Squatter

Tony Juniper is in the paper, worrying about the low number of butterflies this year. He accepts this may be a short-term result of this year's weather, but he uses it as a launch pad to discuss wider concerns about the long term decline in insect populations. I did not know that someone has been collecting data for 20 years from the 'splats' found on car number plates (not windscreens - their design has changed too much). The result: a 78% drop during that period; what a terrifying statistic

Our little patch of orchard is not quite as bleak as the picture he paints of his neighbourhood in Cambridge. It's true that Brimstone, Tortioseshell, Peacock and Small/Large Whites are a rarity this year, but we have had reasonable numbers of Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood, today a few Comma and a larger-than-normal showing of Ringlets

I had, until today, been worrying about the grasshoppers. They like the fact that we cut the grass late, and every step in summer is usually accompanied by an effervescence of startled leaps to get out of the way. Better late than never, they were cheerful company, as I spent a long day scraping, wire-brushing and scorching equipment. This one is sitting on the porch roof of one of the now-empty hives - one of six that were sunning themselves on the front, taking advantage of the absence of residents

I couldn't resist adding an extra to show the inaccuracy of yesterday's blip. When I dropped one of the clean boxes off at the village apiary, I had everyone's full attention