Extra special Easter delivery! 13 days ago a female Emperor moth laid her eggs in our moth trap. Yesterday, they hatched & around 80 caterpillars are now happily munching on Bramble & Hawthorn. Follow along to see their journey from caterpillar to cocoon 1/2 @savebutterflies.bsky.social #mothsmatter

Not many moths in the trap last night (very windy here VC41 Vale of Glamorgan): 2 Common Quaker, 1 Early Grey & 1 Nut-tree Tussock. But we did have 2 other beauties... (1/4)

#mothsmatter
@gardenmothscheme.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @valelnp.bsky.social @walesnatureweek.bsky.social

A few days ago visited a local wood for the first time and was faced with this relict Beech boundary hedge complete with Cobalt Crust. Then 50m further on even more. The photographs do not do justice to the vibrancy of the blue at all.

Trees are often overlooked when we think of early pollen sources. This sprawling Goat Willow was huge and buzzing with life, with dozens of Buff-tailed Bumblebee queens bumbling in the canopy. It's inspired me to plant one in my field. #bumblebees @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social #coedcymru

Ran our 2x30W actinic moth trap last night for #GardenMothScheme 6/4 with 3 Early Grey, singles of Hebrew Character, Common Quaker and Small Quaker. We never get huge numbers compared to those running MV traps, but even so, numbers here seem lower now that our street lights are LED. #teammoth

Common Lizard + Adder flattening themselves to maximise sun absorption. Photos by contractor Kevin Williams, Greenwise & Paul Dunn - taken in last week during habitat management works for High Brown Fritillary butterfly @naturambyth.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @valelnp.bsky.social

Explored a very muddy green lane near Llancarfan today. So much potential for wildlife, but instead hedgerows flailed to an inch of their lives with absolutely no field margins. We did manage to find this unidentified nest though @valelnp.bsky.social #hedgerows #hedgerowmanagement #hedgelaying

Afternoon half-term visit to @nationaltrust.bsky.social #DyffrynGardens yesterday with daughter - dozens of Eristalis tenax & E. pertinax on a warm, sunny patch of Petasites. Plus plenty of active Palmate newts and a lovely Great Crested Newt too. Looking great Dyffryn! #hoverflies #valelnp

Throwback to 22/07/24 when I had both of these Garden Tigers (Arctia caja) in the trap. Usual form on the left and f. petriburgensis on the right. #mothmonday #VC42 #Glamorgan