Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)
The Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) is one of Britain's rarest native plants due to the loss of habitat. The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has been proactive in purchasing important wildflower sites and Clattinger Farm in Wiltshire, acquired in 1996, is just one of them. The low lying, often flooded meadows, are ideal for the plant to survive and hopefully thrive. The plant flowers in the early spring from late March to early May, when the weather can be unpredictable. There had been a thick local fog and near freezing temperatures on the morning this picture was taken. As the sun rose, the temperature dipped below freezing and the fog formed ice over the grass and flowers, creating a rare floral beauty. There are two colour variants of the Fritillary viz. the more common burgundy with checker-board markings - 'meleagris' meaning ‘spotted like a guinea fowl’ and a white version with pale green veining.
Two other important sites for the Snakeshead Fritillary are, North Meadow near Cricklade in Wiltshire, which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and is managed by the people of Cricklade, and Upper Waterhay, near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, which is another of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserves.
Other, local Wiltshire names, for this flower are Toad's Mouth, Toad's Head, Mourning Bells of Sodom and Oaksey Lily.
© 2011 All Rights Reserved
Two other important sites for the Snakeshead Fritillary are, North Meadow near Cricklade in Wiltshire, which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and is managed by the people of Cricklade, and Upper Waterhay, near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, which is another of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserves.
Other, local Wiltshire names, for this flower are Toad's Mouth, Toad's Head, Mourning Bells of Sodom and Oaksey Lily.
© 2011 All Rights Reserved
Ref:
Date:
Location:
Clattinger Farm, Wiltshire, UK
Photographer:
Clive Rathband FRPS FPSSA EFIAP
Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)
The Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) is one of Britain's rarest native plants due to the loss of habitat. The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has been proactive in purchasing important wildflower sites and Clattinger Farm in Wiltshire, acquired in 1996, is just one of them. The low lying, often flooded meadows, are ideal for the plant to survive and hopefully thrive. The plant flowers in the early spring from late March to early May, when the weather can be unpredictable. There had been a thick local fog and near freezing temperatures on the morning this picture was taken. As the sun rose, the temperature dipped below freezing and the fog formed ice over the grass and flowers, creating a rare floral beauty. There are two colour variants of the Fritillary viz. the more common burgundy with checker-board markings - 'meleagris' meaning ‘spotted like a guinea fowl’ and a white version with pale green veining.
Two other important sites for the Snakeshead Fritillary are, North Meadow near Cricklade in Wiltshire, which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and is managed by the people of Cricklade, and Upper Waterhay, near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, which is another of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserves.
Other, local Wiltshire names, for this flower are Toad's Mouth, Toad's Head, Mourning Bells of Sodom and Oaksey Lily.
© 2011 All Rights Reserved
Two other important sites for the Snakeshead Fritillary are, North Meadow near Cricklade in Wiltshire, which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and is managed by the people of Cricklade, and Upper Waterhay, near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, which is another of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserves.
Other, local Wiltshire names, for this flower are Toad's Mouth, Toad's Head, Mourning Bells of Sodom and Oaksey Lily.
© 2011 All Rights Reserved
Ref:
Date:
Location:
Clattinger Farm, Wiltshire, UK
Photographer:
Clive Rathband FRPS FPSSA EFIAP
Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)
The Snakeshead Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) is one of Britain's rarest native plants due to the loss of habitat. The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has been proactive in purchasing important wildflower sites and Clattinger Farm in Wiltshire, acquired in 1996, is just one of them. The low lying, often flooded meadows, are ideal for the plant to survive and hopefully thrive. The plant flowers in the early spring from late March to early May, when the weather can be unpredictable. There had been a thick local fog and near freezing temperatures on the morning this picture was taken. As the sun rose, the temperature dipped below freezing and the fog formed ice over the grass and flowers, creating a rare floral beauty. There are two colour variants of the Fritillary viz. the more common burgundy with checker-board markings - 'meleagris' meaning ‘spotted like a guinea fowl’ and a white version with pale green veining.
Two other important sites for the Snakeshead Fritillary are, North Meadow near Cricklade in Wiltshire, which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and is managed by the people of Cricklade, and Upper Waterhay, near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, which is another of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserves.
Other, local Wiltshire names, for this flower are Toad's Mouth, Toad's Head, Mourning Bells of Sodom and Oaksey Lily.
© 2011 All Rights Reserved
Two other important sites for the Snakeshead Fritillary are, North Meadow near Cricklade in Wiltshire, which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and is managed by the people of Cricklade, and Upper Waterhay, near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, which is another of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserves.
Other, local Wiltshire names, for this flower are Toad's Mouth, Toad's Head, Mourning Bells of Sodom and Oaksey Lily.
© 2011 All Rights Reserved
Ref:
Date:
Location:
Clattinger Farm, Wiltshire, UK
Photographer:
Clive Rathband FRPS FPSSA EFIAP