Overheated planet

Today was the hottest day ever recorded in the UK, with the temperature rising to 40.3C at Coningsby in Lincolnshire and wildfires breaking out over much of the country, causing devastation to both people and wildlife. Welcome to the new normal... After thirty years of watching the subtle effects of climate change on our flora and fauna, and trying to spread the message among the public, surely today should be a massive wake-up call. But I fear our current politicians are too engrossed in power games to organise any sort of serious response. 

Personally, we coped with the heat better than I feared, helped by the fact that, being self-employed, we can adjust our working patterns to stay safe. Sadly many others don't have this flexibility. Pete and I were at Castor Hanglands just after six, and I managed to complete the remaining five quadrats before it started to get overwhelmingly hot at around 8.30. At this point in the day there was still plenty of insect activity, as nectar sources hadn't yet dried up. This male Common Emerald damselfly had found a good perch to keep a look out for possible prey.

The rest of the day was mostly spent inside, with the windows shut and the curtains drawn, working at the computer, with a brief trip to Waitrose (pleasantly cool) for food and to give Ben a lift home so that he didn't have to walk in the burning heat. We also made one or two brief forays into the garden just to experience the intensity of the heat - the only time I've felt anything similar was in the interior of The Gambia. In the afternoon it was just over 40C in the shade in our garden, and a stonking 55C on our sunny sheltered south-facing patio. I struggle to imagine what it must have felt like in heavily built-up areas with little shade or vegetation to help moderate the conditions.