Butterflies in abundance

I wrote about butterflies in my last piece when recording our superb coastal walk. Still with these delightful insects I'm thrilled to see more and more of them on the large buddleia that's at the back of the patio. Back in the spring I pruned it quite vigorously and thought I might have overdone things but the result now is a really glorious example of this lovely bush. Of late I've had very disappointing years with hardly a butterfly in sight but 2010 has changed that! More and more butterflies are coming in (I could do with some 'painted ladies' though!) and it seems that by good fortune the pruning time was ideal as the mass of flowers have come at the right time.

Not just butterflies but bumble bees as well. These beautiful creatures really do work hard, as do honey bees of course. No wonder the phrase "busy as a bee" came into being (unintended pun with that last word!) Another great plus for the buddleia is its wonderful scent - I don't have a good nose for scents but I can recognise the buddleia's flowers with no problem!

In a previous entry I had commented about the frogs hopping around in the garden. There are as many as ever in the grass that passes as my lawn. Do I risk getting the mower out to give the lawn a much needed trim? Will the sound and vibration ensure they get out of the way? As far as I can see they appear to avoid getting crushed under my size nines at least. So I might give it a go.

Garden alive with frogs and bumble bees

I have to hold my hands up and say that my garden isn't the tidiest one in the neighbourhood. It's true that it shouldn't be quite so wild in appearance but, in my defence, I would point out that it is very much a cottage garden and that I want a selection of wildlife to be present.

In amongst the Shasta Daisies, Golden Rod and Calendula there are dozens of froglets scurrying about. These little frogs are only about a thumbnail in size and I can't say for sure that they all came from my pond originally but they are amusing to watch. No doubt some will be lost to predators but it's nice to see them around for the moment at least.

My patio slabs aren't properly cemented together - I'm relaxed about thatand my marjoram has taken advantage of some of the gaps. Apart from that plant being attractive to butterflies it is absolutely humming with bumble bees! I'm a great lover of bees and a summer garden without any would be very depressing for me. Next month should see lots of fresh yellow as my mass of golden rod comes into flower and they normally play host to huge numbers of hover flies. The buddleia at the back of the patio is looking good: so far I've seen a small tortoiseshell, a red admiral, a peacock, a couple of commas and a small white on the bush. If we have a nice sunny weekend perhaps the numbers will build up, I really hope so.

Yes it's nice to share ones garden with nature!

A butterfly success story

The continuing amenable weather is good for our butterflies, I'm seeing quite a few in the garden and elsewhere locally but no species that unusual it has to be said. However one particular spot in the south west has reported a good season for the sadly now rare pearl bordered and small pearl bordered fritillaries. The location I am referring to is the Marsland Nature Reserve where Devon meets Cornwall on the north coast. I think that the reserve straddles both sides of the stream that forms the county boundary here but it appears that it is the Devon Wildlife Trust that is responsible for it. The DWT has an excellent website and so far as its reserves are concerned it has a map of Devon with all the reserves named and with dots to indicate their locations. Click on the relevant dot and a new window opens relating to that particular reserve - the one for Marsland can be viewed here. A very good arrangement I have to say.

It is good to know that numbers of these two rare fritillaries are increasing here through careful management. Not only are these two species evidently thriving but the site has recorded some 34 species of butterfly in total. I find it interesting to see the way wildlife has redistributed itself in the short period of my lifetime. On the one hand nature has had to find new homes because of (a) loss of habitat as more and more of our land is paved over by roads, airports, housing, retail and industrial developments and (b) farming has become more intensive generally. On the credit side, if you will, organisations such as the County Wildlife Trusts, National Trust, RSPB, Woodland Trust and others have increased both their expertise and the size of their holdings so that specific species can recover their numbers to a degree, as with the previously mentioned butterflies at Marsland. One mustn't forget that much maligned government department DEFRA is playing its part too in encouraging farmers to participate in various environmental schemes. Another aspect of all this is the way many of us have altered the way we use our gardens. I've seen old photographs of this small terrace of Cornish cottages with their large gardens totally given over to growing vegetables it would seem because there isn't a tree or bush in sight. Very different today with quite a wooded feel to the gardens. It's not just village gardens either: I can think of a steep sided valley in this Parish whose west facing slope was once a mass of market gardens growing principally daffodils and strawberries. Now abandoned for horticulture the land has reverted to woodland.

Here is a point to ponder then - we are now more reliant on imported food than when I was a boy, and that is worrying on a number of levels. But it could be argued that some gardens with their shrubberies and folk putting up bird feeders have become more wildlife friendly in recent years. And is the change from market gardens to woodland that I have just written about a plus for wildlife worth having? I certainly recall the pleasure of walking this woodland in the middle of the day and seeing a tawny owl sat on a branch. What I'm trying to say (I think) is that while population growth will inevitably increase the pressure on wildlife it may not all be bad news for nature.

Just a brief comment on Marsland Mouth to round off this entry: well it's quite some time since I've visited that area but it has that magic of seemingly being much as it must have been half a century ago. That part of my peninsula still feels incredibly remote, the two nearby villages of Morwenstow (of Reverend Hawker fame) and Welcome appear not much bigger than hamlets. One last point - the rugged coast here faces almost due west so with the better visibility and brighter skies of recent days there should have been really good sunsets to be seen over the sea.

Weather improves for bank holiday

So far this bank holiday weekend has been fairly good weatherwise. It was wet overnight but today things have improved and in fact this afternoon has been really pleasant. This quiet still weather which quite often seems to characterise the move from summer to autumn always goes down well with me. I certainly took advantage after lunch in getting some gardening done, for me the temperature for outside work was absolutely right. Yes I know with a bank holiday weekend one is supposed to drive miles and join everyone else doing the same thing. Now much though I like people I prefer them in small numbers unless going to an event where huge audiences are essential for viability and atmosphere, not that I can think of any such occasions that I would enjoy.

Of course this long weekend and the next week or two are the last throw of the dice for most families before the routine of school recommences. I am really pleased for them that the weather is better now but I'm even happier for our farmers who desperately need a dry period to get something out of the harvest.

The main reason for the awful summer it seems is that the high altitude jet stream bringing in low pressure off the Atlantic has been well south of where one normally expects it with the result that many of the depressions have been centred over Ireland or Wales, some of them have been slow moving as well which has made the drenching all the more notable. The good news is that the current low is somewhere up near Iceland I think, where it darn well should be! There is now some prospect of a ridge from the Azores high pushing into the south west as the week progresses.

Before finishing this entry I just want to mention seeing a few peacock butterflies recently, nowhere near enough but better than none at all. And the sea of yellow in the garden that is the golden rod in flower is bringing in the bees and hoverflies. The first flower on my michaelmas daisies is also in bloom. Happy days!

Slightly better news re butterflies

I've been blogging about the dearth of butterflies in my garden particularly on my buddleia and it's interesting to note that many other bloggers are making the same observation. With the weather today continuing the hot and sunny spell with little wind then any butterflies about should be on the wing. One of the most favoured places in the Tamar Valley for butterflies based on our past observations appeared to be a good place to visit today to perhaps get a better idea of the well being of these creatures. It is such a special little area to us that I'm not going to say exactly where we went I'm afraid! It's nice to keep some things secret you understand. However I am very happy to reveal that we certainly saw quite a few butterflies on our walk.

What was very pleasing was to see several silver-washed fritillaries on the wing, not unusual at this location. A goodly number of gatekeepers were out and about and some speckled woods. But still precious few red admirals and peacocks and as yet no tortoiseshells. It's these latter three species that normally find buddleia their idea of heaven and our walk passed many examples of the 'butterfly bush'. Perhaps I'm being a little impatient, there's still time for them to turn up.

In the late afternoon after we got back from our butterfly walk I once again checked my buddleia and was greeted by the sight of a large fritillary on it, a silver-washed I think. Wow! It has to be said though that I have very occasionally seen one in previous years on this bush.

I just want to summarise my thoughts on the butterfly situation as I see it:

• Insect numbers as a whole seem to be well down at the moment compared with a 'good' year. Other bloggers have made similar comments.
• Butterfly results seem to be mixed with a few species doing reasonably well and others very badly.
• The phenomenon of certain plant species flowering earlier than in previous years is well recorded. If climate change is a reality then it is perfectly possible I guess for those various bits of nature that inter-relate with each other such as buddleia and butterflies to get out of sync.
• Thinking of buddleia specifically there is plenty of it growing wild but as to that which we deliberately grow in our gardens then we have some control over the flowering period. I have read the suggestion that it be pruned at the end of February but it grows so fast here in the south west that perhaps it could be cut back well into the Spring. I normally do mine in March but didn't get round to much pruning this year, perhaps I should leave it till April in 2009!

Normally I don't keep a written nature diary so I'm glad that the blog is helping me out here, it's amazing how easy it is to forget the detail of what happened 12 months ago. At least it is for me!

Still very few butterflies

It was ten days ago that I commented on the lack of butterflies on my buddleia and whilst I've been thoroughly enjoying its appearance fully in flower and the accompanying wonderful scent the complete lack of visiting butterflies has been very concerning. Perhaps I ought to correct that - I have had a visiting comma on one or two occasions in the last few days and attracted perhaps by the marjoram there have been a few gatekeepers about. There has been a little dampness today but we have enjoyed some really warm and sunny weather of late so no reason for the butterflies not to show themselves if around. Looking at other blogs it seems that the lack of butterflies is general and in fact all insect numbers appear to be way down this summer. Usually I expect to see a few swifts about but just haven't been seeing them. With these and other bird species being so dependant on the normal glut of insects are we going to see bird populations crashing? It's all very worrying.

Waiting for the butterflies

The weather today has been a mixture of cloud and sun so far and very close. So it has been good enough this afternoon to do some gardening but to avoid getting overwhelmed by my hay fever I've come indoors to do a bit of quick blogging.

My buddleia davidii at the back of the patio is looking a picture and I really enjoy the scent especially after it has rained. But as yet I haven't seen a butterfly on it. Worryingly these beautiful insects seem to be getting scarcer all the time. Having said that the red admirals, peacocks, painted ladies and small tortoiseshells usually come toward the end of the flowering period of this particular bush and I need to be patient perhaps. At least there are quite a few ringlet butterflies on the wing at the moment.

Still on the wildlife theme I have heard reports of good sightings of peregrines in the Valley recently but I have been missing them unfortunately. Also a heron has been spotted very early in the morning, there are numerous garden ponds in the area for it take an interest in.

Trees come into leaf

Across the valley from my cottage is a steep hillside covered in woodland except where some rocky outcrops poke through. The overall effect is quite stunning. It is in fact a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees; most of the deciduous ones have come into leaf now. When I first moved to this part of the village in 1995 I recall having to wait till the start of May before the trees started to put on their 'summer clothes'. Unusually there has hardly been a frost so far this year.

The tulips in a friend's garden are well out now and in yesterday's Western Morning News there was a beautiful picture of the stunning tulip display in Dartmouth's Royal Avenue Gardens. Must grow some next year! Also seems to be an excellent year for primroses - I have no shortage of them. Have seen one or two blue butterflies and my neighbour had a green woodpecker visit his peanut feeder the other day. There's always something happening in nature isn't there.

Hummingbird hawk moth seen

I've enjoyed the sunny warm weather of late but we are promised a cold blast from the north next week, with the possibility of snow showers on higher ground at least. I had previously mentioned seeing butterflies on the wing; I've noticed brimstones, peacock and red admirals in the last week or so. But yesterday I was particularly excited to see in a friend's garden my first hummingbird hawk moth of the year! Wow, this really was a totally unexpected pleasure!

A couple of butterflies and lunch on the patio

A dry day today with some reasonable warmth and sunshine. Sunny enough in fact to see a couple of butterflies on the wing over the garden. These were a peacock and a brimstone. And although it has now clouded up somewhat (late afternoon) it was pleasant enough to take advantage of the weather and eat my lunch on the patio. Eating out of doors is a particular pleasure I find, memories now coming back of having tea in the garden when we were children. A good many pubs and cafes in this neck of the woods have outside seating facilities which is excellent to see. Maybe it's all these foreign holidays people go on but folk seem more inclined to eat outside these days or so it seems to me.

I managed to get some work done in the garden during the afternoon, of the general clearing up kind. On a previous occasion I had mentioned the abundance of moss in my garden, not too surprising bearing in mind the damp air so prevalent in Cornwall plus the fact that the sun is still low in the sky. Bramble is another species that thrives here! My primroses are well out and as usual the aquilegia (columbine) has self seeded - like forget-me-not once you have it in the garden you'll never be without it!