No replies and butterflies

 James Sunderland MP hasn't yet replied to my email about CRT cuts (see my earlier post).  Either he's on holiday or he can't be bothered. Maybe he's lost heart as it looks like he might not get in next time.

On a more cheerful note, I thought I'd join in the Big Butterfly Count again this year and send my numbers in. For one thing, it gives me an excuse for loafing about in the garden.   Any sunny spot will do.  You could of course do it on a canal towpath; I suspect that might be quite good in places.

Looking back at my photo archive I can see that 2020 was the best year round here.  I think I got ten or eleven species that year, some of them in large numbers. 

 Officially I'm counting in my garden, but I do cheat and stray into the graveyard just over our hedge.  They let the grass grow long in the 19th century part and there are wild flowers there too.  Butterflies like long grass it seems and some species are fussy enough to depend on a particular type of grass for their caterpillars.  An example of this is the Small Skipper (actually it might be an Essex Skipper, but without hearing it talk I can't tell the difference)

which they say only likes Yorkshire Fog.  What?  Yes, Yorkshire Fog.  No, not mist in Yorks, but it's a type of grass.  Quite how it got that name I have no idea.

This year has been better than last for butterflies but nowhere near as good as 2020.  I got  8 species this year and in smaller numbers.  There are reports of Red Admirals having a good year, and I can support that, as yesterday we had five of them in our small garden at the same time.  Of course none of the little b***ers sat still for a photo except this one on our bird feeder hanger.

As per usual our butterflies seem uneducated and are not especially drawn to their proper place, the buddleia bush, seemingly preferring our holly and ivy. Perhaps they think it's Christmas.

One we did get this year and not in 2020 was a comma.  Here it is, demonstrating its liking for ivy.

What a cracker.  Glad to see that commas haven't come to a full stop.

Over in the churchyard they have more plants that butterflies and moths prefer.  The Gatekeepers (probably the most common here) go mad for the Ragwort

and the 6 Spot Burnet moths seem to like the knapweed

as do all sorts of bees.  Actually I like knapweed too.  Perhaps I should put some in the garden.

Have a go and send your numbers in.  It's all good clean fun and you might learn stuff.

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