Time to Stop and Stare
Monday, May 28th 2018
The name of the insect, read moth, in the Buttercup has arrived. It is Micropterix calthella and it feeds on pollen of a variety of flowers including Buttercups and Marsh Marigold. I have also photographed it in Cuckoo Flower and Welsh Poppy. Not too clearly shown, but if you look carefully you can see that they have hairy heads. Nature is just fantastic! Next sunny day a better close up to really see the hairy heads! It has been recorded on the species list but not since June 2010, so it will be good to update the recording.
I also took time to stop and stare yesterday, not at vistas but at little things that caught my eye. Cercopis vulnerata, the Black and Red Froghopper was hopping about in the nettles.
Hawthorn leaves should be green so when a red one was noted I was curious. Back to the Internet and it appears to be Hawthorn Redfold Gall, but more research is required.
We are also looking into this gall or rust on the back of Common Dog Violet leaves, which could possibly be Cercospora violae, But again a bit more reading is going to be needed.
After spotting a Yellow Flag Iris bud just showing yellow one day it was astounding to see it fully opened the next.
Water Avens flower along Risedale Beck and along many path edges. There are usually mutations growing amongst some of them.
Much of the Yellow Rattle on the middle moor is still quite small but there are some in flower.
We heard today that we have been awarded a Certificate of Excellence for 2018 in recognition for 'consistently great reviews', from Tripadvisor.
This is a credit to everyone who looks after Foxglove, from admin work to habitat management, species recording and bird ringing. Visitors comment positively about the warm welcome they receive and how amazing the hidden gem of Foxglove is. Thank you to everyone!
(0) Comments:
There are no comments for this blog post yet. Why not start the discussion? - use the form below:
Help Support Foxglove
Friends of Foxglove
The Friends of Foxglove Covert is for those individuals, families and organisations who would like to support the reserve through an annual membership subscription. Friends receive a regular newsletter and invitations to attend our various activities and social events.
More DetailsUndergrowth Newsletter
The Dragonflies of Strensall and Foxglove Covert
This book has been published with the aim of enabling people visiting these, immensely important Flagship Pond Sites in North Yorkshire, to identify the dragonflies and damselflies they encounter - by reference to a simple text and photographs. Credits - Yorkshire Dragonfly Group & Freshwater Habitats Trust
View All The Newsletters