Battered

I led a group of fifteen on a wonderful walk round Woodwalton Fen NNR this afternoon. The fen flora was at its best, with towering spikes of Marsh Sow-thistle, some over 3 metres tall, near the start of the walk and a huge stand of the introduced Broad-leaved Ragwort near to the Bungalow built by Charles Rothschild in 1911. This species was introduced by him as a nectar source for the invertebrates that he was so passionate about.

Plenty of interest in the ditches too, including abundant Frogbit, and a few flowering spiked of the carnivorous Bladderwort, as well as a fine plant of Great Water-parsnip, a declining perennial herb was once typical of very wet, species-rich, tall-herb fen, which often developed as floating mats at the margins of lakes and large rivers; now it is generally found in ditches, growing among other emergent species or in reed-swamp.
On the insect front, we spotted plenty of dragonflies, including this Four-spotted Chaser (looking a bit world-weary), Migrant Hawker and both Common and Ruddy Darter. 

Wild Angelica was attracting many species of insect including a Spotted Longhorn beetle, while the Yellow Loosestrife Bee was busy foraging from its only foodplant. This is a scarce species that collects both the pollen and floral oils of this plant, and uses the oils to waterproof its nests, which are often constructed along paths and banks that become seasonally flooded.

After the walk we all returned to Ramsey Heights NR, where tea and coffee were provided along with biscuits and home-made cakes. A splendid way to finish a fascinating afternoon.