Scout Scar: flora and butterflies

Hoary Rock Rose, Helianthemum canum

 At this season the cliff-face of Scout Scar escarpment is a glory of yellow flowers.  Hoary Rock-Rose is the rarest, the most delicate, its flowers opening only when the sun shines- as its Latin name implies. It is found only on the cliff-face, or on the nearby shallow limestone terraces.  And its flowering time is brief, unlike Common Rock Rose which is less specialist. 

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Hoary Rock Rose has this niche habitat because it can't compete with more robust plants.  Its leaves are greyish green, hence hoary.  Common Rock Rose is more robust, more widely distributed on the limestone grassland of Scout Scar and flowers far longer.
With the exceptionally warm, dry weather of April and May spring flowers come early, and are soon over.  Dark blue milkwort, Polygara vulgaris,  grew beside Mountain everlasting, Antennaria dioica. Mountain everlasting is a plant of dry mountain grassland and calcareous soils.  

A morning of clarity with cloud gathering toward mid-day.  I photographed Dingy Skipper on Scout Scar.  There were small butterflies active over the limestone grassland of Helsington Barrows, often giving a tawny-orange impression- probably a fresh brood of Small Heath.
It's  good to check with Chris of Butterfly Conservation. He is expert and always adds interesting  information, what to look out for-
Yes it's a DS......they are having a good season. Also look out for Small Heath [just out] and Smal Pear-bordered Fritillary will also be coming out soon.

Radio Cumbria, 16th May.  Trials conducted to see if humans can be screened for Covid 19 by sniffer dogs.
Some dogs are already carrying out informal  experiments on Scout Scar.