For my walk ... U3A Nature Explorers: May 2023

 

U3A Nature Explorers - The Knapp

10.00am Wednesday 3rd May 2023

The Knapp Nature Pond

Thin sunshine and a chilly wind greeted the twelve of us who gathered in the Knowle car park ready for the May nature exploration. Our mission was to visit the Knapp nature reserve calling in at the Knapp nature pond on the way.

After a short walk up Peasland Road we turned into Knapp Hill and followed the path through to the nature pond. The pond itself revealed little signs of active life, just a few common pond skaters but that was perhaps to be expected given it is still early May. The display of marsh marigold in the corner of the pond was a treat to see.

It is not an extensive area of land around the pond and yet it holds an abundance of spring flowers; we found thirty-six different species in this confined area. With the close proximity of gardens of local houses there were clearly going to be some species that had made their escape but a substantial majority were true wild flowers and grasses. 

Alexander's is prominent here with the last flowers now beginning to go over and cow parsley is beginning to take its place and the first hogweed is coming into flower about now. Although these species can be domineering they are very popular with all kinds of insects. 

The small meadow had a display of cuckooflower (aka lady's smock) and an array of buttercups made up of two different species, some meadow buttercups but most seemingly bulbous buttercup. Lesser celandine and primrose are still visible in some numbers but are now beginning to fade for another year. Amongst the annual meadow-grass there were other species of grass including sweet vernal-grass and meadow foxtail.

Moving on up the road a short way we came to the entrance to the Knapp and were immediately struck by a display of pink oxalis (or pink sorrel) on one side of the path and shiny crane's-bill on the other. Both popular in gardens and both probably naturalised here.

The meadow here also contain a lot of sweet-vernal-grass and meadow foxtail as well as a good showing of buttercups but here the bulbous buttercup was replaced with creeping buttercup but meadow buttercup was the primary species.

Having walked through the woodland we came to the orchard and by now there was warm sunshine which was encouraging insects out and a small number of dock shieldbugs were found (but not on dock plants!). Amongst the same rough vegetation were a pair of mating hairy (or sloe) shieldbugs. On nearby brambles there were greenbottles and bluebottles. These are popular names for two groups of flies that each consist of several species but that can only be identified accurately under a microscopic examination of wing venation; this was something were not equipped to do! 

An assortment of other hedgerow and woodlands plants were found and the full species list for the day can be found here: Species list

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