Monday, April 26, 2021

26/04/2021 Still in lockdown!!

   Maximum temperature here today 23⁰C, minimum 12⁰C.  Dry though rain was forecast!!   14km/h  North-Easterly winds with gusts up to 30 km/h.    Looks like the chill returns again next week after a week of summer-like temperatures!

The garden is going to be in shock again next week as the temperature drops.  There is also rain forecast, but if it is anything like today we will not see it!  We need rain as the garden is very dry.

Sunset last week.

Common Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon).  

As above...

As above...

As above...

As above.

The first of the peonies to open,

Small White (Pieris rapae)...

As above.

A near perfect Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Around the garden. Top: Choisya ternata, Camellia, Pansy. Middle: Black Tulip, Pansy, Spanish Bluebells,. Bottom: Wilds Bluebells. Peony and Pansy.

Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

This bee has got me stumped so far still trying to find ID...

As above.

European Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata)...

)
As above. Very destructive!!

Love is definitely in the air.
Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis).

Take care everybody, keep well and stay safe.

My local list of wildflowers. (90 Species 23/08/2020).

See also my

14 comments:

  1. Love your butterflies and other insects, as usual. I saw some butterflies yesterday but we don’t have the blooms you do yet.

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  2. Hi Diane - love is definitely in the air isn't it ... birds, bees and all ... beautiful photos - thank you. Life is challenging at the moment - quite daunting ... but better safe than sorry. Just enjoy your garden and whatever you're able to do ... all the best - Hilary

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  3. Lockdown after lockdown is really starting to get tiresome, isn't it, Diane? I can't wait for those carefree days to return, when you simply walked out the door and did whatever you fancied. I am starting to wonder whether those days will ever return. Here in Ontario we seem to lurch from one crisis to the next, and the politicians we have to "lead" (that's a misnomer if ever I heard one) us would have hard time qualifying for any job where they really had to understand it. Great pictures as always. Thanks for the insect ID. Impressive!

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  4. Genoten van je foto's. Wat een schoonheid. I love the Swallowtail-vlinder. Thank you for all the pictures. How are you doing now?

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  5. You outdid yourself here - fantastic photos!
    Amalia
    xo

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  6. Wishing you sunny warmth, needed rain and days when you have more freedom to enjoy your lovely region.

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  7. Opening with that fabulous sunset, Diane and then following with those gorgeous Swallowtail images really grabbed my attention! If things continue to improve, Covid-wise, here, I'm hoping to get to Norfolk for a couple of days in June, with Swallowtail being one of my targets. Your other insect and flower photos are superb - and I'll always enjoy images of lizards!

    We've been getting warm days, but frost overnight. However, today it has turned cold again. I hope the cold weather that you are expecting does not give your garden too much of a set-back.

    Take good care and stay safe - - - Richard

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  8. Spring seems fickle this year, teasing more than usual to bring on summer. I envy you the flowers and insects as it's snowed here the last two days.

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  9. The sunset was gorgeous. We've a native insect similar to the European Rose Chafur that we call a Junebug. They are pretty insects and destructive. I find Junebug grub in the ground when I work my garden. The dogs love to eat them.

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  10. Hi Diane,
    Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos, they are all fantastic, the nature is incredible.
    Greetings and all the best

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  11. Beautiful series of captures here Diane, the colours of the European Rose Chafer are so pretty, such a shame they are so destructive! I hope you get a bit of spring rain soon believe me I know how welcome that is. Think we might be heading into a bit of rain over the next few days, really looking forward to it. Take care and have a good weekend ✨

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  12. Stunning sunset and beautiful butterfly.

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  13. Hope you get your much needed rain soon, Diane! We just did yesterday with more on the way, back to chilly weather and have to wait to set flowers etc out because of frost. Beautiful flowers and butterflies! And peony also, ours are just starting to shoot up. Hope all is well, take care.

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  14. We are now back with restricted movement again over here. Everything changes so quickly. It's starting to take a toll.

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