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| Photo 1: Recently-emerged Orange Tip Butterfly (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
Lea & Paget's Wood is but a short walk from Common Hill Nature Reserve and we often combine the two on a visit to either one. Described by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust as 'one of the finest ancient, semi-natural broad-leaved woodlands left in the Wye valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'. Predominantly a mixture of sessile oak and ash trees, it continues to suffer tree loss due to ash dieback.
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| Photo 2: Diseased Ash Clearance I (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
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| Photo 3: Diseased Ash Clearance II (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
In spite of the destruction, wood clearance leaves space for other plants to grow and thrive: e.g. this Herb Paris had established itself in the middle of the wide path shown in Photo 2.
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| Photo 4: Herb Paris (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
The bluebells were out but it is a little early - it will look more impressive in a couple of weeks.
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| Photo 5: Bluebells at Lea & Paget's Wood (14/4/24) |
Although we have had a lot of rain recently, Lea & Paget's Wood is always a good place to visit if you are interested in moss-covered tree stumps and fungi.
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| Photo 6: Bluebells, Wood Anemone & Moss-covered Stumps (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
Fungi abound on fallen trees especially where moss helps to retain water. I think these may be Glistening Ink Cap ...
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| Photo 7: Glistening Ink Cap? (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
... or maybe I'm just imagining the shiny (aka glistening) mica deposits on the tops ...
Lea & Paget's Wood is usually a good place to spot Orange-Tip Butterflies because one of its main food plants, cuckoo flower, is widespread throughout the wood [note: both cuckoo flower and cuckooflower are widely used names; Lady's Smock is an alternative name].
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| Photo 8: Close-up of Glistening Ink Cap? (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
Lea & Paget's Wood is usually a good place to spot Orange-Tip Butterflies because one of its main food plants, cuckoo flower, is widespread throughout the wood [note: both cuckoo flower and cuckooflower are widely used names; Lady's Smock is an alternative name].
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| Photo 9: Orange-tip Butterfly on Cuckooflower - side view (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
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| Photo 10: Orange-tip Butterfly on Cuckooflower - front-on view (Lea & Paget's Wood, 14/4/24) |
A list of flowering plants spotted at Lea & Paget's Wood (14/4/24):
Barren Strawberry
Bluebell
Cuckoo Pint
Dandelion
Dog's Mercury
Early Purple Orchid
False Oxlip
Lady's Smock
Lesser Celandine
Primrose
Common Dog Violet
Wild Garlic
Wood Anemone
Wood Spurge
Yellow Archangel
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| Photo 11: Early Spotted Orchid (Lea & Paget's, 14/4/24) |
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