celandines, wood anemones, primroses, bluebells, campions, cow parsley and some cultivars including pulmonaria and alkanet. 
For over 20 years this stretch has been patrolled by speckled wood butterflies (for most of the summer just one each year, but occasionally more). Each generation bears a fascinating behavioural trait: they seem to wait at a vantage point (high leaf, twig top etc) and launch themselves at whatever & whoever comes by. I've researched a bit on butterfly territoriality and it's quite established knowledge, but most papers & discussions attribute it to butterfly-on-butterfly aggression, and many to the vanessids group (peacocks, admirals etc). 
I can't find anything referring to broader agitation- ours each year will come after other flying insects, birds who perch too long (eg robin), and even our two daschunds. Once, it checked out my knees in a gyrating flurry but seemed to get quickly bored- perhaps my vulnerable features were too high off the ground. I ask has anyone else witnessed behaviour like this in butterflies?

Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle 


Speckled Wood territoriality is a common thing to observe, Bertie - and I agree it does not seem restricted to fellow SWs. I am sure I have been inspected and considered  by them as I walk into a territory - nothing dramatic, but a definite "interest" in an intruder. I found a White-tailed bumblebee worker on the ground in our parking area this week. I spoke to her and offered a finger to climb on, which she did. She walked quietly up my arm and up to on my head. I gathered her in my hand and put her onto some marjoram in a garden bed - and she immediately started feeding. The stories I could tell about honeybee interactions!!!!!!
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Bertwhistle
31 July 2024 16:24:29

Speckled Wood territoriality is a common thing to observe, Bertie - and I agree it does not seem restricted to fellow SWs. I am sure I have been inspected and considered  by them as I walk into a territory - nothing dramatic, but a definite "interest" in an intruder. I found a White-tailed bumblebee worker on the ground in our parking area this week. I spoke to her and offered a finger to climb on, which she did. She walked quietly up my arm and up to on my head. I gathered her in my hand and put her onto some marjoram in a garden bed - and she immediately started feeding. The stories I could tell about honeybee interactions!!!!!!

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


Thanks for that Roger. Nice to know I don't have a national psychotic speckled wood- such a welcomed butterfly here each year.
Your bumblebee story reminds me of a story my late father in law told me of putting sugared water on his hand near a feeding bee. Apparently others came, and sadly one got itself caught in a crease in his had and stung him. He was so desperate to save it he told me he used a razorblade to open the skin to release it. RIP David Miles.
Bertie, Itchen Valley.
Retire while you can still press the 'retire now' button.
Roger Parsons
31 July 2024 20:18:34
Amen to that, Bertie:
When the Present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay,
And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings,
Delicate-filmed as new-spun silk, will the neighbours say,
"He was a man who used to notice such things?"
https://www.yourdailypoem.com/listpoem.jsp?poem_id=729 


RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830

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