Water Mint by a burn near Doune yesterday, but can be seen in lots of ditches, by ponds etc. Photo is from a different day/ location, but always lovely to see, and to crush and sniff a small piece of leaf, if you can do so with feet still dry. Flowers July onwards. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers #wildflowers

The colour red is a wonderful thing. Rowan berries and Rose hips doing their thing almost everywhere just now, especially when newly rain-washed. Autumn virtually upon us in our area. #ScottishWildlfe #ScottishWildflowers #Wildflowers #autumn

Think this is Thread-leaved Water Crowfoot, at Gartmorn Dam recently. Daisy-like flowers, and it likes slow-moving waters. It has rounded seedheads which become covered with bristles. A bit more about it here:
https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/thread-leaved-water-crowfoot

#ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers #AquaticFlowers

Field Scabious, photo 1, and Devil’s Bit Scabious, photo 2 are both very appealing to me. Second half of the summer is their time, when other widlflowers are going past. Makes them extra valuable for pollinators as well as for people. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers #Wildflowers

Posted with photos a few weeks ago about development of Broad-leaved Helleborine flower spikes. Here are those photos again but this time including seedpod stage! (Open photos right up.) #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers #Wildflowers

Saw Wild Parsnip a few days ago in the meadowland at the Logie end of Stirling Uni Campus, not a plant I’m familiar with, though there are sparse records in this area. My textbook says it is native to UK, but is an Escape-only in Scotland. WARNING Handling this plant in bright sunlight may cause blisters. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers #wildflowers

Another small(10mm) but lovely Hoverfly known as the Long Hoverfly - long and thin and its tail sticks out beyond its wings. Sitting/feeding on Meadowsweet I think, please correct if wrong, one wing helpfully folded along its abdomen so you can see the length to compare it with length of tail. #ScottishWildlife #InvertFest #ScottishWildflowers #Wildflowers Latin name: Sphaerophia scripta
More excellent info about it here: https://markavery.info/2018/09/23/paul-leyland-the-long-hoverfly/

Here are another couple of beauties: Possible Halictus rubicundus, or similar species, a kind of Furrow Bee, on Ragwort, (such a great wildflower for pollinators), today near Doune. And some kind of Ichneumon Wasp, species not known, a parasitic wasp, another perjink wee beastie, on what’s probably a bramble leaf, Glen Rd between Bridge of Allan and Dunblane 10 days ago. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers #InvertFest

A few Hoverflies from last week, before the temperature dropped. Marmalade Hoverfly on Ragwort. You ID a marmalade by the orangey colour and also by the 2 perjink tiny ‘moustaches’ below the thicker horizontal bars. (Perjink is a great Scottish word = very neat, natty.) Also, I think Meliscaeva cinctella on Native Hogweed. (Cinctella means girdled.) #ScottishWildlife #hoverfly #InvertFest #ScottishWildflowers

Sneezewort (white) and Marsh Woundwort (pinky-purple) growing today at Callander Meadows make a nice combination. Sneezewort was used in the past in Orkney for making a ‘digestive tea’. And the name Marsh Woundwort tells its own story - for healing wounds. Everything is taller than usual this year, because of the frequent and sometimes heavy showers. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers #wildflowers

A week ago, I posted on a Broad-leaved Helleborine with a flower spike that was just budding. Went back to see it, and it is maturing slowly. 3 or 4 of the lowest flowers on the spike are colouring up to pale pink and maroon. Look luscious, but this can only be seen from very close-up! It’s the maroon colour that seems to attract pollinating wasps, possibly alongside a scent? Original photo + recent close-up, do have a good peer at it!! #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers

Twayblade, a kind of Orchid, in flower today, along old railway walk at Doune. They’re getting over shaded as trees grow above them, but still a few that are managing to flower. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers (Tap or click on photo to see top of the flower spike.)

Lots of tall umbellifers by the waysides just now. Can be hard to ID one from another, but this one is easy. Native Hogweed, very common. Look at flowers round the edge of the flowerhead. The outer edge petals are elongated, all the way round the flowerhead. And v beautiful on close look too.
#ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers

Mullein, also known as Cuddy-lugs (donkey’s ears) after its leaves, by the old railway track at Doune today. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers

I saw someone else posting this plant on here, and now I’ve found my own Bladder Campion! Flowering profusely, though some petals seem stunted by the drought. leaves ar e also attractive. Once you’ve seen it, easy enough to remember I think. By the Old Railway Walk at Doune today. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers

Visit to Carsebreck nr Braco today in warm sun. Lots of Wild Pansy in flower near Rhynd
Loch, but also further along the track than I have seen it before, so population may be increasing. Such a delight to see. Also Crosswort, which I thought was Lady’s Bedstraw (same family), till I checked. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers

Spring here was very cold and very late, but now all of a sudden a profusion of Hawthorn blossom and lovely, frothy flower heads of Rowan. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers

Milkwort by the path between Bochastle and Woodland Trust Visitor Centre, Callander area. In the past, cows browsing on Milkwort flowers was thought to increase theirmilk yield; and infusion of Milkwort into milk was thought to help it churn well for butter or cheese. (Flora Celtica). #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers

Spotted these deadheads of native Wildflower Mullein. Bright noon sunshine today near Doune was catching them well. Photo 2 is them in flower from a previous summer. #ScottishWildlife #ScottishWildflowers