[Lastcast]

Found a Queen Wasp in my shed on the allotment yesterday, she'd almost completed the first globe? of her nest, I felt a pang of regret having to knock it down something so beautifully formed. However I don't really fancy sharing with 5000 of her offspring later in the year, hopefully she will find somewhere safer for all to rebuild.

[Paul Plots]

I have two very tiny "pets", wild ones, in the pond. Both the cat and my daughter were fascinated by the little newts (my newts!)

They appear almost black, darker than the ones I have seen in the past, so I'm wondering if they have grown from spawn laid in the pond last year. Adults have more brown and greater patterning I believe.

No frogs at all this year for the first time since the pond went in!

And....... the squirrels have moved into next-door's attic!! 

[mumofstig]

Do make sure they can't get into yours! They cause havoc 

[Paul Plots]

Do make sure they can't get into yours! They cause havoc 

My neighbour is one of the slowest acting people I have ever met. His idea is to wait until the weather gets too hot for them to stay there. Despite the other neighbours and us giving him information about the damage and the risks he goes off fishing and sits in-front of the tv inactive as always.

Next time I see him I will let him know that if the squirrels make it through to my place from his loft I will send him the bills for removing them and for any repairs / damage caused. That might do the trick.

[sunshineband]

Paul, our friends along the street ended up with past control to remove the squirrels in their attic, and put foam in the gaps to keep them from re-invading 

[diospyros]

Paul, our friends along the street ended up with past control to remove the squirrels in their attic, and put foam in the gaps to keep them from re-invading 

You don't want to know how much it cost my mother to repair what the squirrel did to the wiring of her solar installation...

[Springlands]

The wild and uncultivated part of our garden which is on a steep slope is a mass of blackthorn flowers - sloe gin anyone.    It is lovely to see as last year the really bad spring weather burnt off all of the flowers.

Still seeing lots of ladybirds in the garden and the green house - long may they stay around. 

[Paul Plots]

Paul, our friends along the street ended up with past control to remove the squirrels in their attic, and put foam in the gaps to keep them from re-invading 

My neighbour Bob is very seriously intending to leave the squiggles squirrels where they are in the hope that they will move out when the attic gets too hot!! Heaven help us. 

Nature Watch:
Snails...... hundreds of them. Nothing exciting just the ordinary everywhere sort - a population explosion and not a mistle thrush in sight. 

[tosca100]

The...er....benefits of a mild winter eh? There will no doubt be plenty of critters out of control this year and we also have the same problem. Our snails are HUGE edible ones, if you stand on one you are likely to turn your ankle! We have a huge amount of black crickets too and colorado beetles are about early. Aphids areabundant too.

[diospyros]

I forgot to mention, on Tuesday the first damselfly lifted off from my pond!

[Lastcast]

Had a Queen Hornet early yesterday morning on the allotment, at about 2" in length she looked quite formidable, appeared to be drinking the dew off the grass, after a minute or so she went on her way

[Snoop]

Well, I know killing  is not really the done thing, but I cheered as I stamped on the first locust I've managed to catch this year. There are plenty more, unfortunately.

[devonbarmygardener]

We heard a cuckoo on Sunday - haven't heard one of them for years and years!

[sunshineband]

Found a "nest" of peacock butterfly caterpillars on the nettles alongside the path at the allotment site. Haven't seen one for years 

[Springlands]

Found a "nest" of peacock butterfly caterpillars on the nettles alongside the path at the allotment site. Haven't seen one for years 

They are lovely Sunny - we had lots of peacock butterflies at our holiday cottage last year.