Docks (2 of 2). Take a look at brown seed capsules as Dock Bugs, Coreus marginatus, are often hidden away. Adults can be found most of the year. Eggs usually laid on docks but also Common Sorrel, Knotgrass & Redshank. Nymphs found Jul-Sep. Photos show adults & late instar nymphs

Docks (1 of 2). They can be tricky to identify sometimes. The fruits can be a useful feature. Here are 3 common species showing the seed capsule and tubercles

Small Toadflax, Chaenorhinum minus. Up to 25cm. Often multi-branched. Glandular hairy. Alternate, strap-shaped leaves up to 25mm long. Solitary flowers on long stalks arising in leaf axils. 2-lipped corolla up to 9mm long with basal spur

Reed Canary-grass, Phalaris arundinacea (2 of 2). One of the larval food plants for the Drinker moth, Euthrix potatoria. Flight season is July to August.

Reed Canary-grass, Phalaris arundinacea (1 of 2). Up to 200cm. Patch-forming. Leaves up to 35cm long and 18mm wide with ligule of 2-16mm that is often ragged. Inflorescence ‘clumpy’ and up to 28cm long.

For #ByTheSea for #wildflowerhour it’s Sea Aster, Aster tripolium. Also known as summer’s farewell and musk-button.

Common Blue-sow-thistle, Cicerbita macrophylla. Typically up to 150cm. Patch-forming. Branched stems. Basal leaves up to 20cm, toothed and with winged stalk. Flower stalk glandular hairy. Several rows of bracts. Pale mauve flowers up to 30mm across

Not sure what the collective noun is for true bugs but there were a fair few Nettle Ground Bug nymphs , Heterogaster urticae, on this Common Nettle

Spotted 69 plant species on my dog walk/Big Meadow Search at Cribyn common this morning. Not bad when you notebook writing is hindered by two dogs on leads and a poo bag!

Just 1 month left to participate in the 2026 BMS project. Thanks to everyone who has taken part. If all our followers did 1 search this month, with only 10 species that would add nearly 60,000 records to the project and lots more dots on the map. All the info is on our website

Chicory, Cichorium intybus. Up to 120cm. Hairy. Grooved, branched stems. Lower leaves stalked and deeply lobed. Upper leaves strap-shaped and clasp stem. Flower heads in short-stalked clusters in leaf axils. 2 rows of bracts. Blue flowers up to 40mm across

Hedge Bedstraw, Galium album (2 of 2). One of the food plants for the larva of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Also feeds on Lady’s Bedstraw and Wild Madder

Hedge Bedstraw, Galium album (1 of 2). Stems up to 100cm. Stems well-branched, smooth not bristly. Strap-shaped leaves up to 30mm in whorls of 5-10 with fine forward pointing prickles and small point at apex. Large sprays of white flowers.

These are from Sea Beet. Up to 100cm. Glossy, leathery leaves. Stems often with red stripes. Spikes of fleshy flowers

Big Meadow Search@bigmeadowsearch.bsky.social · last wk.

Would anyone like to take a guess as to what plant these fruits belong to? Answer to follow tomorrow

Greater Sea-spurrey, Spergularia media. Prostrate, spreading up to 30cm. Leaves opposite, pointed fleshy leaves. Flowers pale pink, up to 12mm across with 5 petals. Petals usually longer than sepals. Upper stem usually glandular hairy. Seeds have broad flat wing

Would anyone like to take a guess as to what plant these fruits belong to? Answer to follow tomorrow

What can you find blooming along the coast? That’s the challenge this week for #WildflowerHour! Share your pics this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #ByTheSea! Happy flower hunting! 🌿🌸🌊

Corn Spurrey, Spergula arvensis. Up to 50cm. Sticky-hairy. Linear, blunt leaves up to 3cm. Short, silvery stipules. Small white flowers up to 7mm. 5 styles, 10 stamens

Botanical Society of Scotland’s Plant of the week: Fox-and-cubs botsoc.scot/2026/07/26/p...

Pilosella aurantiaca – July 27th 2026 – Fox and cubs

A splash of colour from a Hawkweed

botsoc.scot

Field Pansy, Viola arvensis. Up to 30cm. Leaves up to 3cm. Narrow, oval with blunt teeth. Flowers up to 2cm from top to bottom. Deeply cut stipules with large terminal lobe.

Hemp-agrimony providing food for a Sulphur Beetle, Cteniopus sulphureus, which is a comb-claw beetle. Typically found in dry habitats such as dunes and chalk downland especially near the coast. Feeds on pollen and nectar.

Hemp Agrimony, Eupatorium cannabinum (1 of 2). Up to 150cm. Hairy. Leaves 3-lobed with toothed leaflets to 10cm. Lower leaves stalked, upper leaves sessile. Stems often purplish. Terminal inflorescence to 15cm across. Pink flowers with protruding white forked styles.

Had a great day exploring the botanical offerings of the Mendips today

After a full day of Big Meadow Searches in the sun, I thought I was hallucinating in my last churchyard site…….Guineafowl!

Corn Marigold, Glebionis segetum. Up to 60cm. Arable. Glaucous. Stems often branched. Alternate, toothed leaves up to 10cm. Solitary yellow flower heads up to 7cm across

*Sound on for this one* (normal sound followed by slow motion). Yellow-rattle, Rhinanthus minor also known as the hay rattle as the noise of dried seeds being shaken in their pods signalled a good time to cut hay.

Dyer’s Greenweed, Genista tinctoria. Typically 20-60cm. Spineless shrubby pea. Leaves pointed, stalkless, shiny green and with hairy margins. Yellow flowers up to 15mm long in clusters. Flat black pods up to 30mm

Today’s Big Meadow Search churchyard stars of the show are Scarlet Pimpernel, Tufted Vetch and Pale Toadflax

Field Woundwort, Stachys arvensis. On arable margins. Typically to 25cm. Branched. Pale purple flowers with darker marks centrally. Stalked leaves with round tip

Hedge Woundwort, Stachys sylvatica (2 of 2). Look out for Woundwort Shieldbug, Eysarcoris venustissimus. Adults around all year. 5-7mm long. More common in southern & central GB. Scarcer in Wales and west. Nymphs feed on Hedge Woundwort, sometimes Black Horehound, Common Nettle