round two

swallows and martins have raised one brood, and now have started again. This is a swallow nest (they tend to nest inside buildings eg barns, rather than on the outside like martins, this nest is in the porch of our near neighbours) and this brood have just hatched. There may be a third brood before they leave. The first brood help with feeding this and subsequent broods.

ant nursery

There has been a very marked increase in the number of ant hills in the meadows. I accidentally disturbed the very top of this hill. The eggs must have been very close to the surface which seems strange unless the ants are trying to control the temperature because of the recent hot weather. The eggs were quickly taken back under cover by their nursemaids.

butterfly count

It is the start of butterfly count month (see link). The meadows were teeming with the usual mid July suspects, including dozens of small skippers (as above) meadow browns, ringlets and silver washed fritillaries. Very few red admirals and no tortoiseshells or peacocks. Five common blues which is definitely up on the last two years.

morning cocktails

The amazing scorpion fly. I am not quite sure what it is doing, or what it has got its head in, but they have a reputation for drinking fermented fruit juices and getting drunk.

mother and children

one careful spider mother (probably pisaura mirabilis, the nursery spider) and dozens of babies

gathering 2

A wave of meadow brown butterflies is sweeping through the lanes, maybe it is going to be a very good month for butterflies.