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Narthecium ossifragum means ‘Brittle boned’. It’s the Latin name of Bog Asphadel a plant of our boggy areas with subtly beautiful yellow flowers. The name came from the belief that the plant made the bones of grazing sheep weak. As always there’s some truth in these old fables. The sheep would be grazing grass on wet acid soils where the Asphadel grows. The acid soil would have yielded grass with low calcium content that would ultimately have had an impact on the calcium in their bones.
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When you read the description of a Black Darter it says that it’s a very diminutive dragonfly mainly black in colour. Not something you would normally write home about. Well …the males anyway.
Last month we paid a visit to the acid bogs around The Wash. Small pools here among the heather held Dragonflies galore. Among them were Black Darters. Only just bigger than a damselfly they were easily overlooked; until we saw the females; like little girls in bright summer dresses dancing among the matching luminescent yellow Bog Asphodel. Unmistakable.
Keeled Skimmers with lace like wings were also patrolling the ponds.
A wonderful place with some specialised wildlife.
As always click each photo to enlarge.
Letter From Norfolk 