GREENWOOD
Nature and the neighbourhood
A Solitary Peacock
On my early evening stroll among drying grasses and thistledown there was just a single, solitary Peacock in the field, flitting through the tall stalks to reach the nectar in a few Ragwort flowers. This is a place where only three years ago there were clouds of many species of butterflies, bees, and other insects dancing in the air as they feasted on a profusion of flowers. I’d like to say that the scarcity of butterflies was due to the hot weather or perhaps something about that particular day, but it has been a similar situation every time that I have visited this summer, and I fear that it is more to do with the herbicide that was used two years ago.
GREENWOOD 
Sad and scary. Seeing the same here in our neighborhood outside Washington, DC. ☹️☹️
Yes, it is a sad state of affairs. The countryside around here seems so quiet – but it might be better elsewhere. It is difficult to tell. Some nature reserves still manage to attract larger numbers of butterflies and bees. I have an awful suspicion that in most places we may have turned the corner as far as invertebrate wildlife is concerned because even when there are plenty of flowers in gardens or fields there are hardly any winged visitors. Such a huge contrast to when I was a child.