Road verges, grassy banks and waste land

Wiltshire’s road verges, grassy banks and waste land are unusually ablaze with ragwort.  Normally at this time of year WC’s ragwort vigilantes would have been grubbing it up to protect passing horses and cattle (at least that’s the rationale for its destruction).  But not this season it seems, and the result is a riot of colour which is good news for the spectacular cinnabar moth whose caterpillars feast on the stuff.  It’s probable that the ragwort extermination squad is busy filling potholes – or maybe preparing for another safety audit on the Semington’s troubled and dangerous byway.