The Globeflower, Trollius europaeus, Trollius coming from the German Trollblume, meaning ‘round flower’, is a large member of the buttercup family and flowers from May to July, producing lemon- coloured, round-shaped flowers around 4cm in diameter on top of tall, slender stems. It grows in damp soils such as can be found in meadows and alongContinue reading “The Globeflower”
Tag Archives: #Uplands
The Hebrew Character Moth, and a few notes about moth migration
Appearance The Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica, is a member of the Noctuidae family and named after the prominent mark on each of its wings which resembles the character ‘nun’ in the Hebrew alphabet or the form of a gothic arch (hence the scientific name gothica). It is a medium sized moth about 3.5cm long withContinue reading “The Hebrew Character Moth, and a few notes about moth migration”
Walloper Well
Walloper well is found about halfway up Easington Fell on the road between Clitheroe and Newton, it is a well known local landmark having been there since before the Norman conquest. Its name ‘Walloper’ comes from the Norman term for the indigenous people of the British isles ‘Walha’. Although a local, and very misogynistic, folkContinue reading “Walloper Well”
The Black Darter
The Black darter, Sympetrum danae, our smallest native dragonfly, at about 4cm long, with a wingspan of about 5cm, is our only black species. It can be spotted skittishly darting about our moors at the moment, seemingly going from zero to a hundred and back in a split second as it strikes out to snatchContinue reading “The Black Darter”
The Violet Oil Beetle
The Violet Oil Beetle, Meloe violaceous, is an unusual looking beetle, similar, but not to be confused with the Violet Ground Beetle, quite large at about 3cm long, and as its name suggests, is a rather striking violet colour. It is an insect of strange proportions, its front end being almost ant-like, with a roundedContinue reading “The Violet Oil Beetle”
The Bilberry Bumblebee
Queen of the Mountain The Bilberry, or Mountain, Bumblebee, Bombus monticola, (bombus meaning ‘bee’, and monticola meaning ‘mountain’) is a relatively small, but gorgeous looking bumblebee with a distinctive orange/red behind making up two-thirds of its abdomen and two lemon yellow stripes on its thorax, or middle parts. The queens, workers and males all haveContinue reading “The Bilberry Bumblebee”
Walshaw Moor Windfarm, the Importance of Wide-open spaces for our Mental Wellbeing
Walshaw Moor is an area of great ecological and cultural value situated in West Yorkshire, it can be found on the map within a triangle formed by the towns of Burnley, Keighley and Todmorden and could soon be the site of the largest onshore wind farm in England with 65 turbines towering over 200m (492-657ft).Continue reading “Walshaw Moor Windfarm, the Importance of Wide-open spaces for our Mental Wellbeing”
The Meadow Pipit
The Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis, is a small, flighty songbird which birdwatchers often put in the class of LBJ’s or ‘Little Brown Jobbies’, as they are sometimes hard to distinguish from other songbirds that can be found in the British isles. Their scientific name comes from the Greek word anthus, meaning ‘bloom’ or ‘flower’ andContinue reading “The Meadow Pipit”
Northwest Nature and History 