Nature & wildlife pictures

This fellow greeted me from the edge of the toilet door as I sat down to have a wee this morning. Quite unsettling.  Research tells me he's a Roesel's bush cricket. He was quite docile when I relocated him to the flower bed

   

Another slow worm.

         

Frog / leaf hopper. Not looked up what species yet.

   

   


Elephant hawk moth caterpillar rescued from the drive today before the kids ran it over with go karts.

The garden has been full of gatekeepers for the last couple of weeks, especially on the wild mint and marjoram growing in the meadow and at the base of the hedges.

   

This wall of the house is proving popular - a female stag beetle

   

and a (very!) Grand Capricorne du chêne this afternoon.

   

A Privet Hawk Moth

   

Wonderful! I spent hours next to my parents' privet hedge in vain hope!!

This guys been living in my poly tunnel. He nips up the web and hides under an old towel I have hanging there.

       

Little frog I just rescued out of the drain by the front door. No idea how he got in there, it’s got a proper grid over it.

   

Kermit !

It feels like it has been a good butterfly year, perhaps because I've seen a purple emperor and a couple of lesser PEs this year (no photos, alas) but didn't last year!

Speckled wood

   

and probably a common blue, (but maybe Ida's or Silver Studded?)