Another example of natural biodiversity. The south west slope of The Waste, in the penumbra of the Square Metre, I counted 26 different plant species all self-sown and growing happily together.
There is a yellow meadow ant's nest at the top of the picture and the plastic half bottle in the centre is to try and draw the ants up to ensure they have not deserted.
Insects still seem very scarce and I have not yet found any ants' nests. Yesterday the first butterfly settled in Emthree - a speckled wood Today a green longhorn moth, Adela reaumurella, came to rest on a leaf of red campion, its long antennae blowing about in the chilly May wind.
Yesterday I heard a buzzard mewing its way over Churchland Wood to the east. Eventually it appeared wheeling over our garden and I had a clear sight of it directly above the large birch tree. Unless one actually comes and settles in Emthree, this is the nearest I reckon I will come to a buzzard record.
