Insects Galore

It's been a wet and chilly day here. I did manage to go outside for a few minutes in between showers and disturbed Mr Woodie hanging on the back of his favourite chair. The Cuckoos are still calling and Phil the Peasant is making a right racket on the hillside. It's been a day for insects again which I don't mind but I wish I knew the names of them all a bit better. Ok I can't go wrong with this one, its a Bluebottle and I think this is just a common house fly. This one though, I don't know for sure. I saw my first wasp of the season today and for those of you who followed the incredible wasp saga last year, guess where he was? Yep , back near the steps again. I thinks its a Field Digger Wasp but I'm not 100% sure. Oh I have to show you this, I found it on the grass, its a Woodpecker feather. How awesome is that. I'm going to put in in my display cabinet next to my blue Jay feather and meteorites. I have quite a collection of interesting trinkets like that but what I have always wanted is a red feather from a Woodpecker or a Kingfisher feather, now that would be awesome. Back to the insects. This is a Silver Ground Carpet, a daytime flying moth. Now I've not seen these very often in my garden but I remember when I was very young I used to squish them on my finger in the playground and pretend it was bleeding. How cruel we are when we're little. Counted over 39 Bee's on the Raspberry Canes today. I spotted this shell at the very top of the garden. Unlike the one I photographed yesterday which had been smashed by the Thrush, this one has been nibbled away from the top of the spiral and then the body pulled out and eaten. Could be several animals who do this but my money is on the Hedgehogs. They should be due out soon with their babies after I caught them 'at it' on April 24th. I think the parents bring them out to feed at 3 weeks old. So exciting. I've only ever seen one tiny baby here.

Finally, I've got to go away for a few days so I'm afraid there won't be any blog. My Cat sitter has already arrived. I call him my cat sitter but he spends more time feeding the birds and enjoying the garden as much as I do. If all goes well, switch on again on Friday.