Latest from the Local Cemeteries

We met this adorable youg robin today in Dalry Cemetery

It will develop its traditional red breast as it grows older.

We seem to be seeing a lot of seven spot ladybirds in the two local cemeteries at the moment - here are two fully grown and normal coloured adults

Today we found, in one very small area, a young seven spot ladybird (it still hadn't developed its full red colour - seven spot ladybirds start off yellow without spots and become darker as their spots develop) and also a larva and two pupae. Here's a larva

and one of the pupae

and the young pale adult

We found this striking small fungi yesterday in Merchiston Cemetery

If anyone can identify the species, feel free to leave a comment!

Sadly not everyone appreciates the nature in the cemeteries. Dalry Cemetery now has a Friends Group, but alongside the people who wish to preserve the nature, there are a few who think that all the undergrowth should be removed as it prevents people from looking at the graves. In the past couple of days, someone (probably not a member of the group) has been hacking away at the ivy in an entirely random way, which is illegal at this time of year (as birds often nest in ivy) and is making a total mess of the cemetery, damaging both the wildlife and destabilising some of the graves. It's really sad to see this and hopefully something that won't happen again.