Country Life of meadows is supported by an army of cows and sheep , who keep the scrub at bay , and maintain the open habitat that sun-loving flowers and invertebrates love . Why not discover your local meadow this weekend and see what amazing meadow species you can spot on your patch :
Meadow buttercup
Meadow buttercup is one of our iconic buttercup species . It ’ s often found in meadows and pastures , but also in parks , gardens and woodland edges . It flowers between April and October , and forms yellow meadows much loved by bees and butterflies that dazzle in the sunshine .
Skylark
Male skylarks sing in flight as well as from perches such as fence posts or large rocks . Despite their aerial activities , skylarks nest on the ground , laying three to four eggs . If seen singing , the Skylark is unmistakeable . A streaky brown bird with a crest , the skylark is larger , with a longer tail , than other similar birds . The song of the skylark has been the subject of many works of literature and music , from Chaucer to Shelley , Vaughan Williams to jazz .
Field grasshopper
Grasshoppers can be found thanks to the males ’ song , created by rubbing their legs against their
wings . Field grasshoppers are one of our commonest species , and their song is a brief , single chirrup , repeated at short intervals .
Meadow brown
The meadow brown is one of the commonest grassland butterflies , though whole colonies have been lost as a result of agricultural practices in recent years . They can be seen from June to September . – look out for mainly brown butterflies with washed-out orange patches on the forewings .
You can find out more at the website : www . hiwwt . org . uk
Photo : Meadow Brown Butterfly
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust , working for a better future for wildlife and wild places in Hampshire and the Island . Phone : 01489 774 400 E-mail : feedback @ hwt . org . uk Website : www . hiwwt . org . uk Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust , Beechcroft House , Vicarage Lane , Curdridge , Hampshire , SO32 2DP
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