Monday 19 July 2021

Wildflower Meadows in the Dells

 As many readers of this blog know, I volunteer once a week with the Water of Leith Conservation Trust. I pick litter and record wildlife along the river as it passes through Colinton and Craiglockart Dells, two beautiful, wooded areas. I was very glad of the shade offered by the trees today as the temperature is ridiculously high for Edinburgh (this is a sign of climate change of course, just as are the current floods devastating parts of central Europe and parts of Africa). 

There are two very different beautiful wildflower meadows along the route I take through the Dells. The brightly coloured meadow in Spylaw Park is a pictoral meadow, sown with a selection of species that guarantee a good, changing show of colour throughout the year. 

In previous years this meadow has hosted large numbers of pollinators, particularly hoverflies. Today I didn't see any hoverflies, only a few white or buff tailed bumble bees, lots of tiny flower beetles and one large white butterfly. I'll add the butterfly record to the Big Butterfly Count website.

The wildfower meadow near the site of Bog's Mill is entirely different. It has been planted with a seed mix that reflects the marshy nature of the site. So there's a lot of meadowsweet, thistles,  yarrow, meadow cranesbill, umbellifers and other flowers. It's not as colourful as the meadow at Spylaw Park but it is just as pretty and more natural.

There are often several insects here, today there were various  bumble bees and a hoverfly that I'm pretty sure was Leucozona glaucia, but it flew away before I could get a photo! 


6 comments:

RG said...

Interesting how different soil/shade/moisture conditions can so change what lives there!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I'm in awe of how much you know about insects. I'm interested in them, but am not at all good at IDing.

Lowcarb team member said...

Yes, it is so warm here in the UK at the moment!
Pleased you were able to get out and do your voluntary work.

Stay as cool as you can :)

All the best Jan

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

The wildflower meadow is beautiful. I would think it would be a happy place for the bees.
Take care, have a happy day!

WH said...

Wildflowers are so beautiful and just appear. There's got to be a message from the earth somewhere in that fact!

Rambling Woods said...

I am thrilled that my wildflower meadow garden is so full of pollinators especially the mint I have....