Honey And Marmalade

The tiny flowers of lady's bedstraw have opened releasing their honied scent. Hoverflies, mainly marmalades, have homed in. Dried, this flower has the scent of new-mown hay, and its name is probably derived from the tradition of stuffing straw mattresses with it, particularly those of women about to give birth. It was also used to curdle milk in cheesemaking.


My extra shows a hoverfly, possibly one of the Meligrammas, which has a distorted wing. I watched as it repeatedly teased the wing with its limbs trying to straighten it. It was such a tiny insect that I didn't try to help for fear of injuring it.