Blackmoor
Early summer morning at Blackmoor – Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3311H
Blackmoor
Blackmoor is part of the prehistoric lead mining area of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. Like neighbouring Ubley Warren it is covered in gruffy ground – a landscape of hollows, lumps and dumps formed by mine shafts and spoil heaps.
Early summer morning at Blackmoor – Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3441
Today, it is a heaven for wildlife. The grasslands are full of scabious, thistles and rosebay willowherb. Despite the lumps, bumps and ankle twisting hollows the reserve is criss-crossed in wide footpaths making walking around relatively easy.
Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_5444
Skippers are skipping around everywhere in summer.
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) on Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_4419
And, like most of the butterflies around here they love the patches of field scabious.
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) on Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_4641
Colourful kidney vetch also provides food for a lot of our friends.
Kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_4362
Red and white campion create a soft pink landscape.
White and Red Campion – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3741
Ringlets wait for the day to warm up.
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3590
Early summer morning at Blackmoor – Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3456
But, this spider already has one wrapped up.
The spider and the ringlet – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3709
The patches of rosebay willowherb are hard to miss.
Early summer morning at Blackmoor – Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3377H
Those ringlets are still warming up.
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) – Blackmoor, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_2489
And finally…
More sun and grass!
Early summer morning at Blackmoor – Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_3352H
