george hogg

Wildlife Surveyor with NG Bailey / Freedom Group
Author of 'Country Corner' weekly in 4 local newspapers for 30+yr.
Author of "Practical Pest Control".

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

@gatesheadandbey Can you please let me know how well these moon daisies attract bees as I rarely see much on mine. Though I have plenty on other flowers

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Planted up lots of pollinator supporting plants at Torness this week . Can't wait to see what it attracts

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Bingo ! A new Bee Orchid site discovered today , and reasonably remote from rabbits too .

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Grassland surveys today and tomorrow to see if our strimmed plots are favouring plants over grasses

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

In rank grassland with little sign of pollinators ,we scraped the turf off a few 2 meter plots . Flowering clover is now providing pollen and nectar aplenty !

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Been protecting bee orchids from rabbit grazing . The plant is rare in the county and this is an establishing new site for them

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

@RoeDeerDiary @birderjack @BritishDeerSoc @davidwinspear1 @naturepirate @vickyoutenphoto @karina_kk24 @Rubinette4 @wightdeer @loosemum They definitely get used to the scent and behaviour of regular individuals who check camera traps . Anyone else and they would make themselves scarce

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

The trouble with studying Great Diving Beetle larvae is their habit of eating your other samples ,like this unfortunate mayfly larva .

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Adult and larva of Great Diving Beetle dwarfing damselfly larva and mayfly larva .

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Not so easy photographing this male Great Diving Beetle during freshwater habitat surveys today !

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

@RoeDeerDiary @birderjack @davidwinspear1 @karina_kk24 @Rubinette4 @loosemum @vickyoutenphoto try taping a cheap tracker to camera . Then your phone will take you back to it

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

This isn't the first time I have seen a newt with a pea clam clamped onto it's finger . Seems these wee bivalves can fight back !

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Azure Damselflies laying eggs in the wildlife pond today .
Not without some jeopardy !

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Check your garden pond for the empty skins of emerged damselflies . They are the surest sign of breeding as adults can fly off soon after emergence . If you see an enormous skin (exuvia) congratulations, you have Dragonflies !

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

So chuffed !
There are at least five Orange Tip butterfly caterpillars on the Garlic Mustard and Honesty which I grew especially to allow the butterfly to breed in the garden .
Quite miraculous considering the 1000s of caterpillars ferried into the blue tit nest box recently.

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

@tillingtonchum Yep,same here .

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

@NeillsOutBirdin Same here , very pleased for you

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

@BroomfieldKeith water beetle larva ?

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

@Alan_Brown71 @BDSdragonflies @EdinburghNats Same here at my Haddington pond

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

reported ..should hear soon

[george hogg @hoggestateserv2]

Kittiwake 040 on Isle of May today . Anyone know details ?