Mixed mothing this month which started quite but eventually picked up towards the end of the month. Garden trapping - Small elephant hawkmoth, flame carpet, broad barred white, coronet, Green silver lines, Swallowtail moth, lackey were the highlights. I alos finally got a clearwing in the garden a red belted Clearwing.

I managed to trap a few times at work and had some nice moths, rosy footman, lobster moth, eyed hawkmoth, reed leopard, coronet, blackneck, V moth And I got 9 red tipped clearwing to lure on afternoon. I did see a couple of other people's moths a beautiful marbled and a varied Coronet both really nice moths.

It was a big day out in the New Forest, but a couple of stops on the way for Good King Henry and Corky Fruited Water Dropwort. Mudwort was next on the list and I got a bit wet getting close to this tiny plant. The next plant was easier a roadside stop for the delicate Rampion bellflower then heath pearlwort, Lesser marshwort then a rather damp stop for slender cotton grass which was quite tricy to ID as well. Here a rather nice Golden ringed dragonfly along with plenty of Silver studded blues. I then popped into Hatchet Pond for an ice cream and a quick look at Slender marsh bedstraw, before battling with lesser and intermediate bladder wort ID. No sign of small water pepper so I stopped for chips before heading for home via a quick stop for pink purslane which was still in flower.

Chips - Goodies, Totton, - Battered Sausage, Chips, Pea Fritter 7/10

I was heading to Hadleigh CP to see Hartwort, but the M25 was closed, so I diverted and headed to Rainham Marshes via the M11, however that was closed as well so I spent a little time nearby on the coastal scrub looking for insects until the roads were clear. A few nice ladybirds 22 spot, and round keeled the pick but not much else. I eventually made it the Hadleigh and the hartwort was flowering nicely with some Deptford pinks, job done so I headed home. Over the last couple of nights the badger has become more active and used to the lights from the moth traps and for me being in the garden and I have managed a few photos, but tonight was exceptional. A fox cub visited as well and I got a few photos and to cap it all the muntjac visited and all three were feeding in the garden at once.

Chips - Fish n Chickn, Harlow - Saveloy and Chips 8/10

I spent the afternoon at home due to the heat and popped out the CUL lure and finally got a red belted clearwing my first garden clearwing. Later I popped out to check on the Moth traps about 10.30pm, I walked out into the garden where a badger was feeding happily. I backed up got my camera and returned and the badger tolerated me getting close enough for some nice photos with my 180mm macro lens (the other lens was in the car). Badgers have been visiting the garden for the last month and I now put food out for them and I assume that they are using the pond for water in these dry conditions. I watched it for quite a while before my cat spooked it.

I headed to the Brecks after work in what was searing heat. I popped into Lakenheath RSPB for a short wander it was too hot for the full circuit. There were lots of warblers, a cuckoo and the usual birds on the wash. Emperor dragonfly, red admiral, large skipper the insects of note. A quick look at Smooth rupturewort before heading to Cranwich Camp for some ladybird surveying and came up trumps with several species, 7, 14, 16 spot along with pointed keeled ladybird and ants nest ladybird A nice oblique striped moth but plants were in short supply as half the site is still being grazed despite not a plant being visible, no idea what is going on here but no Spanish catchflys anywhere and only a few field mouse ears and purple milk vetch of note along with Scarab and Bordered Shieldbugs. I popped in to see the Fly honeysuckle which was flowering nicely before heading to check another site but only had a pointed keeled ladybird and forget me not shieldbugs also a Breckland wormwood of note. A quick check of one last spot but nothing of interest and I headed home to rehydrate.

I was luck to be able to visit a locally trapped Beautiful Marbled moth and it was in perfect condition and sat nicely for photos. I stopped at a few sites on the way home for some more Elm micro species, Burred, Huntingdon, Coritanian, Moss's and Cambridge Elms

An early start with a detour to Kent for Varied Coronet and yellow Bartsia. The destination was the New Forest but first a visit to Noar Hill for the orchids, musk, common spotted, chalk fragrant, common twayblade then a quick stop for Bee orchid var Belgarum before heading into the forest .
First some heath spotted orchids, then lesser butterfly and early marsh orchid including lots of the lovely var ochrantha. And a cracking silver spotted skipper it was pristine and must have emerged recently.
The weather then became perfect for insects with southern damselfly, small red damselfly keeled skimmer and beautiful demoiselle all seen within a few yards on a small stream.
It got a bit wet with a heavy downpour but the Wild gladiolus still looked amazing, particularly compared to the bog orchids at the next stop, supported by pale butterwort. The weather was not good for insects so it was time to head home with a quick stop in Hampshire for marsh Helleborine including several var ochroleuca

A very early start to drive through the fog to Holy Island where on arrival at 7am a dozen or so people were watching the Desert warbler which showed very nicely for a couple of hours. The Marsh helleborines were not out yet but were close, but the Common spotted, Early Mash and Northern Marsh orchids were out in force including some hybrids. The next stop was Grindon Lough, a site I visited several years ago for a Red Necked Phalarope and today also it was for a Red necked phalarope and apparently it si believed to be the same individual returning every year. A drake American wigeon was also present. Nosterfield Nature reserve was next for the rather camouflaged Lesser Yellowlegs that took a bit of finding. Then it was into the heart in the industrial North East where some rather nice Northern Marsh orchid var altara along with some nice hybrids. A quick stop at Greatham Creek for grey and common seals followed by another quick stop at Salthome RSPB for a Great white egret and 7 spoonbills. Luck started to run out with no sign of the Rose coloured starling or red footed falcon. But some nice views were had of the feeding Blyth's reed warbler not singing as it has been to some and that was time to head home after a very busy day.

I headed out to the Brecks in search of the Grey carpet moth which despite all the time I spend in the Brecks I have yet to see and my quest will continue as I drew a blank at two sites. But it was not all doom and gloom a cuckoo, skylarks, forget me not shieldbugs, Adonis ladybirds, small tortoiseshells the pick of stuff. A quick visit to another site for Russian cinquefoil finished the morning and I headed to work.

I headed out for a quick trip to North Kent to see the very rare Bee Orchid var Cambrensis there were several of these stunning plants in perfect condition. Next I visited nearby Ranscombe Farm allways a pleasure to visit and today had stunning displays of poppies and rough hawksbill along with some very nice Rambur's Pied Shieldbugs Next was a quick look at some grass poly and pale flax before heading home.

It was a very early start to the West Country for some very rare plants first stop was Eype for the Slender Centaury only two plants were in flower so I had timed my visit a fraction too early, dune tiger beetle and seaside brooklime were of note at this site on a glorious morning. Two very small fox cubs were in the road as I left the village but were to quick for the camera. Conditions changed as I made it to Berry Head where a few spots of rain and some gusty winds were less than ideal wildlife conditions but my target was incredibly small so was not affected too much. The tiny small hare’s ear was located after a short search which was interrupted several times by nosey dog walkers. I had a nice wander looking at some of the commoner plants before heading north. I had two stops the first a very brief stop for Starved wood sedge which I quickly found and then to the tiny reserve in Gloustershire for limestone woundwort which was flowering nicely. Then it was time for home.

I popped in to see the Local Lizard orchids on my way home but they were in a sorry state the recent conditions had not been kind to them and they were looking pretty poor. A few Pyramidal orchids were present but far less numerous than in previous years and the other wildflowers on site were also looking pretty poor hopefully the recent rain will help.

I was heading the Dancers end to have another try for wood vetch after being rained off the other day, but got a tip of about some nearby bee orchids var fulvofusca. So that was my first stop and after a short search this lovely orchid was located. Plenty of other orchids present in very good numbers but mostly stunted I assume due to the recent dry conditions, common twayblades, common spotted, greater butterfly, pyramidal and chalk fragrant orchids. A very nice visit despite the tricky photographic conditions (wind) but the rain held off. I quickly located the wood vetch at Dancersend before heading home.

I headed to the Brecks after work first stop was the Feltwell area, here I had two turtle doves, a roe deer and a selection of nice butterflies. Next was Cranwich Camp but the gate was locked for some reason it was academic anyway as the site has had all the wildflowers grazed off so a waste of time visiting. I tried Cranwich Heath but that is currently being grazed! So no access, but in the surroundings on the disturbed ground I found some small toadflax and white ramping Fumitory. I popped in to see some Perennial and annual knawel and also found some nice green eyed flower bees. A quick look at some maidens pinks coming into flower before a search for grey carpet which was unsuccessful, but I did find two forget me not shieldbugs. I called it a day and headed home.

I spent the afternoon in the Lee Valley with Andrew Jewel for a bit of a ladybird hunt, It appeared that we were in between generations for most species as there were lots of larva. But we did record some conspicuous adults, 7, 14, 16 and 24 spot, adonis and pine ladybirds. Only a couple of inconspicuous ladybirds Litura and possibly new for the area a red rumped scymnus ladybird. Plenty of other insects pied, brassica and red legged shiedlbugs and a larger beetle Phaedon cochleariae and a couple of nice Green oak tortrix moths. Emperor dragonfly was nice to see and we found a group of oak processionary caterpillars before calling it a day.

The weather was much better in the west so I headed to Somerset first thing to see the rare Somerset skullcap and I found a few nice plants of wolfsbane. I made an unsuccessful stop in south Bristol but did have a nice scarlet tiger moth. The major stop was near Stroud where I managed to find several Cistus moths the main target of the visit. Conditions were perfect and I had some nice butterflies as well including small blue, Marbled white and dark green fritillary, the only other things of note were tortoise shieldbugs. I headed home via a spot in the Chilterns for Green houndstongue a few plants still in flower. My last stop was for wood vetch but torrential rain stopped play a short way into the search, some nice Greater butterfly orchids and bush vetch of note. I will have another try soon.

Chips - Mr Chips, Dunstable - Saveloy and Chips 8/10

With dodgy weather I stayed locallish, first stop Barton le Cley for some arable plants in a field margin the pick few flowered fumitory and rough poppy (I had been tipped off about them they weren't just lucky finds). A quick look at some broad leaved pondweed then back towards home for some of the local Elm micro species (Sowerby's, Leathery leaved, Exeter, Round leaved Elm) while dodging the showers.

headed to the small fen that holds the beautiful Early Marsh orchid var ochrellouca there were over 30 in flower all in perfect condition, this is the largest number I have seen there and I had it all to myself in beautiful conditions a totally amazing start to the day. A quick stop in Bury St Edmunds, then off to a roadside reserve for crested cow wheat, none at my first stop, but my second site had plenty although they were suffering from the effects of the hot dry weather. My last stop was in the Brecks for ladybirds and shieldbugs only 7 and 16 spot ladybirds and only hairy and Brassica shieldbugs. then it was off to work.

An exciting evening, the cat brought in a small mammal which shot under our bed, I got a few glimpses of a mole! We could not relocate it, but kept checking and unfortunately found it dead an hour later. I was checking out my new toy a thermal imaging scope in the back garden and had a large heat lump under the bird table which was a badger. We watched it for a while eating the food I had been putting out every evening for it. Every other night two foxes had been helping themselves to the food so this was excellent, the foxes did put in an appearance I caught them on the trail camera footage later.