wildlife

[ArnoldT]

Daring jumping spider

Phidippus audax

Feasting on some aphids on a sorrel plant.

[Tristan_He]

Well, I've just had quite an encounter! I was out in the garden at dusk seeing what was about (there are usually a few toads and things at this time of year). I was passing the honeysuckle when something large and pink zoomed across my torch beam. I took a look and to my surprise and delight there were two hawkmoths feeding there! I ran inside to get my old butterfly net and managed to catch one (haven't lost the knack)... it was a small elephant hawkmoth. I counted four on the honeysuckle and catmint.



After photographing and releasing that one I took a closer look and saw something a bit bigger also patrolling the honeysuckle - this thing!



... a large elephant hwkmoth. You can see the difference in size relative to the jam jar lid.

Now, I know neither of these are rare. But they are one of those things you don't often see, and to get a good look at both species in one evening was magical. It was lovely to be able to watch them in flight too. Made me feel like a kid again! 

[Roma]

I've found a large elephant hawk caterpillar in my garden a couple of times but have never seen the moth. Must go out a bit later at night.  There is some wild honeysuckle near my house so will check there.

[Tristan_He]

Hi Roma, if you do go, worth trying to do it just at dusk. I had quite a few at about 10:30 but by the time it was properly dark they had gone to do whatever hawkmoths do on a dark night! 

[ian mcdonald]

Both moths feed on willowherb and also fuchsia (which are in the same family).

[Yann]

Those days i'm not often in front of my PC except for work, precious free time is dedicated to wild plants.

Here're some met in a 30-50 miles radius...as we couldn't move further until today. Now it's time for alpines aventures :+)

[Yann]

the weather is still very warm and dry 

[Yann]

a few more from these last days

[Yann]

30mn from the house some rarities

[Yann]

another rare one in regression, Thalictrum flavum

[Tristan_He]

Both moths feed on willowherb and also fuchsia (which are in the same family).

They do, and as well as a couple of fuchsia bushes there is rather more willowherb in the garden than I might like! Larvae of both also go for bedstraw (especially small elephants), and there is plenty of heath bedstraw on the common around us. They were there again tonight. I shall have to take some cuttings of the honeysuckle.

[ian mcdonald]

Watch out for the small elephants, they can do a lot of damage in the garden.

[brianw]

Some good pictures on the Nova Scotia osprey webcam today

Here at home I am having to put up with a pheasants nest, currently with 6 eggs, just where I wanted to plant a number of Sanguinaria plants a good friend has given me.

[Yann]

The countrysides look like we're end of august but flowers are still blooming and certainly enjoyed the 12mm fell previous days.

[ian mcdonald]

There was a disaster in the garden the other day. A blue tit had got into the water tub next to the greenhouse. Even though the tub has a lid ( a plastic bowl), there was enough water in it to stop the bird from escaping. I have now put a wire mesh in the bowl.