With a generally hot, dry and sunny June this year there are plenty of wild flowers to look out for. Around Beachy Head Bee Orchids are currently in flower and include the white petaled variety. On Belle Tout there is a particularly fine display of fine grasses, herbs including pink Thyme, white Dropwort, yellow Biting Stonecrop and Ling heather. Common Spotted Orchids and Twayblade are currently plentiful, particularly on the northern escarpment.
Coming into flower in late June at various chalk grassland sites are Yellow Wort, Small Scabius, Black and Greater Knapweed, Wild Carrot, Round Headed Rampion and Pyramidal Orchid.
On new downland areas created alongside the Beachy Head coast road in 1992 there are now some interesting chalk grassland flowers including a notable colony of Bee Orchids, Pyramidal Orchids and Small Scabious, amongst other species. This is particularly rewarding, considering these areas were under arable cultivation for many years and are likely to have received fertilisers and pesticides in the past.
The current management for these areas is grazing, especially during winter months and the removal of a hay crop in high summer. Hay is likely to be taken during early-mid July with wildlife strips left for seeding flowers and invertebrates.
Over the last few weeks there have been notable displays of Horseshoe Vetch and Birds Foot Trefoil, which are the favourite food plant of caterpillars of Blue and Skipper butterflies. In late May there were several Common and Adonis Blue butterflies spotted below Belle Tout along with Speckled Wood.
The Downland Ranger leads a series of guided walks during the summer months at Beachy Head, Belle Tout, Butts Brow and to Falling Sands beach below Beachy Head. Full details are available in the East Sussex County Council 'Exploring East Sussex' summer programme of events.
