Another odd hybrid hawthorn found while out with my botanical trainees - thinking this one seems good for Crataegus x macrocarpa (C. laevigata x C.rhipidophylla) - sometimes known as Large-fruited or Crowned Hawthorn. But I'm open to other suggestions! #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Juxtaposition of summer and autumn at Bedford Purlieus NNR this week - Common Eyebright still flowering merrily, while a nearby woodland ride was smothered with fallen fruit of Sweet Chestnut, plump and glossy after the hot summer. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A few other lovely species seen flowering at Whisby Nature Park in acid grassland and brownfield habitats - Devil's-bit Scabious, Hare's-foot Clover, Blue Fleabane and Dark Mullein. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A great morning recording at Whisby Nature Park on Monday, where I was delighted to be able to introduce my friend to the diminutive but characterful Smooth Cat's-ear, flowering for the second time this year on acid sandhills - a particular favourite of mine! #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Beautiful results created at our botanical ecoprinting workshop! 👏👏👏 Lead by @sarahlambert7.bsky.social & me, with #LangdykeCountrysideTrust

Fly Agaric aplenty at Castor Hanglands this week, drifts of them in birch woodland along with more Red-cracking Bolete than I've ever seen, and a single young Bay Bolete with a velvety cap and swollen, fibril-covered stipe #fungusfriday #fungifriends

Some recent beauties from Bedford Purlieus NNR for #fungusfriday - Magpie Inkcap and a rather splendid Cortinarius from Beech woodland over limestone, and Wood Hedgehog and Oak Mazegill from an area of Pedunculate Oak and Small-leaved Lime coppice. #fungifriends

The Fenland Flora - Survival against the odds webinar 17 November 1-2pm Join renowned botanist Owen Mountford, co-author of the soon to be published Fenland Flora, to find out about the fascinating history and present status of wild plants in Fenland. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-fenlan...

Free this Thursday? Come and spend a lovely autumn day stretching your writing muscles at Paxton Pits in Cambridgeshire. Everyone welcome! #naturewriting #booksky #Cambridgeshire @wildlifebcn.org @summersdalebooks.bsky.social

An #autumn10 of wild, naturalised and self-seeded plants in our wildlife garden. Most have been with us for years, but Bidens ferulifolia and Rudbeckia fulgida popped up for the first time this year... Names in ALT #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Shades of purple seen in flower this week near Peterborough - Bush Vetch at Rice Wood; Devil's-bit Scabious at Castor Hanglands NNR and Heather at Holme Fen NNR, where it grows on acid peat from a former raised bog. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A small haul in the Peterborough trap last night, highlights being Rush Veneer, Black Rustic, White Point (so many this year!) and this beautiful Orange Sallow which is our first record since 2013, having recorded it annually from 2009 to 2013. #teammoth #mothsmatter

It's that time of year when I return to the woodlands, fossicking for fungi among fallen leaves and gnarled stumps. A few from a late afternoon trip to Southey Wood including my first Wrinkled Peach of the year, False Chanterelle, Felted Twiglet and a woodwart on Roble #fungifriends #fungusfriday

PLEASE READ! No more #BeeWashing. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Always a surprise to see Blue Passionflower in a rural location. This one by may well be a relic from the garden of a now demolished station-master’s house. Milder winters have allowed this species to become established more widely in the UK in recent years. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

For #wildflowerhour a selection of wayside plants seen on country walks around the Peterborough area this week - Black Nightshade, Common Mallow, and, more surprisingly, Snapdragon and a host of pink and white Sowbread thriving under an old parish boundary hedge. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A wonderfully crisp morning for a solitary pre-equinoctial amble round Bedford Purlieus, tell-tale fallen leaves providing hints to locations of interesting trees often overlooked in summer among the profusion of green. All plant names in ALT #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A few probable migrant moths have reached Peterborough during the recent warm nights, including the lovely rhubarb-and-custard coloured Rosy Knot-horn, four Clancy's Rustic, a couple of Rush Veneer and a Dark Sword-grass. #mothsmatter #teammoth

The nights are drawing in quickly now and some beautiful autumnal moths have finally arrived in the Peterborough trap this week - Barred Sallow, Lunar Underwing, Beaded Chestnut and a wonderfully glossy Black Rustic. #teammoth #mothsmatter

Blackberry diversity at Swaddywell NR, a wonderfully rich reserve managed by Langdyke Countryside Trust and located in John Clare's home parish of Helpston, Cambridgeshire... www.theguardian.com/environment/... #johnclarecountryside

We have been described as "THE BEST NGO THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT" Please help by following us & reposting!!!

It also has a nationally important invertebrate assemblage, the primary reason for its designation a an SSSI...

Last of my #FavouritePlant selection for 2025 is Lizard Orchid - not any old Lizard Orchid but the first to be recorded in my vice-county (South Lincolnshire) since 1981, and a very splendid specimen indeed. Hope it returns in 2026... @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildlfowerhour

An unusual Bee Orchid at Swaddywell NR was another #FavouritePlant of 2025, an unexpected treat on one of my favourite local sites - it was also great meeting several other orchid enthusiasts when I went to see it. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Third #FavouritePlant of the year is Spring Sedge Carex ericetorum, found at a previously recorded site at Barnack Hills and Holes after some time spent crawling round on hands and knees, and a reminder of a particularly lovely spring day... ##wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Second #FavouritePlant of 2025 is Limonium intercedens, one of the rock sea-lavenders, seen before but finally named satisfactorily! A highlight of both the @bsbibotany.bsky.social field meeting to Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR and a recent Lincs Flora Group meeting. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Impossible to pick a #FavouritePlant of 2025! But I've selected a small handful of contenders... Firstly the spectacular Fumaria capreolata subsp. capreolata forma speciosa, new to me -found in Lydd during a celebratory weekend away with family. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Surveying stoneworts in the Great Fen today... hard to focus on the job with an ever-changing skyscape, a family of Hobbies hunting dragonflies close by and the first tumbling Lapwing flocks of the autumn. Thankfully the thunderstorms passed by on each side of us... @greatfen.org.uk #birds

Today's autumn palette at @wildlifebcn.org Old Sulehay Reserve - pink-toned leaves of Marjoram, willowherb and Dewberry; pink flowers of Wild Basil and Musk Mallow; black berries of Elm-leaved Bramble and Deadly Nightshade and seed pods of Twiggy Mullein... @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Four rather special plants recorded from upper saltmarsh at Gibraltar Point NNR last Sunday - One-flowered Glasswort (my first encounter with this scarce species), Sea-heath, a rock sea-lavender Limonium intercedens and Shrubby Seablite. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

#Seedheads of Sea-holly on the Lincolnshire coast at Sandilands. It was wonderful to see such a profusion of plants on the dunes and foreshore all the way down the coast to Gibraltar Point... #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

#SeedHeads of Jersey Cudweed, growing with container plants on the terrace of our guest house in Sutton-on-sea, the first record for North Lincolnshire (VC54) since it was recorded at Boston Docks in 1945. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A glorious day with the Lincs Flora Group at Seacroft Dunes. Newly deposited sand with a diverse foreshore community, Sea Spurge new for the hectad and fun using the key to sea-lavenders from @bramblebotanist.bsky.social to confirm 3 new species for the site. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Exploring a new stretch of the Lincolnshire coast today at Sandilands. Vast skies over deserted beaches with so much Sea Holly and Saltwort. Frog Rush in profusion along the margins of recently created scrapes on the adjacent National Trust reserve @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Our local oaks are smothered with acorns this year, which also seems to be a bumper year for many galls. Seven species of gall spotted on a recent walk. Masses of Silk Button Galls but only one leaf with Common Spangle Gall. And no galls on the Hybrid Oak... names in ALT #WildWebsWednesday

Second generations individuals of both Beautiful Hook-tip (definitely deserving of its name) and Buff Ermine seen in the last week In Peterborough. Typical autumn moths are now on the increase including Centre-barred and Barred Sallow. #teammoth #mothsmatter

An eclectic collection of #fruits (and a few seeds) to mark the last day of meteorological summer - all found in eastern England over the last week or two during field surveys, recording and walks - some tasty, some deadly, all beautiful. All names in ALT #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Bigging up a couple of employment opportunities at the lovely conservation focussed consultantcy where I work. Please share with anyone you think might be interested in a nice job in sunny Purbeck.

The first Ivy Bees are on the wing at Swaddywell NR, the males flying low over sandy ground or perching watchfully on dead plants, waiting for the females to emerge. They are amazing ecosystem engineers, creating bare ground ideal for spring annuals such as Thyme-leaved Sandwort #invertebrates

The last orchids of the year at Swaddywell NR near Peterborough, two perfect Autumn Lady's-tresses, their creamy white flowers spiralling upwards to the dizzy heights of 10cm, dancing in the grass with a seedling Dog-rose... #wildflowerhour #orchids @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Only 2 places left!! 😃 It'll be a gorgeous workshop exploring #ecoprinting on paper - a day of gentle fun, creativity and nature - between Stamford and Peterborough, UK PE6 7EL With @sarahlambert7.bsky.social me and #LangdykeCountrysideTrust. Who wants to join us? 😃 tinyurl.com/3yf9sujs

It’s looking a bit like autumn! Plump, luscious fruits are brightening the hedgerows like vibrant jewels, beautiful, but can you identify them? This week find the fruits of wild plants, snap away & post your lovely pics for #wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm using #fruits 🍒

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Gorgeous new workshop! Eco-printing on Paper! 😃 Fri. 3rd October 2025 with @sarahlambert7.bsky.social and me. Join us for a fun, relaxing day coaxing colours from wildflowers! In partnership with @LangdykeCT. At Swaddywell Nature Reserve, near Stamford, LIncs PE6 7EL. tinyurl.com/3yf9sujs

Playing with cyanotypes again... A Red Kite feather gathered from underneath a local oak tree. Wild Carrot and Stone-parsley collected from Swaddywell reserve. Plus soap bubbles and sprinkles of paprika, turmeric, salt and bicarbonate of soda... #experimental #photography

Robert's Field NR has a very high density of Rough Hawkbit. For me the seedhead has a subtle beauty and complex symmetry more entrancing than its flower, marking the shift towards more muted tones of autumn in our local grasslands... #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social #photography

A surprise find in The Rutland Vineyard today during a reunion of Vercors wildlife travellers - a small patch of Sand Lucerne sporting a subtly beautiful range of pastel-coloured flowers -mauve, blue, turquoise and soft primrose yellow. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A couple of members of the #GentianFamily still evident in the very dry former limestone quarry of Stonepit Close - Common Centaury still flowering on browned stems, but Yellow-wort over, with just the structurally satisfying seed-heads left. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildlifebcn.org

Made a special visit to the @lincswildlife.bsky.social Robert's Field NR to check on the Autumn Gentians, one of very few populations in VC53. Not yet in flower, they were initially difficult to spot, but eventually we found over 30 - success! #wildflowerhour #GentianFamily @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A Kite-tailed Robberfly and its prey, a Twin-lobed Deerfly - seen recently on a local wetland nature reserve - a fascinating if rather gruesome encounter... #invertebrates #ukwildlife #photography