'The data you gather is vital in helping us understand the challenges
facing our butterflies and moths and we are very grateful
to all those citizen scientists who help us in this way'
and that ...
'much of what we know about the lives
and requirements of these incredible insects
has been discovered by amateur enthusiasts over the centuries.'
The Grayling has been a new species in the garden, visiting twice so far this August. The photo below shows how well it blends in with our White Buddleia once the flowers are past their prime.
It seems to be a good year for this species in our wider area; we have David has recorded over 100 in various locations (with my help). The collage below shows the Grayling up in the pine trees, perching on silver birch bark, resting in sandy tracks, pausing in the dry grass ... and alighting on our sleeves.
And here is my garden butterfly list for July 2022, starting with sightings seen most recently and working backwards ... We record each butterfly or cluster in our (wild) garden when we see them, but we often make a point of turning coffee and lunch times into counting sessions.
