A visit to a garden (near Billingshurst) designed for wildlife

Leaders: Michael and Jane Joseph (Wildlife gardeners)

On arrival, whilst enjoying refreshments, we heard an outline of the 40 years of work by Jane and Michael Joseph that had produced the current garden. The Common Spotted-orchids growing in the front lawn were immediately conspicuous and our hosts thought that seed from their orchids had spread to adjoining waysides, where they had previously been absent.

The wildlife-friendly gardening extended to the vegetable patch, where there was an abundance of insect life that didn’t much compromise the produce. Particularly notable was the abundance of ladybird larvae, which undoubtably kept aphids in check. Beetles included Oedemera lurida and the uncommon longhorn Stenurella melanura. A huge comfrey plant sheltered the distinctive pied micro-moth Ethmia quadrillella, which has recently been given the name “Comfrey Ermine”.

Butterflies in the wildflower meadow were a bit subdued, following the stormy night and continuing blustery conditions, but it was good to see Small Heaths and Small Tortoiseshells. Amongst the floral treats were the uncommon Grass Vetchling and the declining Dyer’s Greenweed. A curious and unfamiliar pinkish lumpy gall on Meadowsweet leaves turned out to be the product of the fly Dasineura ulmaria, not previously recorded in the area.