05/08/2021 Trying to catch up with the July diary!!

My apologies for the lack of posts, and also the lack of visits to your blogs.  We seem to have been extra busy.  We have been catching up with entertaining, people to who we have owed a meal for 15 months.  Now we are all doubled vaccinated and we can have couples visiting, we are enjoying getting to chat with people other than to each other!  Also, the Mirabelle plums have ripened in the past week and we have destoned over 1000 plums for dehydrating - still a few more on the tree so we have not finished yet!

I think this is the nymph of the Mottled Shield Bug, (Rhaphigaster nebulosa), but I am open to discussion.

Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae).

Common or European Toad (Bufo bufo) in the vegetable garden and well camouflaged.

Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis)...

As above.

Scarce swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)...

As above...

As above...

As above...

As above...

As above...

Agapanthus with a bee, I am not sure which one it is!

Sunflower.

An unusual colour double poppy from one of the packets of mixed seed.

Lesser stag beetle (Dorcus paralellapipidus). Quite a cheeky little fellow, very aggressive and ready to attack!

Stargazer lily (Lilium 'Stargazer')

A stroll around the garden.

Tomato flower, grapes, quince,
Pattypan, Granny Smith, young Boer Pumpkin,
Sweet Potato flower, Courgette, Haricot Beans,
Medlar, figs, butternut flower.

Yet another smiling Sunflower.

Take care everybody, keep well and stay safe.

My local list of wildflowers. (91 Species 20/06/2021).

See also my

 Bird blog

Joining up with My Corner of the World. 

 

06/08/2019 Just around the garden.

Maximum temperature today 27C, minimum 14C.  Dry.  11km/h South-westerly winds with gusts up to 30 km/h. 

Sorry posts are getting further apart, I seem to be so busy with the garden and other things,  visitors on Thursday and then friends arriving from the USA for just over two weeks and we will be sightseeing.  Will post when I can.

Crab spider in waiting....

This small insect walked right over the top of the spider without it moving, obviously not tasty...

Then along came a fly and supper was served...

As above.

Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)...

As above...

and yet another one.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)...

As above.

Bumblebee on the agapanthus...

and on the lavender.

Small white (Pieris rapae).

Bee on a pumpkin flower...

As above - plus a little insect...

and a little closer, see there is another bee right at the bottom.

Not many roses this year but this one has a fabulous perfume.

Hibiscus.

Sunflower in bud.

Remember I said I had an unknown plant, I now know it is a self-planted melon.

Tomates.

Yellow courgettes.

The almost new moon taken 4 August.

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente

23/07/2019 Very hot and not many insects or birds around. Most photos taken in the evening.

Maximum temperature today 40C, minimum 23C.  Dry.  15km/h South-westerly winds with gusts up to 41 km/h.  No sign of rain in the forecast for the next week so still lots of watering!!  Many communes have water restrictions so it could happen to us at any minute!!

Photo taken from the car on my phone.  The church in Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure.

Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) on the lavender....

As above...

As above...

As above...

As above.

A very tiny unknown bug on the agapanthus.

Waiting to see what this self-seeded plant is.  The flower is small so I suspect either a melon or a cucumber.

Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) also on the lavender.

Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia) - I think, but it is certainly a Gatekeeper and I suspect a male.

A slightly damaged Small White (Pieris rapae) on the lavender...

As above.

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente