BiophilliaBotany

Thanks Jeff, perfect timing to shine a spotlight on. I’ll link this to my Qigong master who’s undergoing intensive medical therapy atm. I’ll also take your incredible book along soon. 🙏

Blue flowers of chicory

Oh my, what a start Cerys, Jake Thackray had to pull up on the brakes 🚲. Simply brilliant!

Thought you’d like my rapid stop and listen view.

Chicory flowers - think camp coffee 🙂

Have a joyous show x

🤭

And here’s one of my residents, who also got the (belated) memo. Thanks for showing up

Look closely at the eye, oh yeah there’s two of us peering in 🐸

Common frog ~ Rana temporaria, keeping cool alongside foliage undergrowth

Frog fastening. As shown by a costume designer. A silver ornamental braid or cording that can function as a garment closure, or be solely decorative.

London bricks, showcasing the ‘Frog’ side. The actual term "frog" comes from the dutch word "kikker" Traditional brick making consisted of a wooden box which a "kicker" in the middle was used to force the clay out wards to form the arrises.

Several ‘Flower frogs’ including the popular small glass frog displaying alongside the Art Deco vase via an Interior designer. Flower Frogs were popular during the first half of the 20th century, flower frogs were used to arrange flowers and were likely called "frogs" because they were set in water in the bottoms of bowls.

When you check in on your friends to how their Frogs 🐸 are fairing during the hot spells, be be prepared

Wasn’t expecting quite the varied replies, wonderful full description in the pictures

1. Common frog
2. Frog fastener
3. Brick frog
4. Flower frog

Any others?

#Frogs

Scutellaria galericulata, the common skullcap, marsh skullcap or hooded skullcap wildflower

Sweet track

Nudged to wonder back through the Somerset Levels & marshes for a summer peek to the ‘Sweet track’

Scutellaria galericulata, the common skullcap, marsh skullcap or hooded skullcap often seems to be tucked away within deep foliage

A lovely little thing amongst a landscape of immense history

Bore da Cerys

Stepping back in time to the Neolithic period listening in at the ‘Sweet track’ located within the Somerset levels dating back to 3806 BC

Glad you made it in time’ 😉 wonderful company as ever on a Sunday morning TY x

Oak leaf infestation by the Knopper Gall Wasp ~ Andricus quercuscalicis

A wonderful time to observe subtle seasonal changes within our summer landscapes

Look out for Oak trees with wrinkly mutant acorns known as ‘Knopper’ Galls made by the Gall Wasp ~ Andricus quercuscalicis

The word Knopper derives from the German word 'Knoppe' meaning a kind of felt cap/helmet
#Oak

Unexpectedly I located a further crimped leaf this morning, as the female Leaf cutter worked well until sunset

A South facing Verbascum Olypmpicum ~ Olympic Mullein

Also visited by both night/day pollinators amongst our crescent leaf nester collectors

#Solitarybee

The Leaf cutter ~ Solitary bee, using clean hollow canes, now filled with their nesting foliage preferences and sealed ends for overwintering/protection

For 7 years Wisteria Alba is still the firm favourite for the female Solitary bee ~ Leaf cutter bee nesting material

Solitary bee ~ Megachilidae ~ Leaf cutter bee

Snapshot. Insight to the gallery of chosen foliage with crescent shaped leaf sections from the female Megachilidae ~ Solitary bees ~ Leaf cutters

During July 2018, the 1st of the Leaf-Cutter #Solitarybees were observed within my garden in order to their most prolific foliage preferred nesting materials totalling 17 varieties

Forward to 2025 still creating their convex nesting homes they chose >40 different varieties

Wisteria again came top

If like me you’re seeking something rather uplifting atm checkout the posts, pictures and descriptions pouring in for the Wildflower hour challenge.

Absolutely fabulous! #DeadNettlefamily

I’m cycling home & literally just passed an elder gentleman swinging a hand trowel & a bag

At 1st I thought he was weeding I cycled back, gently enquiring of his trowel, he opened his bag it was full of wildflowers on a open dual roadside

He planned to dig more up to plant at home aw gawd tbc… 🥺

Sweet track during a winters visit. Created from Hazel rods and Oak

Boggy vegetation throughout the Sweet track

A real ethereal experience approaching the Sweet track. Dense boggy vegetation pathway an incredibly lush peat based landscape

Built during the Neolithic period the ‘Sweet track’ located within the Somerset levels dates back to 3806 BC

A past visit during the winter with less overgrowth, it is a spectacular sight to see

Interesting insight🎥 from the South West Heritage Trust

youtu.be/aj8n_Bhte38?...

#InternationalBogDay

Vista of cracked Willow seated to the foreground of Glastonbury Tor during winter

Vista of cracked Willow seated to the foreground of Glastonbury Tor during a barmy summers day

The beauty of backdrops even in the depths of winter, cracked Willow #withy in abundance throughout the Somerset levels

A warm barmy afternoon, Glastonbury Tor once again graces my return to this idyllic Willow vista, the Blue Lias stonewall offering a still chalice to drink it all in

#Biophilia

Wasp spider

Fleabane yellow wildflower

Wasp spider

Wasp spider amongst Fleabane great camouflage

Just returned from sweeping up the sunrise whilst sauntering #naturesblanket

Common Fleabane ~ Pulicaria dysenterica offering a hidden home for the incredible:

#Waspspider
~ Argiope bruennichi

What a beauty and superb camouflage to find amongst one of my fav wildflowers

#Biophilia

…that perfect perennial parasol for all seasons in one day

#Harebell ~ Campanula rotundifoli

Up early today, pulled up on the brakes 🚲 to admire the low flying swifts and this beauty greets me

Wait for it…

Right next to my front wheel

Heart in mouth moment, sigh…

This campaign needs you now STOP PET PESTICIDES POLLUTING OUR RIVERS

chng.it/vVnFLtM9tB

A great opportunity & a simple way to support our wonderful 🦔 friends

Posting a further batch of used stamps to:

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society

@hedgehogsociety.bsky.social

A fab way to assist this incredible charity

Here’s the 🔗 👇if you think you could help:

shorturl.at/iBa4a

Bumblebees – their natural enemies and pests All my articles, videos and work are funded by my teaching and sales of award winning bumblebee nest boxes, solitary bee boxes,  and wormeries. Many species of bumblebee have black and yellow strip…

Hi Kate, there’s some detailed references in George’s article:

‘Bumblebees – their natural enemies and pests’

HTH

nurturing-nature.co.uk/bumblebees-a... Bumblebees – their natural enemies and pests | nurturing nature

Fields of Flax with tractor tracks

Blue Flax flower head

Ever paused over a rippling blue field aching to ‘pull up’ anchor and ⛵️ sail off?

It’s possible

With a bounty of Flax/Linseed ~ Linum usitatissimum = “most useful”

As once rippled, rettled and hetcheled you have your sail cloth

How would you set your binnacle in
#naturesblanket

#Biophilia


There’s something really magical about the audio of a wildlife friendly garden/space

Particularly if you love the sounds of buzz pollination or ‘sonification’

It seems, letting these Welsh poppies do their thing trailing upto my door is a real welcome to all including the #Bees
#naturesblanket

Today I checked in on the homemade #Hoverfly lagoons ooh!

Did u know @buzzclub.bsky.social are interested in yr lagoon visitors?

tinyurl.com/thtefede

@ellenrotheray.bsky.social

You can easily make a lagoon encouraging #Hooverfly population with @davegoulson.bsky.social

tinyurl.com/5n6v2kxy

… for sure they are indeed Lin 🐜 🙂

2025 Somerset Skullcap

An ideal time to check in on this stunning rare wildflower root system Scutellaria altissima L. ~ Somerset Skullcap

As it’s local patch & habitat has been obliterated

Thankfully, I was called on the day so scooped a few seeds, now plant size & ready to reintroduce

#wildflowers
#naturesblanket

A dab of pink from the delicate tips of Quaking grass to the bold & beautiful Salsify

With bulging bundles of Ragged Robin tucked amongst blissful hues for the
#PinkFlower 🌸
quest

Love the tiny Bee nectaring on Red campion

#WildflowerHour

@bsbibotany.bsky.social
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Loaded perfectly on iPhone 😉

So pleased it arrived safely 🎵 TY Cerys x

Early morning 🐦 calls from within the #Somersetlevels

Pop up your speaker to listen 🎧 into to the collective bird song of today’s #Dawnchorus
with the elusive #Bittern boom

What a gift to navigate #naturesblanket welcoming in the month of May on 2 wheels 🚲

#Birdsong
#nature
#Biophilia

Wild garlic flowering in swathes

No exaggeration this has to be the largest ‘patch’ of Wild garlic I’ve seen in years at this spot

It’s as far as the eye could see, with a fabulous hit on the olfactory

A favourite ancient wood peppered with Wood vetch, Archangel and the resting Bluebells

What a wonder to wander #naturesblanket