Monday 20 April 2009

Walk on the wildside


I am gradually turning over my planting scheme into plants which in one way or another are beneficial to wildlife. At the last count I had just over 60 such plants and I want to start recording how effective they are. So I've set up a card index box with a card for each plant and will make a note of what each plant attracts and when. At the end of the season plants which don't appear to have earned their keep may well end up on the compost heap!
Today I had my first sighting of the year of a Large Red Damselfly pictured here on one of my Rue plants. If you click on the photo you will be able to see this beautiful insect in more detail. Also earning their keep this week have been the Ivy which has attracted a number of Small White and Large White butterflies and is home to a large number of Butterfly/Moth pupae and the Dicentra, Pulmonaria and Wallflowers which have been buzzing with Bees.
The new pond is a hit with a number of insects coming to have a drink but since the frogspawn sank there has been no sign of any tadpoles. I'm just hoping it's still a bit early. And on the bird feeder front the only visitors are still wood pigeons and starlings from what I've seen.
Georgie

7 comments:

daffy said...

Those insects do look interesting but they make me shudder when I see them. That's a great shot though!
I love watchng starlings, they come in like of a gang of trouble makers! My dream is watch a starling roost. Maybe one day... *sigh*

Flighty said...

I've seen plenty of butterflies as well.
I've seen nothing in my new pond but I keep finding bits of white bread in it!
My bird feeders have hardly been touched recently but I'm told that's usual at this time of year. xx

Carole said...

Hi daffy and thanks for your kind comments about an insect you hate!

So Flighty, what's your theory about the bits of bread then? Some greedy bird eating too much and using your pond as mouthwash perhaps? :D

G x

daffy said...

I'm so giving! ;o) look! I'm shuddering again... :o) Timmy! Timmy! Come and get a special bug-dinner! hehe

Jo said...

What a fantastic photo. I really should brush up my photography skills now that I'm writing a blog. I just point and press! Is your camera easy to use or do you have to spend a while focusing it?

I've found bits of bread in my pond too.

Carole said...

Awww thanks Jo. :)

Mine is a point and press too although it does have a 'macro' and 'super macro' mode which is great for close ups of flowers and insects. Since I had it for Christmas I haven't even bothered to use the tripod because it has an automatic 'anti shake' facility too. It's very easy to use - if it wasn't belive me I wouldn't be posting photos! It's an Olympus Mui 840 BYW.

G x

Jo said...

I've tried using the macro mode on my camera, but it seems to focus in on what's around the subject, not the subject itself.

It's probably not the camera, it'll be me that's not using it correctly.