The recent hot weather was an advantage for butterflies and many moths and I have had a number of reports of Humming-bird hawk moths thirstily hovering in front of open blossoms and extending their long proboscis in to suck nectar. I have had one on salvias on my patio while a garden in Church road and another at Crown Corner had visits from them. They are the most charming insects and obligingly stay sucking for some time giving one the chance to get a good look at them. I wondered why they are so plentiful here.

The adults arrive here from southern Europe in late spring producing broods from late June onwards. It seems they lay their small spherical eggs on lady’s bedstraw which grows plentifully in the churchyard and the eggs hatch in 6 to 14 days producing yellowy green larva which feeds on the bedstraw then forms a pupa around August which hatches into the adult about 2 weeks later and will be feeding until December. They may overwinter in mild weather. Shall we be seeing our own hawkmoths next year?

I was sent an excellent picture of a Wasp spider which certainly lives up to its name with black and yellow stripes. It makes an orb web and has been on view in a garden in the High Street much admired by the gardeners grandchildren. Unlike its name it doesn’t sting.

In another garden in the High Street a bat has for some days been clinging onto the wall of their house. It looks from the photo I saw as if one of its wings was damaged which might account for the fact that it doesn’t return to its roost. A peanut feeder in a garden in Love Lane has had visits from a Nuthatch an attractive bird with a blue back which is able to climb both up and down trees.

A sad report from gardens near the Club of dead wood pigeons on several occasions. A cat has been suggested as the culprit. I was surprised to hear that a visitor had found an Adder in the Broom hill area. Adders are usually found only on heathland and particularly round the coast. They do bite, but only if disturbed.

Watch out!

Brenda Hudson