For illustrated talks on natural history and history see www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

For illustrated talks on natural history and history click here for www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

Tuesday 27 August 2024

Orchids and Gentians on Wolstonbury Hill 26th August 2024

 

Thirty six Autumn Lady's tresses orchids were observed on Wolstonbury Hill yesterday.  See the route at https://out.ac/IViFXZ , a two and a quarter miles circular walk.

Autumn Lady's tresses and Autumn gentian near the west-facing bridleway.




Thursday 8 August 2024

Parasitic Dodder on the hemi-parasitic Eyebright on the South Downs of Sussex


 On a walk to find the County flower of Sussex, many species of plants and insects were found including Dodder, a parasite feeding on the hemi-parasitic Eyebright.  Dodders lack roots and leaves, and also lack chlorophyll, the green pigment found in most plants. Dodders have slender, yellow-orange stems that cover infected plants in a spreading, tangled, mass. This Dodder plant has white flowers in July 2024.  

See the route walked at https://out.ac/IVGtSa

Wednesday 3 July 2024

Red Admiral butterfly, Blue-tailed damselfly and lots of grasshoppers at RSPB Pulborough Books, 2 July 2024

 

The RSPB have mown and opened a "Wetland Discovery Trail" and uneven path with open water across the brooks.  It is superb with excellent information boards for many plants.


Red Admiral




Heart shaped copulation circle of Blue-tailed damselflies


Grasshopper exuvia above.  They have four or more nymphal stages or instars, shedding the exoskeleton in order to grow bigger towards the adult size and form.


Arrowhead plant Sagittaria sagitifolia Arrowhead is a tall, aquatic plant that is often found in shallow water or along the margins of slow-moving watercourses. It is in bloom from June to September, displaying small, white flowers; but it is the arrow-shaped leaves that are most distinctive. Like other aquatic plants, it offers resting and sheltering places for aquatic insects like dragonflies and damselflies.

Among scores of Marbled Whites this one hasn't expanded the left wing fully.
Common Whitethroat singing gloriously.






Saturday 18 May 2024

A Sussex wildlife garden 18 May 2024

A "lawn" area hosts four native orchid species: above centre a white form of Common-spotted orchid.
Click on any picture to enlarge it.
Above, left to right, a Fragrant orchid flowering for the third year; Common twayblade; and a couple of Southern Marsh orchids.
Fragrant orchid.  Note its long spurs.

Common Twayblade

Southern Marsh orchid



Ragged robin


Hundreds of Cowslips have all gone to seed now as have dozens of Snakes' head fritillaries, below.

Bugle, an important food source for butterflies.

Yellow Rattle, a hemi-parasitic annual, is firmly established throughout the garden.
Cow Parsley finally doing well.

Glorious shades of leaf colours: beech and maples.
Grass pollen is vital for certain beetle species
Decades old Yellow ant hill containing probably over 100,000 ants and reaching a metre down into the ground.  Green woodpeckers regularly visit to feed on ants.
Fruit set on the pears and apple trees looks to be somewhat disastrous this year.

Common-spotted orchid reproducing vegetatively.
Vegetable bed with perennial spinach and self sown beetroot and "Spis bladene" Kale.

Tree heather


Bog garden next to a pond

Royal fern on left.

a formal area of hostas around a bay tree.

Compost bin crawling with hundreds of Brandling worms
Nettles for Red Admirals etc., butterflies.
Holly flowers have set well
Fine Spear thistle

Red Campion

Alliums

This Wisteria is dying and a seedling has grown nearby and is flowering after a few years.

Two colour forms of Harlequin ladybirds mating.  I have given up trying to control this foreign insect.  So far native Seven-spot ladybirds are still doing well but some rarer natives have not been observed recently.


You enjoy nature walks, led by me, with Haywards Heath u3a, nature walks group.
 

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