They serenaded us to sleep every night at our hotel in Nuwara Eliya
Posts by Allan Eaton
One I managed to dip although heard several (the perils of not using guides), good excuse to go back to Kitulgala (superb place), did you see Serendib there?
The only tacsonia I have seen in the wild (that looked just like yours) was below Papallacta pass (Ecuador) at c10,000ft in driving sleet & it was bloody freezing
Hesperantha coccinea 'Eric's Early', starts in august & still going strong + Salvia haenkei, the best its looked all summer but not for much longer! (tender) #ukGardening ๐ฑ
Chionodes sp 30/6/25
Chionodes sp 9/7/25
A new micro in the garden this year were 3 Chionodes distinctella, though it seems to be incredibly variable & could be fumatella (esp. No. 2), opinions welcome!. Also new was Great green Bush-cricket
Though the explosive dehiscence is quite vicious if you get too close (I used to work in a greenhouse to a chorus of seeds pinging off the glass!)
I also have the round stones, the old glass fishing float & lots of neat driftwood but I am only 50 miles from Cambridge
+ a Resurrection Plant (Selaginella lepidophylla)
Dig that crazy Hawaiian Beet Webworm (the American common name is much more entertaining !)
surprised to hear you haven't, it must have flown over the Bawdsey light show ๐, perhaps it was attracted to the scented gingers beside my trap. here's a pic in better light
Silver-striped Hawk-moth
Psst, don't tell Nigel but a North African immigrant has turned up in Kessingland, after a 10 year wait I could not believe it & am still in shock!
Some late flying creatures in the garden today, Common Darter on Passiflora Snow Queen, Common Carder BB on Salvia Amena, Buff-tailed BB robbing Salvia Joan & a Red Admiral on Anisodontea El Rayo #UKGardening
Snap, but they are still rare here in Suffolk!
All that glitters is not gold, but it might be a moth, Golden Twin-spot last night in Kessingland, also 2 Oak Rustic, 11 RDP, 6 Silver Y & 2 noctuella #TeamMoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Quite likely, had a nice fresh Clouded Yellow in the garden 3 days ago
Cool & moonlit last night so a Euchromius ocellea was a surprise!, also 9 P xylostella, 2 U ferrugalis, 2 Turnip M & 2 Silver Y #teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Tricyrtis formosana v. Grandiflora 'Long-Jen Violet', thrives in full shade & flowers for months (until frost) ๐ฑ๐ฟ #ukGardening
Salvia confertiflora still looking good despite 45mph winds (blown over twice & lost a few spikes!) ๐ฑ #UKGardening
probably loves your climate (it struggles here in dry East Anglia) ballon azul just a shorter cultivar (under 1m)
Salvia phyllis fancy covered in bees at the moment in my garden
Or might not be ๐, this is S. uliginosa probably ballon azul
A late second flowering from Hedychium deceptum in my Suffolk garden ๐ฑGB๐ฟ
2 Firecrest in the garden today, incredibly tame one almost landed on me but still too quick for my photographic skills
Nice garden tick today in Kessingland, 2 Black Redstart (pair), also Lesser Whitethroat & a late Swallow sprinting south (must have seen the weather forecast)
Convolvulus Hm on Hedychium spicatum in my garden
This strange season continues with Phycita roborella, Yellow-tail, Southern Wainscot (with 2 Large) & a novelty Gold Triangle also 3 Merv, Shore Wainscot, 13 Clancy's, 15+ White Point, 6 RDP & 7+ noctuella
A bit more lively with an overcast sky last night, Convolvulus HM, Feathered Brindle, 5 Clancy's Rustic & the new normal Buff footman & LBBYUw also Red Underwing, Palpita vitrealis, 5 N noctuella, 2 L album W, U ferrugalis & 5 P xylostella #teammoth
๐ฑ Some Hedychiums out in the garden today, marginatum, Luna moth, maximum (smelling gorgeous) & griffithianum (with Fuchsia boliviana)
A new nectar plant for Convolvulus Hawk-moth tonight, Kniphofia caulescens