The weather at the beginning of last week started nicely. Early on a sunny Monday morning I spotted seven Large white (Pieris brassicae) butterfly caterpillars on a Nasturtium (Tropaeolum) plant.
Used as a companion plant near brassicas this plant has been sacrificed to prevent the butterfly eggs being laid on the cabbages.
Unknown to me at the time, I also photographed some caterpillar faeces as well as an undeveloped egg on the leaf. I don’t remember the loved childhood picture book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar mention poo (although I’m sure children would have loved that addition to the story).
As with elsewhere in the country, the weather continued to be unsettled throughout the week. Tuesday was mostly overcast but the bees were still out foraging. As the lavender (Lavandula) was over lots of Honeybees (Apis mellifera) started visiting the Echinops bannaticus.
Later the same day I managed to see another Male Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) butterfly too, this time visiting a Geranium.
Plus on Thursday I noticed a Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) butterfly on some Verbena bonariensis. I haven’t seen Holly blue butterflies since spring, so that was nice.
Unfortunately on Wednesday I managed to disturb a Silver Y (Autographa gamma) moth.
Although this isn’t a great photo, it is clear enough to be able to identify the moth. I managed to identify it because of the shape and light colouring along with the unbroken y shaped silver marking on each forewing. This moth is a migrant, visiting from the continent. It can be seen here with the wings vibrating to warm up it’s flight muscles before flying off.
The week ended with a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew on Saturday. There were some insects braving the stronger winds and the afternoon rain.
Amongst the Wildflower meadow surrounding The Hive experience the flowers still blooming were; Red Campion (Silene dioica), Red clover (Trifolium pratense), Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Flatweed (Hypochaeris radicata) and Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare).
Yarrow and Yellow toadflax along the path.
A Volucella inanis Hoverfly visiting the Wild marjoram.
In the Agius Evolution Garden there were lots of bees visiting the Salvias as well as a Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) on a hollyhock (Alcea)
and a Honey bee (Apis mellifera) visiting a Wallflower (Erysimum).
Bee in the Moment 