A couple of firsts!

The first thing to highlight was the identification of a new species of spider in the school garden by our weekend entomologist. The six-eyed spider is coloured bright red. However the most noticeable feature on the insect are the long fangs. Females spiders of this species are known to bite - but it is no more painful than a pin prick!

The spider was very hard to photograph and would not stay still for very long. A close up in the next photograph shows the long fangs

The spider rests up under stones. It was discovered whilst digging some compost into the new bed for flowering shrubs to help attract bees and other insects.

The second first for the school garden was the discovery this evening that several of our rice plants have actually produced rice. At present the seeds have yet to fill out but we are almost there. The plants have been looked after since May with a late change of mind in July as to how they should be cultivated. The rice paddy approach was shelved in favour of keeping in pots and well watered. The rice paddy idea produced too much moss on top of the very damp soil surface which may have affected the outcome.

The newly developed rice seeds

Leaving the garden there were three Migrant Hawker dragonflies darting around the pond.