Examined closely, summer meadows reveal a great variety of wildflowers and insect activity. These habitats are most appealing to me on sunny, damp mornings when there is a chill in the air (slows down the bugs so I can get at ’em!), but they’re worth visiting just about anytime. In the heat of the day, meadows can be pleasantly noisy (?) with the humming wing beats of many thousands of bees working flower to flower!
Knapweed (Centaurea) has just started to bloom, is attracting large numbers of honeybees and skippers, and will soon be the most abundant flower in the landscape. Bee-keepers know this plant, as it is a major food source for the honeybees in their colonies. Bedstraw (Galium) is everywhere and Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus) is scattered about in small patches. The latter is a member of the Pea family, useful in agriculture (hay), conservation (land reclamation) and wildlife management (food plots).
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Skipper on Birdsfoot Trefoil
Honeybee on Knapweed
Buttercup entangled in Bedstraw
Skipper on Knapweed
Photos by NB Hunter. © All Rights Reserved.
