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Meadows and Set-asides Information Board
Descriptions of the fauna and flora pictured on the Information Board
(All photos were taken in Eastfield Park meadows and set-asides)
Bumblebee on Yellow Rattle
Yellow Rattle is an annual plant that thrives in grasslands, living a semi-parasitic life by feeding off the nutrients in the roots of grasses. It was once regarded as an indicator of poor grassland, but is now often used to convert improved grassland back to meadow. By feeding from vigorous grasses, it allows more wildflowers to grow.
It is also a good food source for pollinators because it produces nectar that attracts bees, butterflies, and hoverflies.
It is also a good food source for pollinators because it produces nectar that attracts bees, butterflies, and hoverflies.
Red Soldier Beetles on Wild Carrot (Queen Anne's Lace)
Although known as 'bloodsuckers' because of their striking red appearance, Red Soldier Beetles are harmless. Adult beetles feed on aphids and also eat pollen and nectar. Larvae prey on ground-dwelling invertebrates and live at the base of long grasses. Adults spend much of their lives mating, and can often be seen in pairs.
Wild carrot is a perennial plant of grasslands. The leaves and roots smell of carrots, but the roots look nothing like the familiar edible vegetable.
Wild carrot is a perennial plant of grasslands. The leaves and roots smell of carrots, but the roots look nothing like the familiar edible vegetable.
Small Skipper on Knapweed
Adult Small Skipper butterflies fly between June and August. They feed on knapweeds, as shown in the picture, and thistles. They are often found on rough grassland and sand dunes or other sites where there are plenty of grasses. They lay eggs on grasses, close to leaf nodes and the caterpillars feed almost entirely on Yorkshire-fog but may be found on other grass.
Knapweeds are common thistle-like plants found on a varitey of grasslands. It blooms from June to September and is a favourite of many kinds of butterflies.
Knapweeds are common thistle-like plants found on a varitey of grasslands. It blooms from June to September and is a favourite of many kinds of butterflies.
Chicory Flower
Wild chicory is a perennial wildflower that blooms from July to October. It is often found on roadside verges and in grasslands. The roots can be used as a coffee substitute. Chicory is a valuable food source for pollinators.
Common Frog in Eleonore House Meadow
The European Common Frog (European Cmmon Brown Frog, European Grass Frog, or European Brown Frog) is Britain's best known amphibian being a regular visitor to garden ponds. They are carnivorous and feed mainly on insects, slugs, snails, and worms. In winter, frogs hibernate in damp and sheltered places on land (such as under logs or in compost heaps) or in mud at the bottom of ponds.
When the grassed areas in Eastfiels Park are mowed by machine, many frogs are killed, but the Eleonore House Meadow provides a refuge. This is oneof the reasons why we srim, rather than mow, the meadow. It gives the frogs and other small animals, a much better chance of escaping.
When the grassed areas in Eastfiels Park are mowed by machine, many frogs are killed, but the Eleonore House Meadow provides a refuge. This is oneof the reasons why we srim, rather than mow, the meadow. It gives the frogs and other small animals, a much better chance of escaping.
Common Blue Damselfly on Timothy Grass
The Common Blue Damselfly is one of the most common damselflies in the UK. It can be found around water bodies, or in grassland and woodland. The aquatic nymphs hunt other aquatic organisms, such as insect larvae, small crustaceans, and even tadpoles or small fish. The adults, which can be seen from April to September, are pinkish-brown when they first emerge, later turning sky-blue. They are predacious feeding on small insects such as flies, mosquitoes, and midges.
Timothy Grass is a common native grass found in meadows and arable fields, but also on waste ground and roadside verges. It is in, flower from June to August and may be cultivated as a fodder plant for livestock.
Timothy Grass is a common native grass found in meadows and arable fields, but also on waste ground and roadside verges. It is in, flower from June to August and may be cultivated as a fodder plant for livestock.
Snake's-head Fritillary in Jubilee Meadow
Snake's-head fritillaries, once a common sight along riverbanks and in wet meadows, have sadly become a rare sight. Many were planted in the Jubilee Meadow by the Friends of Eastfield park in 2022. Although the meadow is not on a flood plain, it does slope down to a natural drainage line which gets very wet in winter. It is hoped that the fritillaries will become established in the meadow, but this is not guaranteed. More likely to succeed are the rare wild daffodils that were planted at the same time. Wild daffodils typically flower in March and April, the fritillaries in April and May. Both should add spring interest to the meadow. (NB – Not all the daffodils in the meadow are native wild daffodils; some were planted before the meadow was established.)
Six-spot Burnet Moth
The Six-spot Burnet is a day-flying moth, commonly found in grasslands, woodland rides, and sand dunes. The caterpillars feed on common bird's-foot trefoil (present in the meadow) whereas adults feed on the nectar of knapweed, thistles and other grassland wildflowers. Eggs are laid on the trefoil. Caterpillars hatch, feed, and hibernate over winter. They emerge the following spring and pupate in a cocoon attached to grass stems.
The moth is red and black as a warning signal to potential predators that it is poisonous. Its colours are a warning that it contains toxic chemicals, including hydrogen cyanide which is absorbed from the caterpillar’s foodplants.
The moth is red and black as a warning signal to potential predators that it is poisonous. Its colours are a warning that it contains toxic chemicals, including hydrogen cyanide which is absorbed from the caterpillar’s foodplants.
Hoverfly on Daisy
Hoverflies (or ‘flower flies’) are true flies having just one pair of wings (unlike most insects which have two pairs). They are named after their ability to hover. Most hoverflies feed on nectar, but some species also feed on pollen. Larvae (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. Some larvae eat decaying plant and animal matter in soil or in ponds and streams; other maggots eat insects such as aphids, thrips, or other plant-sucking insects. Adults are the most important pollinators among true flies. For these reasons, hoverflies are economically and ecologically important.
Hoverflies are harmless to humans but many species mimic stinging wasps and bees. This may serve to ward off predators. There are over 280 species of hoverflies in Britain, very few with common names.
Hoverflies are harmless to humans but many species mimic stinging wasps and bees. This may serve to ward off predators. There are over 280 species of hoverflies in Britain, very few with common names.
Common Field Grasshopper
The Common Field Grasshopper is widespread and abundant in open, sunny, grassy areas. Adults can be found from June until late autumn, feeding on grasses and other plants. Males display to females by rubbing their legs against their wings to create a 'song' - a brief, single chirrup, repeated at short intervals. Eggs are laid in the soil ready to hatch the following summer. Although Common Field Grasshoppers are predominantly brown, they show a large variation in colouration.
Burnet Saxifrage in Eleonore House Meadow
Burnet Saxifrage (Burnet-saxifrage) is a very variable perennial wildflower. Despite its name, it is neither a burnet nor a saxifrage! It is widespread and fairly common in Britain, particularly on some of the chalk downs. It can be found in grassland and growing on road and railway verges, often on calcareous soils. It flowers in July and August. It is highly nutritious for sheep and cattle, and in the past was cultivated on calcareous soils for fodder.
Common Toad in Eleonore House Meadow
The common toad is a widespread amphibian found throughout mainland Britain and on many islands. They prefer to breed in deeper bodies of water than frogs, including farm ponds, reservoirs, fishponds and duck ponds. These habitats are threatened in much of the UK and toads have been declining, especially in the southern half of Britain. Glands in the skin of toads contain powerful toxins and many potential predators learn to avoid eating toads. Toxins are also present in the skin of the tadpoles.
Common toads have a strong migratory instinct and return to the same breeding site each spring. After a short breeding period (often not more than a week) toads migrate away from ponds, being more tolerant of dry conditions than the common frog. Toad spawn is laid in strings (not clumps like frogs), and toad tadpoles are black and form shoals. Toadlets can emerge from ponds in huge numbers during early summer, usually after rain. Common toads are active at night when they hunt invertebrates including ants, beetles, snails, slugs and spiders. They are more sedentary than frogs and crawl rather than jump.
Common toads have a strong migratory instinct and return to the same breeding site each spring. After a short breeding period (often not more than a week) toads migrate away from ponds, being more tolerant of dry conditions than the common frog. Toad spawn is laid in strings (not clumps like frogs), and toad tadpoles are black and form shoals. Toadlets can emerge from ponds in huge numbers during early summer, usually after rain. Common toads are active at night when they hunt invertebrates including ants, beetles, snails, slugs and spiders. They are more sedentary than frogs and crawl rather than jump.
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