Sweet scented meadow

A hot, hot day - though sunshine was still at a premium. After a relatively lazy start I took the dogs up to Castor Hanglands, hoping for some good butterfly or dragonfly shots. Despite the warmth, there were very few insects about - just a few meadow browns and a scatter of bumblebees. The cold wet weather seems to have had a dramatic impact on some insect groups, particularly hoverflies, which are unusually scarce this year.

The NNR has some superb species-rich grasslands, ranging from limestone areas with rock-rose, dropwort and bird-s-foot-trefoil, through to damp areas festooned with common spotted and marsh orchids. The area photographed is on relatively neutral soil and has an abundance of red clover and yellow-rattle, embroidered with lesser stitchwort, common sorrel and goat's-beard, set amongst a green swathe of sweet vernal-grass, crested-dog's-tail, red fescue and cock's-foot. A magical litany of names...

The decline of bumblebees in the UK has been widely reported in the press. Of the 25 species found in the UK, three are nationally extinct and many more are seriously threatened. The commonest six bumblebees are happy to live in gardens, but many of the rarer ones need extensive areas of flower-rich grassland such as this, with red clover being one of the most important sources of nectar. It's important that farmers use wildlife-friendly farming methods and support the replanting of hedgerows and the recreation of hay meadow and chalk grassland habitats to benefit themselves as much as the bees.

The afternoon was spent relaxing at a friend's house, catching up on all the news while drinking cups of tea and eating delicious home-made biscuits. I have to say that it was so hot and humid that it was actually quite a pleasure to be inside!