BBC Wildlife - UK (2020-05)

Cockw

se

from

top

eft:

Pau

Weston/A

amy;

Ross

Hodd

nott/naturep

.com;

John

M

ar/Nat

ona

Trust

Pcture

Lbrary;

Jm

Ha

ett/naturep

.com;

Gary

KSm

th/FLPA;

Steve

Ncho

s/naturep

.com

Clockwisefromtop

left:windsweptsand

dunesinAnglesey;the

bright-greenmating

liveryofa malesand

lizard;theNational

Trust’sPortstewart

Strand;a juvenile

natterjacktoadleaves

itsovernightburrow;

smalltortoiseshell

butterfliesfeedonsea

holly;northernmarsh

orchids thrive in sea air.

May 2020 BBC Wildlife 17

WILDMAY

wetlandvegetation.Pondsinthese

slacksarethemainspawninghabitat

foroneofBritain’srarestnative

amphibians– thenatterjack toad.

Peaksandtroughs

Comparedtotheflatter,wetter,greener

slacks,thesurroundingdunesaremore

undulating,whichleadstoa fargreater

rangeofaspects.Thesubtlydifferent

microclimateswarmupatdifferent

rates,andthiscreatesinnumerable

nooksandcranniesthatcanprovide

respitefromthenearrelentlesswind.

Thesecoastalconditionsfrequently

suitmanyplantsthattendtobepoor

competitorselsewhere,aswellasan

arrayofbumblebees,diggerbees,

burrowing wasps and sand lizards.