Andy Lawson once said to me "exceptional weather can produce exceptional birds" - he was, of course, referring to some impending, unseasonal, storms heading towards Thanet from the North Sea. It would appear that this same adage can be used for insect occurrences also. At least seven Long-tailed Blue (butterflies) have been discovered along the Kingdown Leas - the first Kent records since 1957 apparently! Sandwich Bay Obs reported an Ant Lion - their first ever sighting and there have been at least three Swallowtails reported from around our coastline. Red-veined Darters and Lesser Emperor dragonflies have added to this years' tally of unusual insect records; all as a direct result of the ridiculous weather patterns we have experienced?
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| Long-tailed Blue - Corfu 2007 |
Insects are important indicators of the state of our environment, they are very quick to react to any given situation (good or bad)) and, as such, can help us understand the impact that climate change/habitat management is having on our world. With the current trend for all camera wielding birders - cum - panlisters to chase every new species with the rabid fervour of a "1980's twitcher" I find myself smiling contentedly (as only an old man can) and thinking how much better their time and money could be spent.
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| Swallowtail - Icmeler, Turkey. October 2011 |
Bev and I can spend a fortnight in Greece or Turkey (or umpteen other places) for less than £700 - all the insect photos you could wish, plus sunshine! OK; so the Long-tailed Blue doesn't get ticked in the UK box on an Excel spreadsheet - it still gets ticked! You spend your money and make your choices; it's certainly not my place to give advice of matters frugal. It just seems to me that the world is such an easy place to access why limit yourself to a geographical region which nature has no concept of?
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| Red-veined Darter - Corfu 2007 |
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One we've lost - Black-veined White
Was it climate change or, as more likely, habitat loss?
Turkey 2011 |
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Lang's Short-tailed Blue - my tip for the next "new" species on the UK butterfly list
Turkey 2010 |
could not agree more,rather have the holiday and not the ear ache for the other half
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