Sweet August days

A Migrant Hawker found resting in the shade under a Sweet Chestnut leaf. August is a good month for dragonflies in Crow Wood and usually there are several species around hunting insects in the more open areas. I also spotted a couple of smaller "hawker" types buzzing about. They often return to the same perch after each hunting trip as this Common Darter did. With birds in the wood pretty quiet now it's good to have something else to focus on.

                     A Common Darter female, the males are reddish in colour

           One of the grandest oaks in Crow Wood has developed a sap "bleed" where a small amount of sticky sap oozes out of a crack in the bark. This can be caused by a number of things including an infection, damage or excessive drought. Whatever the cause, the sticky sweet liquid is loved by insects and just in a short while, as I watched, a Hornet and a Red Admiral both arrived to take advantage of the sugars available. 

                     

                                       A Hornet feasting on the oak sap

           

 The Red Admiral taking sugar, the butterfly was a bit uncomfortable sharing the feast with the Hornet and kept fluttering its wings to warn off the potential predator.

The old oak and the sap bleed site

         The bees have enjoyed the milder season this year and for the first time in three years they have produced enough honey for the bee keeper to take some. We have just two hives in the wood looked after by a local apiarist and in return we get paid a small honey rent each year. The colony has struggled since it was established so it was very exciting to get our very own Crow Wood honey and such a treat to eat it straight out of the hive.