For illustrated talks on natural history and history see www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

For illustrated talks on natural history and history click here for www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

Thursday, 12 April 2018

The evolution of a formal garden to a nature reserve: 2018: part one

Hairy-footed Flower Bee
 There is so much going on in the garden now and it is impossible to use all of it in a one hour talk.
The evolution of a formal garden to a nature reserve is the title of my latest talk.  To supplement that for anyone interested, a series of blogs starting now, will show what happens when chemicals are shunned and wildlife left to thrive.
Common Carder Bee queen.
 Yesterday the first Hairy-footed Flower Bee of this year was observed (a solitary bee) and a Common Carder Bee bumblebee queen.  Buff-tailed Bumblebee queens have been around for weeks already.

Mating Water Beetles
 In a pond, water beetles are mating -- upside down and under water.

 Under apples trees a profusion of cowslips is invaded by primula cultivars from next door.
In the past these gaudy plants were hand weeded but now I shall leave them and see how the cowslips respond.  No doubt loads of hybrids will appear but that can't be helped.
Cowslips

tadpoles
The tadpoles seem to be doing well -- prey for the numerous newts and dragonfly and damselfly larvae.  Click any picture to enlarge it.

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