Brittlestars in rock pools
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What fascinating places rock pools are? There is a whole new world of creatures and plants to become familiar with. The amount of life in our local rock pools here on the south coast of Cornwall has noticeably increased in … Read More

British butterflies: Holly Blue
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The second generation of Holly Blue butterflies in the south west of Cornwall has already emerged and our first was seen last week along the cliff top hedges between Rosemullion Head and the Helford River. Hopefully we will be more … Read More

Cornwall butterflies – Meadow Brown
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Walking up a lane from Helford Passage on the Helford Estuary in Cornwall we passed this male Meadow Brown butterfly nectaring on Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris). Insight into Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina): common throughout Cornwall and the UK it has a … Read More

Cornwall moths in the hedgerows at Rosemullion Head
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The hedgerows leading down to Rosemullion Head, near the Helford River in Cornwall, were alive yesterday afternoon with Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) moths. We can’t recall ever before seeing so many of this species flying during the day anywhere in … Read More

Common Footman caterpillar near the Helford River
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The Common Footman caterpillar is, thankfully, one of the easier species of British caterpillars to identify. There are over 2,500 British moths species and some larvae have to be reared through to the adult moth stage to be sure of … Read More

What’s that white, pink or yellow spider?
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All these colours could describe the Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia). This species of spider is a stealth predator that will sit motionless in a flower head and wait for an unsuspecting insect to arrive and start taking nectar. It’s … Read More

Large Skipper butterfly in Cornwall
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Last Sunday, 8 May, we saw our first Large Skipper of the year in the shelter of a hedgerow on the South West Coast Path at the mouth of the Helford River. Latest Large Skipper species page According to Cornwall … Read More

What’s that purple bug?
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Several Sloe Bug, a type of shieldbug, were seen in a hedgerow near Rosemullion Head by the Helford River in Cornwall. These were mating whilst another appeared incredibly busy but seemed to lack any purposeful strategy – see the “Sloe … Read More

Have you ever thought about Holly flowers?
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Most people are familiar with red Holly berries, especially at Christmas, and we learn fairly early on that Holly leaves are prickly but I wonder if, like me, you haven’t ever thought about the Holly flowers? The trouble is they’re … Read More

Honesty at Mawnan Church near Falmouth in Cornwall
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This plant was spotted in a hedgerow at Mawnan Church near the Helford Estuary in Cornwall. Insight: Honesty (Lunaria annua) is a common plant in the British Isles though it isn’t native. It’s probably the fruit that is most familiar: … Read More

Gorse Shieldbugs near the Helford Estuary in Cornwall
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Everywhere we looked on the Gorse and nearby Blackthorn were Gorse Shieldbugs, often in mating pairs. It’s a wonder we aren’t overrun with them! Insight: Gorse Shieldbugs (Piezodorus lituratus) are common throughout the UK wherever their predominant foodplants of Gorse … Read More

Greater Stitchwort show it’s Spring in Cornish hedgerows
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These beautiful white flowers are abundant along the hedgerows and edges of the South West Coast Path around Mawnan at the mouth of the Helford Estuary in Cornwall. Insight: Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) is common throughout the British Isles and … Read More

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