JUNE
In my May general nature notes I talked about the saga of the Hornet attack on our nesting Blue Tits. After seeing off the queen hornet I was able to open the box lid to make a proper inspection. There was clear evidence of the female hornet making the start of a nest by sticking a glue like secretion which obviously hardens like concrete and supports the nest as they add layers to form an egg shaped structure. This was cleared away and as I expected the adults had deserted the nest containing eggs. I carefully removed the whole nest and cleaned out the box before sealing the entrance hole for this season. A wise move as for the rest of the day the female hornet did return and tried every way to get back into the box; my seal worked and I did not see the hornets again. It is obviously a major year for Hornets and you need to act if you see them trying to enter the house and be careful at all times. The sting is immensely painful.
I have added a shot of the Blue Tit nest and eggs so you can see how tiny they are .. 13mm in length and 10mm wide at the centre point. The nest is made from moss, feathers, animal hair and lichen .. beautifully woven.
I have added a shot of the Blue Tit nest and eggs so you can see how tiny they are .. 13mm in length and 10mm wide at the centre point. The nest is made from moss, feathers, animal hair and lichen .. beautifully woven.
click on picture to enlarge
Also photos of various insects that we have found in the garden this month. A Cream-spot Tiger Moth (Arctia Villica) sunning itself on the outside windowsill at first light and Banded Demoiselle damselflies .. male and female. All now on the wing and often found in long grass edges well away from water. A Painted Lady on the Cat Mint and also the stunningly beautiful Willow Emerald Damselfly .. a first for us!
The Ladybird .. a favourite insect that we all know .. eaters of aphids and therefore the gardeners friend. In the early days of the month I noted a strange yellow insect with clear wings showing on our oak gatepost and lower down some chrysalis like insect fixed firmly to the wood. Close inspection revealed some slight depression like "dimples" on the main body casing and obviously a ladybird. After some research it became apparent that the ladybird has an interesting 4 stage life cycle. Firstly the female lays her eggs which hatch into tiny legged larvae and then later at stage 2 they turn into a chrysalis in late Spring. In summer the chrysalis breaks open like an emerging butterfly and the yellow ladybird with a soft casing .. hence the "dimple" depressions before hardening up the wing cases in the sun and turning red or black fully formed Ladybirds in high summer. One never stops learning about the marvels of nature right on our doorsteps. Some shots of stages 2 and 3 attached but I will have to wait until 2026 to get a shot of the larvae
One further item is the current emergence of caterpillars voraciously feeding on Ragwort .. photo above. These are the caterpillars of the beautiful Cinnabar Moth which feed EXCLUSIVELY on this wild plant. I would implore horse owners to leave a small patch of ragwort until the caterpillars have dropped off the plant to pupate in long grass field edges. I am not an equine expert but have been assured that the plant only becomes toxic to ponies and horses when in a brown withering state later in the year. I will try to get a photo later in the year to show the moth's stunning colours.
Enjoy the summer
Brian Taylor
Enjoy the summer
Brian Taylor