Tag: Bees

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The Ladies Arrived

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I finally got to see a some Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies, in fact there were three visiting a Buddleia I was working near. I thought I caught a glimpse of one last week (but couldn’t be sure) however this was a definite sighting.

I got to see them again on Tuesday together with a Large white (Pieris brassicae), Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) and a Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) on the same Buddleia.

Plus earlier on Tuesday I got to see two Small white (Pieris rapae) butterflies, a Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) along with a Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) butterfly.

Also on Tuesday I got to feast on my first blackberries (Rubus) of the season and see an Oak bush (Meconema thalassinum) cricket in the hallway upon my return from work.

Wednesday was a washout and Thursday quiet too therefore it was nice to have some wildlife sightings on Friday morning before the rain returned.

While I ate breakfast, I observed the young Bluetits (Cyanistes caeruleus) visit the Rowan (Sorbus) tree. I noticed that their plumage was more like the adults, no longer predominantly green.

Then just before lunch, I noticed a Red-tailed (Bombus lapidarius) bumblebee and a Heath bumblebee (Bombus jonellus) visiting some Thyme (Thymus).

The Heath bumblebee visiting some Thyme.
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar

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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).

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Who you Gonna Call? 🎶👻🎵

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It was a slow start to last week, not brightening up until later on.
Yet as I waited for the bus to work on Monday I saw some Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

It would have been flowering since June but the council have allowed the verges to grow long enough for it to fully bloom around the bus stop. Once in folklore it was believed to bring good luck and wellbeing if you carried it with you.

Tuesday was a washout so it was nice when I started to see bees and butterflies flying around from Wednesday onwards.

I noticed a different butterfly to those I usually identify.
There were two Gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus) also called Hedge brown butterflies basking on some Bergamot (Monarda).

Bergamot is also called Bee balm because it is loved by bees.

The Gatekeeper in the previous photo is a male due to the pattern on the upper wings. Wing patterns vary within the genders, dependent on high temperature conditions while the butterfly is in the chrysalis stage of development.
The caterpillars feed on long grasses such as Couch-grass (Elymus repens) or fescues (Festuca) while the adults like the nectar of Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) or Bramble (Rubus fruticosus).

The name Gatekeeper made me remember Sigourney Weaver’s character Dana (who is possessed by Zuul the gatekeeper for Gozer) in Ghostbusters; therefore I have had the theme tune in my head ever since. Thankfully I like this earworm as it reminds me of an enjoyable childhood film. 🎶

In the same border I also noticed Buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) and Garden bumblebees (Bombus hortorum) on a Catmint (Nepeta × faassenii) plant.

On Thursday I was working near a pond and came across a dragonfly which I have been unable to completely identify.

The leg stripes rule it out as a Ruddy darter (Sympetrum sanguineum); however given the position I took the photo from, I can not see the frons (area on the face above the mouth parts) well enough to be certain if it is a female Vagrant (Sympetrum vulgatum) or a female or immature male Common darter (Sympetrum striolatum).

Friday was the opposite of Tuesday, both for the weather and successfull nature observing. In fact during the afternoon in the space of twenty minutes I saw a Large white (Pieris brassicae), Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Comma (Polygonia c-album), Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina)
along with three Peacock (Aglais io) butterflies.

I managed to obtain a photo of the Comma on a purple Buddleia as well as (finally) manage to capture the elusive Peacock on a white Buddleia.

I had to photograph something else from that garden too. A Chinese trumpet vine (Campsis grandiflora) plant was arching over the wall from the neighbours.

The gorgeous colour of the flowers took my breath away, especially set against the white house and sunny blue sky. I couldn’t resist sharing its beauty.

Lastly I have ended a tiring week relaxing at a cafe drinking a mocha. Once again my spirits were lifted as I watched a Wagtail (Motacilla alba) hoping to benefit from dropped crumbs; it was a lovely thing to see.

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Amphibians and Insects

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My week started and ended working next to ponds. The first was a small natural pond with a couple of frogs (Rana temporaria) sitting in it.

The other was a large disused outdoor swimming pool. In its neglected state rainwater collects within the concrete walls and nature is taking over. Given the murkiness of the water I was unable to obtain decent photos of my findings; however I saw another frog, (surrounded by lots and lots of tadpoles) along with a dragonfly nymph and a newt. It should be interesting to discover how many tadpoles survive to adulthood.

For the rest of the week insects were centre stage, especially on Wednesday when flying ants took to the sky. Flying ant season really tests my resolve to work through my dislike of ants (which originated in childhood). Thankfully I now find them more fascinating than loathsome, mostly.

The other insects I saw that day were;
– A (Chrysotoxum cautum) hoverfly on some Pyracantha.

– Honey bees (Apis mellifera) and a Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) visiting a Geranium ‘Rozanne’ plant.

– Lavender (Lavandula) full of bees and butterflies, including more Honey bees as well as Buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), Meadow browns (Maniola jurtina) and a Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) butterfly.

The Meadow brown butterflies also enjoyed visiting the Echinops bannaticus flowers too.

Even as I returned home I noticed a Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) moth on the hall window.

The adults feed on Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) and Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) both of these plants are common around this area. The caterpillars feed on various trees, shrubs as well as climbers ranging from Yew (Taxus baccata), Birch (Betula), ivy (Hedera helix), honeysuckle (Lonicera) and the wild Clematis, Traveller’s joy (Clematis vitalba).

The previous day I came across more insects that I was previously unaware of.

The first one was the Common red soldier beetle (Rhagonycha fulva).

It is a beneficial insect as adults eat aphids and are pollinators (feeding on nectar and pollen from open flat flowers such daisies and hogweed) while the larvae feed on slugs and snails along with other ground dwelling invertebrates.

The other insect I saw on Tuesday was a female Volucella pellucens hoverfly feeding on nectar and pollen from Bramble (Rubus fruticosus).

These hoverflies also pollinate umbellifers; However as larvae they inhabit Bumblebee and wasp nests eating any waste produced along with their hosts larvae.

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An Enchanting Week

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My interest in plants extends to herbal medicine and floral folklore. Often found in gardens, such plants are easily accessible.

I find poisonous plants fascinating too. I would like to visit the Chelsea Physics garden as well as the Alnwick Poison Garden in Northumberland. Over the past week, a few wild flowers that I have noticed blooming would probably be found in these gardens, these are;

– White bryony (Bryonia dioica) scrambling over Dogwood (Cornus). White Bryony has poisonous berries and the plant has a very strong unpleasant purgative affect. A few deaths linked to this plant have been recorded.

– Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara).

Also called Bittersweet the plant would make someone incredibly ill; the berries if eaten would cause vomiting and convulsions. There have been a few deaths linked to this plant. It is from the same family as Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna, See Woodland Trust).

I saw other wildflowers blooming too such as the intriguingly named Enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana). Confusingly this flower isn’t from the nightshade family at all but is actually a Willowherb. One folkloric belief was that this plant would give protection against Elvish spells.

I also saw Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) along the verges.

I continued to see many birds and insects throughout the week. After many days since the last time, I was happy to see the juvenile Blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) back in the Rowan tree (Sorbus). Also on Monday I had a Juvenile Robin (Erithacus rubecula) follow me around. Clearly the instincts for locating food near gardeners starts early.

The first moth I saw last week was an adult female Bee moth (Aphomia sociella). These moths are so called because they lay eggs in bee and wasp nests and also bee hives. Their larvae eat the comb, causing damage and are therefore a pest for beekeepers.

Other moths I saw were two Rosy tabby (Endotricha flammealis) moths

and a Dark arches (Apamea monoglypha) moth.

On Wednesday I was working near a fantastic old Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) tree. Countless Honey bees (Apis mellifera) and Marmalade hoverflies (Episyrphus balteatus) were busy flying to and fro pollinating the flowers.

As the summer continues more and more butterflies become visible. I have seen lots more Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina), Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) and Large white butterflies (Pieris brassicae). One of them seen here on some lavender (Lavandula).

Also on Wednesday I observed two butterflies that I have never seen before, a Marbled white (Melanargia galathea) on Verbena bonariensis

and a Small skipper butterfly (Thymelicus sylvestris), also seen on the Verbena bonariensis.

Later on the same day I also saw ten Azure damselflies (Coenagrion puella) around the pond.

On Friday morning, as I was going to work, I had to usher a Common green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea) outside so it could find some aphids to munch on.

Then lastly on Friday I saw a Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) on Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’.

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Reflecting on a Blooming Lovely Week

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I am watching Wimbledon while eating lovely sweet strawberries. The window is open so I can hear the birds singing outside; thankfully the temperature has dropped and it is feeling fresher now. It is a lovely summers day to reflect upon the things I saw last week. More flowers blooming along the roadside include Hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) Creeping thistles (Cirsium arvense), Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis), Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) and Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium). Creeping thistle seeds are a great food source for birds that make their home on farmland, while Spear thistle seeds are good for Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) and the nectar enjoyed by the Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas) butterfly. Ragwort (considered harmful to horses and livestock) is great for bees and the Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) caterpillars. Even the Field Scabious is a useful food source for bees and butterflies.

Now that July has arrived, my butterfly and moth observations have increased. I have seen,

– A couple of Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) moths

– Broad-bordered yellow Underwing (Noctua fimbriata) moth

– Least Carpet (Idaea rusticata) moth

– Plain Wave (Idaea straminata) moth

– Two Large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba) moths

– Along with several that were photo shy including a White Plume (Pterophorus pentadactyla) moth and a couple of Large white (Pieris brassicae) butterflies, three female and one male Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) butterflies, a Comma (Polygonia c-album) butterfly near a patch of nettles (which are great food for their caterpillars) as well as two Large tortoisehell (Nymphalis polychloros) butterflies. Other butterflies I saw were,

– A Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) butterfly

– Small tortoisehell (Aglais urticae) butterfly on Verbena bonariensis

– Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) butterfly on wall by Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris)

These weren’t the only insects I noticed throughout the past week as I also saw,

– Two immature male Large red damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)

– Two Azure damselflies (Coenagrion puella) on Water lily (Nymphaeaceae)

– One Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) on a Red valerian (Centranthus ruber) leaf.

– Honey bees (Apis mellifera) on an Eryngium bourgatii

-Lots of Honey bees and hoverflies (Syrphidae) on lavender (Lavandula) which is in full bloom.

I am keeping my eye on a large mature Butterfly bush Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’ that is starting to flower. A few years ago I took some cuttings from this Buddleja and successfully grew one of my own. My Buddleja is only about a foot tall but it will be flowering soon. I look forward to seeing visitors arrive on both shrubs.

Lastly I couldn’t resist adding a few photos of some Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) someone had planted in their vegetable patch. While I didn’t see any insects visiting it my attention was drawn to the cheery vivid blue flowers, they were so beautiful.

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Music to my Ears

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While my colleagues listen to their music via headphones I prefer to listen to nature as I work; especially birdsong which I find uplifting. Recently I have started to really tune in and distinguish different songs and calls as I attempt to identify particular birds. By teaching myself I now recognise Great tit (Parus major) song, Coal Tit (Parus ater) song and Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) call. However I still find it difficult to pick out certain sounds which is why last Sunday I went to an ‘Introduction to bird calls and songs’ nature talk and walk at a local park. We were introduced to 12 birds that we would most likely hear during our afternoon stroll. Most were already familiar to me however I did learn the songs of Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) and Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris).

The birds we ended up hearing (above the wind and sirens) were;
-Woodpigeon (Columba Livia)
-Carion crow (Corvus corone)
-Magpie (Pica pica)
-Wren (Troglodytidae)
-Chiffchaff
-Blackbird (Turdus merula)
-Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major)
-Blackcap warbler (Sylvia atricapilla)
– and Song thrush (Turdus philomelos).

We also saw a (quiet) Jay (Garrulus glandarius) along with a Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria), Red admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) and some White-tailed bumblebees (Bombus lucorum).

Last week I combined what I learned at this event with my previous knowledge; the birds I was confident I identified correctly were;
-Woodpigeons
-Magpies
-Blackbirds
-Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
-Ring necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri)
-Blue Tits (Parus caeruleus).
-Chiffchaffs
-Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
-Red kite (Milvus milvus)
-and House sparrows (Passer domesticus)

On several mornings I also watched the family of Blue tits on the Rowan tree as I ate breakfast. The parents had nested in the eaves around Easter (see Different sort of Easter Chicks) so it was great to discover they had a successfully reared a brood. I counted 6 fledged youngsters return to the tree and feed on insects together.

Blue Tit acrobatics- One of the youngsters feeding itself.

These weren’t the only sightings last week as I also saw;
-another Red Admiral butterfly

-a Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae)

-some Ivy-leaved toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis)

-Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

-Pineappleweed (Matricaria discoidea)

-As well as a common frog (Rana temporaria)

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Working with Insects can be Frustrating

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More colour is showing up along the road as the purple of the Common mallow (Malva sylvestris) blooms amongst Common Poppies (Papaver rhoeas) and Ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare); a lovely sight as I travel on the bus.

Another plant that is flowering on the verges and lawns now is White Clover (Trifolium repens).

I first saw it on Monday, at the bus stop, as I listened to a Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis).

The Goldfinch can just be heard singing above the drone of the traffic.

A group of Goldfinches is a ‘Charm’ from the old English word c’irm, referring to their singing.

Last monday was the day for noticing Goldfinch as later in the morning I watched a couple of Goldfinch on a nest in a Buddleia (Buddleja davidii).

They weren’t the only birds I noticed that day. In the afternoon a Robin (Erithacus rubecula) kept me company as I weeded. It was quite fearless, frequently getting close to me to collect food as I worked.

I noticed some Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) flowering too. Other common names for it include Poor man’s Barometer or Shepherd’s clock because the flowers open in sunny weather and close when it is dull.

As it was a a warm sunny day lots of bees were out. On the Catmint (Nepeta) there were Early Bumblebees (Bombus pratorum), White-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus lucorum), Tree Bumblebees (Bombus hypnorum) and Honey Bees (Apis mellifera).

A White-tailed bumblebee busy working.

As the week went on I continued to notice a greater variety of bees visiting the garden;

– Tree Bumblebees, Early Bumblebees, White-tailed Bumblebees as well as female Red tailed bumblebees (Bombus lapidarius) on a weigela.

-Early Bumblebees and White-tailed Bumblebees on some Pale Garlic (Allium paniculatum).

This is the best photo I managed to obtain. The saying about not working with children or animals (or in this case insects) came to mind on Tuesday and Wednesday; descent photos were severely lacking midweek.

On Thursday, as I undertook more weeding, I unfortunately disturbed a beautiful White plume moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla) in the border. The caterpillars, which are green and yellow, feed on bindweed so this was a welcome sighting.

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National Growing for Wellbeing Week (3rd-9th June) 🍅🌻🥦🌼🥕🌱🍓

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National Growing for Wellbeing Week is a celebration of how gardening aids good health. Gardening certainly helps me mentally and physically. Plus if you encourage wildlife into your garden you will get health benefits from seeing nature on your doorstep too (as well as help wildlife). Small steps can be incorporated into a garden, whatever its size, maybe;

-Help hedgehogs

Hedgehog street

RSPCA

-Add plants that benefit pollinators

RHS

-Garden organically

BBC- Organic gardening

Garden Organic

-Feed and leave some water out for birds

RSPB

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Bee friendly plant

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Along with male Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) and Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) butterflies, I have now seen a Peacock butterfly (Aglais io) flitting around as I garden. Yet while butterflies have been camera shy I have managed to capture bees so far his week.

Comfrey has started to flower. It is a great plant for organic gardening; used as a compost activator or to make a liquid fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Comfrey is also loved by bees, as proved by the following photos.

Photo 1; Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) on Creeping Comfrey (Symphytum grandiflorum)

Photos 2 and 3; a Buff-tailed bumblebee
(Bombus terrestris) enjoying Common Comfrey (Symphytum orientale).