I headed off, towards the end of last week, with three chums to look at flowers and butterflies, and to drink beer and wine, and to put the world to rights. All of us could be described as senior enough to be grumpy old men, although, of course, our aim was to be happy not…
Tag: butterflies
Ralph Underhill cartoon and CAP nonsense from farmers (just pretend it’s Saturday)
The CAP coalition, led by the NFU, the CLA and the TFA, met at the Great Yorkshire Show on 9 July to reinforce their simple message to Government: Keep sending the cheques! The CAP coalition claims to represent the interest of the rural economy but is actually largely a bunch of recipients of taxpayers’…
Butterflies
2012 was a terrible year for butterflies according to Butterfly Conservation – and they would know! Almost every species had a bad year with many having year-on-year declines of well over 50%. You can see why George Osborne might be sceptical about using natural capital in national accounts if a bit of grotty weather can…
Butterflies in the landscape, and a Christmas present too
I’m sorry I can’t attend the launch today of a marvellous report by Butterfly Conservation. Landscape-scale conservation for butterflies and moths – lessons from the UK is a superb document about how to do nature conservation. Few of our UK conservation organisations could produce something so impressive in terms of demonstrating how to conserve threatened…
Round up
Defra: are pretty hopeless really aren’t they? I haven’t had a reply to my ex MP’s letter about Andrew Wood’s witness statement. I’m probably on a database as a pleb – but that’s better than being a patrician. (see previous blogs on Wuthering Moors). Autumn: I saw a jay on my walk around Stanwick Lakes…
Sunshine
On Monday the sun was shining and I suddenly thought – why not go and enjoy it? So I did. Summer sun means butterflies and I headed to Fermyn Woods to see if it might be third time lucky in looking for purple emperors. The long line of cars parked by the road on a…
The rather diminished Big Butterfly Count?
It’s time for the Big Butterfly Count– good luck! Have you ever thought how beautiful are butterflies? Me too! Then imagine this butterfly without its wings – not so pretty then is it? And I just wonder – will the Bird Fair survive the weather given that the Game Fair has not? And…
Not great for butterflies
Last week I was lucky with a pine marten, and some whales, and lots of other wildlife, but this year I haven’t had much luck with butterflies. And butterflies haven’t had much luck either with the cold wet weather. From memory, the only butterflies I have seen this year have been a very few peacocks,…
Shifting butterfly baselines
It’s the Easter weekend and it’s cold and a bit wet – not ideal weather for butterflies. So far, in east Northants this year, I’ve seen commas, peacocks, speckled woods, brimstones and orange tips. It’s a start. Through the year I will hope to see white admirals, black hairstreaks, purple emperors, white admirals, purple hairstreaks…
Many bits and pieces
Last week this blog passed its 2000th comment – which seems pretty good going. I am pleased to see that regular commenter Dennis Ames provided that 2000th comment alongside 137 others over the months. I do enjoy seeing all your comments- whether I agree with them or not – do keep them coming please. I…