Flower update

It now looks like it's going to be a very poor year for orchids - the first year that numbers will be going down and not just down but way down. Unless things change of course and the weather tempts them up. I'm guessing it must be weather related but I don't see why lots of rain would keep orchids underground. Strangely enough a plant that does love the damp, Lousewort, has also appeared very differently this year. It spread from an initial few flowers about ten years ago to such an extent that it covered large areas of the West Field last year. This year it seems to be occuring in small patches but over a wider area. Not only right at the top of the West Field but also a couple of patches in different grassy lawn areas - in other words the first time I have seen it outside the West Field. I can only observe the flowers - I can't explain what happens! Photo is some Lousewort near the house.

New Species - Thick -legged Flower Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Considering the huge number of beetle species in the UK, I have a very poor list of those I have recorded here. They are not always easy to identify so that is one of the reasons. So it is good to see one that is easily named as it is a distinctive and colourful beetle with, as its name suggests, singularly thick 'thighs'.

Yellow Archangel

This is one of my favourite of the non-meadow flowers here. It is to be found in rough ground and at the edge of the treed areas. There is a good showing this year at the edge of the East Field.

Orchid update

Before we went away it was trending to be a very good year for Orchids with levels trending above last year's numbers. Since our return however I am struggling to find rosettes so we are now well below last year's. It could be that the vast numbers of bluebells are hiding the orchids. We'll have to see what happens in the next few weeks when the orchids will start to flower. Meanwhile one good bit of news is that there is again a Twayblade in the West Field - the same one has now come up three years in a row.

Horseshoe bat back in the shed!!

I had given up on our Lesser Horseshoe bat who has been living in our shed since 2014. I assumed he must have died or moved on as I had not seen him this year. Today he is back. I'll have to stop using the shed again!

New Grove Meadows

Just a mile or so from here New Grove Meadows has two orchid species that I would love to see here. It has stacks of Green-winged Orchids (photo) and a a few Early Purple Orchids.

New Hoverfly Species - Hook-barred Spearhorn

I found this natty hoverfly drowning in one of the small sink ponds and took some photos whilst it was drying off. It turns out to be the Hook-barred Spearhorn (Chrysotoxum festivum) which is to be found in the South of England and Wales.

Bluebells

There is a certaim point in the year when I feel like a Bluebell farmer - here's a particularly good crop in the West Field.