Mugwort - The Smokers' Alternative - Silloth West Beach

 

We're off to Silloth West Beach today, in search of a somewhat drab looking plant called Mugwort. Drab it may be, but it is the first of the nine sacred herbs listed in the 10^th century herbal, the Lacnunga. You can stuff your pillow with it for sweet dreams, beer was brewed with it before hops as a medicine, or you can put it in your bath water for an invigorating soak. Personally, I'm going to put it in my pipe and smoke it. I started smoking many years ago when fags were cheap and apparently good for you (according to the adverts). Nowadays, they are ridiculously expensive and, so we are led to believe, can kill you at twenty paces. Mugwort, so I am told by other pipe smokers, can gradually wean one off nicotine by gradually increasing the ratio of mugwort to tobacco in your pipe or roll-up. Worth a go. I'll let you know.

Now that I've collected a bag of young leaves with which to experiment, let's go and see if we can find any Northern Dune Tiger Beetles. In a word, no, but we'll find one some day. We do have a couple of other beetles though. This first one is a Darkling Beetle. There are over 500 species of these, but this one, Phylan gibbus, is a bit of a dune specialist. The other, beautifully shiny metallic green one, is a European Gazelle Beetle, Nebria revilcollis. Lovely over here in Europe, where it belongs, but it has taken to voyaging the Atlantic and is now invading North America.

Behind the dunes, we have a magnificent stand of gorse and small trees which the birds are absolutely loving. There's a resplendent male Chaffinch, singing from a high branch; a Starling foraging for insects and other arthropods around the roots; a camera shy Linnet; and a Song Thrush competing with the Chaffinch for volume, and winning by quite a few decibels.

A tiny flash of blue has just caught my eye in that heather and moss down there. Let's dive in and see if we can find the owner. It's a lady Wolf Spider, carrying her brood in a sac (Wolf Spiders are the only spiders that do this). I'll just see if I can tempt her to come to my hand so that we can see her better. Here she is, sweet little thing. When the spiderlings hatch, they will run up her legs, presumably using those convenient spines, and settle on her back for several weeks, until they are able to fend for themselves. I'll put her back and let her go about her business.

As I am writing this, Jeremy Vine is hosting yet another programme about Covid. I don't know about you, but I think that too much coverage of a subject can create public apathy, even resentment and eventually become counter-productive. I've noticed this with with other things such as antisemitism, racial equality and gay pride. Highlighting issues is one thing; shoving it in people's faces all the time is quite another. Unfortunately, I can see the same thing happening with climate change. If you want to get a message across – do it with a smile, like these guys!

Steve

Steve's Nature Plus Minibeast Monday * Podcast Tuesday * #CumbriaNature Wednesday * Foraging Friday * and other odd bits as they happen throughout the week.

Steve's Gallery If you'd like to see some of the pictures in more detail, you'll find them in the gallery. These are also available for prints or digital downloads for commercial or scientific use.

Steve's Books

The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail very simply and find out more about it. Yvonne: This was a gift for a family so that the children can understand what they see on days out. The second was for me. Logical and easy to use. If you know anyone who likes nature you can be confident that gifting this book will give years of pleasure.
The Eggs of Saramova You can listen to this book for FREE as it is being serialized on the podcast The Author Reads	£7.50 Paperback edition
Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Janet: If you are short on time but enjoy reading and are maybe not into long extended novels then Not Just For... Twisted Women provides readers with concise stories that stand alone and most certainly entertain with their ultimate twists. Loved it. Helen: A very good read! Well written and entertaining! Margaret: Each quick tale gives a glimpse into a character's life and has an often humorous twist at the end. I would love to read more. Yvonne: These days many people find it hard to find the time to read a novel, so this book of short stories is ideal to dip into. It is also makes a good gift.	£4.99 Paperback edition

Crete Nature Catch-up
Series 1 - Welcome to Lasithi	Series 2 - The Rhythm Of Life	Series 3 - A Journey Begins
Series 4 - The Milonas Valley	Series 5 - This Is Ferma	Series 6 - Upland Villages
Series 7 - The Forty saints	Series 8 - Sunday Strolls	Series 9 -Stormy Weather

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LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Forever Autumn - Great Clifton

 

The Autumn Equinox has passed, the nights are drawing in, there’s frost on the grass in the morning, and the gulls are following the plough. Time to don sweaters and boots and enjoy the fruits of autumn. So, a trip out into the countryside today, and a stroll by the river Derwent as we visit the village of Great Clifton. A small village; a church, a shop, a post office and three pubs, at least one of which appears to be still operational. We’re heading for the north east corner of the village, where a footpath leads down to the river.

Right from the beginning, just behind the last houses, we have bushes full of blackberries and this fine stand of Apple Mint. There are a lot of different mints, and a good deal of hybridisation between them, but let me take you over to Greece and tell you the story of the original Mint, or Minthe, as she was then known. Minthe was a nymph, a minor deity in the Greek pantheon, and she was cohabiting with Aidoneus [AKA Hades], who was probably hell to live with. He certainly wasn’t the faithful type, as he proved when he kidnapped Zeus’ daughter, Persephone, and brought her home. Menthe, not being into the Ménage à Trois scene, did what any self-respecting nymph would do, and threw a tantrum. Persephone, already narked at being abducted, promptly trod on her. Being a fully fledged Goddess, it was all she had to do to rid herself of this irritating little nuisance. Minthe disappeared into the ground, and found herself transformed into the plant in front of us. To this day, she struggles to free herself from this enchantment, which is why mint grows so prolifically.

I’m beginning to wish I’d taken a few leaves of mint and rubbed it into my face mask. There’s a small sewage treatment plant down here that’s making it’s presence known. Usually a good place to spot birds, but there are none here today. Plenty of Himalayan Balsam, unfortunately, which we’ve already discussed, but it seems to be attracting some very pale, almost hairless bees. I’ve not seen these before, anyone know what they are? Can’t get a good picture unfortunately.

Thanks to the guys at the Hymenopterists Forum for informing me that it is a wasp, Vespula sp. covered in pollen.

We’ve reached the riverside and not a bird in sight. But wait, over there on those rocks – birds always live on the opposite river bank – it’s a White-throated Dipper. Dippers are fascinating birds to watch, standing on a rock just above the water line, bobbing up and down for reasons best known to ithemselves, and then suddenly plunging into the water. A quick swim around at the bottom of the river, then back up with a mouthful of freshwater shrimp (their favourite), or some other delicate morsel such as a Caddisfly larva. I could watch them for hours if the drizzle hadn’t turned to light rain. Luckily, the next part of the walk takes us up into the trees.

You’d think that it was only in the tropics where you’d get plants with leaves the size of a small occasional table, but we have some here in Britain as well. I’m still not that clued up on British plants yet, but I’m pretty sure that this is Butterbur and not Rhubarb that has escaped from somebody’s garden. It’s a very useful plant, medicinally, but you have to be very careful with it. In amongst its cocktail of potentially lethal chemicals is one called petasin. When extracted from the plant and made safe, it is effective against both migraine and hay fever, but you still have to be very careful. For instance, you shouldn’t take it if you’re pregnant, or if you’re on heart medication, or even if you’re taking other natural supplements such as St. John’s Wort. Definitely not part of a home remedy kit. Oh, and if you’re scratching your head thinking, where have I heard of Butterbur before? Barliman Butterbur was the landlord of The Prancing Pony in Lord of the Rings.

And that leads us back up into the farmlands, where the gulls are still following the plough and the light rain seems to be thinking of turning into something a bit heavier. Shame the pubs aren’t open yet, I could just do with a roaring log fire. Isn’t it time that someone taught those raindrops about social distancing?

Until next week,

Stay safe and be happy,

Steve

Steve's Books

The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail very simply and find out more about it. Yvonne: This was a gift for a family so that the children can understand what they see on days out. The second was for me. Logical and easy to use. If you know anyone who likes nature you can be confident that gifting this book will give years of pleasure.
The Eggs of Saramova A science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction. A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world (and it starts right here in Crete). Too new for reviews yet!
Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Janet: If you are short on time but enjoy reading and are maybe not into long extended novels then Not Just For... Twisted Women provides readers with concise stories that stand alone and most certainly entertain with their ultimate twists. Loved it. Helen: A very good read! Well written and entertaining! Margaret: Each quick tale gives a glimpse into a character's life and has an often humorous twist at the end. I would love to read more. Yvonne: These days many people find it hard to find the time to read a novel, so this book of short stories is ideal to dip into. It is also makes a good gift.

See sample pages of all my books and latest blogs, and keep abreast of latest publications here: http://author.to/SteveDaniels

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LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Explore east Crete with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Crete	Cumbria
Cretan Flora Crete Birding Greek Butterflies and Moths	Cumbria Wildlife Trust Cumbria Bodiversity Data Centre Carlisle Natural History Society

The Grand Tour

Those of you who were with me last year will recall my friends, Betty and Bert. They are what is known in the trade as 'a literary device'. They allow me to recall the actions and words of my true friends and family without fear of being ostracised, sued or generally marmalised. I met a number of new friends on my recent sojourn to the UK and back to Crete by train and ferry and would like to keep them (at least until they discover what I am really like). This is the story of that journey; through England, Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece, as seen through the eyes of a naturalist with Betty and Bert popping in to provide a bit of comic relief.

Cockermouth

Tom Rudd Beck

Nestling up in the north west corner of England, just above the Lake District and trying to pretend that it is part of it, lies the idyllic town of Cockermouth. It is a place where a walk to the health centre involves negotiating a flock of sheep and a trip to the supermarket is accompanied by earthy scents arising from the banks of a stream, and robins, wrens and blackbirds merely hop to one side as you pass. It is a watery place at the confluence of two rivers, the Derwent and the Cocker, which are joined by two streams (or becks in the local dialect). These have a tendency to get a bit above themselves at times, quite literally, which is evinced by the flood level markers of 2009, 2015 and 2017 all of which are unnervingly at eye level or above. There have been fifteen flood events in the town since they started recording such things in 1761. I'll let you draw your own conclusions from the fact that 20% of them have occurred in the past ten years.

Garlic Mustard, Alliaria petiolata

As we walk down towards the town from the new homestead (the family seat just having moved up here from Gloucestershire), by the gurgling Tom Rudd Beck, I noticed the first of many plants that we don't have in Crete growing by the wayside. It is garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata, a magnificent little herb combining the subtle flavours of both garlic and mustard in its leaves and flowers.

“That,” I say to Betty and Bert, who are trailing along with us this morning, “would be a magnificent addition to a great Cumbrian breakfast.” [See Steve's Wild Kitchen for recipe].

“Never mind breakfast,” grumbles Bert, “I had that hours ago. Aren't there any pubs in this town?”

The Cocker at Cockermouth

The beck snakes under the footpath and disappears into dense woodland and we descend to another path along the banks of the Cocker which flows in from the fells and waters of the Lake District National park to the south of the town. There are plenty of stones standing proud providing good hunting grounds for dippers and wagtails and the occasional kingfisher darts from bank to bank in a flash of azure and russet.

The Cocker - Derwent confluence

At the confluence of the Cocker and the Derwent we stop and rest awhile. Bert's nostrils are twitching like an ant's antennae. Just behind us stands the venerable Jennings' brewery. Sitting here, it is hard to imagine that at the height of the floods the tree in front of us was half submerged in a raging torrent of water. Ignoring Bert's cries of protest we cross the Derwent and walk upstream until we are opposite the castle on the edge of town. In the long grass on the far bank and just out of camera range (which, as every wildlife photographer knows, is where all birds live), a pair of pheasants are feeding.

Stonefly (Plecoptera)

Although this is a holiday for me there are a few creepy-crawlies that I want to photograph for a book that I'm writing at the moment. This is one of them; it's a Stonefly. It is not, despite its name, a type of fly any more than a butterfly or a dragonfly is. It is a Plecopteran. The Plecoptera (Stoneflies), like the more familiar Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) and Coleoptera (Beetles) is one of the fifty or so major groups of tiny creatures which we lump together as creepy-crawlies. Until you know to which group your specimen belongs you haven't got a hope of knowing what you are looking at. Which is why I am writing The Quick Guide To Creepy-Crawlies; you can find out to which of the groups your specimen belongs by making three or four simple observations in the correct order. [Click here to see a sample page].

Bitter Beck

Enough of the advertisements, I'm beginning to get as thirsty as Bert. We'll make our way back along Bitter Beck where the Elderberries, Sambucus nigra, grow in sweet profusion.

“Never mind the elderberries, is there a pub anywhere along this beck of yours?” demands Bert.

“There is, Bert, a very nice one, at this end so you won't have much further to walk, and it's very appropriately named fot its location.”

“Why, what's it called?”

“The Bitter End.”

A quick note: as this blog is not specifically about CreteNature I shall not be promoting it on the usual sites. Click on the hamburger (illustrated left) which you will find in the top left corner of this page, fill in your email address and you will be notified each time that a new post is published. (If you don't see the hamburger icon then you may have to click on the white back arrow first) Thanks, Steve.

Crete Nature Catch-up
Series 1 - Welcome to Lasithi	Series 2 - The Rhythm Of Life	Series 3 - A Journey Begins
Series 4 - The Milonas Valley	Series 5 - This Is Ferma	Series 6 - Upland Villages
Series 7 - The Forty saints	Series 8 - Sunday Strolls	Series 9 -Stormy Weather

Steve's Books (well, just the one at the moment but 'The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies' is well under way and should be available later in the year).

Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Kindle Edition 1.99 pounds sterling (or equivalent). Paperback Edition 4.99 pounds sterling (or equivalent).. Read snippets, samples and stuff at Steve's Books

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LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Explore the region with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Cretan Flora Flowers of Crete BIRDS OF CRETE Crete Birding

Greek Butterflies and Moths Aquaworld Aquarium

Visit Greece (National Government Tourist Office)

Steve's Nature Quiz #25

In this week's #CreteNature blog we were looking at herbs but which is the correct pronunciation of the word 'herb'?

a) herb

b) 'erb

c) both are correct.

It all rather depends on when and where you lived. 'erb used to be the accepted pronunciation in England and it is still the accepted pronunciation in America. It wasn't until the nineteenth century that the Brits decided that as the H was there it may as well be used and herb became the standard. So the answer is c) both are correct.

Not only were we discovering herbs or 'erbs this week but also butterflies, lizards and spiders with a bit of ancient history thrown in for good measure. Join us for our weekly wander around the idyllic Cretan countryside with this week's walk Further Back in Time to Praesos