Friday 1 July 2016

#30DaysWild the second half!

We've blogged about most of our adventures during 30 Days Wild, but there are a few things to catch up with that we haven't already included...

At the start of the second half of 30 Days Wild a photo of Bug Mad Girl's little brother was shown on Springwatch Unsprung. Very exciting for a 6 year old boy (and the rest of us!)

Privet hawk moth moustache


On day 22 we searched the night scented stock in the garden, looking for orange tip caterpillars. We always seem to get a few caterpillars feeding on the seed pods of the plants, so we look out for butterflies laying their eggs, then the caterpillars when they get large enough to spot.

Orange tip caterpillar
While we were looking for caterpillars, we noticed some lovely stripy things feeding on our dark mullein. We planted it last year for striped lychnis moths (as part of a campaign organised by the Upper Thames branch of Butterfly Conservation). The caterpillars of the mullein moth and the striped lychnis look very similar, but it's a bit too early for striped lychnis yet. We were excited for a few minutes though and fingers crossed that they find the dark mullein (and the mullein moths don't eat it all!)
Mullein moth caterpillar
On day 25 we had a quick bug hunt before bed time.

Bug hunting in the back garden flower bed
On day 28 I spent the day watching all the baby birds in the back garden.
 

Feed me - I know how the poor Mum sparrow feels!
 On day 29 I cooked up a witches spell with slime mould, slugs and sulphur tuft, all in a very atmospheric Iron Age hill fort.
 
The hill fort on the top of Pulpit Hill

Slime mould


Sulphur Tuft
 

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