Taexalia

wild.life

Mother Nature’s Secrets

Angle Shades Moth Chrysalis Pupa

I found this little bundle of potential whilst I was digging out a small corner of the garden. I found two, but this is the one I took the photo of before I tucked it carefully back into the earth. It's the chrysalis of what will be and Angle Shades Moth.

This makes me sound knowledgeable and interesting but when I unearthed it I had no idea what I was looking at, other than a guess that it was something to do with Moths. Thanks to the UK Moths site, I will now be able to sound knowledgeable and interesting next time. I don't think I've ever seen one of these moths before so I'm going to keep an eye out for them emerging from the ground later - the caterpillars feed on shrubs and I've inherited plenty of those.

I did start out with the goal of finishing digging over the veg plot, but it seems that there is a geological fault line running right down the middle of the square piece of ground that I'm expecting to feed us. It is hard work digging soil, it is harder work when the job morphs into quarrying huge rocks. I gave up after getting two more trenches done as I was feeling a bit frustrated with the whole thing.

I got snippy with the shears and trimmed the wee flowering hedge that curiously bisects the back half of the plot, as it was still carrying last years withered old flower heads. It's a pretty hedge but it is ear-marked for relocation later in the year. Although I have absolutely no idea how to re-locate a hedge. I also tried to tame the tall privet hedge at the back of the plot to the consternation of a red-tailed bee. Let's just say I'm no hairdresser and I'm liking that the advice I'm finding on creating a wildlife friendly garden is to be an untidy gardener.

I have also discovered why heather covers such a large area of the Scottish landscape. It is rooty and stubborn. I cut back a couple of bushes the other day because they had gone a bit mental and looked nothing like their neighbours who are shaping up to give some pretty displays later in the year. Today I was digging out the roots to clear the little corner for planting and it was not the easiest thing I have ever done.

That's when I came upon the little lady up top.

That (very small) patch of ground is now ready for planting something which is wonderful because I just want to get something planted in the ground to feel like I have achieved something other than sorting boulders from earth...

Still no composter yet, but I have now decided where I am going to put it when it arrives - and I have lots of things to put in it already!

Oh and while I was fighting with the heather roots I was visited by a robin at the feeder three feet away - bold as brass I got @ to bring the tub of mealworms and once I topped it up went back to digging. The starlings - bigger birds with sharper beaks - would not come near and instead stood on the roof shouting at me to go away. Fearties.