Hitchin Wildlife

 Hitchin Cemetery May 2022 The cemetery is in three roughly equal sections with the oldest part towards Whitehill Road and the newest towards The Three Moorhens. These articles on the cemetery wildlife usually concentrate on the oldest section which is largely Victorian and richest area for wildlife. One key plant in the oldest part is Yellow Rattle, so called because when its seed pods are ripe they make a rattling noise when shaken. Yellow Rattle is partly parasitic on grasses and it helps keep them in check thus allowing other flowers to flourish and so it is important in increasing biodiversity: take a walk around the cemetery in summer and you can see it in action.   The "middle" section of the cemetery has more monuments and grave stones and has a slightly more formal atmosphere, but there are areas where flowers are allowed to run riot and are a delight to behold such as this area of Oxeye Daisies and Red Valerian.  This middle area of the cemetery has at least one woo

 HITCHIN CEMETERY APRIL 2022 Early April brings the Cowslips which are increasing in number in the cemetery these days.    There are other wonderful additions to the cemetery flowers, including some Snake's Head Fritillary, Ornamental Strawberry and dark purple Cerinthe (much loved by bees).     The insects are really getting going with various species of Bees and also Dark Edged  Bee Flies, which mimic the shape of Bees. Bee Flies are little fluff balls each with a long proboscis and they are only on the wing during April and May. This one was warming itself on a sunny graveside... The birds are getting vocal with Blue, Great and Coal Tits to be seen and heard and Chiffchaffs singing their two-tone song. Some bees are spring specialists and will have finished their adult life-cycle before summer comes around, on the left is a Tawny Mining Bee which makes burrows for its nest in the grass, and below right is a Nomad Bee (which mimics the look of a wasp). There are lots of Holly tre