Tales of the butterfly bank – Big Butterfly Count
I have started my big butterfly count. On Thursday I walked across Hyde Vale, something I do on a daily basis, and did my first count. Likewise on Friday. The two walks today and yesterday yielded not...
View ArticleDarters and Damselflies – Little’s Garden Essex
The darters and damselflies were hawking over the wildflower meadows of John Little’s Garden in Essex. It was the morning after our annual green roof training event at John’s. I stroll through the...
View ArticleButterfly Day – Essex and Greenwich
Last July the Burnett moths were the stars of my Butterfly Day at John Little’s garden in Essex. Butterfly Day – Essex Garden This year our green roof workshop was a few weeks later in the month. The...
View ArticleTales of the Railway Bank, July 11 – Bees and Moths
The railway bank at Greenwich station has thrown up a few surprises in the last few weeks. Evening Primrose – Greenwich Railway Bank Several Evening primrose flowers have been in bloom, which is the...
View ArticleSolitary Bees – a garden colony in Conyer, Kent
It was just a garden bank besides the road. There was no hedge, just a tumbling sandy soil bank. And the Solitary bees had amassed to nest and breed. There was a girl playing in the garden....
View ArticleBoar’s throat thistle – old brick works Kent
The golden heads of the Boar’s throat crowned the poor soils of the brick works north of Conyer. The thistle is a much maligned plant yet their flowers are a bonus for pollinators and their grey seeds...
View ArticleKilled for its hairiness – Sad Story of a Hairy Caterpillar
We were walking along the gravel path when we encountered the hairy caterpillar. At first I thought it was warming itself in the September sun but on closer inspection it had its ‘inners’ spilling out...
View ArticleSeptember’s butterflies – the end of the year
September’s butterflies on the butterfly bank have dwindled over the month since the end of the big butterfly count. The first week of September saw a few Meadow browns and Gatekeepers hang on and a...
View ArticleWasp’s demise, Spider’s revenge – a skirmish in a web
I have nothing against wasps – they cause me a degree of irritation that is irrelevant compared to the harm humans cause to the natural world and biodiversity.However there was something a ‘best served...
View ArticleA New Green Roof Breeding Bird Species
A new Green Roof Breeding Bird Species was discovered last week, whilst we doing a green roof tour in Essex. With the delegates from our workshop series enjoying the lovely ‘Land Rover’ wildflower...
View ArticleQueen Teasel’s Crown Jewel
Queen Teasel’s Crown Jewel – holds firm to thistle head – and like a brooch sparkles in the sun. This Four-spotted Chaser entertain many of us at John Little’s 50th Birthday in his lovely garden in...
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