The last of the harvest

This last month has had some very localised down-pours that have not only delayed harvesting but in some places caused structural damage to roads and, in extreme cases, buildings. However, with the warmer moments there has been a hive of activity all across the Downs and in the Weald with the harvest. Combine harvesting, baling of round bales and rectangular bales and even re-ploughing has been going on with great haste to try and beat the wet weather. However, now most of the harvesting is over there are a number of good practices the farmer can do for conservation. One is to avoid trimming all the hedgerows back until January and this will allow the wildlife to take advantage of the nuts and berries that can be found there. A second is to leave a one-metre grass margin strip adjacent to the hedge to allow any late seed producing plants to be fed on by birds and animals and also to allow late flowering rare arable weeds a chance. In addition, by growing a grass crop over winter in maize stubble will help reduce the risk of soil erosion and give the field surplus nitrogen for a spring cut of silage.

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)

This year has noticeably been bad for butterflies in general. However, if you are lucky you may see the last Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) before the autumn truly is upon us. The female butterflies lay their eggs in clusters. As soon as the eggs hatch the caterpillars make a cocoon to over-winter. Only in the spring do they emerge to feed on a variety of grasses. In late spring they will then make another cocoon for their transformation into a butterfly in the summer. This species of butterfly has a look-alike called the Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) and the way to tell them apart is to look closely at their antennae. The Small Skipper has pale orange on the underside of the antennae tips whilst the Essex Skipper’s are black.

Large White (Pieris brassicae)

A butterfly you are more likely to still see out at this time of the year and either in its butterfly stage or more likely in its caterpillar stage is the Large White( Pieris brassicae). This butterfly goes by a commoner name – the “Cabbage White” - so called because it is most often seen eating cabbages and therefore it is dreaded by gardeners. As a caterpillar, they do not stop at eating cabbages and other members of the Brassica family but a variety of other garden flowers, especially Nasturtiums. The caterpillars are green with black spots and yellow lines along the back and sides. As a butterfly, they are found flying around in the spring and summer and into early autumn. The Large White as the name implies is the largest white butterfly we have in this country.

Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)

There are a number of flowers still out in bloom giving nectar to the insects. A colourful purple flowered one is the Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis). In the past, this plant was used for all sorts of ailments with a lot of success. There is a legend that says that this plant was so successful at curing people of all kinds of sickness that the devil was not having enough people dying so he could possess their souls. He was so angry that he pulled the plant from the ground and took a large bite of the root. From that day on the plant has only appeared with a short stumpy root. The Devil had hoped that by biting off most of the root the plant would lose most of its potency. However, much to his annoyance this flower has remained a very useful medicinal herb. Some of the ailments it is supposed to help are wounds, snakebites and even the plague. This plant is found in every county in the country and is found on most soils and in many habitats.

Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

A yellow flowered plant that can be found flowering during the autumn is Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa). The Wild Parsnip is the original parsnip that has been selectively grown over many centuries to produce the parsnip we eat today. The Wild Parsnip is not worth eating because it is unpalatable and very woody. In the past it was collected in Ireland and the roots were mixed with hops and added to yeast and made into a kind of beer. They had medicinal uses as well in that they were supposed to help with kidney disorders and oil made from the seeds was used to ease fevers. The name “Pastinaca” means, “pasture” which describes one of the habitats in which it can be found. However, it can also be found on a variety of grasslands including downland. One word of warning about this plant is that it has a reputation for causing a lot of discomfort. If the juice of this plant touches your skin especially if it is on a sunny day it can cause horrible rashes that last for days.

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)

Another yellow flowered plant that can still be found flowering is the Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). Today this plant has fallen out of favour but in the past its leaves were collected and used in omelettes. It was once used as an alternative to nutmeg and cinnamon and at Easter, it was used to make “Tansy Cake”. The ancient Greeks gave it the name “Tanacetum” which means immortality, because it was believed that those who drank an infusion of this plant regularly would become immortal. However, another use for it was to cure those that suffered from worms. What ever its uses in the past it is now out of favour with us but it is still appreciated by the numerous insects that feed on its nectar.

Chamomile (Chamomila nobile)

A plant that is now in flower but is still sought after is Chamomile - Chamomila nobile. The flower gives off a pleasant smell when trodden on and is often grown in lawns. It favours sandy soils or damp areas on heath edges. Chamomile does very well if the area it grows on is well-grazed. Today many gardeners mimic this natural process by regularly mowing it. Chamomile lawns are a popular feature in gardens and other good places to find this plant are on cricket pitches and recreation grounds that are regularly cut and on sandy soils. The flowers have been used for Chamomile tea for centuries, which helps to calm the nerves. Another name for the plant is the “Herbal Doctor” and this is because if Chamomile is planted among sickly herbs they usually quickly recover into healthy plants.

Speak to you again next month.