Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet, Woody Nightshade)
Violet and purple are the bees' favour colours and the Bittersweet flower raises its petals to show everything, including green and white nectar guides that bees probably see in ultraviolet a bit like we do flashing neon. The magic of macro photography helps us admire the flowers, tiny to us at barely a centimetre long, but bigger that most of the little bumble bees I see enjoying them.
In his Book of British Berries, David Lang tells us Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara, Woody Nightshade) has been known and used medicinally for a very long time, and as late as 1934 was a popular remedy for chronic rheumatism and skin eruptions. Children have been poisoned by the fruits but the only 12 cases listed by the National Poison Information Service at that time were mild and recovered fully within 24 hours. He adds that livestock rarely eat it, but some affected animals become addicted to it.
Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet, Woody Nightshade)
Violet and purple are the bees' favour colours and the Bittersweet flower raises its petals to show everything, including green and white nectar guides that bees probably see in ultraviolet a bit like we do flashing neon. The magic of macro photography helps us admire the flowers, tiny to us at barely a centimetre long, but bigger that most of the little bumble bees I see enjoying them.
In his Book of British Berries, David Lang tells us Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara, Woody Nightshade) has been known and used medicinally for a very long time, and as late as 1934 was a popular remedy for chronic rheumatism and skin eruptions. Children have been poisoned by the fruits but the only 12 cases listed by the National Poison Information Service at that time were mild and recovered fully within 24 hours. He adds that livestock rarely eat it, but some affected animals become addicted to it.