Common Blue
Many butterflies are enjoying a bumper year in 2019, and I can truly say that for some species such as the Gatekeeper I have never seen so many in one season. But in our neck of the woods at least, … Continued
Holly Blue
It was another sad day in our little corner of the Shire: one of our neighbours died a couple of weeks ago, and today R and I went to his funeral. I hope it was a comfort to his close … Continued
Brief encounter
This is one of the strangest photos I think I’ve ever posted. There are so many things I don’t like about it, that I hardly know where to start, but the thing that makes it today’s blip is that it … Continued
Not Common
But not uncommon. That is to say: she’s common, but she’s a Ruddy rather than a Common Darter. The females of these two species are much harder to tell apart than the males, though on the rare occasions that you … Continued
Golden hour
I was walking around the village late this afternoon, dodging rain showers, and as I made my way home through a wheat field the sun came out, and a little cloud of Meadow Brown butterflies left the hedgerow and settled … Continued
Roesel’s bush cricket
The fierce rain of yesterday cleared overnight, but it was a dull and overcast day, and my mood was appropriately down-beat. I almost talked myself into going out, but the light really wasn’t good enough for bug hunting, and in … Continued
Emergency triffid
Oh no – sorry. It’s a tiny helenium bud, not much bigger than a shirt button. But the curly bracts do make me think of triffids, for some reason – perhaps because they look as though they might have minds … Continued