The violets are now in full flower - better than ever on the long footpath at the top of Ketton Quarry. Even outside Molesworth bungalows on the roadside there is this purple display.
And it's all for the pollinators. Violets are ideally designed to attract insect pollinators, which aid in fertilization and reproduction. The brightly coloured petals, ultraviolet veining, and occasional scent of the flowers attract many flying insects, usually bees. Winged insects like bees can easily land on the lower, spurred petal which acts as a landing strip. The coloured veins of the flowers direct the insect to the floral centre, which is where the nectar is located. Some species of violets have hairs near the nectar opening which gives the insects something to grab on to as it climbs inside. The nectar location requires the insect to burrow deep inside the flower, which jars loose the pollen of the flower overhead. The sticky nectar acts as glue for the pollen, which ensures that it is not lost as the insect travels to another flower thereby pollinating the violets.
Like other spring wildflowers, violets have certain adaptations to guarantee reproductive success even in difficult conditions. Many violet species are responsive to light and weather. At night, in cloudy or rainy weather, the flowers will close and turn toward the ground. This protects the pollen from being washed away. This adaptation also prevents the nectar from becoming diluted in the rain.
The wonderful Cherry Plums (or Myrobolan plums) all around the borders of Priory Field and along Barrowden Road have just finished flowering throughout March. These were typically planted around orchards to attract pollinators and act as windbreaks allowing the bees to successfully pollinate the fruit trees.
Throughout the spring and summer there are a wonderful succession of wild flowers to attract those vital pollinators. So here's a few successions, showing the range of flower colours:
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