When I checked my back garden moth trap in the morning I found the catch included a mottled beauty, a very common moth, but still worth a second, or third look.
mottled beauty
I had a day in the garden, or perhaps more accurately gardens. I started in my own with the moths and then visited a rather larger one. As well as the plants there were quite a few insects about, despite the overcast conditions. I saw my first summer brood small tortoiseshell.
small tortoiseshell
There were also quite a few hoverflies, although this summer does seem to have been very poor for these insects in general. One I did find was a very smart Volucella bombylans, one of the better bumblebee mimics.
Volucella bombylans
Back at home in the late afternoon I went to check out my “Bee hotel”, actually just a large block of wood with lots of holes of different sizes drilled into it. Many of the holes were occupied, some sealed up and some with occupiers at home.
bee at home
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 