Marmalade Hoverfly

 A common hoverfly in the garden.

Moth Records for w/c 2nd & 11th July 2020

 Trapping on the 2nd July with an overnight low temperature of 12.6C. I recorded the following species:

Garden Carpet 1

Marbled Carpet 3

Dark Arches 1

Heart & Dart 3

Uncertain 4

Common Footman 1

Eudonia lacustrata 1

Double-square spot 1

Common Wainscot

Trapping on the 11th July with an overnight low temperature of 9.0C. I recorded the following species:

Common Footman 1

Flame 1

Dark Arches 7

Heart & Dart 1

Large Yellow Underwing 2

Rustic 2

Chrysoteuchia culmella 1

Dunbar 1

Light Arches 1

Uncertain 2

Tawny Minor 1

Diamond back moth 2

Brown House Moth 1

White-shouldered House Moth 1

Wildlife Camera Trap - July 2020

The month of July brought an unexpected new visitor to our garden. For many years we have put a handful of peanuts out each night for Hedgehogs and enjoyed seeing their night-time antics via the camera.

At the beginning of the month we had our first sighting of a beautiful Fox.

Over the month we get more views, although we didn’t find out how she entered the garden.

No further sightings in the garden after month-end.

Moth Records for w/c 19th & 25th June 2020

 Overnight trapping on 19th June 2020 recorded the following species:

Peppered Moth (light) 1

Brown House Moth 2

Buff Ermine 1

Uncertain 1

Chrysoteuchia culmella 1

Celypha Striana 1

Marbled Orchard Fruit Moth 1

Bryotropha Domestics 1

Also found on 19th were two Red-barred Tortrix mating on the garden plants

On the 25th June, the moth trap was on again.

Willow Beauty 5

Riband Wave (Non-banded) 3

Chrysoteuchia culmella 5

White-shouldered House Moth 1

Marbled Beauty 1

Riband Wave (Banded) 1

Buff Ermine 2

Dot Moth 1

Eudonia lacustrata 3

Light Arches 1

Heart & Dart 4

Double-square Spot 1

Uncertain 5

Common Footman 1

Elephant Hawkmoth 1

Common Marbled Carpet 1

Phoenix 1

Green Silver-lines 1

Brimstone Moth 1

Brown House Moth 2

Light Brown Apple Moth 1

Red-barred Tortrix 2

Flame Carpet 1

Cyprus Tip Moth

Cyprus Tip Moth

Willow Beauty

Elephant Hawkmoth

Buff Ermine

Moth Records for 6th & 13th June 2020

6/6/2020 overnight minimum temperature 8.8C

1 Willow Beauty

1 Shuttle-shaped dart

4 Light Brown Apple Moth

1 Brimstone

4 Heart & Dart Moth

1 Eudonia lacustrata

1 Common marbled Carpet

13/06/2020 overnight temperature minimum 12.8C

2 Garden Carpet

2 Willow Beauty

1 Emmelina monodactyla

6 Diamond-back Moth

1 Peppered Moth (light)

1 Swallow Prominent

1 Riband Wave (non-banded)

1 Brimstone Moth

3 Light Brown Apple Moth

3 Heart & Dart

1 Grey Dagger/Dark Dagger agg

2 Large Yellow Underwing

1 Buff Ermine

1 Rustic Shoulder-knot

1 Chrysoteuchia culmella

1 Flame Carpet

1 Cypress Tip Moth

1 Common Pug

  

Brimstone Moth

Emmelina monodactyla

                                                        Peppered Moth (light)

Swallow Prominent

Wildlife Camera Trap - May 2020

Before reporting on my wildlife sightings for June. I thought I would share these short videos from my Wildlife Camera trap. I will add more to this page, but the first clips posted are of our visiting Hedgehog who comes each evening for peanuts.

For many years Hedgehogs have visited our garden and through the generations a gap has developed under a section of our fence through to the next-door neighbours garden. Hedgehogs have kept this opening clear over the years and this shows how they enter and exit the garden if they decide not to limbo under the gate. I have posted the exit's as they show the Hedgehog for longer.

Garden Ladybirds 2020

Since I have spent more time in the garden, I have noticed several species of Ladybird and also more Harlequins too. The Harlequin ladybird is a recent addition to the garden species list and not a particularly welcomed one. I found the first one about two years ago and then the numbers have increased since then.

 14-spot Ladybird

2-spot Ladybird

Unknown - probable Harlequin Ladybird 

Harlequin Ladybird 

7-spot Ladybird 

 Harlequin Ladybird

22-spot Ladybird 

7-spot Ladybird 

 14-spot Ladybird

Possible 7-spot Ladybird empty pupa shell

1st Half of 2020

Well what a year this has turned out to be and now we are at the end of June wondering what happened and where has 6 months gone. I don't think anyone realised at the start of the year what the word pandemic meant in reality. The fear of the unknown forced us all out of our comfort zones and for the first time being able to go outside was a luxury. For many people lockdown was and still is a new experience, but for others it is was not, due to ill health or other reasons. Then all of a sudden the world, our communities, neighbours and family members were all in the same boat experiencing fear, stress, frustration and many unanswered questions. Perhaps we will get to the end whenever that will be with more understanding and compassion for others.

My lockdown started in mid March and slowly as the days past by tasks, appointments, planned events were postponed or cancelled as my world became our house and garden. I feel lucky to have a garden as I know that many do not have that luxury and that has helped me pass the time when not working remotely. As I have said previously the natural world is a wonderful thing and people can enjoy it in many different ways. You can go somewhere to enjoy nature or you can wait until nature comes to see you. You may not see or experience as many things as you would like, but when nature pays you a visit it is worth it weight in gold.

A moth highlight for March was a visit from an Oak Beauty on the 16th.

The warm sunny weather brought a Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies to the garden.

As the month of March was almost at the end, the sunshine also encouraged Bee Flies to visit and a Tawny Mining Bee.

Each week, I record the bird species and 15+ were counted each week

 Coal Tit

Jackdaw 

Blackbird 

Dunnock 

Starling

In April the moth highlights were Early Thorn, Streamer and Waved Umber.

Plus an opportunity to video a Bee Fly in action.

In May the moth highlights were Swallow Prominent, Scalloped Hazel, Pale Prominent, Common Swift Green Carpet.

 Swallow Prominent

Scalloped Hazel 

Pale Prominent

Common Swift 

Green Carpet

Other wildlife and June highlights are posted separately.