Friday 21 August 2009

The urge to reproduce

I never cease to be amazed at the attempts of disadvantaged plants to reproduce. This tiny (5 cm. tall) Knapweed had managed to produce viable flowers despite having seeded in the middle of a road.


This Willow had been damaged much earlier in the year, and the new shoot has a catkin on the end of it:


I suppose the urge to make offspring is an essential part of the make-up of any successful species.

This blue Sawfly is quite numerous at the moment. The curved antennae - somewhat reminscent of horns - are quite distinctive.

3 comments:

Yoke, said...

Amazing how many species set their roots into the middle of roads. And still to get pollinated too.

These summer gales might have dropped seeds in even more unlikely places, where they will germinate, and feel that same urge to reproduce, next time. summer comes round.

Love the Sawfly with its curved antennae.

Unknown said...

Any idea what species Stuart ? these are very common down here particullarly on Angelica when it flowers (just starting here )

Stuart said...

The three antennal segments lead us to Argidae, John. But need a specimen to get it even to genus. Plenty of species look just like that.