Today was officially the hottest day in the UK ever with the 40 C barrier finally broken. It was an incredible day and eclipsed yesterday in terms of intensity and duration (a mere 37 C). We kept cool in the pop up pool and had a BBQ in the evening as the first storm clouds rolled in bringing the heat wave to an end.
With excellent mothing conditions since I got back from London on Friday the last few days have been full on. The garden moth year list is now on 362 and the all time garden moth list on 549. Across all the UK sites I've been recording my personal year list is 440.
Highlights have included a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on the Lavenders on Friday, finally got Scalloped Hook-tip, a Large Twin-spot Carpet and been plenty of micros to identify and also Common Darter and Migrant Hawker were great to see as don't get many dragonflies in the garden.
On the bird front, pretty quiet especially in the heat but nice to see the tit flocks building now.
Juvenile Long-tailed Tit, the first signs of autumn with the garden tit flock forming now
Common Darter
Poplar Shoot- I think this is a new one
Sallow Kitten
Large Twin-spot Carpet
I've taken a shot with Citron Plume on this. More like Dingy White Plume (see here comments from Will Langdon) Update 311222- CMR team says can't rule out Common Plume.
Gone for Pale Lettuce Bell
Poplar (above) and Small Elephant Hawkmoth (below). Plenty of hawkmoths in these conditions but Privet Hawks look like post peak now.
Magpie- the first for the year
Had three of these (Box Tree Moths) and fed them all to the chickens. The most I've caught here. I did say that if I ever get Jersey Tiger and Oak Processionary here along with Box Tree moths I would declare that climate change has finally reached Bucks but its already a close thing what with 3 of these and the UKs hottest day this week.
I thought this looked more like Dioryctria sylvestrella ? Probably can't be done from photo and may not even by a Dioryctria see comments here from Upper Thames Moth blog group
Waved Black- had these at the North Downs already this year but nice to get it in the garden too
Scalloped Hook-tip. Was on the wish list. Lifer.
Still working on it - maybe a Teasel Marble
Least Yellow Underwing- a scarce moth here
On the night of 19th-20th (following the UK's hottest day) there wasn't the diversity of moths I was expecting. Not sure if dispersal or migration can 'burn out' if a heat wave continues for 'too' long. There was only 71 moth species but accompanying them were lots of other bugs and beetles including this presumed Dark Bush Cricket- a new species for the garden pan species list.
Chickens getting on well- over six weeks old now. Will be extending the run soon.
All good in the Paludarium. Made an error this weekend and bought two Red-clawed Crabs and a Mozambique Shrimp. Not only did the crabs eat the Shrimp (£20! and lasted an hour) but we also found two of our African Dwarf Frogs dead too (either related to the heat or crab meat).
Jacob with an Eyed Hawkmoth from last week
One of the Butterfly beds with Common Loosestrife is enjoying the sun. Plenty of butterflies in the garden over last few days; Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Essex Skipper, Large and Small Whites and Commas
Been busy keeping the mini-farm watered which is really relaxing at the end of a very hot day
Managed to get in a strim the pathways and also managed to finally strim the Pumpkin field
Hummingbird Hawkmoth on the Lavenders- the first for the garden
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