Chillin'...

I had a slow potter round Swaddywell yesterday afternoon - taking it easy as I'd been feeling a bit under the weather over the last few days. I spent a bit of time sitting next to the pond where I had a close encounter with a male Black-tailed Skimmer who was basking in the rather weak sun and then spent some time washing his face. There was also a female Emperor egg-laying, but she stubbornly stayed on the far side. 


Tufted Vetch and Viper's Bugloss were in full flower - both have flowers that are pinkish when fresh and turn blue once they've been pollinated. The Restharrow was also in full bloom, one of the most beautiful flowers of the pea family though the plant is covered with sticky hairs and has a pungent odour of goats! Nearby, the Common Cudweed (which is now Near Threatened in the UK) was also blooming - much more subtle.


 And of course there were butterflies, including a large group of mud-puddling whites, extracting soluble salts from the damp mud to boost their fertility.