During late July a lot of the fruit flowers have been pollinated and nothing is left but for the fruit to grow. Blackberry, seen here, has an unusual flower. Whereas some plants have one stigma in the centre, the blackberry has many. Each of these stigmas will bring the sperm cells from the pollen to a different seed. Each nodule on a blackberry is fertilised separately in this way. Next time you eat a blackberry think about the fact that you are eating the genetic information from about fifty plants.
Its a good time of year for birds as well. Many, like this Yellowhammer or Emberiza citrinella above, have been busy bringing up a second brood. Here we can see a male bird with a caterpillar in its beak. For a few minutes it sat on this metal gate in Nottinghamshire and didn't once try to swallow the grub. I remember thinking at the time that he must have many mouths to feed somewhere. Tomorrow we will take a look at bumblebees.
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