The frothy masses of beautiful cow parsley are starting to diminish but the larger Cow Parsnip or Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) is beginning to flower in the hedges.  There are hundreds of individual tiny flowers on umbels on each stalk which are usually white but sometimes they are pink. The flowers have five petals with the inner flowers on each umbel being symmetrical and actinomorphic in form, while the outer flowers are zygomorphic with much larger petals.  Cow parsnip is rated as being in the top 10 for most nectar production and certainly most of the flowers seen today had at least one insect feeding on them but the one here is very tiny and unidentifiable. Unlike Giant Hogweed, which has very different leaves, this Hogweed (Cow parsnip) is not considered to be dangerous.

(For those who are interested in flower shapes and nature, this is very informative and explains actinomorphic and zygomorphic – two words which I have learnt today)