Crumpled EphemeraI found this beautiful friend in the garden this morning.
Matt@CrumpledEphemera ooh, that’s beautiful! Do you know if that’s either a Hoary Comma or a Satyr Anglewing? (I’m leaning towards the latter, but they’re really similar and there’s others I might be confusing it with)
@Matt_the_bad_writer Honestly, I have no idea. Most of the I.D. sources I checked simply say Comma. Maybe we don't have the same variations in the U.K.. Thank you for the comment, I appreciate it.
@CrumpledEphemera Fair, finding good resources for insect identification can be tricky. (I’d recommend trying a field guide about butterflies in your area specifically if there’s one available, I’ve always found those much more comprehensible than online resources!)
Probably not either type then, I don’t think those ones are in the U.K. but then again I’ve been wrong many times before. I’ll always take an opportunity to talk about bugs, thank you for the response!
Probably not either type then, I don’t think those ones are in the U.K. but then again I’ve been wrong many times before. I’ll always take an opportunity to talk about bugs, thank you for the response!
@Matt_the_bad_writer
My pleasure! Yes, I should seek out a better field guide. I am still a beginner at identifying bug friends. I have been changing my garden over to be much more friendly to tiny critters, and it's really wonderful to see the difference.
My pleasure! Yes, I should seek out a better field guide. I am still a beginner at identifying bug friends. I have been changing my garden over to be much more friendly to tiny critters, and it's really wonderful to see the difference.
@CrumpledEphemera oh wonderful! I’m glad you’re enjoying the effects of the changes you’ve made! What’s your favorite garden improvement so far?
Some field guides will tell you the plants different bugs use as host plants or feed on, I’ve been using mine to guide decisions on what to plant. Maybe something to look for in a field guide if that interests you?
I’m also a beginner, brain properly latched onto bugs two years ago and now there’s no turning back 🪲
Some field guides will tell you the plants different bugs use as host plants or feed on, I’ve been using mine to guide decisions on what to plant. Maybe something to look for in a field guide if that interests you?
I’m also a beginner, brain properly latched onto bugs two years ago and now there’s no turning back 🪲
@Matt_the_bad_writer The simplest, most effective thing has been not "cleaning up" before winter. Leaving the old flower stalks, debris, and remains in the beds has meant a huge increase in invertebrates and spiders. I only clear away the debris in March as the very first shoots & buds show. I've also been slowly getting rid of the lawn grass with raised beds.
It makes the garden look really scruffy and untidy, much to one of my neighbour's horror. He strips his down the minute everything finishes flowering in autumn, and it looks very neat but very sterile. I keep a collection of stalks and sticks behind my compost bin, which is always heaving with tiny friends. It makes me so happy watching them work away.
The other upside of lazy gardening is that I'm disabled and very energy limited, so it's a win-win all around. I do very little weeding and use a staw based mulch to cover the beds, which the little jumping spiders seem to like. Being in the garden and knowing there is all this life happening all around me is the best thing ever.
@CrumpledEphemera yes yes yes, leaving stalks and leaves on the ground is a wonderful way to both save spoons and leave a place for the critters to overwinter! I live with my mother and we’re both chronically ill, so any task we don’t have to do is very good.
I’ve never understood the appeal of things being tidy and sterile, I find it to be unnerving. Why make your place look like no one lives there when you could have critters? Jumping spiders are delightful, they’re very friendly!