Golden Ragwort

OK - its not mauve, so I'll have to skip LeeAnn's Colour Challenge for today. However, taking advantage of a lovely bright Autumn day with sunny, blue skies and no chores I headed over to Frensham Great Pond for a walk in the fresh air prior to the remainder of the day being taken up with choir rehearsals and concert in the evening.

I had hoped for some suitably coloured heather, but they had finished blooming, however this late blooming Ragwort was glowing in the sunshine, and I couldn't resist it!

Ragwort has a reputation for being poisonous to horses in particular, and in Ireland Landowners are required to remove it by law. In the UK, there is no legal requirement, though Landowners can be required to prevent its spread, and the plant is important as a food source for many insects, including solitary bees, hoverflies, moths, and butterflies such as the Small Copper. This specimen was on the edge of land set aside for conservation with no public access.