Category: Insects
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Joys of the unexpected
In mid-October, after a bout of heavy frost, so heavy there was thick morning ice on the windscreen of the little Fiat Panda, I’d have thought the bees would be safely ensconced in their hives for the duration. Not a bit of it: come the warm mid-day sun, and the Mahonia, rampant in our front…
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Intensity, and passion
I’ve been doing a small, daily gesture for our neighbour, which involves opening a dodgy greenhouse door in the morning as the sun begins to heat the air inside, and then closing it again, with gentle care, as the cool of late afternoon returns. One plant in full blossom, must be an azalea, has been…
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The clock re-setter and the over-wintering butterfly
One doesn’t usually associate clock maintenance with large rubber mallets, a stiff piece of hardwood, and assorted mole grips, nor does one expect to see a small tortoiseshell butterfly fluttering by at the beginning of February. So today I’m musing about the unexpected, as remarkable experiences in an observed life. I’m getting more efficient on my…
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Subtle grace . . .
The Korean dogwood tree, at the bottom (or top, if you consider the gentle rise from the house back up towards the field) of our new-to-us garden, is in full bloom. But you’d never know it, until you get very close indeed. The flowers, a paler shade of green than the bountiful leaves, are an…
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Green Island
The midgies swarmed the shoreline, but they didn’t follow us out onto the loch. We were prepared, nevertheless, with our anti-midgie spray, our hats and mesh netting but these accoutrements weren’t necessary after all. I gradually got the hang of the oars in the oarlocks and we moved steadily toward our first destination. But on…
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The yellow water lilies are getting ready to bloom
Although there were some stiff breezes when we set out for a late-morning walk, the ambience was tranquil as we moved deeper into the marshland. Our eyes were caught by the plentiful buds of water lillies, which should open soon to provide a splash of vibrant yellow across the murky marsh water. I recall presenting…
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Well hello there!
We’re just casual observers of things, as we amble along. I’m not sophisticated enough in the natural history side of things to even begin to attempt a Guardian Country Diary piece. As we walked beside the River Ken in the direction of the Ken Bridge, and the Ken Bridge Hotel where we started our reconnoitring…
Roads to Joy 