Showing posts with label Bitter Vetch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bitter Vetch. Show all posts

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

Barrowburn Hay Meadows (2)

In part one of my description of the Barrowburn Hay Meadows I said that I was quite unprepared for the experience that awaited me. The meadows were filled with such an overwhelming variety of plants that they provided a feast for all the senses. I fully intend to spend more days amongst them while they continue to flower.

As might be expected, there were many insects about. One which particularly caught my attention was the Chimney Sweeper moth (Odezia atrata), a small, day-flying white-tipped but otherwise plain black moth which I had not seen before. Apparently the Chimney Sweeper relies on the Pignut flower for its existence, it being the only food plant of the moth's caterpillar. I hope the next part of this series will include pictures of some of the insects visiting the hay meadows.

Now to the flowers: They were all photographed using my standard Nikkor 18-55mm lens and a 6 dioptre close-up lens. This is only a selection of the flowers on display. If a reader finds that I have wrongly identified any of the flowers, I am more than happy to be corrected (I am not entirely confident about the Bitter Vetch, although the SSSI description suggests it is found on site).

Pignut (Conopodium majus)

Wood Crane's Bill (Geranium sylvaticum)

Eyebright (Euphrasia memocosa)

Rough Hawkbit (Leontodon taraxacoides)

Bird's Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

Bitter Vetch (Lathyrus montanus)

Hay or Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor)

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaeodrys)

Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)