Summer started early this year and we had foxgloves flowering from the 26th May. We have never known them to be this early before. On one of the graves there were lots of the white hybrid. We found a Drinker moth caterpillar.
The adults are an odd-looking moth that flies from July. Its name evolved because of the caterpillar’s habit of drinking drops of dew from grass stems. Its lava can be found throughout the year.
Interesting sightings, since May, have been the bracket fungus by the main gate and the many butterflies, mainly meadow browns, speckled woods and painted
ladies. We were very pleased to see numerous caterpillars from the Peacock butterfly on two patches of nettles. The 
very pretty Small Yellow Underwing moth was spotted flying in June. This is a day-flying species which prefers sunny weather, frequenting meadows, grassy downland and other open areas in May and June. The larvae feed on the flowers and seeds of mouse-ear (Cerastium spp.), especially common mouse-ear (C. holosteoides) which is abundant here. At the end of May there was an influx of Silver Y moths, flying during the day and named after the silver ‘y’ that can be seen clearly on each wing when they settle. This species is probably the UK’s most common immigrant moth. They are usually most numerous from late summer into autumn, but this year they are early and more of them. They can occur in any month with those in the winter generally associated with warmer southerly winds. Not so welcome are the grubs of Viburnum Leaf Beetles which consume the leaves of the Guelder Rose. There are a lot on some of the plants and the leaves have been well stripped.
We were very pleased to see the Butterfly orchid back in its usual place. Still no sign of any others. The Southern Marsh orchids Have come up again on the grave in the meadow where they have been planted.
We managed to get Nellie, one of the working horses on the farm, to assist in taking a bench down to the side of a grave. It is never an easy task working them in
the summer because of the many horseflies and heat. These have been abundant on the site this year and included the Dark Giant Horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus).
A highlight at the pond was the Beautiful Demoiselle dragonfly. It was a male we saw as it had a metallic blue body with dark wings. The female has a metallic green-bronze body with translucent pale brown wings.
Alt-y-garreg is a 20-acre nature reserve created in 2010 from four fields that had been improved pasture. There are areas of new woodland (over eighteen thousand trees of eighteen native species), wildflower meadows, scrub and ancient hedgerows. Two of the fields are now a natural burial site. The area is teeming with wildlife. A list of species we have seen on the site can be found here.