Our wild strawberry was doomed, or so I thought. But no! It has been quietly thriving, spreading and growing underneath all the thistles that suddenly came up at Berrybanks.

We need to find the rest of it and release it so there will be a few more workdays at Berrybanks in the coming months. The reason why the wild strawberry is so important is because it attracts the grizzled skipper butterfly, an endangered species.

More fungi than you could shake a stick at..

A spider that was obliging.

And plenty of nectar giving flowers showing late into summer, and fruit, as everything starts to shut down,

And lastly, look at this beauty. An elephant hawk moth caterpillar.

Great day, smashing company, fantastic conversations, friendships being forged.

Wild strawberry released…

Thanks for a great day. Next one is down at the A45 this Sunday at 1:30 just easing the scrub around the wet bits and channeling the water across the path. Mattocks and saws required.

Paul