LEAF MINER ON SOW THISTLE

The white lines on this sow thistle leaf are really tunnels made by the larvae of certain flies.

These Sow Thistle Leaf Miners are probably members of the Chromatomyia genus.  After feeding on the juicy green stuff between the upper and lower layers of the leaf, the larvae pupate and turn into adult flies but pretty small.  The most visible thing is the leaf mine as the tunnel is called.

 

ENCHANTER'S NIGHTSHADE

Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)is more closely related to the willow herbs than to any of the nightshades.  As far as I know it is not poisonous but it is named after the Ancient Greek mythical enchantress Circe, and so carries a mystical aura.

The flowers are on thin stalks on a spike held well above the leaves and each consists of two deeply notched petals so they look like four.  The whole thing looks very delicate and graceful.  The flowers develop into tiny fruits like little velcro balls which hitch on to animals including humans, thereby spreading the seeds around.

Although it looks feeble, the pure white roots spread and it can cover a lot of ground - usually in the shade.  A bit of it is OK but in a garden it can be rather a menace.

   

 

THE BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT

You can help take nature's pulse by joining in the Big Butterfly Count.

At any time from Friday 15th July until Sunday 7th August take 15 minutes to choose a place and watch for butterflies.

  

Follow this  link to the big butterfly count website  for full details including a handy chart for you to identify the commoner species.

Photos: Alan Watts

DRAGONFLY EMERGING

Dragon flies spend most of their lives under water as 'nymphs' for 2 years or more, ferociously hunting tadpoles, water fleas and even small fish.   Their lives as adult flying insects will only last a few weeks. 

Photo: Mary Leathwood

Here you can see the adult has climbed out of the pond up a flag iris leaf and just pulled itself out of its old skin (exuvia), which is is the brown lump still sitting on the leaf.  This process can last up to three hours because the insect has to let each bit dry before going on to the next stage.

Like Mary, you'll be lucky to see this happening but you may find the exuvia attached to a plant stem or leaf in a pond. 

 

TWO PERFUMES IN ONE PLANT

Meadowsweet is a fairly recent arrival at Filnore Woods, just downhill from the pylon.

'Meadow' because it usually indicates slightly moister ground in a ditch or a streamside or a damp meadow.  And the perfume of the flowers is certainly sweet.  But if you pick and crush a leaf it has a medical smell, rather like Germolene ointment. 

  

 

ORANGE ON CHOCOLATE

The Gatekeeper is also known as the Hedge Brown as it likes shrubs and hedgerows.  'Gatekeeper' maybe because it sometimes basks in gateways where vegetation is low.  The eggs, however, are laid on grasses for the caterpillars to munch.

The above image is of a male, which is easy to tell because of the dark brown 'sex brands' across the forewings.

You might confuse the gatekeeper with the meadow brown, which is larger and duller.  If the butterfly perches with wings folded back, look for two white dots in the black spot on the forewing, or several tiny white dots on the hindwing.  The meadow brown only has one white dot in the black spot and no white dots.

Photos: Alan Watts

 

WILD ARUM

Hiding in the green undergrowth, the green seed clusters of wild arum.

Each spike covered in as many as 40 berries.

As you can see from those I culled in my garden, they change gradually from green, through orange to red.  

 Then they fall apart and each seed tries to become a new plant for the following season.