Seeing the Changes 41

At Oxwich, much of the dune vegetation seemed to harbour yellow pupae of the Six-spot burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae). There were also a few adults feeding on Ragwort flowers. There were also lots of grasshoppers (probably the Common Field grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus) and Harvestmen spiders. In terms of flowers, the Annual stonecrop (Sedum annum) was clinging on and the Marsh helleborine (Epipactis palustris) shyly lurking. In Bynea, the Scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) as well as the Redshank (Polygonum persicaria) are in flower and the Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) berries are bright red. A good day for the reds! It feels like Autumn as even the Elder (Sambucus nigra) berries are ripe and black. In Loughor, with weird timing, a Snowdrop windflower (Anemone sylvestris) is in bloom but this is probably a garden escapee. Apologies to readers for the quality of the photographs as my cataracts are really kicking in now.