Friday 10 April 2015

A Spring in our step..

A short walk down the lane and into our local wood revealed a wealth of spring plants in flower..
This bluebell is likely to be a garden escapee!
Star of Bethlehem
Stitchwort
Violets of all shades

Lungwort with a rather fine bee which we think is a Tawny Mining Bee

This unfurling braken is unfortunately growing in the middle of the path!
Cowslips everywhere!
And finally an unusual plant; Purple Toothwort. The photo is one taken a couple of days ago. Purple Toothwort is a perennial root parasitic plant, which  needs no chlorophyll to support its growth. It is usually found at the base of poplars or willows, in damp places. We spotted this one in just such a spot...
Purple Toothwort




2 comments:

Susan said...

Your bee is a Common Carder Bumble Bee Bombus pascuorum. At this time of year they are really bright and gingery red.

Tim said...

Reading your post this morning made me go and check the PurpleMonsters that grow up by our weir...
they are there...
in profusion this year....
then I noticed the field behind them....
covered in Snake's-head Fritillaries...
thank you for making me go and look!!

I'll go round there tomorrow and take some pix...
I'll also check out the PurpleMeanies by the Moulin Neuf...
major treework has gone on just there in recent weeks...
the colony may have been damaged...!!