Alfred

Save Arena Essex- Tell Google to search elsewhere!   Wedged between the Mar Dyke Valley and Lakeside Retail Park, the former Arena Essex Raceway is not your usual wildlife haven. Where once stock cars and speedway bikes lined up to cross the fini...

Google plans to bulldoze a wildlife haven in Essex – home to rare species – for a data centre. Sign the petition now to help save it before it’s gone forever 🐝🦋 you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...

Pentanema squarrosum - Ploughman's Spikenard - on the Sussex Downs, for daisy family this week. Quite a distinct and scruffily handsome plant #daisyfamily #wildflowerhour

Many thanks Henk

Wild Marjoram - Origanum vulgare - is such a good plant for insects. I have culinary Origano and Wild Marjoram in the garden, but native is the insects choice. Photo was taken this afternoon, The Steyning Downs. Marjoram hosting Adonis. #wildflowerhour #Pollinatorpals @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Shoreham cycle ride again. Scentless Mayweed, Bristly Oxtongue, Rock Samphire. Didn't make the harbours mouth where the wacky stuff is. ##wildflowerhour #ByTheSea

Cycle ride from Shoreham to Worthing. Loads of stuff, difficult to know when to stop. Michaelmas Daisy, Horned Poppy, Red, Sea Thrift. #wildflowerhour #ByTheSea

Beware of everything notice, softened by a lovely flower bed, containing, Black Nightshade and Orache. Shoreham Beach. #wildflowerhour #ByTheSea

Assuming, as this Orache is growing prostrate, that it is Babbington's Orache? Plenty of it growing on the shingle on Shoreham Beach. #wildflowerhour #ByTheSea

Common Toadflax - Linaria vulgaris - a plant in need of rebranding. #wildflowerhour

Round Headed Rampion - Phyteuma orbiculare - Sussex claiming it to be their pride. Chantry Hill. #wildflowerhour @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

The last of my little white specks in the grass. Eyebright - Euphrasia officinalis - #wildflowerhour @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Another little classic. Fairy Flax - Linum catharticum - Absolutely frazzled and in Steyning but perky up the road in Storrington. #wildflowerhour @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Some absolute twiddlers about this week, but each deserves it's own post. Squinancywort
Asperula cynanchica for the name alone. #wildflowerhour

Been out and about this week. So many similar plants on The Southdowns, but here we have Conopodium majus - Pignut. The William Morris style leaves have their beauty tucked away at the base. Lots growing on Chantry Hill, near Storrington. #wildflowerhour @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Definitely

This butterfly seemed to be having, if not a snooze, a bit of me time. Mid morning. Chantry Hill. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Several Painted Ladies at the top of The South Downs yesterday. Not seen any in my low level garden yet this year. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Attempted romance on Chantry Hill. The small talk didn't seem to progress, despite the perfect situation. Chalkhill Blue. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

When to Chantry Hill this morning. Loads of Chalkhill Blues. What a nice place. Carline Thistle as usual, is more succulent than it looks. #wildwebswednesday @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Marsh Woundwort - Stachys palustris - Cheery clump of flowers on the banks of The Adur this week. #wildflowerhour

Thanks for asking. Had most of the meanders taken out, banks built up, so salt marsh is drained and used for cattle. It’s used to flush water out to sea as quickly as possible so banks kept mown without trees. Sewage works just upriver. We could be much kinder to The Adur.

The River Adur is near the back of my house, but is in poor shape generally, however I did find a magnificent patch of - Stachys palustris - Marsh Woundwort on the bank today. #wildflowerhour @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Gone from being the most common garden butterfly, to an absolute red letter day, when I spotted a Small Tortoiseshell by the river Adur today. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Looking at this photo on my phone without glasses on, I thought it was a butterfly playing snooker!

Very satisfying image 👌

Brilliant. Congratulations !

Sussex. It has gone from being by far the most common garden butterfly to being very rare. Saw one this afternoon and got very excited.

Ooh white ones. Very nice!

Thanks Jane

Wonderfully named, Upright Hedge-parsley - Torilis japonica. I've no dea why japonica? Understated on a Steyning footpath edge. #wildflowerhour @sussexwildlife.bsky.social