28/06/2025 Photos from the end of May!

  The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 33⁰C, minimum 16⁰C. 

12 - 26 km/h North winds.  The next fortnight is expected to get even hotter, with Tuesday at 38⁰C, storms forecast. Wednesday and Thursday, but that might not happen. The lawn is brown and burnt, as are the wildflowers, but of course, the weeds we do not want are thriving!! The vegetable garden is struggling.

Birds Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Lotier corniculé.

Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina Americana), Chrysomèle du Romarin.

Creeping Cinquefoil with beetle (Variimorda-villosa), Mordelle veloutée à pointe.

Sweet William with Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Syrphe ceinturé.

Cricket Bat Orb Weaver (Mangora acalypha) has caught its breakfast. Mangore petite-bouteille.

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes), Grosbec Cassenoyaux with House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Moineau Domestique in the background.

Male and female Hawfinches.

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Tircis.

Top : Love in a Mist, Cherries, Clematis.

Bottom : Hydrangea, Loganberry, Comfrey.

Cricket Bat Orb Weaver (Mangora acalypha), Mangore petite-bouteille.

Adela australis is a moth of the family Adelidae or fairy longhorn moths.

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) Grosbec Cassenoyaux.

Scorpion Fly (Panorpa communis)  Mouche scorpion The scorpion-like tail is only seen in the male and is in fact its genitalia - and doesn't sting!

Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris tityus) Sphinx bourdon.

Hawfinch male and female...

As above.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) with a Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus),  Pigeon ramier.  Not a great photo, but it gives the idea of the size difference. Sparrows and a Chaffinch in the background.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) female. Pic épeiche.

Rhododendron - Sweet William - Peony.

Rose - Love in a Mist with lavender - Day Lily.

I am sure it is a Saitis Banner-legged jumping Spider, Genus (Saitis), but I can go no further.  It is about the size of two pin heads!!

Day Lily with bug (Horistus orientalis) it is a species of plant bugs, part of the suborder Heteroptera (also called "true bugs"), which belongs to the family Miridae,

Wildflowers - Poppies (Papaver rhoeas) - Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis), Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris) - Bladder campion, White Cockle or maiden tears (Silene vulgaris).

More wild flowers. I am not certain of ID’s, but I am guessing at Oxeye daisies, buttercups and red and white clover.

Oedemera nobilis, also known as the false oil beetle, thick-legged flower beetle or swollen-thighed beetle. This will be a male; the female does not have such swollen legs, Oedémère noble.

Now the end of June and these photos are still from May!!! 

11/05/2025 Trying to catch up!!!!

 The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 19⁰C, minimum 11⁰C. 18 - 38 km/h South/West winds.  I measured 3 mm of rain in the rain gauge this morning, and there looks like there is another 5mm or 6mm in it now.  Very welcome as the garden was dry.

Single tree peony flower.  I was sold this as a Blue Phoenix, but I am sure it is not, it should be much darker.

Small White (Pieris rapae) Piéride de la rave on Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) Géranium Herbe à Robert.

Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) Lézard des murailles, taking a drink in the late evening sun.

As above.

Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria) Tircis.

Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) Pic épeiche.  My apologies for taking a photo on the feeder, but it was the only chance I had!

European Longhorn (Eucera longicornis) Abeille à longues antennas on Borage (Borago officinalis).

Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus) Grande chélidoine ou Grande éclaire.

Ivy-leaved Toadflax or Wall cymbal (Cymbalaria muralis) Cymbalaire des murs.

Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Jacinthe des bois, ou Jacinthe sauvage, with a Heineken Fly (Rhingia campestris) Rhingie long-nez.

As above.

Greater stitchwort (Stellaria_holostea) - Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta).
Long-leaved lungwort (Pulmonaria longifolia) -  Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius).

Brown lipped snail also called a Hedge snail (Cepaea-nemoralis) Escargot des bois.

Sunset.

Logan berry flower with a Bee, an ant and a tiny fly.  ID not confirmed

Heineken Fly (Rhingia campestris) Rhingie long-nez.

California poppy or American poppy (Eschscholzia californica Cham.) Pavot de Californie.

Hoverfly (Chrysotoxum cautum) Chrysotoxe prudent.

Soft-leaved cranesbill (Geranium molle) Géranium à feuilles molles.

 I am assuming this is one of the Robber flies with its prey, which I also presume is a cranefly - any further ID would be appreciated. The flower is from the Red Robin (Photinia Fraseri).

Blue Field ForgetMeNot (Myosotis arvensis) Myosotis des champs.

Bee on the Red Robin (Photinia Fraseri). Possibly a Western Honey bee (Apis mellifera) but I think it is too dark.

One of the Robber flies may be (Empis tessellata) Empis marqueté.

Common wasp, I think (Vespula vulgaris) Guêpe commune.

The caterpillar of the Lacky Moth (Malacosoma neustria) Livrée des arbres...

As above

Wild flower Red Valerian (Valeriana rubra) Centranthe rouge.

My telescopic lens has now been sent to Paris for a service, so photos will be very limited until it is returned. Apart from that, the garden is very demanding so my time is short!!!

I will visit you all when I can, you are not forgotten!!!