Whats happing to the wild life in all the floods and rain things can't be good :(
Many insects will really be suffering. For instance, my Great Mullein used to be reduced to lacework in early summer by Mullein Moth caterpillars, I've hardly seen a single caterpillar since those two extremely wet summers a few years ago. Now it's happening again.
Not good at all, as Robert says much of it is really suffering.
On my run through the local woodland park yesterday I saw quite a few butterflies and about 6 dragoon flies.
I just tell myself that they may suffer this year but they have evolved over millions of years, so maybe a bad year for them, is a diabolical year for their predators...so they will be back in greater numbers next year...I hope! ;D
Saw the first dragonfly, a green darter, around the pond yesterday plus a couple of butterflies too far away to identify. It was a sunny day until teatime so that's why they were in their element. No moths fluttering in the house or craneflies either yet, maybe a little early for them. The good side is no cabbage whites or thrips around, and only a couple of aphids spotted on the new second showing of rosebuds.
Not heard the frogs at all this year but have a hedgehog back in the garden, not surprisingly.
Ninny
Butterfly fears after record rain -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/feedarticle/10332324
Lots of birds around and frogs too and, presumably, toads and newts since our natural pond is full. Last year the drought meant that our pond was dry from the end of April to late september and didn't really get full till this April after a dry winter.
There seem to be plenty of bees enjoying the flowers but very few butterflies of any kind, even on the brassicas, and I've only had one outbreak of aphids on a clematis. A few appeared on one rose but were hoovered up by the tits. There must be some aphids and caterpillars somewhere though as we have successful broods of baby tits and sparrows learning to use the feeders along with young woodpeckers.
Rasta doggy (terrier cross) unearthed a nest of 4 tiny baby hedghogs in our woodland border. I have now protected it with wire mesh leaving a gap big enough for mum to get in and feed them. I haven't disturbed them since so fingers crossed they're OK. She's also been digging after moles and other rodents living in our garden.
Bonzo doggy (Labrador) is a bit of a bozo and just chases butterflies but he's young and new to the great outdoors after being kept indoors by his previous owner for nearly 2 years. We keep both on leads for walkies as there are baby rabbits, hares, roe deer, wild fowl and pheasants about in the fields and woods around us.