Exploring Worcester Woods

Nick Cripps

Summer's Lease

JULY

JULY is prone to sudden bouts of thunder and lightning. King Charles II once described the English summer as, ‘Three fine days and a thunderstorm’. During the hot, sultry spell that we fondly call ‘Dog-days’ the cool tranquillity of the woodland shade can be very inviting.

FLOWERS

could be said to be weather watchers! Indeed some species react quickly to changeable weather conditions. Daisies close up their petals on gloomy days, whilst the Scarlet Pimpernel shuts-up-shop when high humidity indicates rain. Hedge Bindweed forecasts rain by closing up as tightly as a pursed lip!

Rosebay Willowherb with its bright-pink flowers has a preference for burnt ground and is sometimes called Fireweed. It frequents woodland glades especially Perry Wood's heath land centre. The upright Betony and the creeping Tormentil also prefer Perry’s more acid soil conditions. Tormentil is a small, yellow flower which has a history of medicinal cures including colic and diarrhoea. Look too, for the Wood Sage along the more open woodland pathways.

The Swiss-horn flowers of the Honeysuckle or wood-vine are distinctive. The trailing honeysuckle habitually wraps itself around hazel branches leaving the spiral impression that is such a popular feature on walking sticks.

Look out for the large pink flowers of the Common Mallow inside the wood and the purple thistle-like heads of the Lesser Knapweed or Hardheads in the Mini Meadow - a favoured food source of insects.

NUNNERY POND has long been nicknamed, Dead Man's Valley, because of its alleged connection with Cromwell’s English Civil War. In reality the pond is probably the result of more recent clay brick workings!

The area has its own compliment of plant life with Guelder Rose, Wild Service Tree, and Dogwood. The dogwood, one of the first shrubs to take on autumnal hues, has unmistakable red-blood or sanguine tinted stems, hence its Latin name of Cornus sanguinea. Butchers have used the wood for making meat skewers.

Slender St. John’s Wort, a multi headed yellow flower, with a strong geometrical look and Common St. John’s Wort both grow in the sunny aspects near the pond. The stocky, Greater Burdock, of dandelion-and-burdock fame, grows nearby. It is famed by children for its 'sticky-bob' flower heads which cling to clothes and animal fur. Easily overlooked is Enchanter's Nightshade. Its inconspicuous white flowers and nettle-like leaves are a disappointment considering the romantic name.

Sedges and rushes thrive in damp conditions. To distinguish grasses, sedges and rushes, feel their leaves: grasses are flat; sedges have edges; and rushes are round.

The stems of sedges are distinctly three-cornered, have ridged leaves and ear-of-corn-like flowers. Wood Sedge, False Fox Sedge and Remote Sedge all grow near the pond. Rushes are smooth, with round leaves and stem. The Soft Rush is olive-green in colour, with a pom-pom-like flower and continuous pith-filled stem.

POND LIFE

The Great Crested Newt with its distinctive orange and black-speckled belly markings breeds here. The nationally rare newt is protected by law, and may only be handled by special licence. During April, its breeding season, the newt grows a spectacular crest down its back, which recedes during the summer.

The Common Smooth Newt is smaller and altogether less colourful. Newts become amphibious by their second year, which allows them to leave the water and find shelter under damp fallen logs and leaves.

The largest and most aggressive hunter in the pond, is the Great Diving Beetle. A beautifully streamlined creature, it has a habit of floating to the water’s surface rear-end-up. The beetle lives its complete life cycle in the pond, feeding on smaller creatures like worms, tadpoles and molluscs.

Pond Skaters and Water Measurers possess the ability to walk on water! Their feet are covered with tiny water-repellent hairs which dent the water's surface rather than break it. Watch too, for Pond Snails and Water mites which are all part of the pond's ecosystem, and notice the peculiar sculling action of the Water boatmen.

BIRDS

July is disappointing for the Midland birdwatcher. Although bird numbers are high, swollen by newborn and fledglings, most songbirds are introverted partly because they no longer need to sing to defend a territory. Also they are moulting and prefer to remain discretely hidden whilst only partially clad!

BUTTERFLIES

The White Admiral has reappeared within Worcester Woods after a long absence. A neglected woodland with plenty of honeysuckle is ideal for this large butterfly. Its dark wings with white bands, and detailed underwings, provide a clue to its original name of ‘White Admirable’.

The Park’s rarest species is the White-letter Hairstreak which survives in a colony on the elm hedgerows. It’s difficult to spot being a dark, fast-flying butterfly. The hairstreak feeds from aphid secretions on the elm leaves - known as honeydew.

The Purple Hairstreak, a purplish-blue butterfly flies high in the tree canopy to feed on aphid honeydew. It can be found in large numbers around the woodland edge by the Visitors Centre. Occasionally it descends to feed on flowers, brambles or to take up nutriments from Nunnery Pond.

The Small Skipper has emerged and the knapweed in the Mini Meadow are a favourite haunt for this acrobatic butterfly. Look for the Ringlet, flying lazily along the woodland edge with its characteristic short flights between brambles.

Rough grassland and hedgerows are ideal habitats for the Gatekeeper, a common butterfly, also known as the Hedge Brown. Dark brown in colour with tan wing patches, the gatekeeper is often found basking with open wings along the rides.

DRAGONFLIES

The largest and most territorial dragonfly on the pools is the Emperor Dragonfly. A strong flier, it will quarter the pool in a predatory flight searching for insects. The emperor has a green body and a long blue abdomen.

Two species that occasionally visit Nunnery Pools are the Banded Demoiselle Damselfly and Black-tailed Skimmer. The male demoiselle has beautiful deep-blue bands on its wings and a metallic sheen to its body. The black-tailed skimmer is powder-blue and will alight on a bulrush to sun itself or await a passing insect-meal.

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