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heatwaves 2026

I have been watching hummingbird moths recently, they love my salvia flowers. I tried to sit in the garden today as it is hot and sunny and storms were forecast, they didn't arrive, but tomorrow may be different. I only sat out for two minutes, there are so many wasps about this year but it seems they are mainly looking for a drink, as I've noticed they fly around a flowerpot that has a small amount of water in the bottom. I can forgive them (but I don't like them) as they are suffering in the heat too!
 
I put out shallow containers of water of different sizes for the birds in the garden and they made full use of them. What I saw for the very first time was wasps and bees having a drink too. Some drowned though.
Had many more butterflies (mostly tortoiseshell I think) and large bumblebees than I've seen for a very long time too.
 
People of a certain age sometimes reminisce of long hot summers in their childhood (well, I do). Seems that they have returned. Closer to the truth might be that we only remember the pleasant summers.
Conversely, I remember what seemed to be really deep snowy winters like 1948 but the truth is it was me that was smaller!
 
We escaped to the coast for a few days when June hit 34 here - the difference by the sea was remarkable. Watching the forecast for next summer already, thinking a bit further north might be the move.
 
Great thread — the 1976 heatwave photos are striking. My family lived near Sparkbrook then and stories about the tar melting on the roads were a staple of every summer reunion. Does anyone have pictures from the city centre during those weeks?
 
Qawra car hire Following on from the heatwave memories — we're finally booking a proper family holiday next spring. Malta keeps coming up (lots of the old Brummie exodus goes there), and I found Qawra car hire for getting around the island — seems easier than buses with kids in tow. Does anyone on here have memories of Malta holidays in the 70s, or is that one step too far off topic?
 
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