Flowering Teasel Attracts the Flutterers

Our unmowed verges at work have now sprung forth flowering teasel and pennyroyal - the leaves give off a heck of a whiff of peppermint when you crush them  - to go with the hairy and rosemary willow herb.

Rosemary willow herb  is not a big  hit with the insects, but the other species plus the obligatory ragwort that gives the badlands a yellow glow, all have their fans.

The flowering teasel in particular is proving to be a magnet for various bumblebee species, and also small tortoiseshells and the inevitable small skippers. I've never seen so many small skippers on our campus, so there's at least  one species that has had a good summer. Not so many meadow browns as I've seen previously, but still numerous enough.

There must be an issue of timing going on - I remember about three years ago photographing the teasels covered in huge clumps of burnet moths. But now the 5 spot burnets have disappeared, and the teasels have only just come into flower.

Nature does not  keep a fixed calendar!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.07.18