The Painted Lady belongs to the Nymphalidae family (brush-footed butterflies) and is a medium-sized species with a wingspan of approximately 50 to 56mm. Its upper wings are vibrant orange with black tips and white spots, while the underwings feature a more muted, mottled pattern that provides camouflage when resting.
Tag Archives: #Summer
Borage, the Starflower
A fast-growing annual that typically reaches 30 to 60 cm (sometimes up to 1 metre) in height Borage’s stems and leaves are covered in stiff, white hairs that can feel prickly to the touch, a trait shared with many members of the borage family, including Comfrey. The leaves are large, oval to lance-shaped, with a wrinkled texture and a distinctive fresh, cucumber-like scent when crushed.
Yellow Flag Iris
Like many wetland plants, I. pseudacorus plays an important role in its ecosystem. Its dense clumps provide cover and nesting sites for birds such as Moorhen and Reed Warbler, while the rhizomes help stabilise banks and prevent erosion. The flowers are visited by a range of pollinators, particularly larger bees (including Bumblebees) that are strong enough to push open the petals to reach the nectar and pollen.
Shining Cranesbill
Shining Cranesbill (Geranium lucidum), sometimes known as ‘gentleman’s buttons’, is a charming, glossy-leaved annual wildflower that brightens walls, banks, and rocky spots throughout the British isles.
It gets its common-name from its distinctive shiny, reflective leaves, which set it apart from relatives like Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum). The leaves are rounded or kidney-shaped, divided into 5 to 7 lobes cut about halfway, often with a glossy green surface that can flush red. Stems are brittle, fleshy, hairless, and frequently reddish, growing up to 35 to 40 cm tall (though often shorter and sprawling).
Ragged Robin
Ragged Robin (Silene flos-cuculi, formerly Lychnis flos-cuculi) is a plant of many names, these include: Cuckoo Flower (because it flowers as the Cuckoo arrives,) Thunder flower (in some parts of Yorkshire picking it will bring thunderstorms) Shaggy Jacks, and Marsh Gillyflower.
Opisthograptis luteolata, the Brimstone Moth
Adult Brimstones are typically on the wing from April to October. In southern regions, there are often two or even three overlapping generations, while in our cooler northern parts this may reduce to a single brood. The species is strongly attracted to light and can often be found resting on walls or fences near outdoor lamps.
Common Bistort
The pink flower spikes of Common Bistort, towering over other wildflowers on their tall, straight stems, are a familiar sight to many of us who have walked the highways and byways of Northwest England in spring and early summer.
Speckled Woods
Speckled Woods are a familiar butterfly to most of us here in Britain yet are often overlooked in favour of flashier species like the Peacock or Red Admiral.
Understated and widespread they may even appear dowdy compared to their lepidopteran cousins yet, as with any wild creature, patient observation reveals them to possess more beauty and character than you would ever suspect.
Northwest Nature and History 