Peacock Butterfly

 Look at these gorgeous wings on the peacock butterfly (Aglais io)- stunning

This is a common butterfly whose eggs are laid on stinging nettle for the larvae to feed on. It overwinters in buildings and trees.

This one was trapped in our conservatory, so I placed a jar over it and then slid an envelope across the opening. When I tried to release it outside, it sat on the envelope in the sun, giving me a perfectly plain background on which to photograph it.

Admire the Admiral

Velvety and lush -

Wings like silk; colors quite drab:

Impressive details.

This gorgeous creature was happy to sit with me for quite some time - I think its bulbous-tipped antennae are fascinating and beautiful. Its open wings are very colorful.

Robin Habituation

We're getting used to having our robin come very close to us as we work or sit in the garden. It's a mutualistic relationship, is what I'd call it - we both benefit. Her nest of 5 eggs has only one surviving chick to feed - maybe that makes life easier for her?

Here she is, flying directly towards me

She's been gathering all manner of things to take back to her chick

Here she is, right next to me, so that I could only see her from above. So trusting.

The robins and blackbirds arrive right away when Dale whistles to alert them to free handouts. Dale sat and waited with his camera ready this time -isn't she gorgeous?

Photo: D. Schultz

Flying Beauty

A beautiful small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) graced our doorstep last week. They lay their eggs on nettle plants, which abound around here. Interestingly, the nettles belong to the genus Urtica, which features in the species name of this butterfly.

Though this butterfly is widespread in Europe and the U.K. its numbers seem to decline during drought conditions that affect the caterpillar's host plant. Global warming has been noted to be impacting populations in western Europe.

Garden Insects

 There are 2 different flies here, looking as if they're taking turns at the 'watering hole'

A common green shieldbug

These foamy masses are everywhere - they're sometimes referred to as 'cuckoo spit' but it is a protective froth exuded by spittlebug or froghopper nymphs when they're feeding.

Robin's Nest

I found this delightful little treasure in our yard a few days ago. It's a European robin nest (Erithacus rubecula), which is in the flycatcher family. Its eggs are unlike the robin's egg blue of the American 'robin' (Turdus migratorius), which is in fact a thrush and is not related to the Old World flycatchers. (Wikipedia)

This nest is rather low to the ground, but also well hidden. We saw a bird sitting on the nest when we went by later, but haven't passed through there since. The birds are drawn to gardeners disturbing soil and vegetation (= fresh worms), and I've had the pleasure of having their trusting company near in past weeks. My phone was never in my hands when I was using garden clippers though, so photo record of their neighbourliness.

They are quite long-legged and curious - this sweetie visited us at a picnic table on an earlier visit to the U.K.

Eryri National Park

We took our first U.S. visitors to Wales' rugged Eryri Park (Eh-ruh-ri, or Snowdonia) since we enjoyed it so much on our first encounter. This time it was a bank holiday weekend with outstanding sunshine, no chance of cooling rain and lots more traffic. We took a different route around Lake Tegid on this trip, where the narrow gauge train carries tourists back and forth (we missed a photo opportunity, not checking first what time the trains ran).

The route back up the mountain pass was a little unnerving this time, seeing as some were out to enjoy the curves and speed, and others had no regard for staying on their half of the narrow roads, but we managed. Some motorcyclists didn't do much for bikers' reputation by riding up and down fragile, restored peatlands at the summit carpark, and we saw they were not young roustabouts when they took their helmets off.

Peatlands are being restored after having been drained and cleared in the past. The heather is coming back.

Of course, I was fascinated by all the tiny plants low down in the boggy stuff, so got my knees soaked trying to photograph them. I was thrilled to find what I think is Polygala serpyllifolia (Heath milkwort), so much like our Maine Polygala paucifolia (Gaywings) in amongst the heather.

I also came across this berry, which Google lens refers to as an unripe bilberry or European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), only ever foraged, not commercially used.

We did notice a lot of escaped, prolific-blooming rhododendrons across the countryside on our trip. Wikipedia (Snowdonia) has this entry about it: 

'One of the major problems facing the park in recent years has been the growth of Rhododendron ponticum.[46] This fast-growing invasive species has a tendency to take over and stifle native species. It can form massive towering growths and has a companion fungus that grows on its roots producing toxins that are poisonous to any local flora and fauna for a seven-year period after the Rhododendron infestations have been eradicated. As a result, there are a number of desolate landscapes.'

Welsh Poppies

These cheery little beauties are colloquially known as Welsh poppies (Meconopsis cambrica), and are native to south west England and Wales. I'm delighted to have these growing in my garden, though they probably volunteered themselves.

Wales' left leaning political party, Plaid Cymru, uses a stylized representation of this flower as their logo.

Critters!

I was delighted to find these three newts huddled under a concrete birdbath I moved during my gardening foray. I was sorry to have disturbed them, but they seemed too confused/cold/sluggish to move away and hide. We got a good look at them, but forgot to look at their undersides for spots.

This is probably the common smooth garden newt, Lissotriton vulgaris

These bramble leaves indicate the presence of a critter having been there, most likely the caterpillar of the golden dot moth (Stigmella aurella). The larvae are often referred to as leaf miners.

The last critter is a beautiful sketch by Rachael for Mother's day - the silver-studded blue, native to Wales, but declining due to habitat loss. I really hope to see one in real life soon

Gorgeous Maples

4   days

 till lift off

Red maple flowers,

Tender growths dropped by squirrels 

Splay out on water.

Fascinated by Fungus

6 days left

Look at how beautiful and colorful the red tree brain fungus is - it's breaking down this rotten tree branch and freeing up nutrients.

Peniophora rufa is exquisite up close with its brain-like crenulations

Click Beetle

8 days to go

This little critter can do amazing things - it arches its back in such a way as to force a spine and a groove in its carapace to hook and then release like a spring, forcing its body upwards into the air. It's amazing to watch, but I fear I turned this little one over onto its back too many times just to see it happen. Its ability to right itself once rolled onto its back using this technique might help it escape predators. Some can launch up to 8 inches high!

What an ingenious mechanism!

Bluets are Blue-ming

I spotted my fist blooming bluet towards the end of last week - what an exciting leap forward for spring hopes!

These miniscule dainties are all over my 'lawn', in bud, getting ready to open up ... most look like this little bundle with tiny whitish bulbs at the tips of stems

Houstonia caerulea beauty - don't overlook the miniatures

Mud Tube Gallery

 I was so excited to find these mud tubes made by subterranean insects (ants or termites) between two pieces of vertical slate. 

They create these tubes to keep themselves in the dark and moist when foraging for food and leaving the nest. What intriguing routes and patterns they create!

 

Leaf Peeper

I came across this beautiful specimen whilst working in my flower bed. It was sluggish and calm amongst the leaves.

Photo: D. Schultz

It tolerated both of us approaching and watching it - this is the Northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon), a non venomous native.

Photo: D. Schultz

I love how jagged its outline looks, since each scale is ridged, or keeled, making it appear more rough-edged, not sleek-looking.

Photo: D. Schultz

We spent a fair amount of time watching it, and when it eventually uncoiled, it did so without slithering off and away. We decided to walk away and leave it in peace to warm up in the spring sunshine.

Enthralled

What a beautiful sight in my yard! I'm glad I stopped my yard clean up to bend down and take a closer look - what we're seeing is a dog lichen (grey and white structures) amongst mosses and grasses. The dog lichens have little rhizines (root-like veins) on their underside, that supposedly have a resemblance to dog's teeth.

Dog lichens are formed from the partnership between a fungus and cyanobacteria (or algae), and are able to harness gaseous nitrogen to help enrich soils.

The white curled up, toothy underside is what drew my eye to these beauties. How unusual!

Club(moss)ing

Ooh, look at this beautiful clubmoss display a friend gave me - it will keep me happy throughout the white of winter, I'm sure.

Isn't this ancient, slow-growing plant gorgeous? How could such vivid greenery not boost one's mood?