After spotting a Cinnabar Moth a couple of weeks ago I started looking for the tell tale signs of the yearly invasion and today I found the first signs of the annual ragwort decimation by these tiny Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae) caterpillars. They were only about 1cm long but they were everywhere I looked, marching over their chosen battleground, leaving no Ragwort plant standing. Were they in Queens Park where I’d seen the adult and been looking all week? Were they hell… [... read rest of post]
If there’s one thing we know how to do well in this country it’s the nature documentary – hasn’t BBC Springwatch been great and we’re only into week one. Needless to say, with the beautiful weather we’ve been having and being a bit inspired by Springwatch I ventured out to Queens Park in Bolton during my lunch hour to see what mini beasts I could snap. There were tiny metallic green beetles on all the Dock along the edge of [... read rest of post]
The weather here in Lancashire has been a little unpredictable to say the least over this past week. We’ve had torrential rain, blazing sun, light breezes and almost gale force winds so it’s been one of those weeks where getting out to enjoy the abundance of wildlife the area has to offer has been a bit touch and go. Most of the migrants such as Swallows are starting to head south but still the insect life continues to flourish. One [... read rest of post]
It looks like Spring is in the air up here in Lancashire as I spotted this clump of frog spawn in a small pond while walking through Queens Park, Bolton, during lunch time today. Not many birds visible but you could hear them calling in the trees. The weather forecast is for a drop in temperature in the next few days but the signs are there for all to see – spring is on the way.
What a huge difference to the world the sun makes. I’ve spent all my lunch hours for the past 2 weeks walking through Queenspark, Bolton and the difference in the flora and fauna is truly astonishing. At the start of last week there were hardly any flowers except the Daffodils but this week the woods are full of Bluebells and Wild Garlic in every direction you look and whenever you stray off the path the smell of the Garlic instantly [... read rest of post]
After a couple of dismal weeks worth of bad luck regarding the weather, where it would be nice a frosty during the week and raining at the weekend we’re not going to get out this weekend either as Wendy is ‘on call’ and has to stay within an hours traveling time of the local hospital. So plans of fell walking are out but I do intend to get out somewhere before I go mad… Walking through the park on Wednesday [... read rest of post]
