Friday 18 July 2008

Waiting for Angelica

Wild Angelica is my summer hunting ground for insects, but it's about 2 weeks late this year. So we'll have to make do...

Yellow Rattle is present in a few of the higher areas Take a close look at the complex leaves:

Fairy Flax has the alternative name of Purging Flax. Don't be tempted to eat any part of this plant:

There are many 'subspecies' of Eyebright; some with white flowers, others with lilac. I was under the impression that I have two cohabiting varieties, but I now believe that my local ones start off with white flowers and then convert to lilac later in the year. I have marked a few white specimens and plan to monitor them over the next couple of months.

Hogweed is standing in as my nectaring umbellifer of choice at the moment. I got this shot of the hoverfly Leucozona laternaria, which looks like a strangely monochrome version of its close relative Leucozona glaucia, which I will show soon.

2 comments:

Gill said...

More super shots, especially the fairy flax and eyebright. I think eyebright certainly goes pink/purple as it ages - not sure about through the season though - look forward to your marked plants giving the definitive answer. [I'd prefer "alternative" to "alternate name", not being American.] Both the rattle and the eyebright are semi-parasitic on grasses I believe, hence the rather small leaves.

L. laternaria, as you say, is like a b&w shot of L. glaucia (you are aware your label is for glaucia, not the laternaria?). Don't think I've ever seen it - the monochrome one that is. Like you my angelica is very late - the flowerheads are only beginning to emerge from those inflated sheaths.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photography.