The Comma, Polygonia c-album, named after the comma shaped mark on its white underwings, is a very striking butterfly in appearance and can be found in large numbers at the right time of year on its favourite plants. They are orange and black with ragged looking wings which break up their outline and make themContinue reading “The Comma”
Tag Archives: #Cumbria
The Spring Equinox and the constellations of Vulpeculae, Anser and Delphinus
The Vernal Equinox On the 20th of March falls the spring, or vernal, equinox, this is the date when the day and night both last 12 hours, so are almost but not entirely equal in length, giving it the name equinox, originating from equi, meaning ‘equal’, and nox, meaning ‘night’, this date marks the beginningContinue reading “The Spring Equinox and the constellations of Vulpeculae, Anser and Delphinus”
Wood Sorrel, the original Shamrock
Wood Sorrel’s scientific name, Oxalis acetosella, derives from the Greek Oxys, meaning ‘acid, or ‘sharp’, and hális, which means ‘salt’. Acetosella comes from the Latin acetum, meaning ‘vinegar’ or ‘sour wine’. It is one of the earliest spring-flowering plants of the woodland floor, along with Wood Anenome, Bluebell and Wild Garlic and is characteristic ofContinue reading “Wood Sorrel, the original Shamrock”
Bumblebees and how to encourage them
Bumblebees are often confused with Honeybees but are larger, furrier, and generally black with either white, yellow or red bands across the end of their tails. There are 24 different species of bumblebees to be found in the British isles, many of which can be seen in the Northwest of England including two which I’veContinue reading “Bumblebees and how to encourage them”
Caring for newborn calves
Spring is a very busy time for the livestock farmer when lambing and calving both get well underway, there are just so many jobs to do. It’s also a very intense time in terms of keeping up with changes in the industry and maintaining a competitive edge, as factors like improvements in cattle and dairyContinue reading “Caring for newborn calves”
The Chiffchaff
The Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, has what is called an onomatopoeic name, meaning descriptive of its song, and its scientific name, Phylloscopus, coming from the Ancient Greek phullon, meaning ‘leaf’ and skopos, meaning ‘seeker’, aptly describes its behaviour as it hops about the trees seeking insects for its dinner. For a lot of people the arrivalContinue reading “The Chiffchaff”
The Dandelion, and why you should leave it be!
The Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, is found all over the British isles and one of our most widespread and successful wildflowers. The first part of its scientific name, Taraxos, derives from the Ancient Greek word for ‘chaos’, and akos meaning ‘remedy’, and it is does indeed grow chaotically almost everywhere and, as will be covered laterContinue reading “The Dandelion, and why you should leave it be!”
Sirius, the Bright and Ever-changing Dog Star
On clear cloudless nights it is always worth chucking your big coat on and popping outside to see what you can spot in our night skies, especially if you are lucky enough to live somewhere clear of light pollution. Earlier in the year offers the best opportunities to observe the brightest star that is visibleContinue reading “Sirius, the Bright and Ever-changing Dog Star”
Northwest Nature and History 