We had a group of these moths on nicotiana last year. The variety had small flowers, not the ones with long trumpets. The bees found a way to drill through the back of the flowers like they do with runner beans and bypassed the fertilisation process. So, as the plants actually never set seed they lasted well in to the autumn!!
This year I have seen only one so far - on an angel eyes pelargonium.
I saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on 29th May feeding on Centranthus ruber 'albus' (white form of Red Valerian). It moved on before I could grab my camera
Seemed to move past the red and pink flowered Centranthus plants without stopping to feed. Whether that was a coincidence or was displaying favouritism towards the white form I don't know.
Phillipa as I understand it there's no legal requirement to control ragwort, I won't be harvesting my meadow for hay and we're surrounded by arable land where everything not a crop is sprayed.
The general panic about ragwort may have affected cinnabar numbers though. What happened previously? Horses were my big thing as a teenager and I can't remember any problem
I think it will be the human race that finishes us off
Slave labour, yes, I think that's an accurate description. I even gave riding lessons and escorted rides out. I didn't have the knowledge or experience to do that
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oh thanks so much nut....sorry took so long to get back...work gets in the way.
...I note the larvae feed on herbaceous plants....lol...as if we don't have enough problems... thanks again...
Sorry about work Salino. It's lovely when it stops
In the sticks near Peterborough
..I bet.....I'm not sure I'll ever know about that one...it keeps me going...I think it's the only reason I go out...
We had a group of these moths on nicotiana last year. The variety had small flowers, not the ones with long trumpets. The bees found a way to drill through the back of the flowers like they do with runner beans and bypassed the fertilisation process. So, as the plants actually never set seed they lasted well in to the autumn!!
This year I have seen only one so far - on an angel eyes pelargonium.
I'm still waiting Philippa. But I have seen the first cinnabar moth
In the sticks near Peterborough
I saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on 29th May feeding on Centranthus ruber 'albus' (white form of Red Valerian). It moved on before I could grab my camera
Seemed to move past the red and pink flowered Centranthus plants without stopping to feed. Whether that was a coincidence or was displaying favouritism towards the white form I don't know.
Far fewer in recent years than previously Philippa. The larvae feed on ragwort and there's usually plenty of that
In the sticks near Peterborough
Phillipa as I understand it there's no legal requirement to control ragwort, I won't be harvesting my meadow for hay and we're surrounded by arable land where everything not a crop is sprayed.
The general panic about ragwort may have affected cinnabar numbers though. What happened previously? Horses were my big thing as a teenager and I can't remember any problem
In the sticks near Peterborough
I think it will be the human race that finishes us off
Slave labour, yes, I think that's an accurate description. I even gave riding lessons and escorted rides out. I didn't have the knowledge or experience to do that
In the sticks near Peterborough
Yeah, that's us
In the sticks near Peterborough