A MUM who loves wildlife has discovered a world of nature on her doorstep.
Mum-of-four Carly Jo Curbishley shares her passion with her children and has captured a fascinating array of colourful creatures on her camera phone.
Many of the intriguing insects and birds have been spotted flying and crawling around her home in Knutsford.
Harvey Curbishley, brothers Finlay and Bailie, and sister Autumn-Moon exploring the countryside
After learning how to identify each bug, the nature lover meticulously records every find and does all she can to protect endangered species.
She ran a moth trapping box for three weeks and also helps with butterfly conservation.
"I am over the moon after finding an Elephant Hawk larvae in my own back garden," said Carly. "It looks looked like a snake in the grass.
The Elephant Hawk larvae Carly discovered in her garden
" It will become a pupa which will then take 27 days to become an amazing Elephant Hawk-moth which is pink.
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"They tend to bury down under soil to keep warm. I hope it survives the winter until it hatches into a moth."
A cockchafer
Exploring the countryside has become an adventure as she home schools sons Harvey, 12, Finlay, 10 and Bailie, seven and introduces three-year-old daughter Autumn-Moon to the environment.
A common cardinal beetle
Carly said: "The more we go out the more we become accustomed to our wildlife with myself snapping away, learning new things and getting my children understanding.
A thick legged flower beetle
"There are so many different things out there, it was an eye opener.
A bumble bee
"It is a hobby, I just love going off on country walks with the kids."
A buff tip caterpillar
Everything from buzzards and butterflies to bumble bees and beetles have left the youngsters intrigued.
A buff arches moth
"Harvey like butterflies, catching them to show his little sister," said Carly. "Finley loves being out in the wilderness finding frogs, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, owls and spiders.
A Meadowhawks female dragonfly
"Bailie likes making things out of sticks. Autumn-Moon started with wiggly worms, caterpillars, butterflies and vowels."
Even mushrooms, toadstools and fungi are documented as the family makes every effort to preserve all living things.
A hawthorn shield bug
"You can get up close and personal with all sorts of life without actually disturbing its habitat," said Carly.
"My three-year-old found a short horned grasshopper in the back garden. She then potted it which is how we used to keep a moth to identify it. Nothing comes to any harm, it's just a plastic test tube and the insect is then set free.
Bumble bees
"We have bird boxes in our garden where bluetits will nest. We have had bees and bee moths make their home here too.
"We have bats at dusk every year.
"We are thrilled to be having the trap box coming back through the winter. It will be very interesting to see what is actually out there in the colder months."
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