Local Wildlife Site Gems with Viv Geen

Here's the second of our ecological surveyor Viv Geen's blogs

June

Orchids galore!

It appears to have been a good year for orchids this year.

I visited Braces Bread site in Crumlin where I recorded over 70 orchids mostly Southern Marsh Orchid on this lovely marshy grassland site.

Southern Marsh Orchid

Marshy grassland

On another site in Treowen I recorded Heath Spotted Orchid.

On our own nature reserve at Henllys Bog I had the pleasure seeing and smelling the Fragrant Orchid and Marsh Helleborine.

Fragrant orchid

Marsh Helleborine

July

I have been surveying sites in the lovely upland of west Gwent where I have recorded bog plant communities with species such as Round-leaved Sundew and Bog Asphodel.

Round-leaved Sundew

Bog Asphodel

Visiting the Gwent Levels last week, I surveyed some magnificent meadows and traditional orchards.

Marble White butterfly was recorded at one site. Despite its name, this butterfly is related to the subfamily of butterflies known as the “browns” rather than the “whites”.

Important indicator plants such as Tubular Water-dropwort and Pepper Saxifrage were recorded. These plants are umbellifers, and Pepper Saxifrage, a member of the carrot family, is so called because it has a spicy, peppery smell. It is an indicator of agriculturally unimproved meadows and prefers the damp sites found in the Levels area. Tubular Water-dropwort is an uncommon species but beware it is poisonous to humans and animals.