I have always been in awe of planet earth and the variety of life upon it. Every time I look up, I struggle with the concept of our tiny planet moving through space and time amongst billions of other stars, the whole idea seems so strange and difficult to grasp, especially when you trot back indoors to the “normality” of everyday life and practicalities.
I am also astonished at how things grow, I look at the size of a poppy or delphinium seed and then the size of the plant that emerges….it’s truly mind boggling when you think about the processes involved. And then I watch trees springing from tiny nuts and think of the inter-connectedness of species and how dependent they all are upon each other…..and I look at the colour of flowers and am spellbound by how unique they all are.
But of all the miracles around me I think I am most amazed by creatures that can totally transform themselves, like frogs and butterflies.
For the last few weeks I have been captivated by the tiny froglets emerging from the pond. My knees are now knobbly and ache with the constant kneeling over the pond, but it’s been well worth it! It’s a shame I’m such a bad photographer….the scenes I’ve seen have been fantastic. The pic above is of a tadpole clinging to a stalk under the water with it’s newly grown legs. It is beginning to develop it’s lungs as it comes to the surface now and then for air. This year though, the froglets have emerged very late, but then it has been a downright strange summer.
From egg to froglet the process usually takes about twelve weeks, but can take up to eight months, but this is temperature dependant. We’ve had a really cool summer which has allowed me to watch this little lot throughout spring and summer, lucky me eh?
It is incredible to think that a tadpole can grow legs, develop lungs and breathe, shorten it’s tail and shed it’s skin and lips. Every time I observe this process it seems even stranger!
Butterflies have the same effect on me. I look at caterpillars, usually chomping on my veg, and for neither love nor money can I get my head around the fact they pupate and become butterflies. It is an astonishing process. Truly miraculous!
We now get hundreds of peacock butterflies in the garden each year, and for once I can say that a species is thriving as their numbers are increasing all over the UK. Wonderful news that is!
Peacock butterflies are the longest lived butterfly in Britain, living up to eleven months. They hibernate through the winter yet can be seen even in the coldest months. They often hibernate in our log pile, and emerge in spring with their beautiful wings all tattered and torn.
We get so many peacocks because I have lots of buddleia and nettles in the garden. Buddleia is a great food source for them as it helps them to build up fat reserves for hibernation. They tend to emerge in march and mate, and their offspring emerge as butterflies late July onwards. During hot summers they often produce two broods.
The peacocks often alight on me when I’m in the garden, the trick is they particularly like red clothing, so when they’re around I always make sure I’m wearing red!
The buddleia has been covered in peacocks for the last 6 weeks, it really is a magnet for so many insects! And ….it grows like a weed! Even the seedheads of this plant are brilliant for the birds over winter.
Right……I’ll be off now…….back to froglet watching…..
What an interesting and informative post.
Since I’ve had the plot I’ve become much more interested in plants and wildlife.
The decline in butterflies saddens me so I’m happy to do what I can to help halt it with the flowers I grow and habitat I provide. As indeed I do for bees and other insects. xx
Thanks Flighty, yes once we get out and about and start growing things it does become more and more interesting.It’s awful how many species are threatened, even the hedgehog is now!
It’s great that you grow plants for our pollinators……so many plants from garden centre’s now are completely useless. It will be great to follow daily life in your plot now!xxxxx
I share your fondness for butterflies and frogs, for the exact same reason. And I have in the past given little gifts in the image of these two species, to a few of my students, to encourage them, saying that we too can enjoy later incarnations in this very life. And studying these beautiful life forms is such a pleasure. Thank you for sharing.
What a lovely gift to give your students, very inspiring! I love that idea! Yes, It is great to study the frogs and it’s wonderful to have them in the garden. xxxxx
Fabulous post and gorgeous pictures as always. Those Peacock butterflies are so beautiful – I’ll have to start wearing red to attract them! x
Thanks LEIGH-Ann, oh peacpcks….scrumptuous things! I think they think bright colours are flowers, they do seem to like red the best!xxxx
It’s incredible the amazing parts of nature that you can find right outside your door isn’t it! I love seeing the tiny little frogs that still have tails! xx
Yes, there is so much around us even in cities life finds a way.
You and me both, they are so tiny I’m amazed they can survive! xxxxx
I think we do take nature for granted and cease to notice the beauty around us. I agree with you, metamorphosis is an astonishing transformation.
Thanks Dessie, yes, I think we often need to look at nature with fresh eyes and appreciate the beauty around us.xxx
It ‘s great that you see the world with such fresh eyes each day and keep your sense of wonder and appreciation 🙂 I enjoy your posts and reading about your experience and knowledge of wildlife….:) xxxx
Why thank you Arose….I enjoy your adventures too! xxxxx
Another fantastic post….Nature never ceases to surprise….:yes: Metamorphosis is one of Nature’s Magics……Thanks for sharing these. Hugs! :)x
Thanks Ell, nature is truly amazing isn’t it? There is so much magic and mystery to it….and the beauty is it costs nothing, we can all look at the stars.xxxxx
What a beautiful post, full of marvel and wonder! I love it.
My eldest daughter adores gardening and she’s completely dug out the pond she found in the house she’s buying, replanted it and she and my granddaughter have had huge fun watching all the tadpoles turning into froglets.
Ahhhh, thanks Gilly, I am always amazed at nature and try to look at things each day as though I’ve never seen them before.
I can understand completely how much your daughter and granddaughter will have enjoyed watching the process, I’ve become obsessed with it this year!xxxxx