In the final instalment of her monthly series for Bloom in Doom, Rebecca Gibson shares some of the British wildlife highlights you can look out for during July.

Birds

Swifts arrived later than usual this year – I didn’t spot one until the very end of May. Like wrens, swifts are often heard before they’re seen. They gather in ‘screaming parties’ and bomb around the sky, uttering a high-pitched squeal that’s the epitome of summer. Their wings are rounded unlike the angled wings of swallows, giving them a boomerang shape. Swifts’ tails are also much stumpier than the long streamers of swallows. Swift gatherings become more boisterous as the month continues, building up to their departure back to Africa in August.

Insects

Cinnabar moth caterpillars are a gorgeous sight with their vibrant orange and black stripes. Having bold colours often means an animal is poisonous, and this was originally believed to be the case for these caterpillars. Since then, it’s been discovered that their vivid colouring is a camouflage tool, helping them to blend in with the common ragwort they feed on.

Cinnabar moth caterpillars. Images: Rebecca Gibson — **Cinnabar moth caterpillars.** Images: Rebecca Gibson

Flora

Common bird’s-foot trefoil is a member of the pea family, with seed pods shaped like tiny bird claws. Its most obvious feature is its buttery yellow petals, which were once used to dye fabric. Look a little closer and you’ll also see pink-red buds, and together with the yellow flowers this inspired their other name: eggs and bacon. Widespread across lawns, heathlands and roadside verges, bird’s-foot trefoil is in flower from May to September.

Poppies originate from southern Europe and North Africa, but have since made their way further north and can now be seen providing pops of colour to cultivated fields with dry soil. Within the bright petals is a pepperpot-like seedpod – the seeds are edible and often pressed to make oil for cooking.

For more writing from Rebecca, as well as photography and art, visit her website.

This Month: British Wildlife in July

In the final instalment of her monthly series for Bloom in Doom, Rebecca Gibson shares some of the British wildlife highlights you can look out for during July.