lousmith

Where is the pond there? I remember they used to have a string of interconnected pools back in the day, but they re-landscaped them. I must go and look in.

There seems to be an epidemic of these this year. I usually see maybe two or three a year. Putting a black light UV tube out in the garden the other night, there was at one time no fewer than eight of these beauts at one time landed on the white reflector. We will be hosting another Moth night in early September for anyone interested. Details to be posted here.

I think the term for a baby pigeon is a squab. They use the same name for the seat pads in an early Land Rover!

I think its a bee, complete with honeycomb.

I'd suggest pigeon. Can't really see beak. Its feet don't appear to be webbed, so that would rule out anything aquatic. Pigeons do have surprisingly bulbous beaks though. http://pigeonwriter.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/0413pigeon0004willy.jpg

http://insectinside.me/ Here is the blog for the moth watch; WARNING! Contains images of non-moths!

Hi Sue, Fl0wer and anyone else interested in moth night Penny has posted some wonderful pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/dj.penny.metal/media_set?set=a.10151830162359257.1073741826.530914256&type=1

Hi Fl0wer Moth-Watch was great thank you. Well attended, (20+ people)warm and congenial! Also beers, Prosecco and sausages! The lamps we originally used were not brilliant at attracting moths, so we tried my screen-printing lamp (metal halide) which is strong in UV and the blighters rocked up in good numbers then. A couple of the group with a decent knowledge of the quarry set to to identify what we were getting and there was an enthusiastic and skilled at catching youth wing too. I await penny's photos and species list, and will post when I get it. We did manage to attract a great many other insects such as ladybirds, flies, all manner of bugs (technical term) Soldier beetles, lacewings, leaf and frog-hoppers. There were a couple of star attractions, a 'pretty' weevil and a spectacularly double humped quasimodo hopper.

Hi Nigello, I agree with most of what Kiera writes above. For a pond to be self sustaining (more or less) it does need to be around 18" deep or more to maintain a buffer against extremes of temperature. A frog can survive happily at the bottom of a pond all winter if it is deep enough as the water temp will remain at 4 degrees in all but Siberian conditions. 8" inches could easily freeze solid killing everything. Shallower areas are beneficial as nurseries for a variety of invertebrates as well as tadpoles as they quickly warm up in the spring sunshine, but without the depth, temperatures could rocket, depleting oxygen to critical levels, at which point only anaerobic (stinky) organisms will thrive. The best site for a pond is in full sun or partial shade.(full sun for at least some of the pond some of the time) The plants which will rapidly colonise will themselves provide any shade or cover that is required and the pond will be dynamic and productive. Insects such as Damsel and dragonflies will not be interested in a shady pond. A large amount of fallen leaves will seriously affect the balance and diversity of a pond. The only maintenance required in a well-sited 'natural' pond will be to reduce the mass of plant growth by periodic removal (pruning) to prevent choking and eventual colonisation by grasses and then trees! and topping up with preferably rainwater, but tap water will do. Don't be tempted to add fish as these will rapidly dictate the entire ecosystem, eating everything and causing the water to fill with nitrates. Sticklebacks may be ok as they remain tiny, but they will still eat all As kiera writes, the material should be flexible to avoid cracking. A PVC or polyethylene liner is pretty cheap and as long as you cover it with stones etc to prevent the sun degrading can last 1 or two decades. Frogs particularly, love to rest up in cool. damp crevices during hot weather. I always like to build a sort of dry stone wall arrangement into the pond (protecting the liner with old carpet) which will provide just that. Skips around ED always have bits of old patio tiles or york stone pieces which are great for this. Good luck if you decide to try a pond. It is the single most effective way of permanently adding a huge biodiversity to a small area.

I'll make it so. :)

I'm sure you managed by now. A plastic sieve on a pole will squash flat to fit through the bars and will probably deliver a whole range of delights along with your keys. Good luck. I've been there. Keys are attracted to such fates.

Thanks Sue. Is that due to childhood trauma? Or their general nocturnal flappings? We should do a frog-watch at mine one eve. On days like these a spray from the hose will send dozens scrambling from the pond to hunt in the wet undergrowth. I seem to have a decent population of gatekeeper butterflies to. They love the tiny oregano flowers. I'll post the highlights of the evening for those unable to make it!

Yes really! As part of my study of the insects of Warwick Gardens I am holding a Moth Night. With 372 different insects already recorded, and home to a rare leafhopper in this wonderful little park, I am hoping to add to the species count! Moth names are fab... maybe we will see a Dark Spinach, Blair's Shoulder Knot, The Brick, Lead-coloured Drab (!), Cousin German, Feathered Gothic, The V-Pug, Scarce Tissue, or even an Old Lady! Please join us as we rig a white sheet and some bright lights in the park and hang around to see what flies in. Anyone with knowledge of moths would be most welcome to help with identification - though we do have the Field Guide of Moths to help us! Bring a beer and a camera! All welcome 9pm - 11pm Warwick Gardens, Lyndhurst Way, Peckham SE15 Thursday Aug 1st

Thanks for the heads up on old OPs have updated post. My phone is so unsmart its never heard of the internet.

Next Thursday, see flyer attached to original post :)

Yes really! As part of my study of the insects of Warwick Gardens I am holding a Moth Night. With 372 different insects already recorded, and home to a rare leafhopper in this wonderful little park, I am hoping to add to the species count! Moth names are fab... maybe we will see a Dark Spinach, Blair's Shoulder Knot, The Brick, Lead-coloured Drab (!), Cousin German, Feathered Gothic, The V-Pug, Scarce Tissue, or even an Old Lady! Please join us as we rig a white sheet and some bright lights in the park and hang around to see what flies in. Anyone with knowledge of moths would be most welcome to help with identification - though we do have the Field Guide of Moths to help us! Bring a beer and a camera! All welcome Thursday 1st August 9pm - 11pm Warwick Gardens, Lyndhurst Way, Peckham SE15 Penny

Rana Temporaria. Common frog to you and me. Well attracted. They gravitate to life preserving wetness when the weather is like this. Expect it to vacate when it rains!

These beasts are virtually prehistoric, having managed thus far without intervention. I agree they seem uniquely unfit for purpose in their magnificence. Try not to worry for them though, nature knows best.

Thanks for the feedback! We're running drop-in sessions where you can make and frame your own spin painting for ?10. Wednesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm.

Hi pripolla, this is a drop-in session, so whenever you get here before 5ish today or 9.30 - 5 tomorrow. http://capturedontherye.com/

Cool video. I guess the adults can fend for themselves. There is a sort of log pile in the wildlife garden centre in Marsden Road where the grubs would at least be protected from burning!

Hi undiscovered. Pop by the shop tomorrow and we can do some spin painting. With some assistance, any age can try it. Lou

> The only problem there is that you assume it will > die. It starts life underground where most plants > are above with roots below. Glyphosphate has low > toxicity for other plants but unproven on other > life. It is only a controlled waste problem if you > do not burn it - no need for injection or spraying > of chemicals. Plus dig it up before the BBQ then > you can kill two birds with one stone. Attempting to dig up Knotweed rhizome will dramatically increase the number of viable heads, which will cause a much bigger headache in the future. However meticulous you think you are being at removing all subterranean traces of the plant it will re-surface ten-fold. Same goes for strimming. I tried to dig an exclusion trench about two feet deep and the same wide to prevent knotweed from invading from next door garden. It has since proliferated with small, tenacious little bu**ers, all over the area dug over and even encouraged new growth in my lawn beyond the trench. Best to inject/ spray twice a year, first time about now and again just before die-back in the autumn. New growth from trying to dig it up will be numerous small stems which will be hard to inject. Much better to tackle the mother ship when it is at the height of its vigour so as to ensure effective translocation of the herbicide to the rhizome extemities. I hate the thought of using herbicides, but the alternative is to succumb to the weed!

We're doing lots of free spin painting sessions in the sun today at Captured on the Rye: 11am, 2pm and 4pm. Suitable for all ages - adults welcome to try too! Find us at 85 Pellatt Road, East Dulwich SE22. http://www.facebook.com/CapturedOnTheRye

http://rothandb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/a-crazy-long-tailed-duck-in-peckham.html Arctic duck spotted in Peckham Rye Park! Causing quite a stir among Pap-birders