News from back home

We got back home last night after a great week in the Isle of Wight. Our most exciting news is that the Bug Mad Girl blog has been mentioned in the August edition of the BBC Wildlife magazine. We're thrilled!

It's always exciting to see what's been going on in the garden after being away for a week. The birds seem to be in a bit of a huff, presumably because the feeders haven't been filled for a week. They are still around though and we've seen a Blue Tit, a couple of Sparrows, a Dunnock, a Blackbird baby and a Robin this morning. I'm sure it won't be long until our usual gang are back with us. The squirrels took about ten minutes to realize we were back and have been helping themselves as usual!

The Buff Tip caterpillars have changed their skins and seem extra hairy now. They've changed so much in just one week! They seem to be thriving on the Silver Birch in the garden.

#100DaysOfNature Day 11

Some Large White caterpillars have had a bit of a party on my broccoli plants. They've done all this damage in just the week we've been away!

The nettle patch is looking well chewed and very busy. There are masses of spiders, bugs and curled up leaves with caterpillars inside. I found this Comma caterpillar happily munching away this morning.

And finally, Bug Mad Girl found a caterpillar on the cabbages a few weeks ago. She'd kept it indoors and looked after it and it had pupated. We weren't sure what it was, but it hatched when we were on holiday and it turns out it was an Angle Shades. We let it go on the Buddlea last night.