Today We finally identified John our neighbour's mystery butterfly that was found in his shed at Wilma near Rolls Copse. Barry Angell confirmed that indeed, as I had suspected it was a rare aberration of a White Admiral called ab. nigrina. Until this year I had not known anything about aberrations. One of the reasons, according to Andy Butler local butterfly expert is that they are kept out of public domain due to irresponsible and fanatical collectors that would pin butterflies and make them rarer/cause problems with land they are accessing.

I am interested to know more, preferably to the very genetic level. It is known that sudden changes of temperature cause these aberrations but how? Do they actually affect the genetic translation from DNA to RNA or what?

Anyhow, There is always so much to write in this blog and so little time: and I am at work! Now for the night wildlife workshop preparation!!!

Ebony and Snowdon are two recent editions to our garden from the Chale Show. They are Pekin bantams. Snowdon a boy, Ebony a girl. They are no longer scared of the other chickens and seem happy. They are resembling two fluffy balls. Alfie, Mike and Sarah went home this morning after a very hot and lovely summer weekend where we went on the steam train and went to the botanic garden and beach the day before.

Today was my third Wild Child Club and we went out to the quay in hot sunshine. It renewed my love of marine biology as we discovered tiny brittlestars that were living in the salt pan.

Tonight for a couple of hours I have been light trapping moths in our garden for the first time. I have identified 5 so far: Marbled Beauty, Brimstone, Straw Dot, Light Emerald and Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Quite pleased with myself now! Need sleep though! Also think I should focus my marine thoughts into this blog a little more and decide where my work/life direction is heading!