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There are over 2000 microspecies of Rubus, all with similar though slightly different leaf shapes, flower colours and fruit characteristics. They are collectively grouped as Rubus fruticosus agg. – the suffix being short for aggregate. This arises because brambles can produce fruit without being fertilised (they can clone themselves) through

Task Day tomorrow! Where to meet: Ivy House, Hollym. Located next to the council apron on South Carr Dales Road. Time: 10 am unless otherwise stated. What to bring: A packed lunch and drink, stout boots/footwear, waterproofs, warm clothing and work gloves. Tasks usually last 3-4 hours. Contact details: Task

According to myth, Persephone, the goddess of spring and nature, was forced by her uncle Hades to inhabit the underworld for the autumn and winter months, then brought snowdrops with her from the underworld when she returned to Earth each spring.

Even if you can't see the animal itself - there are usually signs that they have been around. Fresh rabbit pellets, or caecotroph, compared with the dry faecal pellet. The fresh pellet shows the rabbit had been around very recently as they usually eat them as soon as they have

Task Day next Sunday! Where to meet: Ivy House, Hollym. Located next to the council apron on South Carr Dales Road. Time: 10 am unless otherwise stated. What to bring: A packed lunch and drink, stout boots/footwear, waterproofs, warm clothing and work gloves. Tasks usually last 3-4 hours. Contact details:

The grey-green, oval, leaves of Great mullein had been just long enough in the sunshine for the hoarfrost to have melted. The moisture was still there as the leaves are covered in woolly hairs which later will appear in whorls around the tall stems. The flower spike appears at the

Majestic at any time of the year! But especially so when against a pure blue icy sky. The common teasel, Dipsacus fullonum, is a biennial that produces lilac flowers and is a good food source for birds and nectar source for bees. This spiky brown seed heads were traditionally used

I found this brave little flower just before the heavy frosts hit at the start of last month. At first, without my glasses, I thought wild strawberry - but no. Look at the leaves. This is potentila montana. An introduced plant. Small, brave, and cutched up against a wall for

Common ash buds are very black, making the tree easy to identify in winter. The lateral buds are in opposite pairs. Ash trees make the perfect habitat for a number of different species of wildlife. Bullfinches eat the seeds and woodpeckers, owls, redstarts and nuthatches use the trees for nesting.

Did you know that a mole can dig up to 20 metres of tunnel in a day using its spade-like forepaws?

I wonder how flooding followed by a freeze affects these small creatures?