Bonfire Moss

A morning dental appointment to replace the filling that fell out almost a year ago left me with an extremely numb mouth, which then started to feel strangely itchy as the feeling returned. I decided to have a walk round Swaddywell Pit as a distraction - sunshine and spring-like temperatures did the trick and by the time I returned home all was pretty much back to normal.

It was a glorious day and the pit was humming with life, particularly along the south-facing cliffs where solitary bees, including  Gwynne's Mining Bee Andrena bicolor were creating nesting burrows, while their parasitic associates (Nomada sp. and Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major) were keeping watch. I also briefly spotted my first Green Tiger Beetle of the year - no sooner did I see it than it flew off.

The purple flowers of Hairy Violet and Sweet Violet contrasted with the cheerful yellow of Colt's-foot and sallow blossom, and the abundant mosses were looking particularly lush. One of my favourite species is Bonfire Moss Funaria hygrometrica, partly because it was one of the first that I learnt how to recognise, but also because of the setae, which twist rather crazily when they are dry.