Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus. Sparrowhawks are small birds of prey adapted for hunting birds in confined spaces like dense woodland and gardens. Females and young birds have brown back and wings, and brown bars underneath. Males have bluish-grey back and wings. Females, being larger than males, as with all birds of prey, can catch birds up to pigeon size. Some sparrowhawks catch […]
Speckled Bush Cricket, Leptophyes Punctatissima. Eggs are laid in late summer into tree bark or plant stems where they remain over winter. The nymphs emerge in May and June and mature as adult speckled bush crickets by mid August. They are most active at dusk and at night.
Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria. This species is unique among the butterflies of the British Isles in that it can overwinter in 2 stages, as both a larva and pupa. As a result, there is a mixed emergence with adult butterflies on the wing from April through to September, with a few adults being seen as early as March or as late as […]
Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata. At first glance, spotted flycatchers might seem dull brownish-grey and – well – a bit boring. It’s better to think of them as beautiful in an understated way. Watch them for a short period and you’ll be charmed by their fly-catching antics. Spotted flycatchers fly from a high perch, dash out to grab a flying insect and […]
St John’s wort, Hypericum perforatum. This plant, named after John the Baptist, is famous for its medicinal qualities in the treatment of low moods and mild depression. It flowers around the 24th of June, the feast day of St. John the Baptist. Sales of the supplement are banned in France due to concerns about serious interactions with other drugs. WT
Sun Jumping Spider, Heliophanus Cupreus. Jumping spiders have some of the best vision among arthropods and use it in courtship, hunting, and navigation. Most species are capable of very agile jumps. All jumping spiders have four pairs of eyes. Occasionally seen active on the surface but commonly within litter.
Thick legged hoverfly, Syritta pipiens. Adults are critical pollinators for a variety of flowering plants and the species supports parasitism by various parasitic wasp species. Thus, they play an important role in environmental functionality, and can serve as bio-indicators, in which their abundance can reflect the health of the environment. The eyes of Syritta pipiens span over almost the entirety […]
Common Valerian, Valeriana officinalis. It bears sweetly scented pink or white flowers that attract many fly species, especially hoverflies. It is consumed as food by the larvae of some butterflies and moths. Valerian has been used as a herb in traditional medicine since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. Hippocrates described its properties, and Galen later prescribed […]
Vestal Cuckoo Bee, Bombus vestalis. It is a brood parasite that takes over the nests of other bee species. Its primary host is Bombus terrestris (the buff-tailed bumblebee). A key characteristic is the lack of a pollen basket on the hind. This is because it does not make its own nests or collect its own resources. With its larger body […]
Common vetch, Vicia sativa. A member of the pea family, Common vetch is able to make its own nitrates, a special nutrient essential for healthy plant growth.
