Hitchin Wildlife

  Hitchin Cemetery April-May 2026 The cemetery has some lovely spring-time flowers which are on the showy side, but also some understated ones too, here are two, one rather small and one rather hidden amongst the leaves...      On the left is Early Dog-violet with the scientific name of Viola reichenbachiana, Sherlock Holmes' fans might recognise the reference to the Swiss waterfall in the name. These flowers are found under trees and are an early source of nectar for early-flying bees. It is one of several plants which have a symbiotic relationship to Ants: small appendages on their seeds are desirable food so they take the seeds to their nests so helping with seed dispersal (aka Myrmecochory). On the right are the flowers of one of the magnificent cemetery Copper Beeches, and again these are a good source of food for early insects such as bees and hoverflies, but often these flowers are difficult for us humans to see. As well as the contrast between little and...