 I started to self-isolate on 12th March 2020. I have kept myself busy at home. Here's my Coronavirus (covid-19) Lockdown Diary.  19th March 2020, I made a list of Bakeries, Butchers, Restaurants, Local Organisations, Individuals, Shops and others who are offering "Home Delivery and Services" in Cornwall during the coronavirus (covid-19) outbreak. I have included some other useful information too. Link to my blog: www.ilovecornwall8.com/blog/list-of-bakeries-butchers-restaurants-local-organisations-individuals-shops-and-others-who-are-offering-home-delivery-and-services-in-cornwall-during-the-coronavirus-covid19-outbreak  25th March 2020 to 30th April 2020, I launched "Lets Get Wild - connect with nature and wildlife" online. My aim is to encourage people to connect with nature and wildlife while at home because it benefits both the mental health and physical well-being. This is fun and enjoyable. And it’s great bonding time with your family too. You’re not only helping reduce the spread of infection, you’re also helping the environment as well as your mental health and physical well-being. We have to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives. I have been posting photos/videos on my website and various social media channels. Link below: Website: www.ilovecornwall8.com/lets-get-wild---connect-with-nature-and-wildlife.html Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/ilovecornwall8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/ilovecornwall8  1st June 2020 to 30th June 2020, I started a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". 1st June is Butterfly Education and Awareness Day. It's a day to raise awareness of Butterflies and how important they are as pollinators. To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I have been posting photos and videos of butterflies that I have seen on the spectacular countryside of Cornwall. I have been posting photos/videos on my website and various social media channels. Link below: Website: www.ilovecornwall8.com/virtual-butterfly-watching-in-cornwall.html Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/ilovecornwall8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/ilovecornwall8  1st July 2020 to 31st July 2020, I started a "Virtual Bird-watching in Cornwall" to celebrate my birthday. I was born on the 1st July 1972 in the Philippines. I have been living in Cornwall for a decade and I'm loving it. Bird-watching has become one of my hobbies. To celebrate my birthday, I have been posting photos and videos of rare birds and common birds that I have seen on the spectacular countryside of Cornwall. I have been posting photos/videos on my website and various social media channels. Link below: Website: https://www.ilovecornwall8.com/virtual-birdwatching-in-cornwall.html Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/ilovecornwall8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/ilovecornwall8  1st August 2020 to 31st August 2020, since I am still self-isolating/shielding, I will just have a "Virtual Beach-ing in Cornwall". Feels like I didn't miss a thing.
Crystal blue sea, splendid turquoise waters, long stretch of sandy beach, sparking golden sand on the Atlantic coast, spectacular and picturesque... These are just few description of the beaches here in Cornwall. No wonder, loads of people come down to spend their summer holiday here. I have been posting photos/videos on my website and various social media channels. Link below: Website: www.ilovecornwall8.com/virtual-beach-ing-in-cornwall.html Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/cornwallmatters8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/cornwallmatter8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/CornwallMatter8
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 #NationalMothWeek #WildlifeMatters #LetsGetWild #ConnectWithNatureAndWildlife #RowenaCastilloNichollsPhotography 1st photo: Male Emperor Moth 2nd photo: male and female Emperor Moth 3rd photo: female Emperor Moth Privet Hawk Moth Elephant Hawk Moth Fun Facts about Moth Moths are insects of the order Lepidoptera. Moth antenna look like little feathers, and their wings are held flat on their backs when they are not flying. There are more than 150.000 species of moths that can be found around the world. Moths can be small as pinhead or large as hand of adult man. Their wingspan ranges from 0.11 to 12 inches. Moths are active during the night and their bodies are usually dark colored (they blend with darkness of the night). Moths have feathery or filament-like antennas on the head. Antennas are equipped with scent receptors that facilitate finding of food and partners. Moths are able to detect females that are 7 miles away thanks to exceptional sense of smell. Moths have long, curled tongue designed for diet based on nectar, fruits and berries. Luna, Atlas and Prometheus are species of moth that do not have mouth. They have short lifespan and their only purpose is to reproduce and lay eggs. Moths are important pollinators of various plant species. White, fragrant flowers that open during the night attract moths with their color and odor. Moths have tiny hairs and scales on their wings. They ensure adequate temperature of the body during the flight. Females of some species do not have wings. Moths use moon, stars and geomagnetic field to navigate during the flight. Moths are important source of food for the birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and numerous invertebrates. Even people in some parts of the world consume moths as valuable source of proteins and minerals. Moths use several strategies to distract predators. Their body can resemble body of hornets, wasps, praying mantis and tarantulas or even look like bird droppings. Tiger moths are major source of food for the bats. These moths emit sounds which distract sonar which bats use for navigation in the space and for detection of food. Moths produce from 40 to 1.000 eggs in a lifetime. Eggs hatch after few days or couple of months (eggs of some species remain dormant during the winter and hatch at the beginning of the spring). Females reproduce only once in a lifetime, while males can mate couple of times. Larva (caterpillar) lives from few weeks to couple of months. It usually eats plant material, wool, silk or even other insects. Fully grown larva encapsulates itself in the cocoon and transforms into adult moth. Some moths, such as silkworms produce silk to build cocoon. People cultivate silkworms on the farms as a source of silk that is used in textile industry. Adult moths live from 1 to 4 weeks. Males have longer lifespan than females. Moths are among the most diverse and successful organisms on earth. Scientists estimate there are 150,000 to more than 500,000 moth species. Their colors and patterns are either dazzling or so cryptic that they define camouflage. Shapes and sizes span the gamut from as small as a pinhead to as large as an adult’s hand. Most moths are nocturnal, and need to be sought at night to be seen – others fly like butterflies during the day. Finding moths can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them. Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of which have yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal, but there are also crepuscular and diurnal species. The modern English word "moth" comes from Old English "moððe" (cf. Northumbrian "mohðe") from Common Germanic (compare Old Norse "motti", Dutch "mot", and German "Motte" all meaning "moth"). Its origins are possibly related to the Old English "maða" meaning "maggot" or from the root of "midge" which until the 16th century was used mostly to indicate the larva, usually in reference to devouring clothes. Moth larvae, or caterpillars, make cocoons from which they emerge as fully grown moths with wings. Some moth caterpillars dig holes in the ground, where they live until they are ready to turn into adult moths. Moths evolved long before butterflies, with fossils having been found that may be 190 million years old. Both types of Lepidoptera are thought to have evolved along with flowering plants, mainly because most modern species feed on flowering plants, both as adults and larvae. One of the earliest species thought to be a moth-ancestor is Archaeolepis mane, whose fossil fragments show scaled wings similar to caddisflies in their veining. Some studies indicate that certain species of moths, such as those belonging to the families Erebidae and Sphingidae, may be the key pollinators for some flowering plants in the Himalayan ecosystem. A UK study published by The Royal Society in 2020 established that moths are important nocturnal pollinators of a wide range of plants. Notable Moth Species:
Moth of Economic Significance:
Moth in different languages: Cornish: Godhan
Filipino: Gamugamo Croatian: moljac Czech: můra Danish: møl Dutch: mot Spanish: polilla Finnish: koi French: papillon de nuit German: Motte Italian: tarma Norwegian: møll Polish: ćma Portuguese: traça Romanian: molie Russian: моль Latin American Spanish: polilla Swedish: nattfjäril  Fashionable Face Mask
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 Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia 1st photo - Female Silver-washed Fritillary Valesina aberration 2nd photo - Male Silver-washed Fritillary 3rd photo - Female Silver-washed Fritillary To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I will take you on a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". Not just for a day but for the WHOLE month of June.
My 7th "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall" is in Cabilla and Redrice Woods Nature Reserve to see the Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia. Cabilla and Redrice Woods is one of the largest and possibly the finest ancient woodlands in Cornwall. Long walk, flat ground, picturesque and scenic view.  Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I will take you on a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". Not just for a day but for the WHOLE month of June. My 6th "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall" is in Fellover Brake to see the rare Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne. Long walk, steep hill, picturesque and scenic view. Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne Just the 2 of us! Fellover Brake
 Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I will take you on a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". Not just for a day but for the WHOLE month of June. My 5th "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall" is in Struddicks to see the rare Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne. Struddicks, a short but fairly demanding route through an unkempt wilderness alight with vivid flowers and butterflies in the summer months. This walk climbs high above the cliffs to give spectacular views. Thanks to the landowners' conservation strategies, the area is brimming with wildlife. The rocks, steps and stile along the coast path give the walk an adventurous flavour. Long walk, steep hill, picturesque and scenic view. Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/WildlifeMatter8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/wildlifematter8 Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne Struddicks near Looe
 Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I will take you on a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". Not just for a day but for the WHOLE month of June. My 4th "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall" is in Garrow Tor to see the rare Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia. Garrow Tor is a bare, tor-crowned hill, 330 metres (1,080 ft) high, located on Garrow Downs in the northwest of Bodmin Moor. At the summit of Garrow Tor are granite rock outcrops and panoramic views, including Caradon Hill to the south, Rough Tor and Brown Willy to the north, Butter's Tor to the east, clay country to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the northwest. The hill also bears extensive evidence of early settlement, including a massive stone hedge, Bronze Age settlements and hut circles and Medieval settlements. Long walk, rough ground, picturesque and scenic view. Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/WildlifeMatter8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/wildlifematter8 Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia More butterfly species! Caterpillar Garrow Tor
 Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I will take you on a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". Not just for a day but for the WHOLE month of June. My 3rd "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall" is in Predannack at the Lizard Peninsula to see the rare Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia. Predannack is own by the National Trust. The Lizard Peninsula is known for its geology and for its rare plants and lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The name "Lizard" is most probably a corruption of the Cornish name "Lys Ardh", meaning "high court"; it is purely coincidental that much of the peninsula is composed of serpentinite-bearing rock. The Lizard peninsula's original name may have been the Celtic name "Predannack" ("British one"); during the Iron Age (Pytheas c. 325 BC) and Roman period, Britain was known as Pretannike (in Greek) and as Albion (and Britons the "Pretani"). Long walk, steep hill, picturesque and scenic view. Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/WildlifeMatter8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/wildlifematter8 Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia More butterfly species! Photoshoot Me and Rob Predannack
 Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I will take you on a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". Not just for a day but for the WHOLE month of June. My 2nd "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall" is in Breney Common Nature Reserve to see the rare Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia. Breney Common must be my most visited nature reserve. We go there every year in April, May, June and July. It has the most amazing flora and fauna, with a rich and diverse habitat. And of course Breney Common has a special place in my heart as I've seen my greatest sighting of all time here - the Lammergeier, the bearded vulture in 23rd May 2016. Easy walk, flat, picturesque and scenic view. Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/WildlifeMatter8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/wildlifematter8 Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia  23rd May 2016, 4 years ago today, when I've seen and photographed this magnificent Bearded Vulture, also known as the LAMMERGEIER or OSSIFRAGE in Cornwall. Me and Rob Nicholls cannot believe our luck. It was a sunny afternoon, about 2:30pm. We were looking up towards Helman Tor when a large bird, soaring high, came into sight over the ridgeline, heading in a south westerly direction. It’s just gliding gracefully in the sky. The wingspan was probably 9 feet or more, 3 metres. It was very high, maybe up to 2,000 feet and had a small bird in tow - which was not getting too close. The small bird turned out to be a buzzard! The Lammageier did not flap its wings. It was just gliding gracefully across the sky. It was huge and unlike anything usually seen in the skies over Cornwall. Luckily, I was already prepared with my camera and was able to take some pictures. We were able to watch it for about 12 minutes, before it went out of sight. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime sighting. It's nice to sometimes be in the right place, at the right time! More butterfly species! Caterpillar Dragonfly and Damselfly Slow Worm Sundews Wildflowers Fungi Up close and personal with the Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia Helman Tor in the background Gorgeous BlueBells Breney Common Nature Reserve Breney Common Nature Reserve
 Heath Fritillary Melicta athalia Heath Fritillary Melicta athalia Aberration To celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, I will take you on a "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall". Not just for a day but for the WHOLE month of June. My first "Virtual Butterfly-watching in Cornwall" is in Greenscoombe Wood Luckett Nature Reserve to see the nationally rare Heath Fritillary Melicta athalia. Would you believe, I celebrated 3 birthdays here. Even my 40th birthday. That's how special this place is. There's no place I would rather be on my special day than in the company of these gorgeous butterflies. Long walk, steep hill, picturesque and scenic view. Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/wildlifematters8 Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/WildlifeMatter8 Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/wildlifematter8 Pair of Heath Fritillary Melicta athalia More butterfly species!  1st July 2012, celebrating my 40th Birthday (2010 and 2011 too) Greenscoombe Wood Luckett Nature Reserve Greenscoombe Wood Luckett Nature Reserve Greenscoombe Wood Luckett Nature Reserve Greenscoombe Wood Luckett Nature Reserve Barry Ofield had made a huge contribution on the wildlife in Cornwall particularly on butterflies. If not for Barry, the Heath Fritillary Melicta athalia would have been extinct in Cornwall. With Barry's successful breeding and reintroduction of Heath Fritillary Melicta athalia in Greenscoombe Wood, we're now enjoying seeing this beautiful butterfly fluttering in Cornwall. Barry’s involvement began in early 2007 when he was asked if he could take part in a programme, which would include his efforts in breeding for release, the Heath Fritillary Melicta athalia. Barry and Tom Sleep has previously released in excess of 1500 imagines into Greenscoombe Wood where it had become extinct due to habitat deterioration over the pass 20 years. Barry’s part in 2006-2007 was to breed more adults for another release at Greenscoombe Wood and in Blanchdown Wood, which is on the Devon side of the Tamar River. Filming started on 8 May 2007 and took two days to complete including the release at Blanchdown. The filming and interviews took place at Barry’s home in Pendoggett. The weather on the first day was fine. The second day of filming, it was pouring with rain. Not the ideal conditions for releasing butterflies. An extract from the 2007 BBC programme "Born to be Wild". This article features Barry Ofield breeding Heath Fritillary butterflies for subsequent release at Blanchdown Woods alongside the Tamar in Devon with Dr Caroline Bulman.
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