Water vole make a very distinctive “plop” when they enter the water and escape from threats by instantly diving into deep water and only surfacing when they are many metres away from where they entered. Rats do not make a noise and do not dive.
Water vole make a very distinctive “plop” when they enter the water and escape from threats by instantly diving into deep water and only surfacing when they are many metres away from where they entered. Rats do not make a noise and do not dive.
Water Vole
Water Vole
REGISTERED CHARITY NO.
11807241
YELLOW FLAG IRIS
Yellow Flag Iris growing by a stream in early Summer. (Credit: Gardenia.net)
KEY FACTS
-
In a vase of gold And scarlet, how cold The flicker of wrinkled grays In this iris-sheaf! - 'Michael Field', 'Irises'
-
A tall plant (it can grow up to a meter and a half in height) with branched stems and large, bright yellow flowers. Its leaves are long and sword-shaped. It grows from a thick rhizome at the base. This give a black dye and black ink.
-
The yellow iris was chosen as the County Flower of Wigtownshire and the county's marshy hollows are often flooded with its bright 'flags' . It is known locally as 'segg' or 'sword-grass', a reference to the equally remarkable blade-like leaves.
-
This plant likes to grow in damp places, from lake, ponds and river margins to wet woodland, fens, ditches and marshes. They tend to flower from May to July.
DID YOU KNOW?
Yellow Flag Iris medicinally used for its astringency, to stop blood flow. Also the roasted seeds have been used to make an coffee-like drink.