'Where the grasshoppers sing.' Silence on the right (cut). Buzzing song on the left (uncut). What is the insect cost of hay cutting? The scale of loss? It's a complex issue. Good for some, bad for others. But standing there, the difference was striking. Buglife

A bleak and surprisingly poor catch in my Somerset garden moth trap this morning. Only 54 moths of 36 species. Not what I normally expect on a warm night in August. Scary times! At least this Magpie and Buff-tip brightened up my start to the day. British Moths BC Somerset & Bristol

Over 20 °C in August and only 36 moths in the trap. What is going on?! Surely there can't be so few moths flying? Is there something wrong with my trap?! Are others experiencing the same disastrous catches? It is scary and depressing. British Moths BC Somerset & Bristol Richard Fox

My dad’s dying gift to me: a love of butterflies theguardian.com/environment/ar…

The moth trap catches have been so poor for me of late in Somerset, so I have turned my attention to the bycatch. These 3 stood out: Lygus species of plant bug, eye-catching Anomia purmunda picture wing fly and the wonderfully named Broad Centurion soldierfly. Buglife

A while ago I found this stunning Grass Snake at RSPB Greylake in Somerset. It was wonderfully camouflaged, but the orange band behind its head stood out. Normally I see them with cream/yellow. Is this unusual? ARG UK Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Froglife RSPB Ham Wall

Ornate Brigadier on Corky-fruited Water-dropwort. Sometimes the language of nature is just as marvellous as the nature itself! A stunning Somerset Levels speciality, taken a couple of months ago. Buglife Somerset Wildlife Trust