Tuesday 10 May 2016

Off you go, kiddies





Rain has stopped play after two memorable, warm nights, but there was a notable event in the blog's life today nonetheless. Plodding across the wheatfields of Perdiswell Farm (soon to become part of the nation's Warburton loaves), I took the Emperor moth caterpillars to Weaveley Furze and released them into the wild.


The Irish mist was keeping the local birds at home and so I hope the 20-odd catties made it safely into the recesses of the hawthorn trees on which I deposited them. Meanwhile, I had the pleasure of disturbing a delicately pretty Green Carpet moth which tried to hide itself from my camera in the lush vegetation which is springing up, jungle-like, throughout the little wood.


Cherry blossom is meanwhile adding its beautiful coda to the overwhelming green of the furze and the carpets of nettles and other wild flora are studied with white deadnettle and blue violas. Altogether a lovely scene and one in which the Imperial brood will, I hope, thrive.


2 comments:

Dave Wilton said...

Assuming that it is the same Perdiswell Farm at Woodstock (OX20), did you know that it is the home of Margaret Price who runs our annual garden butterfly survey?!

Dave W.

Martin Wainwright said...

Yes indeed - she and Malcolm and James run a terrific wildlife-friendly operation as well as a really good farm and friendly and helpful to walkers. She's been a trustee of Weaveley Furze and a tower of strength there too for many years. All v best M