February Survival

Delighted to report that there has been no mortality this month (with 4 days still to go) amongst larvae hibernating in the wild.  That's a fair achievement as losses are highest during the late winter period.  There's still another 3 weeks to go, though, before we can relax, but it does look as though the predation level is relatively low this winter.  It may well be that tit numbers are down in the forests, after poor breeding success last year.  Hope so.  I'll check the BTO data. 

Here's today's picture of the greatest iris larva ever -

He is dreaming the spring...

However, my female Brimstone wasn't there.  I suspect she moved during the four reasonably mild and sunny days we had in mid Feb, as she was hibernating in a very warm spot.  I've marked her so may see her flying in the spring.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that National Trust shops are selling a mobile of garish plastic psuedo purple emperors.  Any NT shop peddling such outrageous and deeply blasphemous garbage must be petrol bombed.