Mulleins, mallows and meadows

About eight miles of where I currently live lies the rather attractive stretch of water known as Boddington Reservoir, constructed to supply water for the Oxford Canal. From where I once lived it was a pleasant 4-5 miles round walk across fields and my visits were frequent; it is now a 15 mile car journey and it must be something like a year since my last visit.

Looking west across Boddington Reservoir. 23 June, 2020

I took with me my entomological gear but, on what promised to be a blisteringly hot day, my aim was simply to have a stroll and tale a look at some of the plants at the water's edge.

I suppose the stony margins of the reservoir count as a brownfield site and many of the plants notes were typical of such a situation: Teasels (Dipsacus fullonum), Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum), Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), Weld, Reseda luteola and so on.

Weld was among the plants on the stony bank of the reservoir.

23 June, 2020

Common Mallow, Malva sylvestris, was there too, sufficiently mature for its fruit, consisting of about ten flattened seeds arranged in a disc, to have developed.

The fruits of Common Mallow were now developing.

Boddington Reservoir, 23 June, 2020

The flowers of mallows attract tiny beetles, with about six species found on them with some regularity. In the event I only recorded Podagrica fuscicornis. It has orange-red legs, a feature which distinguishes it from the otherwise very similar P. fuscipes, with black legs. It is a Notable B species - Scarce. In Northamptonshire it is on the edge of its range but was prolific on these plants today.

The chrysomelid beetle Podagrica fuscicornis was plentiful on the mallow.

Boddington Reservoir, 23 July, 2020

I was surprised to find strongly-growing plants of Musk Mallow, Malva moschata, too and it was interesting to note that no beetles whatsoever were visiting its flowers, even though they are structurally very similar.

Musk Mallow was also flourishing on the dry banks.

Boddington Meadow, 23 June, 2020

The flowers are far paler than those of Common Mallow but surely it cannot simply be colour which attracts the beetles to one species and, apparently, not the other. Musk Mallow lacks the bold nectar guide present on the petals of Common Mallow.

The beautiful pale flowers have made Musk Mallow a popular garden plant.

Boddington Reservoir, 23 June, 2020

Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus, is also a typical plant of brownfield sites. On seeing it I immediately began a search for caterpillars of the Mullein Moth, Shargacucullia verbasci and, sure enough, it was present in some quantity.

Common - but always pleasing to find. Mullein Moth caterpillars

on Verbascum thapsus. Boddington Reservoir, 23 June, 2020

The caterpillar is an attractive creature which is apparently distasteful to birds and no cryptic coloration is needed. I kept an eye open for the adult too but with no luck. It is far less attractive than its 'children'.



The adult Mullein Moth is a dull creature - to human eyes.
Photo courtesy of ukmoths.org.uk

Ragwort was predictably present and was the food plant for several caterpillars of the Cinnabar. This is not just distasteful to birds but is actively poisonous, its body loaded with pyrrolizidine alkaloids which it has obtained from the ragwort.  I understand that the cuckoo may eat it but, as there are few cuckoos around nowadays, I suppose it is safe.

The larva of the Cinnabar is unmistakeable. Boddington Reservoir,

23 June, 2020




So far this year I have seen very few Two-spot Ladybirds but I shouldn't have worried. The Common Mallow plants were carrying thousands of aphids, and there were many 2-spots present, gorging themselves and mating between meals.




No, not a 4-spot Ladybird but two x 2-spots. Boddington Resevoir,
23 July, 2020

Beside the reservoir lies Boddington Meadow Nature Reserve, a fine stretch of unimproved, flower-rich pasture. I had intended to follow a perimeter track around the meadow but the soaring temperature was making me reconsider.

Boddington Meadow is currently at its best. 23 July, 2020

Anyway, I decided to make it a short stroll and set off. I was immediately struck by the Betony, Betonica officinalis. Boddington Meadow has, for as long as I have known it, had a very good display of this handsome member of the Mint family, Lamiaceae, but this year it is exceptional, with the purple-red flowers everywhere. It was once widespread in the county but the destruction of ancient meadows by drainage and 'improvement' have led to a drastic reduction in its frequency.

Betony is happy in damp meadows. Boddington Meadow, 23 June, 2020

Also present today in considerable quantities was Great Burnet, Sanguisorba officinalis. It comes as a surprise to the non-botanist to find that it is a member of the Rose family. Like betony the destruction of ancient meadows has seen a decline in its abundance but on an even greater scale, so it is now present in only a very few favourable sites.

Great Burnet is an unlikely-looking member of the Rose family.

Boddington Meadow, 23 June, 2020

Perhaps my most pleasing find on this fleeting visit was a small patch of Crosswort, Cruciata laevipes. It is a member of the Bedstraw family, Rubiaceae (which surprisingly includes coffee) and is reasonably common. It is not a colourful plant and is therefore easily overlooked but for me it is something approaching an axiophyte. The B.S.B.I.* has apparently defined an axiophyte as a plant which makes botanists go 'ooh!', but I'm afraid that in reality west Northamptonshire is a trifle short of such plants.

At least one patch of Crosswort was present in

Boddington Meadow Nature Reserve.

The temperature was now up to  a sweltering 28℃. I had taken a few insects for examination later and it was time to call it a day. I returned to my car and, gingerly handling the burning-hot steering wheel (I had been unable to park in the shade), I headed home.




* Botanical Society of the British Isles