A pretty poor trapping few week's that has picked up recently, some of the highlights are Figure of eighty, coronet, lychnis, pale tussock, dwarf pug, privet hawkmoth, poplar hawkmoth, lime hawkmoth, Grey dagger, purple bar, Buff tip

I was up early for a visit to Kent to search for the Blue pimpernel, but first I headed to Rye Harbour for a walk before the crowds arrived, I timed it perfectly and only met a couple of people during my whole walk. Plenty of Sandwich terns, avocets, oystercathers and a few nice plants ,b>yellow horned poppy, sea pearlwort, sea kale, salsify. Then some quick stops for sea clover, stinking hawksbeard, and sand catchfly before trying my luck for ox tongue broomrape probably too early as the bristly ox tongue was only just getting going, but I did have some nice butterflies, small blue and wall brown the pick. But the main focus of my day was at Ranscombe Farm where I was searching for the elusive blue pimpernel, a species that I had missed a couple of times before. It was hot and there were a few people around which I managed to avoid. The poppies were out in abundance and my search focussed on this area, scarlet pimpernel was flowering everywhere and I found several flowering Venus's Looking glass before eventually locating a lone blue pimpernel nicely in flower. Plenty of other plants of interest including corncockle, field pansy, corn salad sp and common broomrape. An ice cream was in order along with a cold drink before my last stop, I headed across the river to Hadleigh country park where I tracked down some Bithynian vetch before Chips and home.

I put some food out for the foxes (the badger has not returned) but saw a hedgehog in the garden, the first for a while.

Chips - Cyprus Fish Bar, Braintree - Battered Saveloy and Chips 7.5/10

I popped in to Fulbourn Fen on the way home to see the awesome display of Early and Southern Marsh Orchids all in fine condition.

Once again it was an afternoon in the Brecks mainly for ladybirds and I had several species, hundreds of 16 spot, but a few others, low numbers of 10 spot, cream streaked, striped, 24 spot, pine, pine scymnus. I also had some nice Tortoise shieldbugs. Birdwise cuckoo and woodlark were the pick on a rather hot afternoon.

Once more into the Brecks for the afternoon where the Thracian Birthwort was flowering but the hot weather has not been kind to the flowers and only a couple were in good condition. My next stop was for ladybirds mostly 16 spot well over a 100 and singles of pointed keeled, 24 spot, 10 spot and cream streaked. I then headed to see the Military orchids just starting to flower nicely. I had a few pine ladybirds here and a tree pipit but not much else.

I headed to North Norfolk after work, first to Salthouse for the May lily, the first few were starting to flower, but it looked as some may suffer with the very dry conditions. Target done so I had plenty of time and headed to Beeston common for a wander, plenty of nice sights, southern marsh orchids, bogbean, ragged robin, lesser stitchwort in perfect condition. I watched some three spined sticklebacks in a stream including a male guarding a nest. A small slow worm succumbed to a magpie, some muntjac and a nice Keeled skimmer All finished off with an ice cream before heading home.
I went to bed early being on early shift at the moment, my wife woke me about 1am, a badger was in the garden illuminated by the moth traps very nice.

I spent the day in Dorset well away from the crowds looking for insects rather unsuccessfully. I did find some hairy, brassica and woundwort shieldbugs, 14 spot ladybirds, goldenrod crab spider, pointed keeled ladybird, dock bug, cocksfoot moth Other sightings included a cracking barn owl a cuckoo, an adder, common lizard and two slow worms and 4 Spot chaser. I found an ice cream on the way home and made a brief stop near home to see the local white helleborines which were just starting to go over.

I had a quick look round for ladybirds pre work in the Brecks, 5 species 7, 14, 16, 24 spot and Pointed Keeled ladybird and A rufous-shouldered longhorn beetle was a nice bonus despite the far from ideal conditions. Fine leaved sandwort, small alison and slender thistle of botanical interest, but the pick a bit further afield was some henbane in perfect condition.

A quick photo shoot with a rescued field vole before its release, before I headed to the Lee Valley before the crowds arrived. With no one about I quickly found my target, the recently discovered Minstrel Shieldbug. I headed off hopping over the river into Kent where I had a couple of hours looking for butterflies small and common blues, dingy and grizzled skippers, large white, brimstone, green hairstreak, small copper. There were plenty of day flying moths to add to the mix lace border the pick and a couple of nice adders basking in the shade, all very nice shame I had to drag myself off to work I could have stayed all day.

After a nice lie in it was off to Norfolk where I was hunting for the large red belted clearwing. I hung up some lures and waited but nothing so I relocated to another area. A cuckoo, roe deer and grass snake kept me entertained as I waited for the clearwings to come to my lure, but come they did and I eventually managed some photos. I headed to Norwich where water shrews have been performing. One put in an appearance and I had some nice views of this insectivore missile. Supported by grass snake and water voles it finished off a nice afternoon.

After work I once again headed to the Brecks for a couple of hours. A mixture of ladybirds and botany was on the menu. A nice selection of plants included parsley piet, field mouse ear, spring beauty, common houndstongue. But ladybirds were harder to come by, cream streaked and pine the only ladybirds found. But it was lovely to be out and about on a beautiful afternoon. An early start and I was in Kent, it was a 15 species Orchid fest, starting with the uber rare Ochreluca fly orchid along with Greater butterfly (in bud), fly, lady, common twayblade, common spotted (in bud), white helleborine and early purple. Monkey was the next target and they were just breaking into flower. The next stop added Late Spider and Man then early spider at another site along with my first common blue of the year and a slow worm on one of the tracks. With Duke of burgundy next on the menu the sun co-operated and conditions were perfect, half a dozen seen easily including some still in nice condition. Plenty of moths present including the cracking white spotted and wavy sables and slow worm and common lizards seen. Another woodland stop to add Lesser butterfly and broad leaved helleborine (just leaves) to the list. A roadside stop added Lizard orchids (still in leaf) and then onto Marden Meadow for the Green Winged orchid spectacular to finish. A cracking day.

After work I once again headed to the Brecks for a couple of hours. A mixture of ladybirds and botany was on the menu. A nice selection of plants included parsley piet, field mouse ear, spring beauty, common houndstongue. But ladybirds were harder to come by, cream streaked and pine the only ladybirds found. But it was lovely to be out and about on a beautiful afternoon.

With lock down easing I headed to the Brecks after work, somewhere I usually go to a lot as it is only 15 mins from work. I picked secluded places that hardly anyone else would go to, apart from some quad bikers illegally riding! At my first stop I was ladybird hunting but had no luck but did get gorse shieldbugs and Adela reaumurella moths. My second site was more productive with pine and cream streaked ladybirds and a and juniper shieldbug. My third stop produced Pine Scymnus and red headed ladybirds and some corn spurrey. Next I took a walk along a forest ride where I have seen green hairstreak before, I had no luck but did see the first small coppers of the year, a Pammene rhediella and several pretty distant muntjacs and roe deer. My last stop was in Lakenheath where the chip shop was open so I took advantage. A very productive afternoon in the pleasant sunshine.

Chips - Historic Fish and Chips, Lakenheath - Saveloy and Chips 7/10

Again mostly incidental sightings on my commute to and from work and local wanderings but plenty of sightings. Mostly muntjac they seem to be everywhere as I drive home at dusk. In my little nature reserve its a chorus of birdsong, plenty of chiffchaffs and blackcaps, insects are abundant, the holly blues have finally allowed me some photos. Plenty of camera trap sightings of badger, fox, polecat and muntjac. I put a few mammal traps down in my reserve and had a good catch, 4 bank voles, 3 wood mice and a common shrew

The cat brought in a pygmy shrew unhurt, which was rescued and released safely. And a cuckoo in the garden was a nice surprise.

Moth trapping in the garden has again been dismal just Garden carpet, brimstone, common marbled carpet, treble lines, brindled pug of note. Plenty of local plants coming into flower poppy, wild clary, Swedish Whitebeam, broom, gorse and a few goldilocks buttercup micro species