Japanese Butterbur March 2013

Yesterday, as I was walking along the banks of the River Taff towards Cardiff, I spotted some Common Butterburs (Petasites hybridus) flowering by the water; these plants are easily recognisable by their waxy pink flowers and large rounded leaves. But right next to them were hundreds of smaller plants; they looked similar, but not the same, and have since been identified as Japanese Butterbur (Petasites japonica). I reported the sighting to SEWBReC who confirmed the species identification and told me that the last time these plants were seen in the Llandaff area was back in 1983!  I counted more than five hundred individuals and there were probably at least as many more again pushing their way through a thick mulch of dead Japanese knotweed stalks.

Common Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)

Japanese Butterbur (Petasites japonica)

Three beautiful butterflies by the River Taff

These beauties caught my eye today, despite the slightly overcast and breezy day. We had two sightings of a kingfisher too but it was way too fast for me and my camera.

Red admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)

Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

Speckled brown butterfly (Pararge aegeria