A young Slow Worm in the new patch on the bank I'm planting up. Good to know that they have colonised that bank - probably for many many years. We used to have them at the edge of the wild bit of garden in my childhood home. Lizards too.
Quite a large moth on our wall. Can't make a positive ID yet, but will thumb through Moths of Trigon again in the morning (it's currently 1 a.m.!) Many thanks to my Naturalist and keen Ornithologist friend Fi Sharp for giving me an ID - it's a Red Underwing.
There has been a very large Dragonfly doing loops around the yard but going too fast to get a photo.
Anyway, I have my Dorset friend Gay staying, and we had a trip to Hay today to walk round the shops. I got good booklet about churches to visit in the Hay area and a small walks in the Brecon Beacons - some not too daunting. Then some more digging/weeding on the bank - hence the photos.
Must be good to see the Hummingbird Hawkmoth several times. And how good to have a slow worm in the garden.
ReplyDeleteGreat to have a slow worm(s) in the garden and I haven't seen a Hummingbird Hawkmoth yet this year. Enjoy your friend's stay and glad you got to Hay.
ReplyDeleteIs it one of the Carpet Moths?
ReplyDeletehttps://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/identify-a-moth
Good news on the slow worm which are legless lizards. I see them frequently in my woodland when I’m digging out composted leaf mould and grass cuttings. I was gardening after work yesterday (we had a gorgeous evening and I didn’t come in until twenty to eight - completely lost track of time!) and was accompanied by the most beautiful Golden Ringed Dragonfly who I identified as female because of the size of her ovipositor! She breeds in acidic rivers and loves to roam over heathland so my garden is her perfect habitat. It is usually around this time of year that we see a mass hatching of Emperor Dragonflies which fly in their hundreds over the meadow until they are efficiently hoovered up by the Hobby. And last night I noticed several tiny with exquisite markings micro moths on our windows - moths are wonderful creatures and I am always pleased to see them. Hope you are having lovely weather too for your outings with Gay. We’re going to the beach today as we could both do with immersing in seawater followed by a snooze in the dunes. S checked out the bridleways on his mountain bike while I was at work yesterday but they are still too muddy for my hybrid bike and I do not want to fall into a muddy puddle! Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteYour garden must be very healthy and well balanced. A great diversity of wildlife. It would be an honour for me to find a slow worm in my garden. The first time everyone saw hummingbird hawk moths here I don't think anybody knew of them. They all went berserk, thinking they had a hummingbirds.
ReplyDeleteIt's been around the garden all summer. The slow worm must be Child of the Tail-less one (me and the strimmer last year - didn't know it was there under the long grass.)
ReplyDeleteI rescued a Red Underwing from our bathroom, a few days ago and helped it to a more exciting environment! I’ve never seen an Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar! However, I was lucky enough to see a Death’s-head Hawkmoth, a few years ago! And that was huge!
ReplyDeleteI think that I recognise the shop! A good one to find things..
ReplyDeleteYou garden is a real wildlife park.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a Hummingbird Moth since we cut down our Virginia Creeper vine. They loved to eat that. I have never heard of a slow worm so looked it up. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous place to live, so many sights and vistas.
God bless.
I had never heard of a slow worm. Had to Google it. We have similar hummingbird moths here as well. That is a gorgeous chest of drawers in the shop window! Hay looks like an interesting place to visit. I hope you've enjoyed your day with your friend. It's good to get out and about.
ReplyDeleteI remember my first sighting of a hummingbird hawkmoth years ago. And the difficulty catching a photo, it was feasting on soapwort. Then having an argument with a leader on a nature walk, who argued that it was impossible to see the moth in this country.
ReplyDelete