Bee Swarming The period from May to July can be the hottest time of year and is often the hotspot for beekeepers being called out to deal with swarms of honeybees, which can occur almost anywhere in seemingly random places. Very often the ‘swarm’ will turn out to be a Wasp nest, which can beContinue reading “Honeybee Swarms”
Tag Archives: #Cumbria
The Brimstone Butterfly
The Brimstone Butterfly Gonepteryx rhamni, is one of our largest butterflies and quite often the first to be seen as it languidly flaps across the landscape after emerging from its winter hibernation. It is thought to be the original butterfly after which the common name for this type of insect came from, as its wingsContinue reading “The Brimstone Butterfly”
The Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopus major, dendrocopus being Latin for ‘tree striker’, is the most frequently seen of the four species of woodpecker native to the British isles. It is rapidly becoming the most common too as it’s range has spread to areas it was previously rare, including Scotland and Ireland, where they became absentContinue reading “The Great Spotted Woodpecker”
Some notes on Placenames of the Northwest and the Ancient Wildwoods
The long and complex history of the British isles, composed of centuries of conquest and colonisation, has bequeathed to us a linguistic heritage unlike that of any other country, this is reflected most clearly in the history behind our place names. Inspired by the article I recently published about ‘Bothvar’s farm’ here we have aContinue reading “Some notes on Placenames of the Northwest and the Ancient Wildwoods”
The Common Adder
The Common Adder, Vipera berus, is locally common in the Northwest of England and can often be found in the summer sunbathing on paths in the woods or on the fells, it is one of only four species of snake in the British isles and the only species of snake that can be found withinContinue reading “The Common Adder”
The Green Tiger Beetle
The Green Tiger beetle, Cicindela campestris, is a beautiful looking, strikingly iridescent, green beetle about 1 to 1.5cm long with yellow spots on its wing cases, they are superb and voracious predators and have the large eyes and mandibles needed to keep this appetite satisfied. Their scientific name originates from the Latin word cicindela, meaningContinue reading “The Green Tiger Beetle”
The Cuckooflower
The Cuckooflower The Cuckooflower, or ‘Lady’s Smock’, has the scientific name; Cardamine pratensis, loosely translating as ‘peppery tasting herb of the meadows’ with Cardamine deriving from the Greek ‘kardamon’, meaning ‘pepper grass’, and the source of many plant names, especially ones used in cooking, and pratensis meaning ‘of the meadow’. It is a very pretty,Continue reading “The Cuckooflower”
Ring Ouzel in Bowland, notes and observations
The Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatos is a member of the Thrush family and in appearance is similar to a Blackbird, indeed another common name for them is the ‘Mountain Blackbird’. They are quite a smart looking bird, jet black all over except for a bright white band across their breast, this is referred to inContinue reading “Ring Ouzel in Bowland, notes and observations”
Northwest Nature and History 