This has been a much better year for butterflies, without the wall to wall rain we have had these past two summers. The dry start to the year and the terrific warm spell up until mid-July really helped them. On my Buddlia the the day I counted a dozen Tortoiseshells, so there must have been a hatching hereabouts. There was a Comma, a Red Admiral and 3 Peacocks too, as well as several Small Whites, which are inevitably the commonest of the butterflies. A few weeks ago there was a hatch of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns - they were everywhere - and plenty of Speckled Woods down the hill too.
It's a good year for Beans too, and I have been picking a motley selection daily. Some are eaten with the evening meal, but there are plenty to freeze too. The Italian flat bean has been particularly prolific and the Borlotti beans have done well too.
