A comment to a recent post of mine about the heat in my south-facing bedroom when temperatures rose resulted in my buying some emergency foil blankets. Actually, I thought I was purchasing one but five came through the door.
As tends to happen, this prompted the weather to turn cooler. Until Monday gone, when it seemed warm and sunny enough to do a test run.
Whether or not they keep the heat out is hard to say, as my daughter and a friend of hers decided to do some baking in our stove/heater that afternoon. The upshot was the discovery that the emergency blanket is wonderful insulation for keeping heat in. In short, I thought I was having a hot flush from hell.
The blanket could have come down at this point but ever curious I kept it up to see what happened next. The temperatures came down both inside and out, so regarding my estival physical comfort the jury must remain out.
On the other hand, the blanket also blocks out a certain degree of light. Coupled with curtains at night this in turn means my room is truly dark, which means I have slept very well for the past few nights, notwithstanding the faint rustling caused by the breeze coming through the trickle vents. On these grounds alone, it is therefore decided the impromptu blackout blind shall remain.
Growing out of chaos 
Helen, I’m so glad your experiment worked. We distribute similar emergency blankets to some of our unhoused clients. They work well for keeping the heat on the right side of the “blanket.” That butterfly is stunning! It blends in like a flower.
I’d never used one of these blankets before for anything but it seems they are very useful indeed.
Yes!
I wonder if this is a peacock butterfly? Guardian article linked here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/28/record-low-number-british-butterflies-baffles-scientists-annua-big-butterfly-count
Thank you, Alys. Yes, it seems to be a peacock butterfly 😊
A good find
Indeed!
Good butterfly shot. It has been a disappointing year for butterflies this year.
Really! I think I’ve seen more so maybe they’ve all migrated to West Yorkshire near the Yorkshire Wolds.
I think some of it depends on the spring weather. We have had nothing in the garden but whites this year.
Yes, there are plenty of whites around.
We would normally have had Red Admirals, Small Tortoiseshells and possibly Painted ladies in the front garden. We have had Small Coppers, Common Blues and Hummingbird Hawkmoths in the past too. This year – only whites.
That’s a good range under normal circumstances. I hope they will be back next year.
They tend to bounce back. Hoverflies have been prolific this year.
That’s good!
I hadn’t thought of using one of those foil blankets in that way!
Well, it might be worth a try?