What a lovely summer we have had this year. With that in mind, and having just seen the pictures Pinzgauer has posted of his swallows, it brought to mind a few missing regulars from the natural world.
So far this year, I have hardly seen:

1) a fly/blue bottle
2)not one ladybird,
3)only two wasps,
4)a number of bees( not very many) earlier in the summer, which seem to have disappeared now.
5)No flying ants
6)about half a dozen swallows, when there used to be two dozen or more
7)no greenfly
8)no crows
These differnt species have been fairly regular visitors to my garden over the past 13 years.


on the good side...

1)masses of beautiful butterflies
2)a group of hedge sparrows (about 10) all together.
3)plenty of blackbirds

Can anyone else give an idea as to how things have changed in their area, it may be quite interesting?

I agree it's been a wonderful summer, and I've not seen many wasps at all, but plenty of bees and a nest of them too. Have seen plenty of flying ants on a few occasions but no Mossies. We have been plagued by them for the last 4 years living here, not being able to open windows in the evening but I have seen only a single one. Not that I am complaining.

No crows also but LOADS of seagulls, noisy ones.

Better still this Summer weather is going to last untill the end of September.Alot of outdoor events were held in the Wirral this year.Makes all the difference when everyone is out and about in the sun.Wiki members photos of butterflies etc were amazing.Thanks for sharing.

I love the summer, can't beat sun bathing in my back garden on the lounger with a glass of wine.

We have plenty of wasps in Willaston if you want them :))

Not seen hornets in a long time, used to see them every summer.

Have loved this summer its been and still is lovely.
As for flies they have drove me mad!! Having all my windows and French doors open they have been flying round my room all the time, so much so I bought one of those horrid plastic door blind things, you know the multi coloured plastic strips that just flap about.
We have enjoyed all the birds in the garden, blue tits and a family of sparrows using the garden as a bird Olympics trial arena!!
Its lovely to smell all the BBQ's, see the families out together in the park. I love the fact that the days are longer and I can sit out later. The tv is hardly watched as you get out more.
I dont mind a really cold winter if it means a lovely long summer too. This year we holidayed in Cornwall (normally go abroad) the weather was glorious, the beaches stunning, and the scenery breathtaking.

I do love our seasons!

Definite increase in Buzzards ,Magpies,Goldfinches and Blackbirds around here. No reduction in white fly , but less greenfly and wasps. Millions of ordinary ants have ant hilled all over the lawn which hasnt happened before.

There has been a decrease of birds, around these parts. The nearby Hotel owner decided to 'trim back' his trees.... I would call it 'obliteration' at the completley wrong time of year...

I've got lots of tiny black flies on my kitchen ceiling, anyone have any idea what they may be or how to get rid?

Granny you can have all of the bluebottles that have been coming in to my house in droves Also the ants, both flying and walking have been in gangs at my front door regularly.

The weather has been glorious as you say, and I love to see how everyone appears to be so much happier because of it

Plus, it's lovely to get all the washing dried on the line in a couple of hours saving a bit of money on the electricity

Hi christelle,
They could be cornflies, which if they are will go as easily as they came and very quickly. I had
them once for 24 hours, all over the walls,then they were gone!

You will see hornets soon Crystelle . Apparently a load of European ones are on their way over!

I've seen flying ants, granny. Plenty of insects around this year and certainly a good summer for butterflies. Didn't get as many May Bugs as usual though.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...sects-taking-skies-humid-end-summer.html

I certainly agree the summer has been glorious and I think yesterday was one of the nicest days of all, it was warm without being too hot with a lovely breeze that was perfection itself. The bird I miss most is the skylark - I can't remember the last time I heard or saw one, I don't know if they have moved away from round here or not. Another bird I have not heard this year is a cuckoo. I do get out too and am in Eastham woods at least three times a week so I do have the opportunity to hear these birds if they are around.

We went to Chester zoo last week. All the wasps also went there and we spent the entire day fending them off. There have been lots of bees in my lavender and the leaf cutter bees have, as usual, decimated the leaves on one of my rose bushes. They were later starting than last year though. As for the flies/bluebottles, the cats seem to have chased, caught and eaten their usual quota ha ha!

Pleased to hear about your bees Cranky. How different everywhere has been. My bees were about a lot, when the wisteria was blooming, and then the deutzia.I always cut the lawn with pathways throught it when the clover flowers, but that didn't really seem to encourage many bees this year. The bees are so important to us, we would be lost without them.
Obviously the insects etc. must have moved to different locations this year. I wonder why?
The flying ants are a mystery also. There have been two nests here, year in year out for the past 13 years. Not this year and as they usually fly around the same date, I was watching for them, but no sign.
Anyone seen any ladybirds?

I`ve seen about 10 ladybirds. 4 flew into my house (unless it was the same one?) and had to take outside. Oh, and tons of butterflies, again quite a few came indoors.

I am almost petrified to make any comment on this site of late for fear of my throat being engulfed with whirling dervishes. However this thread seems pretty reasonable so here goes.
We have lots of bees in the lavender and other flowers,almost no wasps yet but September is their month.When I am out with the dog we see lots of swallows round Leasowe Lighthouse and Upton Park.Plenty of blue tits and goldfinches in the garden,not many ladybirds so lots of green fly on the roses.I suspect Christelle's little black flies are fruit flies.Any sign of fruit going off and they are there in their masses.No shortage of crows at all.As mentioned lots more butterflies than recent years but that could be due to the nettles which seem more prolific this year.If nettles really do attract butterflies as this seems to confirm then my garden will have a lot more next year. Roll on spring.

Thanks Salmon, but I think Granny is correct in saying they may be Cornflies as they have dissapeared overnight.



Thanks Granny

Although the summer was great.I havent seen many wasps or bees.The bees i did see were dying or struggling to live.Usually when the summer is hotter and longer you get loads flying around.

Hi Guitarlad, do you play the guitar?

no he is on the fiddle

I suppose you want a drum roll for that Dilly :-)

just a little Paradiddle please Zipper :-)

Pmsl Dilly,whos strings are you pulling.Yes christelle i do play Guitar,piano,Drums.As for this thread weather is meant to go hot from tomorrow folks.

I think summer is well and truly over now guitarlad. Just hope we have a mild winter to look forward to. Am fed up of spending a fortune on heating!

Stormy weather forecast for Sunday & Monday. Bahhh....

Ying Yang, it's only Wednesday!

Yin Yang ...not Ying Yang!

It was dark at 7pm tonight and has been raining all day. It would be great if we did get a bit more nice weather for the sake of everyone involved in the Heritage Open Days etc, but basically Summer is finished.

looks like autumn is here..but sept can be nice weather..fingers crossed.

Ah ...thank you sunnyside. Harmony has now been restored!

September is, of course a time of balance. Soon we will be at the autumn equinox. Day and night equally balanced. Which is probably why the star sign for around that time is Libra - The Scales.

.

Your like a ray of sunshine.no matter what the weather Sunnyside.guess its time to get the jumpers out.ying yang i get the mrs to knit you a jumper and some socks.save your heating haha.

You are in trouble ,guitar lad. The name is not Ying Yang.........

its time to start knitting jumpers ready for the chilly weather ahead.

Winter draws on...

Didn't know DD could knit guitarlad!

Guitarlad isn,t dyslexic. And you must be an old timer!

Was the 'winter draws on' gag a bit of a giveaway?!

Excuse me whilst I now absent myself. I've a twin-tub load of flannelettes to attend to...

Was the 'winter draws on' gag a bit of a giveaway?!

Excuse me whilst I now absent myself. I've a twin-tub load of flannelettes to attend to...
[/quote

Don,t forget the moth balls, it's a bad time of year for them.

I don't know how they manage to fly with balls that big...

But, yes, thanks for the tip granny. Might re-line my draws while I'm at it and dig out my heavy-duty draught-proof curtains.

good afternoon yin yang..what a lovely day...

Yay! Not too bad a day after all, is it sunnyside? At least it feels warmer than yesterday.

Unfortunately, I've not been out to enjoy it myself. I seldom get out nowadays on account of my chronic condition. Still think summer is all but over now. And I will definitely be battening down the hatches come Sunday.

the nights are getting chilly now..its time to sit by the fire like yin yang.

Sadly I can't afford a roaring fire like that, sunnyside. However, I do have two cats and have trained them to curl up on my feet. Just as well that the Stay-Fresh socks I bought back in 1970 still have some life left in them, otherwise the cats probably wouldn't survive the experience...

Do you want me to ask the wife if she would knit you a big wooly jumper and hat and scarf.Yingyang?You can cut down on the heating haha.Better still a hot water bottle.

PMSL you 2 behave.

oh dear..has all the sun gone now?? (i don't think so)

We just look on the sunnyside.

the knitting of woolie jumpers has started ready for winter

Just remember folks, whatever the weather is doing, "keep your sunny side up..."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H4y5_vTua8

look on the

Must be the warm weather as I am getting loads of these butterflies in my house. One landed on the light and you can just make out the spider coming out to see what was nearly for tea

A bit clearer pics

Catch them and put them back outside. They have to lay eggs for next year. Careful not to take the powder off their wings, cant fly if you do, unlike Yang Yings moth balls.

PMSL.love it.all they need is a pair of socks.

It's been the best summer in about 10 years. Thinks its over now.