Even as I started my morning rounds it was already hot, with temperatures forecast to go much higher later in the day.
The still and warm conditions made it a great morning for insects, with the meadows and downs full of things that flutter, buzz and hop!
Stunning red and black 6-Spot Burnet Moths flutter above the meadows or perch on the flowers of Knapweed, while others are still emerging from their golden chrysalises, attached to grass stems. Meadow Browns galore, along with a few Marbled Whites, while my eye is caught by a magnificent, iridescent green Thick-kneed Flower Beetle, like a piece of jewellery, perched on a Rough Hawkbit flower.
Woolly Thistles are looking impressive at the moment, the spines of the flower-heads arranged according to the Fibonacci Sequence – the most effective solution to fit the maximum number of spines into the smallest possible space. One plant is crawling with Aphids, being valiantly defended by several of their Yellow Meadow Ant ‘farmers’ against a voracious 6-spot Ladybird.
Nearby, a black and yellow Longhorn Beetle (I will have to check the species later) crawls across a Wild Parnsip flower along with several Soldier Beetles, as a glossy black Bloody-nose Beetle plods along one of the mown paths. A whirring behind me makes me turn to see a Cockchafer (up early or yet to go to bed?) glide by, with Lulworth Skipper and Small Tortoishell butterflies on the wing along the Coast Path.
Some magnificent displays of Dyer’s Greenweed in the meadows – a golden yellow, with the paler, lemon yellow spikes of Agrimony dotted among them.
More yellow ‘Pea’ flowers in the longer turf, where masses of Meadow Vetchling is in bloom, with Birdsfoot Trefoil on the shorter turf.
Plenty of the elegant white umbellifer (with a less than elegant name) Corky-fruited Water Dropwort in flower, while the chive-like stems of Crow Garlic are now topped with miniature purple ‘garlic cloves’.
A little cooler along the cliffs, where Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars and Peregrine Falcon can all be seen.