Large White Butterfly (Pieris brassicae) Photo By Alvesgaspar – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4087693

Dear Readers, today I started the Big Butterfly Count for 2025 – I’m planning on doing one in the front garden, where there’s a buddleia, some scabious and various other pollinator-friendly plants, and one in the back garden, where the hemp agrimony seems to attract a whole other range of small butterflies, such as Gatekeepers. But, as is usually the case, as soon as I set my timer for 15 minutes all the butterflies head off for a tea break. In the end, I had two Large White butterflies, who chased one another round and round for a bit before heading off up the road.

Sigh.

Still, there are lots of other things to look at, and in particular I’m intrigued with these teeny tiny little bees. They are some species of Lassioglossum or Furrow bees, but I’d have to trap them and dissect them to be sure, which seems very inhospitable. They love my Mexican Fleabane, and good luck to them! While the butterflies might be absent, these insects are having a fine old time.

And here’s a hoverfly – I’m used to seeing the big ones just lately, but this species is very small and neat. I’m pretty sure this is a Syrphus hoverfly, but which species would require someone who could examine the hairs on the fly’s legs, which is unlikely to be me.

And so, tomorrow, if the weather holds, I shall investigate what pops into the back garden. I hope if any of you are doing the Big Butterfly Count you have a few more ‘flutterbys’ to report!