Yesterday I took the male Emperor moth to the release site where there has been an established colony of this species for many years. I had kept him longer than I planned as on Tuesday it was very windy and on Wednesday it was still windy and raining. Thursday wasn't ideal as there were frequent showers but I thought it was time to give him his freedom and hope that he would track down a female and fulfill his purpose in life!!
A lovely walk through deciduous woodland
en route to an area of heathland.
By this time it had started to rain quite heavily.
I found a sheltered tree stump and took a few photos of him in a natural environment
and then moved him closer to the heathland where I left him in the undergrowth hopefully safe from predators and rain. By the time I got back to the car the sun was shining again and hopefully he was enjoying his freedom. It was a happy moment but tinged with sadness so I was rather pleased this morning to see another perfect male emerge from a cocoon. I will be returning to the release site in a day or two hopefully in dry and warm weather. There is also a small colony of Green Hairstreak butterflies at the site which I would like to seek out.
I was going to do a post on a visit to Ladywalk NR tonight but have been rather despondent over the election results today and really not in the mood.
I won't say too much about the outcome of the General Election as, with a few exceptions, I save most of my ranting for Twitter. But I do fear the effect a Government which totally ignores scientific evidence, independent advice from experts and has little (if any) respect for our native fauna will have on British wildlife, conservation and the environment over the next 5 years. Sadly, the campaign to save badgers, bees (neonicotinoids), marine wildlife (lack of Marine Conservation Zones - far too few designated), buzzards and hen harriers will have to continue. Foxes and hares may well have to be added to this list if the Hunting Act is repealed and this is before we even mention HS2, fracking, GM crops and building on green belt. The list is endless. Sad, dark day today, in my view, for wildlife.
