Rare plant blooms again, and frogs croak their confusion
It is rare enough to see a Deptford Pink in bloom as these nationally scarce plants are hard to find, but to discover one blossoming into October is unheard of. These delicate pink flowers usually come out in June until August but at WWT London Wetland Centre they have been enjoying a second burst as England’s summer finally arrives, albeit rather late in the year.
The unusually hot autumnal weather has caused confusion amongst the flora and fauna at London Wetland Centre. This time of year, marsh frogs should be sitting at the bottom of a pond preparing to hibernate. Instead, their cackling croak has been heard ringing across the water, normally indicating that they are seeking a mate or staking out their territory.
Every frog loves a water lily but it is a highly unusual occurrence for the white variety to start coming into flower in October as has recently been noted at the Centre.
Other unusual sightings include the thermophilic wasp spider – a species which enjoys warm temperatures – and long-winged cone-head bush crickets, plus large numbers of shield bugs, caddis flies and grass hoppers. And the electric buzz of the Roesel’s Bush cricket is a sound that normally resonates across the grasslands in high summer; it’s not a sound that’s been heard in October at London Wetland Centre, until now.
