Climate change or global warming, whichever term we prefer to use, is beginning to have an impact on our wildlife, especially insects.

For example, three species of bush cricket  namely the roesel's, long-winged conehead and short-winged conehead were, until about thirty years ago confined to the south of England.

Then, in 1990, I first recorded them in our areas and since then they have spread widely. Relatively 'new' as  they are, some of the older field guides don't even mention them within their pages.

Most of the roesel's bush crickets have short wings but the female shown in the photograph sports long wings which are present in a small proportion of adults and they are the individuals able to colonise other areas.

Another insect arriving within the past three years is the handsome day and night flying moth named Jersey tiger. The title implies that the species was until recently found only in the Channel Isles and west country but now is seen regularly in the London area and Surrey.

Until a few years ago our cold damp winters prevented the painted lady butterfly from surviving in any of its stages including caterpillar, chrysalis or adult but now many hibernate here every winter.

There is no doubt that with climate change an established reality, we can expect many more insects and birds to arrive and become established.