Jack-by-the-hedge

A MALE Green-veined White flutters sporadically along a sheltered section of the towpath from Garlic Mustard to Dandelion, then to rest on the grass, wings outspread towards the afternoon sun. The first brood of males are often white like this. The summer brood of males are larger and have dark markings, similar to the Small White.

Garlic Mustard or Jack-by-the-hedge, Allaria petiolata, which we first noticed in flower two days ago, is one of a number of food plants for the Green-veined White caterpillar.

Two cottage garden plants, Bleeding Hearts (or Dutchman's Trousers) and Green Alkanet are now in flower.

A pair of Herons flies up the valley, over the wood, in the evening.

This morning a sparrow is trapped, fluttering against the glass in the greenhouse. I leave the door open and, not surprisingly, the hens get in and rummage around beneath the staging. Luckily the beans are safely under cover in the propagator.

Richard Bell,
wildlife illustrator
E-mail;'richard@daelnet.co.uk'