by Brin Best

Wharfedale Naturalists’ Society

wharfedale-nats.org.uk

JUNE is the month when nature throws some distinctly exotic flavours into the Yorkshire countryside. This was brought into special focus during a weekend walk along the river Wharfe, undertaken at the height of the season for wild flowers and insects.

As we made our way along the riverbank, dancing metallic blue-green damselflies with blackened wings accompanied us most of the way. These were male banded demoiselles, a species which always reminds me of some of the exotic species of damselflies I’ve watched along the banks of the Amazon river in South America.

The butterfly-like flight of the male demoiselles often attracts the greener females, which have bronzy wings instead of sporting the black bands of the males. This species seems to be doing well in our area, and I’ve even seen them along the river Aire in the centre of Leeds, bringing unexpected beauty to the concrete jungle.

Damselflies and dragonflies like to rest on prominent, sun-lit perches. This sometimes leads to the discovery of one of the numerous exotic-looking plants which grow in Wharfedale.

Chief among these are the orchid species which have relatives in the tropical regions of the world. You are most likely to come across the common spotted orchid on damp riversides and adjacent pastures in Wharefdale. This species is very variable, but usually has pale pink flowers dotted with an intricate pattern, as well as spotted leaves. It can grow up to 40cm tall in favourable places.

As the insects and flowers provided low level interest on our walk, another exotic-looking creature was singing from a nearby elderberry tree. It was a goldfinch, surely Britain’s most beautiful finch, with its brick-red face and golden flash on the wing. Its jangling song transported me back the rich songs of the tropical orioles I studied, during a university expedition to the Andes.

Later in the summer, the sickly-sweet pink inflorescences of Himalayan balsam bring another exotic element to the local flora. In the case of this species this really is an exotic plant, or an alien plant as they are more commonly known. This invasive species was introduced into Britain from Asia and is causing havoc along many of our rivers as it out-competes all sorts of native species.

Britain is, of course, a thoroughly temperate country, with seasons and wildlife typical of a mid-latitude country. Yet, as my weekend walk illustrated, if you look closely you can easily find a touch of the exotic close to home.