If it’s early spring then it’s almost certainly a Holly Blue. The first blue butterfly to emerge, it can be seen flying along hedgerows throughout most of the UK. See latest species page on Holly Blue life cycle, identification, caterpillars, … Read More
These common anemones are showing their tentacles but many were resembling blobs of jelly in the rock pools at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth, Cornwall. Insight into Beadlet Anemone (Actinia equina): can be red, orange, green and brown and are found … Read More
Here in Cornwall the hedgerows are a riot of colour in the spring sunshine. Wherever holiday-makers are staying this Easter, they won’t be far away from these stunning wild flowers. Twelve of the most common hedgerow flowers to be seen … Read More
John Cooke attracted this Pine Beauty moth to light in his garden. Overnight she laid eggs, some of which had stuck to her wings. The eggs will be held, the emergent caterpillars reared through and the adult moths then released … Read More
In fact, it’s a daytime flying moth. Our first Speckled Yellow (Pseudopanthera macularia) moth of the year was seen flying along a cliff top hedgerow over-looking the Helford River in Cornwall. It didn’t settle for a photo so this is … Read More
Springtime in Cornwall brings with it the chance to see rare tropical migrant birds such as this male Woodchat Shrike. It was busily feeding on beetles and other insects on the edge of a grass field at Treen, near Land’s … Read More
This caterpillar was seen sunning itself at Kynance Cove on The Lizard in Cornwall. Insight into Grass Eggar (Lasiocampa trifolii): a red data book species found mainly in southern coastal areas of England and Wales but with a small population … Read More
This male (above left) was sitting in the sun on a frond of Hart’s-tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium). We were actually watching a Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) hunting up and down a hedge near Treen in West Cornwall but since he posed … Read More
Most people are familiar with red Holly berries, especially at Christmas, and we learn fairly early on that Holly leaves are prickly but I wonder if, like me, you haven’t ever thought about the Holly flowers? The trouble is they’re … Read More
Adders seem to be everwhere we go in Cornwall at the moment – see Is this the Most Southerly Snake in Britain? post a little over a week ago. This pair were curled up amongst the heather at Kynance Cove … Read More
Several Enoplops scapha were active on the sunny cliffs at Lizard Point. Insight into Enoplops scapha: a member of the family Coreidae, also known as Squashbugs, they closely resemble Shieldbugs. It is thought that Squashbugs get their common name from … Read More
Garden Tiger caterpillars, also known as ‘Woolly Bears’ are on the prowl at this time of the year following winter hibernation. We found one of the early instars sitting on top of a nettle leaf at Windmill Farm Nature Reserve … Read More