Flowers in Winter

Each month we have recorded the flowers around the reserve and most have read the books and flower when they should.  However we have been amazed that one stalk of Greater Spearwort is still in flower, in the Scrapes at the beginning of winter!  Will it make it into the New Year?  For the record the book says that it is in flower from June to August.

There are some flowers that do blossom late into winter, Ivy being one of them.  The flowers provide food for insects and later the fruits are eaten by thrushes and Wood Pigeons.

Although Ivy leaves look waxy and tough the larvae of Angles Shades, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Swallow-tailed Moth feed on them.

There is one small area of the path along Risedale Beack that always has a patch of Daisies in flower, no matter what the season.

Unusually Gorse was not recorded in flower at this time last year but this year, presumably because the weather has been mild and there have been few frosts, Gorse is in bloom, especially across the moor. 

Last week some new leaves of Primrose were seen - a bit early to say that spring is on its way!