David

Almost a month ago, flowers at all stages on a blackberry bush. Some were just coming into bud. Others had already been fertilized, and the fruit were on the first stage of ripening – there is one just peeping into the bottom of the frame in the picture below.

The pictures were taken early in the morning on a dull day.

The seeds were beginning to ripen in their seed-cases.

The dogwood was right next to the rose bush which featured in a post yesterday.

The flowers had begun to  lose their petals (actually, they are bracts). Some of the fruits were starting to develop. (Once again, that’s not strictly accurate: they are drupes, each of which has a couple of seeds).

This insect was staying feeding on the flower with its body almost hidden behind the folded wings.

Spotted resting on a leaf just a few yards from the mallow of the previous post. These were the pictures I managed to get between the gusts of breeze.

I’m not sure what species it is. It mate be a late instar nymph, i.e not an adult, but at one of the last stages before it becomes an adult.

The mallow was by the path at the back of the Smestow Valley Ranger Station (the one-time Tettenhall Railway Station).