David

Not actually a nettle, or even particularly closely related I believe. But the plants do look similar to nettles until they flower. “Dead” in that they don’t sting.

Two different cranesbill species: both spotted while walking in the Smestow Valley LNR.

The bumble bee was clinging determinedly to a tree on a cold and breezy day.

Whenever I visit the Conservatory at West Park, there seem to be a couple of ants which have been drawn to this exotic flower.

I’m not sure if this was a harlequin, or the melanistic form of the 2-spot ladybird (which has the red and black colours reversed). It was tiny, so perhaps a 2-spot.

A miniature marvel of Victorian engineering: windows in the roof of West Park Conservatory, the rods to open them from ground level, and counterbalances to make the opening and closing easier.