After the exertions of yesterday, the last thing I needed was a sleepless night, but sadly that’s what I got – having been shut up all day the house was like an oven, and no amount of open windows could now fix it. So this morning I had all the energy, poise and charm of a zombie from a schlock horror film. R had appointments in Stratford, and offered me a ride if I wanted to go and spend some time by the river, but the suggestion didn’t land well, and I suspect he breathed a sigh of relief as he drove away, leaving me alone with my temper.
Luckily my hunt for a photogenic insect was quickly blessed by the appearance of this fresh male Brimstone. He was so intent on extracting nectar from the perennial pea that he completely ignored my approach, and let me get close enough to show the nice coordination between the pea flower and his pink and purple body fur and antennae. It intrigues me that Brimstones have a clear preference for pink and purple flowers, and I always find myself wondering if the attraction is that they have these colour points themselves. I should read a book, and try to find out if the scientists have come up with an answer to the question. But maybe not today.
After nabbing my Brimstone I spent much of the rest of the day trying to sleep, in whichever room in the house was coolest at the time. I sense the arrival of a portable air conditioning unit in my not too distant future.
R: L2, C10, D36.
