Ashy mining bee?

It's grotesque! We're currently trying to remove and recycle 7,200 plastic guards from the trees we planted on our land in Nidderdale 14 years ago.
At least they're locally-sourced trees, appropriate to the terrain and not planted in rigid grid formation.
You can't just bung them in and walk away!

It was. A bit quirky, but good fun 😁

As an aside, the chessmen were the inspiration for Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin's animated children's character Noggin the Nog. We once went to a lecture given by Oliver and Peter at the British Museum. The highlight of the evening was the curators bringing these beautiful pieces out to show us!

I'm wondering how well wasps are faring in the UK generally. I hardly saw any this year, not even in early autumn when people often complain about them. We had a queen trying to make a nest in our garden shed in spring but she abandoned it when it was about the size of a walnut.

Thanks for the clarification Ann👍

It's very heartening to read this but worrying the new government is reluctant to commit to these schemes. I am a Labour supporter but I am seriously concerned about its commitment to environmental protection issues.

You just have to make sure it doesn't take over the house 🤩

Lovely sphagnum moss in the foreground, but I'm not sure which one 🤩

Some wonderful achievements here 🤩