Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

Round-leaved sundew has, as the name suggests, round leaves up to 1 cm across. The leaf stalks are covered in tiny hairs. It is often found growing on hummocks of sphagnum moss and on wet heaths. In late summer, both species of sundew produce tiny flowers, borne on long stems which arise from the centre of the rosette of leaves.

Sundews are carnivorous plants which grow in nutrient-poor, acidic soils. They supplement their nutrient supply by catching and digesting small invertebrates. The leaves are covered with red hairs, each tipped by a droplet. The name "sundew" refers to these glistening droplets resembling dew. The hairs are tiny glands, producing a sticky sweet-smelling secretion which attracts small insects like flies. Each droplet is a deadly trap, ensnaring the unsuspecting insect.

As the fly struggles to escape, the mucilage starts to clog up its spiracles, tiny holes through which it breathes. The leaf hairs are very sensitive, having detected the insect, they start to curl inward. Very slowly the leaves also curl inwards and the droplets exude an enzyme which starts to digest the soft parts of the fly. The resulting fly soup is then absorbed by the leaves. Several days later, the leaves uncurl and the remains of the insect are discarded. The droplets then reappear at the end of the tentacles and the trap is reset. It is estimated that a sundew can catch up to 2,000 insects during the summer.

Sundew flowers only open in sunny weather for a few hours during the day. Raised high above the insect-trapping leaves, the flowers attract pollinators such as flies and midges. However, the flowers can also self-pollinate. In winter, the sundews which grow in temperate climates form a resting bud to survive the cold, from which they re-grow in spring.

Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!Ross-shire through the Lens: Lochcarron Highland Games Attadale wonderland!

Read More

Also growing in nitrogen-poor bogs and wet acidic heaths is another carnivorous plant, common butterwort. In spring, small green stars of yellow-green basal leaves appear flat to the ground. From this rosette two or three upright stalks grow, each producing small deep-purple flowers. Bees mainly pollinate these flowers but they can also self-pollinate.

Common butterwort also tops up its nutrients by catching and digesting prey. However, its bee pollinators are too large to be caught. Nearer the ground, small insects are trapped on the starfish-like leaves. These are covered in tiny sticky drops of mucilage so that they always look wet. The insects are attracted to the moisture and land on the leaf but quickly become stuck. The leaf edges slowly curl inwards to prevent escape and the plant secretes digestive enzymes which break down the soft parts of the insect. The liquefied nutrients are absorbed by the leaf before the leaf eventually uncurls to reveal the chitinous husk.

The common name, 'butterwort', refers to the fatty appearance of the leaves. Wort is an Old English word for a plant or herb. It was believed that rubbing butterwort leaves on a cow's udders would protect the cow from evil spirits and ensure a good supply of butter. The leaves were also used to curdle and thicken milk during cheese and butter making.

Birds of note this week included the queen eider in Lerwick harbour, a black-throated diver at Urafirth, an osprey in Unst, an eclipse male ring-necked duck at Clickimin, a ring-billed gull on Noss and a long-tailed skua at the airstrip in Foula.

The long-tailed skua is a scarce migrant, more commonly observed offshore in spring and autumn. Long-tailed skuas have a circumpolar distribution, breeding on the Arctic tundra, and are found in northern parts of Scandinavia. In summer, lemmings are a major part of their diet. After the breeding season, they migrate to the south Atlantic, spending the winter months at sea, feeding on fish. The smallest of the skuas, the long-tailed skua is about the size of a black-headed gull. Slim with long, slender wings, the flight is graceful and tern-like. In adult summer breeding plumage, it is readily identified by very long central tail feathers which can measure up to 20cm. The dark brown-grey upperparts, with black patches on the wings, contrast with pale underparts and a dark cap.

Cetacean sightings this week have included Risso's dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, common dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke and orca.

AI teachers and cybernetics - what could the world look like in 2050?

Laura Cress - Technology reporter

   The last 25 years has seen some mind-bending technological changes. At the start of the century, most computers connected to the internet with noisy dial-up connections, Netflix was an online DVD rental company, and the vast majority of people hadn't even heard of a smartphone. Fast forward two and a half decades, and innovations in AI, robotics and much else besides are emerging at an incredible rate. So we decided to ask experts what the next 25 years could bring. Here are their predictions for the technology we'll be using by 2050 - and how it could reshape our lives.

    Merging humans and machines

    Science fiction set in the 2050s is full of examples of humans using technological enhancements to feel fitter, happier and more productive. In the 2000 hit game Deus Ex - set in 2052 - the player can inject themselves with tiny robots called “nanites”. These microscopic robots manipulate matter on atomic levels, giving superhuman abilities such as enhanced speed and the ability to see in the dark. It sounds like something from the distant future, but nanotechnology - engineering at a scale of millionths of a millimetre - is already used in lots of everyday real-life tech. In fact, it is powering the way you are reading these very words right now - every smartphone or computer is run by a central chip made up of billions of tiny transistors - electrical components built on a nanoscale to speed up data processing. Professor Steven Bramwell at the London Centre for Nanotechnology told the BBC by 2050 we should expect the lines between machines, electronics and biology to be “significantly blurred”. That means we could see nanotechnology implants by then - but more to “monitor your health or aid communication” rather than to appear invisible, as in Deus Ex. Medicine could also make common use of machines at a nanometre scale to “deliver drugs to exactly where they need to go”, said Professor Bramwell. Cybernetics professor Kevin Warwick is equally interested in studying augmentations, going one step further than most. In 1998 he became the first human to have a microchip implanted into his nervous system, earning him the title “Captain Cyborg”. Professor Warwick believes by 2050, advancements in cybernetics - the science studying the links between natural and mechanical systems - could lead to trailblazing treatments for diseases. He predicts the use of “deep brain electronic stimulation” as a partial treatment for some conditions such as schizophrenia, rather than medicine. He adds it is likely we'll see more cybernetic enhancements of the kind he has already trialled himself, so that “your brain and body can be in different places”. And what if we wanted to test out how the latest enhancement, or even new diet worked on our bodies, without any risks of experiencing the side effects? Professor Roger Highfield, Science Director of the Science Museum, believes “digital twins” - virtual versions of a physical object, updated using real time data - could become a regular feature in our lives. He imagines a world where each of us could have “thousands of simplified twins”, using them to explore how “different medications or lifestyle changes affect your unique biology”. In other words, we could preview our futures before we live them.

     The next generation of AI  

    Many technology firms, including Google and IBM, are currently locked in a multi-billion dollar race to revolutionise how we push fields like AI even further - in the form of quantum computing. Quantum computers are machines which can do very complex calculations at incredibly fast speeds - for example, simulating molecular interactions to design new drugs faster. In January 2025, Jensen Huang - boss of the leading chip firm Nvidia - said he believed “very useful” quantum computing would come in 20 years. AI itself will undoubtedly continue to loom large in our society as we journey towards the half century mark. Futurist and author Tracey Follows, who helped write a White Paper on UK education in 2050, believes learning will take place across “virtual and physical realities” using AI teachers which “adjust in real time”. Rather than textbooks, she predicts children will use “immersive simulations”. Meanwhile, education will be less standardised, with each child's individual DNA or biometric data studied to understand how they learn best.

Available on https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c865n800d5jo