A Tiger Moth Caterpillar

Spotted this caterpillar on the underside of a butterbur leaf in the Serpentine Walk. I think that it is the caterpillar of the ruby tiger moth - Phragmatobia fuliginosa. I'm more familiar with the much darker garden tiger moth caterpillar commonly called 'woolly bear', although its numbers seemed to have declined over recent years.

Impressive Clouds Over Leven

Cloud formations over Leven viewed from the Massney Braes in Lundin Links. Patches of blue still visible and beneath the darker clouds the sun still lighting up the sky. Unfortunately the dark clouds soon moved overhead and a soaking ensued.

Erosion

Walking towards Dumbarnie Links noticed that the sandy bank at the top of the beach had partially collapsed leaving the root system of this small tree completely exposed.

Painted Lady Butterflies

This has been a very poor year for butterflies and the large stand of buddleia at the back of the Lundin Golf Course car park, normally a reliable place to see them, has been deserted. However, today was more encouraging as there were several painted ladies, also spotted a peacock and a small tortoiseshell. It was very windy, so photos not very sharp.

Echium vulgare

Viper's-bugloss - Echium vulgare growing amongst the ruined walls of Helmsley Castle in Yorkshire

Vipers-bugloss is a very handsome plant that makes a splash of blue. The flowers are pink in bud, but vivid blue when open. The plant was once used as a cure for snake-bite, hence its common name.

Back in Lundin Links it was growing beside the sandy path through the Massney Braes. It likes a light sandy soil so thrives in coastal regions.

The stamens of the flower are bright red and the stem is covered in rough hairs. Can also see the two lobed stigma in the open flower to the left of the above photo. (Click to enlarge)

Echium is very attractive to bees and other insects.

Lastingham

Lastingham , a beautiful village in the North Yorkshire Moors where we stayed for a few days on our recent trip to Yorkshire.

The Church of St Mary's, Lastingham built in 1078 on the site of the Celtic Monastery of St Cedd and St Chad. I think the giraffes on the roof are due to the Noah Flower Festival which is being held later this month.

 The interior of the church.

The ancient crypt.

 St Chad's Well Lastingham

An uphill walk through the village leads to Spaunton Moor and the first thing one sees is a Millenium Stone.

Looking back to the Church from the moor.

 Spaunton Moor bathed in the evening sun.

 A sunlit little pond surrounded by heather.

The sun going down on Spaunton Moor.

Mallard Ducklings

On our way to Yorkshire, stopped off  in Temple Sowerby and in the garden of the hotel, mallard ducklings had just hatched the day before. Apparently, the mallard had lost her first brood, so hope all will go well this time.

There were twelve ducklings all together and the female mallard gently shepherded them up the garden to a small pond.