Day 321 #365DaysWild Portable Skinner trap with actinic bulb and back sheet  Portable Skinner trap with actinic bulb under the limes with back sheet. 22 moths of 14 species. Notable were Seraphim (first for garden),  pinion spotted pug (4 of this ‘nationally scarce’ species) and the delightful little Chinese Character - like a tiny spot of bird poo ..read more

Day 329 365DaysWild The wonderful wedding of our niece and her partner last night. Solitude by the pond was prescribed this morning, with the sun shining and birds in full spring song, it was just the therapy I needed. By the pond is our best patch of untouched, south-facing sandy grassland. The grass is sparse, kept in check by yellow rattle - the parasite of grass. Here, a metre square would provide sufficient study for many months.           Tiny ants, small predatory spiders and several species of mining bee - some very small. A bustling city in the ..read more

Day 328 #365DaysWild Whipping the vegetable garden into shape for the growing season. Growing one’s own fruit and vegetables is the most primal and satisfying uses of our time on this earth. Calendula & Red Admiral Organic. No-dig. All compost our own. All irrigation that isn’t rain is from collected rain water. Little irrigation needed today as the rain grew heavier throughout the late afternoon, reluctantly driving us in. The Head Gardener has drawn up our plan… Hollyhock  Leeks finishing. Asparagus spears cropping. Rhubarb blanching. Potatoes ju ..read more

Day 317 #365DaysWild Nibbling away at blackthorn leaves are tiny green caterpillars. One has begun to wrap itself in a leaf sleeping bag secured with gossamer strands. They are in the what is called the first instar of their life, growing until they need to shed their skin and enter the next instar stage. This continues until the caterpillars crawl down into the soil and finally emerge as adult butterflies or moths. These caterpillars are those of the Winter Moth. The male moths flop about in the winter looking for flightless females. Having mated they lay eggs on broadleaved trees and ..read more

Day 316 #365DaysWild Newstead and Annesley Country Park today for summer migrants.. Willow Warbler Chiffchaff  Whitethroat Sedge Warbler Reed Warbler Blackcap  Garden Warbler ..as well as grebes. Perhaps the star of the show was an obliging Green Hairstreak ..read more

Day 315 #365DaysWild Just let that small boy out to play, I say. A wonderfully warm and sunny. Butterflies on the wing: Peacock Green-veined White Comma Brimstone M&F  Orange Tip M&F Speckled Wood Fascinating interplay between the ground-nesting bees and wasps where the soil is thinnest. The glistening wings of Large Red Damselflies catch the eye all over the pond and meadow ..read more

Day 314 #365DaysWild Our Australian guests clearly impressed with our garden wildlife ..read more

Day 312 #365DaysWild It took us seven months to clear the area we discovered to be an orchard. Within the jungle of bramble, nettle, sycamore and blackthorn we discovered an invalid ward of strangled apple trees planted after WWII. We’ve taken the old gardeners rule and removed one branch from each apple tree a year to bring them back to health. They’ll never achieve the classic goblet shape of perfect orchard specimens. But, in a good year they yield apples to eat until May. Apple trees are wonderful for invertebrates and birds. As is their dead wood which we stack, hoping one day fo ..read more

Day 312 #365DaysWild Grass mowed yesterday. Rain this morning. The garden, wet, and fresh green.  Demonstrating that one colour need not be monotonous ..read more

Day 311 #365DaysWild A recycled sheet draped over a bramble increases the reflective area for attracting moths.. A cold spring evening for garden mothing. And quite a clear night which often reduces numbers coming to the light. Sited in the Cedar Walk. Very few moths on the wing - at the time of the year when the early season moths are not in flight and the late spring moths haven’t stirred. Angle shades Brindled beauty 3 Hebrew character 3 Spruce carpet 2 (pictured) So We’ll perhaps get chance to go again tonight ..read more