Time to breathe

After three days in the field, it was a pleasure not to have to go and record any plants. Even the keenest of botanists can begin to feel a bit jaded by this time of year! Especially with the ongoing drought.

In the morning I went into town with Alex and Ben as they needed a few things before setting off for a long weekend in Cologne with their friend. Ben used his birthday money to buy a new phone and Alex finally bought some new shoes - his previous pair had holes in the sole and heel! We carried out all the necessary purchases very efficiently and even had time for coffee and cake in John Lewis.

I dropped them off at the station just before 2 and then had a quiet afternoon all on my own, some of which was spent photographing a reed beetle Donacia versicolorea, a widespread but uncommon species that lives on the leaves of Broad-leaved Pondweed (see extra). 

While I was out in the garden I noticed this Marmalade Hoverfly, visiting the Field Scabious. This is one of an influx that has come to Britain from the Continent in the warm easterly airflow we've been having.  

Comments
Sign in or get an account to comment.