Painted ladies

The first Painted Lady Butterflies turned up in my garden today, feeding on the Hebe and Red Valerian.


This amazing butterfly flies across the channel from the continent to the UK, some travel from as far as North Africa. They lay eggs and produce a second generation.

However recent scientific research and tagging has revealed that the second generation of Painted Ladies don't die during the winter as was once thought, but actually make the return journey. This migration is considered to be as spectacular as the famous Monarch butterfly in the USA. 

garden wildife update

Lots of activity in our garden now as flowers have responded to spring warmth. Winter visiting birds have been replaced by the more urgent need for nesting, great tis, blue tits, robin and house sparrows.




Bee activity has increased. The hairy footed bees, male and female are busy visiting the comfrey and flowering current. Several queen buff tailed and red tailed bumble bees in the garden - one buff tailed queen appears to be nesting in a hole by the shed.




Red mason bees visible today and the larger comma and tortoiseshell butterflies have been joined by speckled wood and a blue butterfly - that did not settle.

Dirt track insect and bee survey

The dirt track is full of insect pollinators, bees, hoverflies and butterflies.

 

Two species of butterfly,the tortoiseshell...

...and the red admiral.

The bramble patch opposite our house was alive with bees.

This included the two banded white tailed bumble bee

Honey bees

There were also several species of hoverfly

I have been taking part in a bee survey this year Bee Aware, promoted by Brighton and Hove's Big Nature.

Without bees, we would have very few of the crops we rely on commercially as well as the beautiful flowers that surround us. They have been doing a great job in our garden with out fruit bushes, we already have strawberries and the raspberries and blue berries will be ready soon.

Bees are considered keystone species, important species that hold key roles in the ecosystem, which could break down if we loose them.

On the bramble bush I recorded 7 honey bees, 9 of the white tailed bees and one brown carder bee.

To take part in this important survey, follow the link below.

http://www.bigbiodiversitycount.org.uk/bees/beeProcessor.php