Hitchin Wildlife

Hitchin Cemetery June 2022   The cemetery in June was looking about at its best, with sunshine, flowers and the buzz of insects. For the first time two guided tours took place, each lasting about an hour, which gave people a chance to see inside the chapel, look at some notable graves and find out about some of the wildlife and why the cemetery is an important asset to the town. There are two more tours planned this year on Sunday 17th July 2022 at 14:00 and Friday 12th August 2022 at 10:30. Meet at the chapel, no need to book. The cemetery plays host to a wide variety of plants and animals and in June there are some stunners to see. Starting with some pretty flowers, there is a Sarle family grave which was cleared of long grass over winter and sown with seeds from the Buglife charity. These two photos show how it was at the start of June and at the end. Hopefully if any relatives visit they can find the grave and would approve.   The yellow Corn Marigolds from the Buglife see...

 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...

 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...

 Hitchin Cemetery Wildlife January - March 2022 January A quiet time of year, except if you are a bird, with Green Woodpeckers, Robins and Blackbirds busy feeding...   One of the first cemetery plants to be in flower is the Winter Aconite, looking particularly lovely in the sunlight ... There is the occasional bug to see, with the lovely Juniper Shieldbug which overwinters as an adult and is found in the ornamental Cypress trees. A new Bee Hotel has been installed, tucked on the back wall of the cemetery, behind a bit of railing to stop it getting accidentally knocked...   February Some high winds caused many broken branches and sadly brought down a Silver Birch tree near the chapel which was very quickly tidied away by the council. The Winter Aconites are still flowering along with Snowdrops and there are "winding lanes" of Crocus in their thousands. Make date in your diary for next February to see them for yourself. The low sun adds to the moodiness of the cemetery and ...