Clare Boyes
@pickeletto
Grief-stricken mum of Douglas (). We shared passion for insects & Bellowhead. Particularly obsessed by solitary wasps and bees. VC47 recorder, Bees, Wasps, Butterflies. MRes Ento student at HAU.
Volucella zonaria (Hornet Hoverfly) came to visit this afternoon. At one point there were three on the mint as I sat out. Not seen any hornets for a while though
Juv Goshawk in the garden - returning to its perch after being knocked off by Sparrowhawk which you can hear in the background. Sparrowhawk knocked it off 3 / 4 times but it doesn't seem to have deterred it as we've seen it since (and Sparrowhawks still around too) @naturespy.bsky.social
Not being able to walk temporarily (field trip - rabbit hole - broken leg) has a few consolations. Yesterday 11 Clouded Yellow flew through the garden. Today, this one stayed awhile, nectaring on knapweed
Family of Stoats crossing from Wales into England in the garden early this morning. #gardenwildlife
Beautiful Demoiselles making more, on my pond today. Immediately afterwards she appeared to be ovipositing on Bog Bean in the pond. At least 8 males along the pondside. Obviously not read the book...The adjacent stream is polluted with a rocky bottom.
Bit surprised to find a hornet on my pillow. Safely potted up. I hope it survives until morning when I can set it free
Four years ago today since Douglas died. We miss him every moment of every day. Loved so much by his family and many friends; a respected scientist and moth-er; a wearer of great shirts; and a Bellowhead superfan.
One of the garden oaks is covered with galls this year, of at least three species. Other nearby oaks have very few
Roe Deer just bounded past. I've been picking them up on my cameras a lot this year but rarely see them in the flesh
I was going to trim back the vegetation around my garden sandpit, but 3 Field Digger Waps (Mellinus arvensis)are nesting under the vegetation so I wont'! They predate flies so plenty of food for their offspring. Doesn't do to be too tidy!
Douglas would have been 29 today. This photo was taken on his MSc field trip to the Canary Islands. He left such a huge hole in our lives, which can never be filled #grief
3 Silver-washed Fritillaries nectaring on knapweed in the garden just now. Certainly justifies leaving lots of wild areas. Shame it's not included in Big Butterfly Count, but lots of other butterflies to include
This Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis) was on the sitting room wall this morning (had left the window open). Think Douglas only recorded it once before
Found a new Wood White site in Montgomeryshire today when out surveying. 4 or 5 seen and huge amount of Bird's-Foot Trefoil
Leopard Moth from Sunday's moth trap. Don't usually see them as pristine as this
Bit surprised (but probably not as much as the ladybird!) to find an Adonis Ladybird in a packet of fresh dill as I cooked supper. It had a lucky escape but not sure how to record its location. The dill was from Norfolk, it's now in Mid-Wales.
Purple Hairstreak roosted in Euphorbia by backdoor door last night. Saves me having to crane my neck, checking the tree tops!
Essex Skipper rescued from the polytunnel this afternoon along with Ringlet and Green-veined White
Rescued this Scarlet Tiger from the polytunnel this afternoon. They are becoming much more frequent.
The smallest Common Lizard I've seen. There were 3 basking in the garden. They must be only a few days old
Fork-tailed Flower Bee (Anthophora furcata) buzzing round the Stachys in the garden. Not sure where it's nesting as the old stump it used completely disintegrated.