Garden Wildlife.

I found a Harlequin Ladybird in our garden last week though there's no cause for too much excitement in the discovery. 

Harlequin Ladybird. Pete Woodruff.

There are a few variants of Harlequin Ladybird, my individual above was of the black with red spots H.axyridis spectabilis form, they have been declared the UK’s fastest invading species after reaching almost every corner of the country in just a decade.

These cannibalistic Harlequins were first realised to have reached the UK in 2004 when they were seen in Essex and have since spread as far afield as the tip of Cornwall and the Shetland Islands, making it the fastest alien invasion of the UK on record, and predictions to colonise the country quickly as the worlds most invasive Ladybird have proved to be correct. 

The Harlequin is also believed to be responsible for the decline of at least seven species of native Ladybirds including the popular two-spot which had declined by up to 44% in a survey carried out in 2012.

Common Frog. Pete Woodruff.

No such fame as the Harlequin Ladybird, but two Common Frog have taken up residence in our greenhouse, and we are currently having nightly visits to our garden by two Hedgehog, they have a particular liking for cat food and meal-worms and are a joy to watch as they munch away at their supper.

Red Admiral Marc Heath 

And the most notable butterfly species in our garden this year has been two Red Admiral last Friday. Thanks to Marc for his excellent image. 

I'd sooner be birding!....

And that's what I'm off to do right now. I've seen two reports - one Saturday, one Sunday - of only two young Common Tern being seen on Conder Pool since I saw them there last Friday, hopefully this may just mean the other one was simply keeping it's head down, but I'm not happy about all this until I see for myself within the next thirty minutes.