We received a super surprise this week. Our efforts in the community have been recognised by our local ASDA and they have awarded GFAA a celebration hamper.
Margaux presents volunteer Jordi with our Thank You Certificate and Hamper from ASDA
This month marked the 3rd annual ASDA Thank You Day. Over the past 2 years the day has brought together over 15 million people. This is ASDA’s Opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to colleagues and community groups. Celebrating the unsung heroes in our life and our communities. Big Thank You is a collaborative celebration working with a number of national charities and grass roots groups including groups such as Dementia Carers , Young Voices, Alzheimer’s UK & the Women’s Institute.
Our hamper contained a thoughtfully put together set of garden hand tools and, much to the approval of our volunteer squad, a super selection of cakes and biscuits. The tools will last a lifetime, but the cakes and biscuits – not so much!
Big thanks go to Margaux and to ASDA and to the volunteers and community groups who made it all possible.
Anna (Plot 93) sent these photos of recent sightings on her plot of this Elephant Hawk Moth and caterpillar.
Photo Credit: Anna FulopPhoto Credit: Anna Fulop
I am aware of one other reported siting of an Elephant Hawk on site, but that goes back many years to 2017. I recall David (Plot 53) was the lucky host that time. (See the related post below.) If any plotter can provide info of other examples we’d love to hear from you.
It’s pleasing to think our efforts to green the site may be providing more habitats for unusual wildlife like the Elephant Hawk Moth.
Here’s what Chat GPT had to say about habitats attractive to them.
A Beginner’s Guide to the Lifecycle of the Elephant Hawk Moth and Its Preferred Habitat
The Elephant Hawk Moth (Deilephila elpenor) is a fascinating and visually striking insect found in various regions across Europe and parts of Asia. Its distinctive appearance, including its large size and vibrant colors, makes it a popular subject for nature enthusiasts and amateur entomologists. In this beginner’s guide, we will explore the lifecycle of the Elephant Hawk Moth and its preferred habitat.
1. Eggs:
The lifecycle of the Elephant Hawk Moth begins with the female laying her small, spherical eggs on the leaves of its host plants. These plants typically include willowherbs (Epilobium species) and bedstraws (Galium species). The eggs are pale green in color and are usually laid in clusters to increase the chances of survival.
2. Larvae (Caterpillars):
After about a week, the eggs hatch, giving rise to the larvae or caterpillar stage of the Elephant Hawk Moth’s lifecycle. The caterpillar is striking in appearance, sporting bright colors like lime green and having eye-catching eye-like markings on its head. It has a horn-like structure on its rear, which lends it the name “hornworm.”
3. Feeding and Growth:
The caterpillars are voracious eaters and immediately begin to feed on the leaves of their host plants. They undergo several stages of molting as they grow in size, shedding their old skin to accommodate their increasing body mass. The caterpillar stage lasts for about 4-5 weeks, during which they can grow up to 8-9 centimeters in length.
4. Pupation:
As the caterpillar reaches its full size, it undergoes pupation, which is the transformation into a pupa or chrysalis. The pupa is usually formed in a protected location away from direct predators and environmental hazards. The Elephant Hawk Moth pupa is reddish-brown and has a smooth texture, blending well with its surroundings.
5. Metamorphosis:
Inside the pupa, a miraculous transformation takes place. The caterpillar’s body undergoes significant changes, breaking down its tissues and reassembling them into the adult moth’s structures. This metamorphosis process generally lasts for about 2-3 weeks.
6. Adult Moth:
Finally, the adult Elephant Hawk Moth emerges from the pupa. At this stage, it becomes active at dusk and during the night, while resting during the day. The Elephant Hawk Moth is a large and impressive moth with a wingspan of about 5-7 centimeters. Its wings are predominantly pink or olive-green, providing excellent camouflage when resting on tree trunks or leaves.
Preferred Habitat:
The Elephant Hawk Moth can be found in a variety of habitats, but it tends to favor areas with plenty of nectar-rich flowers for adult feeding and suitable host plants for caterpillar development. Woodlands, hedgerows, gardens, and meadows are common places to encounter this magnificent moth.
1. Nectar Sources:
Adult Elephant Hawk Moths primarily feed on nectar from a range of flowers, including honeysuckle (Lonicera species), petunias (Petunia species), and jasmine (Jasminum species). Having a variety of these nectar-rich plants in the habitat will attract these moths.
2. Host Plants:
To encourage the presence of Elephant Hawk Moths, it’s crucial to provide suitable host plants for the caterpillars. As mentioned earlier, willowherbs (Epilobium species) and bedstraws (Galium species) are the preferred host plants. Allowing these plants to grow naturally in your garden or maintaining them in the wilder areas nearby can support the moth’s lifecycle.
3. Shelter and Water:
Creating a diverse habitat with vegetation of varying heights and densities will offer shelter to both caterpillars and adult moths. Additionally, a nearby water source like a pond or birdbath will provide the much-needed hydration for these creatures.
By understanding the lifecycle of the Elephant Hawk Moth and its preferred habitat, you can take simple steps to attract and support these beautiful insects in your environment. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, gardener, or just curious about the natural world, observing these moths in their lifecycle can be a rewarding and educational experience.
This week saw the last of our Kaimhill Primary Five visits for the Summer Term. Having the kids with us again has been a real tonic after too long a gap caused by the Lockdown years.
Thanks go to Mr Skinley and his team for agreeing to bring the P5 class every week over the Summer Term. Thanks too to the committee members, plotters and volunteers who helped host the six groups each week. The visits are an important part of our Fresh Food for Frugal Families project and it was wonderful to get the project off to such a great start with the kids.
The kids themselves are a credit to Mr Skinley and to the school. They were both a force of nature and for nature with their limitless enthusiasm for the outdoors. They were a proper tonic and we oldies all need our regular positivity vaccination shots and updates to fend off the grumpy doldrums.
The school breaks up this week, but we will be back in touch with the kids in the Autumn term to harvest and deliver their produce for them to take home and cook with.
Regular users will have noticed that the wee compostable toilet at the top of the site is currently locked and no longer able to accept deposits.
Toilet duties
We are very grateful to Stewart Gilchrist who has continued to maintain the toilets, despite no longer being a member of the Committee. Unfortunately, Stewart had reported several incidents of late when the small toilet has been used inappropriately and solids have been dropped into the liquids bowl and then sawdust added, so causing a complete blockage of the loo. Needless to say putting this right is a far from a pleasant business – and it is very time consuming.
We are not quite sure why this is happening so frequently now after many years of successful operation. However, it is clearly not fair on Stewart that he has to put up with the extra cleaning up on a regular basis.
While we investigate solutions to this problem, the small toilet will be kept locked. The larger loo by the Community Garden is of course still available.
Suggestions as to how to go forward with the smaller loo will be welcomed.
After the long Covid break, it was great to have the wonderful Kaimhill kids back visit with us along with Captain Grow, aka Peter (Plot 29).
Thanks go to Hazel, Anne, Steve, Raymond, Ron and Norman for hosting groups on their plots and to Mr Skinley and his colleagues for taking the kids along to us.
The kids return on Tuesday 9 May and then for the next six weeks or so at the same times. If you can spare an hour or so between 13.00 and 14.20 and would be willing to have the kids visit on your plot we would love to hear from you.
We were all disappointed to find that our local supply of cow dung had dried up – so to speak! We are investigating alternatives which can be delivered in bigger tonnages – of domestic green waste compost and/or manure.
The scrapping of the containers from site produced a one-off windfall for GFAA funds and we hope to make around four barrowloads of dung and/or domestic green waste compost available free of charge to GFAA members.
We fear demand my outpace supply, so requests will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.
If you are interested, please leave a comment below this post with your name and plot number. The compost/dung will be delivered to your plot once it is available. This may take a few weeks to organise. Bear with us.
If things work out and there is enough interest we may try to repeat this exercise.
