Brown Meadow Butterfly on Purple Devil’s-Bit Scabious
Butterfly season is almost over but my alert friend spotted this little one on our woodland walk yesterday. The small round flower has a rather cumbersome name but they will sustain late-flying butterflies and bees. Historically species of scabious were believed to relieve the itch of scabies and other skin irritations.
Photo 1: Brown Meadow Butterfly on Purple Devil’s-Bit Scabious
Its unusual name is also attributed to the shape of the rhizomes. They have a bitten off look just under the ground and the devil is believed to have done it out of anger because the plant could cure so many ills but he could not stop it from being helpful.