AA #19: Prickly Insect Magnet
Please note that the cache description contains the above external link to a jigsaw.
Although it is from a well-known source, it has 'not been checked by Groundspeak nor by the reviewer for possible malicious content and access to the site is therefore at your own risk'.
To Find the Cache: clicking on the image above will link you to a jigsaw, completion of which will reveal the cache coordinates - and a helpful hint!
The final cache of the Askwith Amble, a camo-taped 35mm film canister, is hidden near the bridge where East Beck, having travelled from its source in the moors below Askwith Moor Road passes under West Lane on its way to join the River Wharfe just downstream of Burley weir.
Completing the focus on thistles, this cache looks at ecological, symbolic and mythological aspects . . .
Ecology: Thistles have huge ecological value and support wildlife from stem to seed. As summer progresses, thistles are the most abundant flowers in some areas, from thick beds of Creeping Thistle in wasteland or field margins, or individual Spear Thistle with its attractive deep purple flowers.
Though some species begin to flower earlier, most start in June and July and can be flowering as late as October. They can be particularly well visited in the later parts of summer when many other flowers are scarce.
Like other members of the daisy family (Asteraceae), the flower heads are composites made up of many flowers closely clumped together. This means that there is often abundant nectar and pollen on a single head, and insects spend longer feeding than they might do otherwise.
Thistles also provide more than just food for pollinators. Some flies use the plants as homes for their larvae. Bulging lumps on the stems of Creeping Thistles are the creations of Thistle Gall Fly, a striking member of the fruit fly family. Cheilosia, a large genus of hoverflies, has several species whose larvae feed on thistle. The young of numerous other flies, beetles and moths mine into thistle leaves.
Not only insects benefit from thistles. Developing seeds rich with nutritious oils and fats, attract finches - especially goldfinches. These move through different seeds in the year as they become available. Thistles and the closely related burdocks fill a gap in late summer, between the dandelions of spring and teasles of autumn.
Thistles attract a wide range of insects, and over 500 FIT Counts (Flower Insect Timed Counts) have been done on thistle. No single group of insects dominates the results, though small insects make up 35% of the visiting insects counted. While butterflies only make up a small proportion of the visiting insects, thistles can attract a wide range of species, including some desirable groups such as fritillaries, skippers and Marbled Whites.
Over 30% of the 8,055 insects recorded on thistles are flies. Thistles seem quite popular with flies in the family Empididae, sometimes known as dagger flies. Their long mouth parts are ideal for snaking into the individual flowers.
See here for a photoblog of insects visiting thistles.
See short video here (amazing plant for wildlife).
Heraldry: The thistle has been the national emblem of Scotland since the reign of Alexander III (1249–1286) and was used on silver coins issued by James III in 1470. It is the symbol of the Order of the Thistle, a high chivalric order of Scotland. It is found in many Scottish symbols and as the name of several Scottish football clubs. The thistle, crowned with the Scottish crown, is the symbol of 7 of the 8 Scottish Police Forces. It is also the emblem of Encyclopædia Britannica, which originated in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Its origin as a symbol of Scotland is explained as follows . . . according to legend, an invading Norse army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army's encampment. During this operation one barefoot Norseman had the misfortune to step upon a thistle, causing him to cry out in pain, thus alerting Scots to the presence of the Norse invaders. Some sources suggest the specific occasion was the Battle of Largs, which marked the beginning of the departure of King Haakon IV (Haakon the Elder) of Norway who, having control of the Northern Isles and Hebrides, had harried the coast of the Kingdom of Scotland for some years.
The species involved is disputed. Popular modern usage favours Cotton Thistle Onopordum acanthium probably for its more imposing appearance, but it is unlikely to have occurred in Scotland in mediaeval times; the Spear Thistle Cirsium vulgare, an abundant native species in Scotland, is more likely.
Mythology (a few of the many myths): one explaining the origin of the lily, Ceres rewarded a child who helped her cross the river Seine with the knowledge to grow corn in fields to make bread. A vengeful druid, observing the tilling and sowing, drowned the boy to prevent it. Ceres turned the boy into the most beautiful flower and the druid into a thistle.
The milk thistle has an interesting legend to explain its name. According to the tale, the Virgin Mary encountered a cow. Being thirsty, she fashioned the leaf of a thistle into a cup and milked the cow. Having drunk her milk, Mary ordained that the plant would be forever marked in remembrance for its help. The story aims to explain the milky white veins on the plant’s leaves.
Thistles are fascinating in that they also offer relief from mental distress, not just physical ailments - not seen among many other plants. Wearing or carrying a thistle flower was believed to drive off feelings of melancholy. Keeping a vase of the flowers would boost the vitality of anyone in the same room.
Always ask the thistle for permission to cut the flower - then, wear or carry the thistle to bring peace of mind.
See here for a photo blog on thistles.
