August rains wiped out the promise of a long-awaited bumper summer for birds, insects and plants, say experts, though autumn will be good for fungiThe summer holiday washout wiped out a much needed bumper season for wildlife across the UK, according to wildlife experts at the National Trust. “The [wet August] was especially damaging for warmth-loving insects, including many butterflies and bees,” said National Trust wildlife expert Matthew Oates. “It means we haven’t had a genuinely good summer since 2006 – the wait goes on. Glen Graham, National Trust ranger at Wallington Hall, Northumberland, said there was a much higher kid survival rate this year. The early summer was dry and the RSPB said it received a lot of calls about house martin nests cracking, meaning chicks had to be moved into substitute containers.

Source: The Guardian September 01, 2017 04:52 UTC