My moth recording activities always ease up when the night-time temperatures fall close to freezing but when a few warmer nights are forecast I turn the light on again. I am always surprised just how many species survive in wintery conditions – feathered thorns, December moths and the aptly named winter moth to name just a few. Even some of the tiny micro moths can emerge from hibernation, talking of which I have discovered a hibernating hedgehog in the front garden, curled up tight in a pile of dead leaves.
Like so many other people, climate change is never far from my mind, be it the increased rainfall and increased flooding we are witnessing in our own lanes, or the effect it is having on garden plants. Our daffodils were pushing through the ground by late October, whilst cirsium (a form of thistle) was in full flower in December. The magnolias were budding up far too early and are sure to fall prey to the frosts we will inevitably suffer and catkins were seen in early December – really!
I find myself in planning mode once more. Seeds have already been purchased to benefit from the cheap offers last year and a sowing/planting diary has been drawn up. This is very important because we have agreed to open the garden again this coming July for Hospisecare and so much thought is being given to new plantings and to see what changes need to be made. Whilst the massed candelabra primula display will sadly be over, I am hoping that our astilbe collection will be at its best.
Once upon a time Blackcaps migrated to spend the winter in Africa. Not any more, as evidenced by the appearance of a lovely female at the feeders in early January. This is another breeding species here, far more often heard than seen.
I was asked the other day why there was still a tadpole in a neighbour’s pond. I did not know the answer, as it should have turned into a froglet months ago. Clearly some research was needed. Normally it takes 14 weeks from hatching tadpole to froglet stage, but it appears that there are two main reasons – some tadpoles from late spawning may not develop until the following year, but the probable answer is that there was a genetic abnormality and the tadpole lacked the growth hormone thyroxine.
Paul Lister 841696
