NATURE

A Splash of Colour in a Dying World

After weeks of absence, some insects have finally appeared

Mullein moth caterpillar — photo by the author

I recently wrote a piece called ‘The Beginning of the End’ in which I observed the depressing lack of insect life around where I live.

It wasn’t only me who had noticed the alarming scarcity of butterflies, moths, bees, beetles and other insects this year. I’ve seen lots of posts on social media saying the same thing.

Our buddleia blossoms — usually swarming with bees, butterflies and more — have been flowering and dying with barely a visit from a single pollinator, bar the occasional lonely bee.

A splash of colour in a dying world — Photo by Pathless Pilgrim via Pexels

Obviously, if the insects disappear we won’t be far behind. So I was delighted to see that over the past few days since I wrote that rather dismal and depressing story, there have been a few more insects about.

First, there were a couple of white butterflies fluttering about the garden, followed by an ‘old lady’ moth in the house one evening. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a photo, which is a shame because they are a large moth with a pattern on their wings reminiscent of an old lady’s shawl…