Wild Carrot

small tortoiseshell

A small tortoiseshell rests on the seed head of wild carrot on a track between lagoons at RSPB St Aidan’s nature reserve. Our cultivated carrots are varieties of the same species, Daucus carota.

wild carrot seedhead

After flowering the stems of the umbel curve inwards as the seeds develop.

wild carrot seedhead

The seeds are armed with combs of hook-tipped bristles, ready to attach to any passing animal.

Wild Carrot

wild carrotThis rather spindly wild carrot was growing in a sunny south-facing clearing amongst the willows, alders and dragonfly ponds at RSPB Old Moor nature reserve.

I was drawing the fly which settled on my left arm when a fresh-looking comma settled on my right leg. The fly then moved to my nose and, as it had a suspiciuosly long beak-like proboscis, I had to brush it away, losing my chance to sketch the butterfly.