Crab apples ripening, yellows turning to red against the green of the leaves. These were one one of the apple trees at the back of Compton Lock.
Ragwort, almost eaten by cinnabar moth caterpillars
Yet another visit to the ragwort plant in the corner of the Barley Field. This time, three days after the previous view, more than thirty cinnabar moth caterpillars were visible, now showing much clearer because they had eaten almost all the foliage and flowers on the plant.
Last few petals (umbellifer flower)
Close-up of an umbellifer, the last few petals of the flower just clinging on, the seeds beginning to develop.
Gatekeeper butterfly on thyme flowers
Gatekeeper butterfly eating the nectar as it stood on thyme flowers – the flowers that were also attracting a small moth.
Corn marigold, petals gone, Bantock Park
One of the corn marigold flowers in the wildflower area of Bantock Park, its petals dried out, crumpled and almost gone.
Ragwort with cinnabar moth caterpillars, again
A revisit after a week to a ragwort growing in the Barley Field, previously host to a cinnabar moth caterpillar, and now there were at least twenty of the insects spread around the plant, eating for all they were worth.