Ragwort Pulling

I have mixed feelings about pulling up the Ragwort - my neighbours certainly would not thank me for leaving it as windblown seeds pay no respect to the boundaries of the Woodland and Wildflower Meadow. However, I really like seeing the Cinnabar moth caterpillars with their bright orange and black "warning I taste bad" stripes.

Quite a lot of Ragworth has moved into the Meadow this year from an uncultivated strip on a nearby field. It needs to be pulled up by the roots to remove it - so I spent a sweaty couple of hours tugging at the plants. The result was a field clear of ragwort - and there are several places nearby with plenty growing, so the Cinnabar Month will still have a home.

The best reward for hard labour of ragwort pulling was finding this Marsh Thistle growing in the damp area at the bottom the field - a new plant for the Meadow which I hope might get established.