Rain, bees and pollen

I was going to put the moth trap out but after more particularly heavy downpour and more to follow I decided against it and leave it until tonight. In between the showers I kept popping out with a light and net and caught a few things, though nothing new. Considering I'm not that good with a net I was fairly pleased with my catch of
1 Snout
3 Large Yellow Underwing
1 Double Square-spot
5 Heart & Dart
3 Dark Arches
1 Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 Garden Grass Veneer
and best of all 1 Ghost Moth.

But the ones that got away, that's another story


I added 4 more flowering plants to the list Large Bindweed, Common Knapweed, Rosebay Willowherb and Timothy, all in or around the garden.

Lots of Bumblebees in the garden with the foxgloves being very popular with the Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum. 

Bombus hortorum, the garden bumblebee

Hoverflies, have all been a bit scarce so far this year. I did have a Syrphus species, probably vitripennis and a couple of Eristalis tenax in the garden this morning but we need a couple days of some sun to get them out properly.  What has appeared in the garden in vast numbers is the Common Pollen Beetle (Meligethes aeneus).  This is that small black beetle with a metallic  blue-green sheen that gets everywhere.

Common Pollen Beetles in the garden - Huge numbers at the moment

Both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were heard singing while I  was in the garden though much of the bird song has now stopped

OFFH List this year

Flowering plants - 272

Birds - 104

Moths - 143

Butterflies - 17

Dragonflies - 4

Hoverflies - 9

Mammals - 10