Butterflies

After a poor summer for butterflies in my garden - none appeared on the flowering buddleia earlier on - it was good to see three species today on the michaelmas daisies.
Malcolm

Peacock

Red Admiral

Small Tortoiseshell

Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies released

Yesterday I released all seven of our Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, freshly emerged from their chrysalises. They had been feeding on the remains of my nectarine and sugar water over the weekend so were hopefully energised enough to take flight against the wind. We still have seven tiny Common Marbled Carpet Moth caterpillars looping their way round dock leaves in the Centre.

News from the Visitor Centre

It's always exciting to come into the Centre and see that some of the chrysalises have turned into butterflies. Altogether I have released seven Small Tortoiseshell and there are still a lot to go. I leave them for several hours in the pavilion to give them a chance to dry their wings and then release them. You never see them better than when freshly emerged from their chrysalis; they are so beautiful and pristine.

Our Sea Hares are breeding like their land counterparts and new eggs keep appearing in their tank. They graze ever so elegantly on a variety of seaweed.

Meanwhile in the big tank, one Beadlet Anemone has found a way to stop being pestered by the Piecrust Crab at feeding time - stick to its back!

Small Tortoiseshell in the pavilion

Beadlet Anemone on a Piecrust Crab

Becky