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Wildflowers
This time of the year is perfect for identifying wildflowers. The border outside the ELC is full of them! Wildflowers are popular with wildlife as they provide a source of food for many species. Caterpillars eat the leaves, bees collect pollen to make honey, hoverflies and butterflies drink the nectar and aphids drink the sap from plant stems.
The term wildflower is used to describe flowers that set their own seed and establish themselves in an area without being planted. Some people my describe them as ‘weeds’, but they are extremely important to the different invertebrate species we have.
Bees in particular are having a tough time at the moment! Bees are the major pollinator of plants and it is estimated that one third of the human food supply relies on insect pollinators, in particular bees. However due to cold winters, a decline of wildflowers in agricultural fields and disease, bees have experiences substantial declines and need to be protected. Otherwise we may have a food shortage on our hands!
Mayfly in the Classroom
One of the projects we are running at the moment, Mayfly In the Classroom, explores the importance of mayflies as indicator species within the river ecosystem.
An indicator species is a species whose presence or absence in a given habitat will determine the health of that ecosystem. For example, mayfly nymphs will not live in rivers affected by pollution and will only be found living in clean, freshwater habitats.
Mayflies are also important species within food webs of freshwater aquatic environments, providing a food source to a large number of species, such as brown trout, freshwater spiders and greater water boatmen.
The aims of the project are:
© Nutmeg's Wildlife Photography
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