• ABOUT
  • BIRDING 2018
  • Birding 2019
  • BLOG POSTS
  • Butterflies 2018
  • Resources

earthstar

~ a celebration of nature

earthstar

Tag Archives: Cuckoo flower

In flower now

12 Sunday Apr 2026

Posted by sconzani in wildflowers

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

British wildflowers, Cardamine pratensis, Common fumitory, Common Stork's-bill, Cornsalad, Cuckoo flower, Erodium cicutarium, Forget-me-not, Fumaria officinalis, Hairy violet, Honesty, Lamium purpureum, Lunnaria annua, Myosotis species, Red dead-nettle, Spring colour, spring wildflowers, Valerianella locusta, Viola hirta

It seems every time I step out the door now I notice new, different wildflowers in bloom. These are some of this week’s finds; for no particular reason, I seem to have focused on the blue / pink colour tones.

The grassy area on Cardiff Bay’s Barrage is full of Common stork’s-bill (Erodium cicutarium), looking very lush.

Cornsalad (Valerianella locusta) is blooming in many of the local areas of waste ground, proving those areas are not really a waste at all.

Just in time for the emergence of the Orange-tip butterflies that use this wildflower as one of their larval plants: Cuckoo flower (Cardamine pratensis).

One of the Forget-me-not (Myosotis) species, possibly Common (M. sylvatica), though the plant did seem very small.

A wildflower with a lot of variation in its flower colours, Common fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), also known by the vernacular name Earth smoke.

At this time of year, the east and west paddocks at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park are tinged lilac with the flowers of Hairy violet (Viola hirta).

Escaped from its original garden plantings and now adorning the edges of local lanes, Honesty (Lunnaria annua).

This was the scene alongside the bike / pedestrian path around the edge of Grangemoor Park this week, where swathes of beautiful Red dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) are in full bloom.

Like this:

Like Loading…

Death in the meadow

30 Saturday Apr 2022

Posted by sconzani in insects, wildflowers

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

British butterflies, British spiders, butterfly, Crab spider, Crab spider kills Orange-tip, Cuckoo flower, Orange-tip, Orange-tip male, Orange-tip on Cuckoo flower

Sometimes I can be a bit slow. During today’s walk, I was ambling along the edge of a meadow when I spotted a male Orange-tip butterfly flitting from one small patch of Cuckoo flower to the next. Then it stopped at one spot longer than usual so I walked quickly over to get some photos. I could see its tongue was out so knew it was feeding but, still, I was amazed at how long it was staying put on the one flower. And then I saw why …

220430 orange tip and spider (1)

The poor butterfly had been grabbed by a lurking, very well camouflaged Crab spider.

220430 orange tip and spider (2)

Like this:

Like Loading…

About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

View Full Profile →

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent blog posts

  • The Twayblades return May 10, 2026
  • An influx of Painted ladies May 9, 2026
  • A bumper day, part 2 May 8, 2026
  • A bumper day, part 1 May 7, 2026
  • NFY: Dingy skipper May 6, 2026

From the archives

COPYRIGHT

Unless otherwise acknowledged, the text and photographs on this blog are my own and are subject to international copyright. Nothing may be downloaded or copied without my permission.

Fellow Earth Stars!

  • Vito Prasad
  • Fatima
  • joyfullycreation4f2bcb3356
  • Geraldine Hughes
  • Strivemindz
  • Daniel Greenwood
  • Hannes
  • boruma1977
  • FrankieWoodknob
  • scotishhobbit
  • Tammie Rogers
  • Boys Will Be Boys Michael Jackson
  • Alison Moya
  • MLLESHOPPING
  • Jean Reiland
  • Caleb Cheruiyot
  • Danny @ DGPIX
  • Maria Vincent Robinson
  • UK Safari
  • Matthew James
  • lleuadwr
  • Penny Bowers
  • The Michael Jackson Debate
  • supernaturallyd92135e67a
  • goateeironb98ef7f4ba
  • Kana Smith
  • Farida
  • shannon
  • debbiestevens084bd32238
  • famous65e373e926
  • Luigi Spadorcia
  • evie h
  • Jillian
  • aykutatila
  • Michael Jackson Facts
  • klindajames
  • samcoppard2
  • toure16
  • shillingt
  • Robert Galpin
  • Keith
  • The New Renaissance Mindset
  • Louis Spadorcia
  • MalcolmSafechuck
  • Bob Ramsak
  • shankar019
  • pkster101
  • Rr
  • 大阪のうめ吉
  • Ric Holmes Wheelbuilding

Powered by WordPress.com.

Loading Comments...

You must be logged in to post a comment.

    %d