2 August 2011

Last night was was very humid so I hoped for a good catch in the moth trap. I was disappointed; not as many as I thought and nothing of real interest. Of interest there were 10 Bird Cherry Ermines, a Mouse (sign of autumn!), and 20 Large Yellow Underwings. Numbers of the latter have been very low so far when I think back 10-15 years when I used to catch 500+.

Butterfly numbers remain low with only a few Peacocks and 2 Red Admirals despite the large show of Creeping Thistle, Blackberry and Buddleia. Yesterday I saw a Small Heath butterfly - the first for many years. Cinnabar moth caterpillars are feeding on Ragwort. A Sparrowhawk flew over the Walled Garden as I walked to the trap - caused a stir with the birds!
Found two plants new to Keele on a rubbish heap in the Walled Garden : Good-King-Henry  and Fig-leaved Goosefoot. These waste areas are by far the most interesting. The Silver Lime outside the Walter Moberley Hall smells fantastic.