Wildlife September 2011

[Anthony Darby]

.........and where it got its latin name: Polygonia c-album. Lovely photographs Roma.

[Stephenb]

Great pictures, Roma! I had 7 Red Admirals this weekend, but that was all...no Peacocks this year. Perhaps the cold winter has staggered their northward march...

Incidentally, the Comma goes much farther north over here in Norway, reaching the Arctic Circle!

[Anthony Darby]

As the comma hibernates in amongst dead leaves in hedgerows, it is susceptible to damp, mild conditions in winter. It is not a migrant, so its spread north is very slow. It has taken since the 1920s, when its range was at its least, to reach Scotland.

[Lesley Cox]

Had an argument with Roger yesterday about a patch of nettles he wanted cleared out before we put in seed potatoes and some others veg seedlings. I was remembering the yellow admirals we had last summer/autumn and refused to touch them. His back (with wedge fractures) is preventing him from digging so I won THAT argument.

[Gerdk]

Found yesterday while taking a sun bathe in my garden

ring snake - Natrix natrix

Gerd

[mark smyth]

A wolf is caught in Belgium! Or is it a hoax?
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/wolf-belgium.html#cr

[Hoy]

I am sorry, no wolves in my garden although I want some to keep my neighbor's cats away

However, with the warmth and sun the last days a lot of insect has suddenly appeared from nowhere. They are very fond of the green nectar and pollen rich flowers of the Hedera helix.
A lot of honeybees joined other bees, flies and hoverflies in the sunshine.

[Anthony Darby]

18^oC and very windy this weekend, but it didn't hinder this battered old monarch, which visited my garden yesterday to lay its eggs on some swan plants.

[Anthony Darby]

Great pictures, Roma! I had 7 Red Admirals this weekend, but that was all...no Peacocks this year. Perhaps the cold winter has staggered their northward march...

I don't think peacocks are noted for their migratory habits. I lived in central Scotland for 30 years before I saw one. Now they are resident and one of the commonest butterflies in August. Before they were confined to the Scottish coast.