Episode 2.30 - Burnet Wings and Knapweed Crowns

Send us Fan MailIn this vibrant episode of the Countryside Podcasts, Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin revel in a glorious late July morning at High Ash Farm, where nature dons its finest. Over a purple knapweed sea—its hard heads buzzing with bees—six-spot burnet moths dazzle with jet-black wings and crimson spots, emerging from reflective cocoons after a cyanide-rich diet of birdsfoot trefoil. Parasitic wonders like yellow rattle and lesser broomrape thrive, their seeds hinting at future life, while the regal wildflower field bursts with poppies, yarrow, and cornflower blue, a Van Gogh palette revived from set-aside days. Listener tales of window-struck warblers, brown tail moths, and swift absences weave into this tapestry, as swallows feast under a cotton-wool sky.https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/17556276-episode-2-30-burnet-wings-and-knapweed-crowns.mp3?download=trueSupport the showPlease email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast [email protected] podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here:https://donorbox.org/podcast-12or from the Podcast page here:Podcast | High Ash Farm