I am a summer-lover and always feel a twinge of sadness when we reach the end of June, knowing that the longest day is behind us. A new month means it is time to post my Garden Butterfly Survey charts for the last four weeks or so.
The figures you see do not necessarily mean the total number I have seen of a particular species. The folk at Butterfly Conservation who run the survey ask us to record the highest number of a given species seen at one time. I saw two Ringlets, a new species to our garden, but since I failed to see them at the same time, you will not see a '2' in their box. Holly Blues were well down on May, but it has been a joy to see several Small Skippers, all at different times.
David, who has been walking round the block almost every day, has amassed what I think are astonishing statistics for a very 'suburban' pavement walk here in Suffolk. I hope you can just about make these out on his graph below: it will probably enlarge if you click on it. Blue represents sightings in April, orange in May and red in June. These results from an environment so very close to home make me wonder what (bushes? trees?) we lack here in the garden. There are signs of flowers on the Buddleia, but it will still be some days before these open.
I am glad to report that we had a beautiful Cinnabar moth in the garden a few days ago. I am also delighted to add that my home-patch insect list has finally reached *100*. More of that tomorrow...
1 comment:
A lovely selection of butterflies in your garden Caroline and great news about the Cinnabar Moth. We have only had a couple of sightings of Ringlets in the garden over recent years. Skippers for me are new colonisers. You have reminded me I need to update my BC garden butterfly page! :)
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