Nature Blog by Jenny Bourne

As it’s been so punishingly hot and humid over the past week or so I’ve not been going up to the plot except very early in the morning or very late in the evening to escape the extreme and uncomfortable heat. But there are always quite a few Large Whites and sightings of Peacocks, Red Admirals, Meadow Browns and the occasional Tortoiseshell around the plots that have flowers growing in them.

Rain at last for ‘flaming June’! So very welcome to replenish our water sources and provide our crops and flowers with much needed water.

Matt has reported that that yet again birds have successfully nested and fledged young in his shed, this year a pair of robins – it’s evidently the des res ‘go to’ location for our allotment songbirds!

It’s swarm season and the RPA beekeepers have been busy responding to calls about swarms alighting on plots. Elsewhere in the countryside similar action is occurring…

Jane snapped this thickly covered bee at her plot, more pollen than bee…whatever the flower it was foraging in, the pollen was prolific!