SPOT THE BEE FLY ETC. ETC. UPDATE 13TH August 2022
Hello again, we start this update with messages from Joan and from Bernard:
Thank you Joan for your kind words
A message from Joan
I would like to extend a big thank you to Jenny and Mike following our visit to their garden in July. It is such a delightful garden with flowers, which were lovely, and the moving water helping to almost forget the current ghastly drought, AND you should have seen the cakes - wow -- so thanks to you both.
The next meet up is to be to our garden which is suffering badly through lack of rain but can still welcome you. It was to have been on Sunday 28th August but we have to be elsewhere on that day so hopefully you can come on Saturday 27th August. 2.00 to 4.00pm very flexibly.
Without loads of help I’m afraid it will be cold drinks and not teas but donated cakes would be very welcome.
But we do need to know if you are able to come as without you it would be a very quiet afternoon.
bernardbaverstock@talktalk.net
Tel. 01276 22574
From Bernard:
One day last week i had just stepped out of the front door when a large insect flew into the side of my head, at first I assumed it was a bumble bee but then I saw it was bright orange and flying very fast.
It landed on a shrub and I could see it was a Jersey Tiger moth, unfortunately it did not stay long enough for me to get my camera, so I have “borrowed” a picture from the internet.
Jersey Tigers are migrant moths which were once very rare visitors but now, with global warming, are becoming much more regular sightings. This was the first time I had seen the moth in this country so was particularly pleased that it was passing through the garden. Bernard
Next we have a very delayed message from Mike and Pam Tooms which I omitted to include last time:
29th July: Hi Mike, we were quite taken by this flowering shrub whilst walking around the lakes at Lightwater Country Park, which was unfamiliar to us. However, when looking it up we learned it is actually quite common! i.e. Purple Loosestrife. Mike
Now an interesting, and very familiar report of the dreaded Box Moth from Steve and Sue Outram:
6th August: Hi Mike, Sue trapped this moth in a yogurt pot about 10 days ago. The nearest I could find in my Lewington guide was Clouded Border but it didn’t really look right. Checking Clouded Border pictures on-line, I found one similar to ours which was identified by a guy on the Upper Thames Moth blog as a boxworm moth. Although it has a wingspan of 34mm it is actually a micro-moth. It gets a mention in the micro-moth guide but unfortunately there is no picture. We let ours go, presumably to lay eggs on our box hedge! I hope my picture will help people recognise this foreign pest so I have also attached a Butterfly Conservation note with more information. (attached to the email).
Our hosepipe ban started yesterday and the garden is already looking rather sad.
Best wishes to everyone, Sue and Steve
Rob Agar is still out there with his camera with this lovely photo of a rescued Red Kite:
10th August: “This is in Reading and is one a friend nursed back to full form. Always in a tree in his garden....Rob”
Tom Gregory “Greg” to us, sent in the following photo taken in his garden in Camberley with his trail camera. Not one but four Badgers, I remarked they must be destroying his lawn, but, seemingly, not so!
6th August: “Hi Mike. Thanks for tweaking photo, Funny enough Badgers are not causing any damage to our/their garden. Small scratch now and then but no issues, Guess if enough food not the need to dig plus ground far too hard. Promise of rain in a week or two I hear, Wait and see.”
More from Rob, - I really like the Emerald photo Rob.
9th August:” A Willow Emerald damselfly and i think a Common Darter at my new favourite pond in Lightwater. Rob”
Next up is Richard Thomas with a couple of interesting observations which might generate some response…..?
8th August: “Hi Mike, just a few things, the first is an interesting side effect of using so called 'grey water' in this case washing up water: This Hydrangea is normally very pink!
The next is a wild rose that sprang up in the corner of my neighbour Pam's front garden, I think it is possibly a dog rose or one of the other wild roses that are native to Britain. I took a second view that includes a street lamp post for a sense of scale. Richard.
