Nature Blog by Jenny Bourne

Rescuing birds around the site usually involves setting free large wood pigeons that have inadvertently waddled under fruit cage netting and can’t find their way out again. But at the weekend a small, light coloured bird had found its way into the Seed Store café

Asian hornets that present a threat to honeybees are more widespread and closer than indicated in my last blog, with four sightings in different parts of Hampshire, as I realise after reading an article in BBKA News

The beekeeper produced a late summer honey extraction a couple of weeks ago, and a really lovely flavour, with the top notes of lime tree blossom. But our allotment beekeepers have had to install Asian hornet traps around their hives, as these predatory and unwelcome hornets have now been identified in the UK.

Suddenly there seems to be so many butterflies about; I counted four if not five Peacocks on Flora’s lovely dark purple buddleia the other day. Many sightings of Red Admirals as well as the usual Large and Small Whites and Meadow Browns,

Pollinator Patch is now flower full and attracting bees and other pollinators at a rate of knots. Certain plants are particularly attractive at this time of year – the allium sphaerocephalon aka the drumstick allium is abuzz, as is marjoram, a top pollinator plant.