How many species?

As I was cropping this shot of a Common Carder Bumblebee - Bombus pascuorum - I spotted something that led to the above question. So how many species can you see in this shot? Answer at the bottom of the page (don't cheat!). Helpful hint: all the leaves belong to the flower.


Greater Stitchwort - Stellaria holostea - sneaks up stealthily due to the fact that the leaves look like grass:

Common Dog Violet - Viola riviniana - is about two weeks later than usual this year.


I counted 4 species:-

Carder Bumble Bee.
Lesser Celandine.
Puccinia ranunculi (fungal rust on leaf)
A parasitic bug on the bee (shown below).

A little sun

The first frogspawn is about 3 weeks later than it was in the last couple of years. What amazes me is that the first spawn is always in this high exposed area.

Lesser Celandine - Ranunculus ficaria - has been budding for about 4 weeks, but this is the first open one I found:

As soon as the leaves develop, the fungal rust Puccinia ranunculi appears:


Staying with fungi, Tubaria furfuracea is to be found under Hawthorns for much of the year:


And the fungus Milesina scolopendrii has been attacking leaves of Hart's tongue fern.

First flowers

I can always guarantee that the first flowers of the year will be some Lesser Celandines at the edge of the stream under the Ash trees. Although it's dark, the area is south-facing and sheltered.