This slightly fading Red Admiral is resting on a nettle leaf. In August both this butterfly and the superficially similar Painted Lady can be found along the Crane.

August is the month that marks the height of summer. Yet, while green is still the dominant colour of the Crane, the cycle of life is starting to close for many of the local species.

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Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > August sees the first Brambles beginning to ripen. The fruits will provide a real bounty for the Crane Valley wildlife over th next couple of months.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > Broadleaved Willowherb has a small pink flower and is easily seen along the Crane in August. This wildflower is also found in shady corners of back gardens.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > From spring until autumn patches of dappled sunlight on wooded Crane margins are likely to host pairs of dancing Speckled Wood butterflies.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > The creamy fragrant heads of Meadowsweet are fading in August and little green ribbed fruits are forming. There are good stands of this plant in the wet grassland south of the Crane to the east of Hospital Bridge Road.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > Great Willowherb continues to charm during August but its season will soon be over. This particular plant is from a pathside verge on Crane Park Island.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > This slightly fading Red Admiral is resting on a nettle leaf. In August both this butterfly and the superficially similar Painted Lady can be found along the Crane.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > This is a bee's eye view of the highly invasive Himalayan Balsam. The tall pink flowers of this species can be found in dense groves along the edge of the river. Although it provides a certain colour to the banks it is also a signal of how vulnerable our environment is to introduced species.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > Elderberries are ripening in August and are as popular with some of the resident bird species of the Crane as they are with some of the resident culinary experts.

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk) > The millenium pond on Crane Park Island is one of the best places to look in August for one of our native waterside plants, the Water Mint.

This slightly fading Red Admiral is resting on a nettle leaf. In August both this butterfly and the superficially similar Painted Lady can be found along the Crane.