30/06/2026
Oh my! When life gets in the way, it’s when you need nature most! Apologies folks!
Here is an amalgam of the learn about nature days I missed.
How to tell if it’s a butterfly or a moth? If the wings close vertically, it’s a butterfly (this is a Red Admiral), and if the wings close horizontally, it’s a moth (this is a Large Yellow Underwing). It can help to identify what you’ve spotted if you know which it is.
The plant is a teasel, but what is that creature on it? It’s a ladybird larvae, and as the plant is covered in aphids, will not go hungry! However, it may have a battle on its hands, as ants are also present, who love the sweet excretions of the aphids, so will often protect them from predators, such as ladybirds.
This plant is called Meadowsweet, and has a lovely scent. It has a long history of use, is popular with gardeners, herbalists, brewers, and was once used to cover floors. This is a great plant to start with if you want to discover more.
Cloud spotting is a fun year round pastime, and so too is spotting some of the optical effects too. The word ‘crepuscular’ refers to twilight, when this effect of rays of light coming from the sun is most often seen. It can be subtle, or quite dramatic, but you now know what it’s called!
