Garden Finds

Moth Quiz 28
A cigar smoker could end up with this.
Smoky Wainscot 

Moth Quiz 29
When you have the moody blues, knights look like this.

Saturday, June 27

Apart from day to day maintenance and moth-ing, we haven't done much in the last few days.

The podiatrist sorted my feet out (ouch), a Four-spotted Chaser appeared in the sun lounge and Pam brought in an insect she'd found on the inside of the kitchen window. I'm calling her my Grey Retriever from now on.

It was a very active, Great Pied Hoverfly. 

 

I've been trying my best to identify some of the increasingly numerous micro-moths we are trapping. I'm still only trying the ones which look as though I can do so. Under half a centimeter in length and a uniform grey or brown are no-goers.

Catoptria pinella Pearl Grass-veneer

Pyralis farinalis. Meal Moth

Carpatolechia proximella Black-speckled Groundling

We are still eating - the last of - our new potatoes, strawberries, and sweet peas are a daily treat. I love the latter's scent in the house. I'm not fond of many perfumes, that of sweet peas, some roses, and honeysuckle are a favourite.

Rai has been setting a squirrel trap in our garden, trapping a surprising beastie this morning. A large male hedgehog. He'd eaten all the peanuts and left a thank you deposit of appreciation. Unharmed, he trotted off through the hog friendly fence into John's garden.

Waking at dawn to find a Muntjac eating flowers in the centre bed, we had to cover the sweetcorn again. The dyke must be overgrown enough to allow it to cross, we do try to keep it wild but deer are not welcome.

The heatwave appears to have broken which is a relief. Other parts of the country have had storms, they've missed us. Not enough rain for the garden's needs but better than nothing. Increasingly windy to-day which also dessicates. I hope to do some birding on Monday.