Agrimony, Hogweed and Scabious

Also known as Aaron's Rod, Agrimony flowers follow each other up the spike.

Here it is along with white Hogweed (which is just everywhere at Filnore this year) and mauve Field Scabious.

Here's a better pic of the scabious, a favourite nectar source for butterflies.

and two more photos from Simon Harding showing a burnet moth and a small tortoiseshell butterfly

A view from a bench

From the viewpoint, the blue hills of Gloucestershire.

Ain't it grand.

A vital food plant

What charming flowers are these?

The flowers are easily overlooked 

but the plant is one of the first we learn as children - stinging nettles.

In late summer when these flowers produce huge numbers of seeds, they are relished by sparrows and chaffinches and bullfinches.

Caterpillars of four of our commoner butterflies -  small tortoiseshell, peacock, red admiral and comma - feed on nettles, and at least nine species of moth.  

Nettles support over 40 species of invertebrate and therefore the creatures that prey on them such as blue tits and ladybirds.