Nature Notes

2025 could be the 3rd warmest year since records began. Increased temperatures encourage more exotic plants and animals to colonise Britain.

The first 2 weeks of November were warm and dry with plenty of sunshine and no heavy frosts. Many flowers were still in bloom and on a couple of days my mahonia was covered in honeybees, wasps and peacock butterflies.

A third of all European curlew breed in Britain, many in the Dales and Northern Pennines. To help stem their decline, a research project rings the young birds and has fitted GPS trackers to 17.

The Met’ Office forecast for this summer, was that it was would be amongst the hottest ever! During the 2nd week of July, many of you were finding your central heating kicking in due to a cool northerly airstream and cloudy weather.

Virtually every spring a queen wasp builds a golf ball sized nest on the inside roof of my garden shed.

The dearth of summer insects has continued well into July and even farmer Clarkson of Diddly Squat Farm has concerns.

There are few bees, butterflies, moths and hover flies at present. This is due to the inclement weather, especially in May, which was the sixth wettest on record. T

Birds of Conservation Concern is a list of birds that are perceived as endangered. Of the 70 UK birds on the list, there have been 20 spotted in and around Scruton, depending on the season.

At this time of year, you may be surprised to find a queen wasp in your house, especially if it appears on something you are about to handle.

Finally, on the afternoon of the 12 March, the wind moved into the west to herald the end of winter.