25 October 2023

Ivy flowers

Look out for ivy flowers, which on any dry day are sure to be covered in bees, wasps, flies and butterflies, as well as moths when they come out in the dark. Some are attracted by the putrid smell of fairly inconspicuous lime-yellow flowers on the crown of woody stems amid oval untoothed leaves – characteristic of the flowering stage of ivy. Five pointed green petals reflex backwards with the dome in the centre oozing nectar, at this time of year when nectar is scarce. Ivy is a foodplant of the holly blue butterfly, whose eggs are laid on the flowers. Love or hate it, ivy is part of our native Irish biodiversity.