Kirkstall sightings

Although rain stopped play earlier in the day up at Headingley, a few hours later down the road in Kirkstall I took myself for a wander, first stop St Stephens churchyard. Spotted a couple of cap & stem fungi, more Inkcaps perhaps? Can't be sure whether the irregular margin is characteristic or due to a close encounter with a strimmer as the grass appeared freshly cut?


There's a picturesque & generous clump of Allium siculum (nectoroscordum) in various stages of emergence.

Then onto the allotment, just a few hundred yeards away. Happy to report lots of bee activity on the Comfrey, Raspberries & Cranesbill.

I think this one is Bombus pratorum, with help from the Bumeble Bee ID chart at National History Museum.
Then onto the old allotment sight on the opposite side of the playing fields where I spotted a fox on the pathway running the length of the unused & overgrown plots, its worth a regular visit methinks. Last year we had regular sightings of the family of foxes that made their den next to Headingley train station, I wonder whether it might be one of the family?

Allotment sightings

On an overcast afternoon at the allotment I noticed 3 bees settled on the flowerhead of a Centaurea montana, on closer inspection they appeared sluggish, one collected nectar in slow motion whilst the other two sat almost motionless. The briefest of downpours did little to spur them into action. I wondered whether Centaurea montana is a bee intoxicant, responsible for their soporific state. I don’t know whether this is standard bee behaviour, any feedback would be appreciated. There was plenty of bee activity elsewhere on the allotment amogst the Comfrey, Cranesbill, & the raspberry patch. In their lethargic state I managed a couple of close ups.

Elsewhere on the allotment a few common butterflies settled on foliage. Small white (Pieris rapae) Common & widespread throughout Britain & Ireland. White wings, forewings have one or two spots & small black tips. Adults attracted to white flowers, well camouflaged. Although this one settled for a while on Centaurea Montana.

Male Orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines) Males have white wings orange tips whilst the females have white wings with black tips. Mottled yellow & black underwings. Widespread in Ireland S Britain.

And finally, my first Ladybird of the year (Coccinellidae septempunctata).