Jim Horsfall

BSBI Distribution Database doesn't have any in the direct vicinity of Broughton. (Although there is a backlog of records waiting to go on, but there are few recorders from this area other than you).

A couple of wetland plants from this week #WildflowerHour. Lesser Water-plantain on the edge of a base rich pond at Potteric Carr; and Bog Pimpernel in a flush on a hillside near Keighley. At opposite ends of VC63.

@wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Very disappointing hay crop at Potteric Carr this year. After the sheep went off at the end of winter we've had barely any rain. Large hand sized cracks in the ground in this field attest to the dryness.

Less than a quarter of the crop of last time in this field. We'll have to cut another field.

Thanks, I'll have another look tomorrow.

But was swept from a meadow with meadow vetchling and clover, so looks possible.

🙂

Any help with this sawfly appreciated. I'm not even sure I'm getting to the right genus in the key.

In the field I thought an Athalia, but the long antennae maybe aren't right and I keyed it to Pachynematus (but it looks like many if these species are now a different genus).

@suillia.bsky.social

Ectemnius continuus

Bronze Furrow Bee

A couple of pretty insects:

An interesting wasp, Ectemnius continuus, that was swept from Wild Angelica. Lovely contrasting black and yellow

And a well named Bronze Furrow Bee, with it's metallic colour to its body

Both from interesting SSSI grassland that is at risk from under management.

Not a great photo, but some Squinancywort from Brockadale this week. An easy one to overlook as small and looks like other Bedstraw until you bend down to it.

A plant of good quality limestone grassland.

@wildflowerhour.bsky.social

#WildflowerHour

Parsley? Petroselinum crispum

If you ever want a tour then let me know

These are at Potteric Carr in Doncaster. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have made dozens of ponds over the last 20 years (Inc satellite sites to Potteric). In amongst area of historic fenland with a few old ponds thrown in. Certainly a good example of a pondscape.

Thanks

I'm working on some basic research into a declining moth, Orgyia recens, and have considered parasites, but other than waiting to accidentally find one (eg wasp emerging from a larva) I wouldn't know how to find any parasites. Are there any ways of attracting/catching parasites?

Rainy days are annoying when you want to be out, but are good for making me think about the sites I've seen, and trying to put it in context.

I was thinking back to the YNU meeting to Kingsdale Head earlier in the month. I had a look through (and used key) in @averisben.bsky.social book, which was useful. 👍

Things like Long-stalked Yellow Sedge, Marsh Valerian, Butterwort etc were found only in this flush, making the site more diverse.

Harebells with purple bell shaped flowers in sandy acid grassland

Purple bell shaped flowers of Harebells, with slither of limestone poking through the shallow soil.

Harebells from 2 sites this week. Sandy acid grassland, and thin soils on limestone.

In both cases the vegetation communities around were looking affected by drought; brown, crispy, and not their usual floriferous selves.

What does climate change have in store here?

@wildflowerhour.bsky.social

I struggle with these too, looks like Chalk Fragrant Orchid, but I could be wrong

Yellow Star-thistle

Narrow-leaved Bird's -Foot-trefoil

Common fiddleneck

Bugloss

A few arable weeds on the @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social walk at Rossington, nr Doncaster, today.

A new one for me (no VC63 records for decades) was Yellow Star-thistle. But also Narrow-leaved -Foot-trefoil, Common Fiddleneck and Bugloss.

All on sandy land that is fallow.

Fen Creation Workshop, 8th August 10am - 1pm

Suitable for conservation practitioners, students and volunteers, this free workshop explores fen creation on a sand and gravel quarry

For more information, see the link below:

www.luct.org.uk/events-1/20...

I just got a copy, thanks for recommending it.

I didn't get any recent photos of hairy plants until yesterday, so he's my very late #WildflowerHour post.

Small Teasel, at about 1.8-2m tall only the flower was small.

Hairy stem at top, lower down they were more bristly/spiny

@wildflowerhour.bsky.social

It seems to seed prolifically though! I have in gaps in path, between and in plant pots etc.

First experiment was testing the presumed method of starting new colonies, ballooning (female is flightless, so eggs are laid near to where female pupated).

Young larvae anchor themselves to a leaf and get blown away on the wind. So I think that's a positive result.

Many tiny caterpillars eating a raspberry leaf

Caterpillars recently hatched looking for food

I was starting to get worried that by ex situ population of Scarce Vapourer (for research purposes) had laid infertile eggs. But I just hadn't waited long enough. I now have to look after many tiny (1-3mm) caterpillars.

already I've had some trying to escape!

Are there any good books on diggers/levellers etc? Sounds like an interesting period

I guess my constant stalking of flowers, bees and more, some of it has sunk in with one of my children. He asked for the net and some pots all on his own.

I find seeing that there are lots of things all around us so interesting, hopefully this is the lesson he's learnt

@sorbynathissoc.bsky.social

White compound umbel flowers of Parsley Water-dropwort amongst rushes and reeds.

Despite the dry weather, and even this area of fen at Potteric Carr having low ground water levels, the Parsley Water-dropwort is doing well. Larger numbers than for a few years. Hopefully in part due to change to extensive grazing from 2020.

@yorkswildlife.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

You had to be hardy on the YNU outing to @kingsdale.bsky.social in the Yorkshire Dales today. Rain most of the day. So a lack of invertebrates, but plenty of plants.

Heath Spotted Orchid, Long-stalked Yellow Sedge, Butterwort.

An interesting change from sheep to extensive cattle farming.

19 years old pond with fringe of Water Horsetail, Common Reed and Lesser Reedmace

Pond covered in Fen Pondweed

Bladderwort flowers poking up above the surface of the pond

Fen Pondweed

I did the very quick and easy PASS method for assessing priority ponds devised by @freshwaterhabitats.bsky.social on 3 ponds today (between 3-19 years old)

I already had a good idea, the Bladderwort and Fen Pondweed were good clues as to the importance of these ponds; all were Priority Ponds

Oops typo obviously, it's not a tiny wasp, as the name suggests it's a bee!

Proving certain actions meet some of the benefits in your study, plus have beneficial impact on partridge would be useful in winning people over