Category: David

This species of butterfly is very aggressive in defending or attacking territories. This individual has no signs of damage in its wings, so may well just have emerged.

One of several follies dotted around the grounds of Shugborough Hall.

This salt-loving plant presumably originated in northern Europe. It has now spread along the margins of main roads in the countryside, where the splashes of salt-rich spray from winter gritting saturate roadside soil.

It forms a low and narrow band which starts at the very edge of the road, a few inches wide. Best seen in spring when it is in flower. These pictures taken on April 23rd, by the A513 outside Shugborough Park, but the plant seemed to be flowering on all the local A-roads outside built up areas.

This dandelion had not quite finished the process of transformation from flower to seed head. The last remnants of petal can still be seen in the north-east sector.

Insects hovering to the left of this dandelion flower.

Although the flowers of this stinging nettle are small, they still seem to be weighing down the plant.