Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2009 | Page 65

COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING life Devil's Bit Scabious Holly Blue Dragonflies Devil's Bit Scabious, flowers in late summer in damp pastures and on woodland rides. It gets the name scabious as in the past it was thought to cure scabies or leprosy. The Devil connection comes from a legend that the devil found the plant in paradise and to try to stop it doing good, he bit the end off the rootstock. Apparently the rootstock does end abruptly as if it has been bitten off! The Holly Blue Butterfly has two broods one emerging in April/May and the other August/ September. It has an interesting lifecycle as in the spring the caterpillars feed on holly and in the summer they are found eating Ivy. Their numbers fluctuate wildly each year the main reason being caused by parasitism from the wasp Listrodomus nycthemerus. The wasp lays its eggs in the larva, with an adult wasp eventually emerging from the Holly Blue’s pupa. August is a great month to look out for dragonflies (and damselflies). There are only 40 species regularly seen in the UK but an increasing number of migrant species from further a field in Europe, Africa and even the US turn up each year. One of the most splendid of the resident species is the Goldenringed dragonfly, Cordulegaster boltonii, a striking black and yellow insect and the longest-bodied dragonfly we have. TASTE'S GREAT After opening in May, the chef from the local village pub has become one of Mottistone Manor Farm shop’s best customers, giving the farm’s ‘Wight Angus’ beef and lamb pride of place on its menu. Hedging plants are also available from their nursery. Owner Jackie Carder says ‘Everybody comes in and says how lovely and fresh the produce is. We want to pull people from the supermarkets’. The shop has been funded from the RDPE programme through the LEADER initiative for rural areas. Anyone interested in funding should contact Carol Flux on 01983 535836. ANOB Small grant fund The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust will be administering the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Small Grant Scheme again this year following the success of the landscape enhancement projects undertaken last year. If you are a farmer or landowner within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and you would be interested in applying for a grant for landscape improvement such as hedge laying, coppice work, tree planting or scrub clearance, please contact Lucy Temple at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Forest Office, Parkhurst Forest, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 5UL [phone] or by email at [email protected]. Adopt a garden success The island's innovative Adopt-A-Garden scheme has now been running for over a year and has successfully matched a number of gardeners. The scheme exists to help those who do not have a garden but wish to grow vegetables by matching them up with householders who can no longer care for their garden. Both parties benefit and no money exchanges hands. The scheme has been featured in national gardening magazines and on Radio 2. All those taking part are CRB (police) checked and are matched with someone living within a mile of the garden to be adopted. Gardeners are offered a free waterbutt, donated by Southern Water. For more information please contact Don at the Footprint Trust on 822282. 65