Herb Robert, Geranium robertianum. One of the commonest wildflowers on Parkland Walk, coping admirably through dry spells and in dry, gravelly or stony ground. Herb robert is a food plant and nectar-source for many invertebrates including bees, hoverflies and the barred carpet moth. It was traditionally used as an antiseptic, as well as to treat stomach upsets and nosebleeds. Its […]
St John’s wort, Hypericum perforatum. This plant, named after John the Baptist, is famous for its medicinal qualities in the treatment of low moods and mild depression. It flowers around the 24th of June, the feast day of St. John the Baptist. Sales of the supplement are banned in France due to concerns about serious interactions with other drugs. WT
Garden spider, Araneus diadematus. The garden spider is one of the UK’s largest spider species identified by a distinctive white cross on the abdomen. Its overall colour can vary however, ranging from red-orange to almost black. The female lays her eggs in a silken cocoon which she never leaves, protecting them until the late autumn when she will succumb to […]
Cuckoo bee, Nomada lathburiana. The term cuckoo bee is used for a variety of different bee lineages which have evolved the kleptoparasitic behaviour of laying their eggs in the nests of other bees, reminiscent of the behaviour of cuckoo birds. Cuckoo bees typically enter the nests of pollen-collecting species, and lay their eggs in cells provisioned by the host bee […]
Marsh marigold, Caltha palustris. Marsh-marigold by a pond provides shelter for frogs and early nectar for insects.
Groundsel, Senecio vulgaris, Also known as ‘Old-man-in-the-spring’. The seed heads led to its Latin name, Senecio, derived from the word for ‘old man’ – pull the white, fluffy seeds from the flower head and they leave behind a bare, dotted ‘scalp’.
False blister beetle, Ischnomera cyanea. This beetle is about 12 mm long with bright iridescent blue/green elytra (wing cases), which sometimes gape to expose the body or wings. The top sections of its back legs are quite swollen.
Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea. The species has evolved to be especially attractive to long-tongued bees such as the common carder bee. The brightly coloured flowers and dark spotted lip attracts the bee, while the lower lip of the flower allows the insect to land before climbing up the tube. In doing so, the bee will drop pollen from other foxgloves. As […]
Common vetch, Vicia sativa. A member of the pea family, Common vetch is able to make its own nitrates, a special nutrient essential for healthy plant growth.
Common knapweed, Centaurea nigra. Also known as ‘black knapweed’, Resembles a thistle. It is in bloom from June to September and is a huge favourite of all kinds of butterflies, including common blues, marbled whites and meadow browns.
