A fine stand of Devil's-Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis).

 An early evening walk. The humid heat of the day was turning balmy. I stopped to take in the view. The noise of the town (and in my head) was gone. A dog barked far away, a bird called out in the field, an insect buzzed past my ear. Individual sounds separated by distances and silence.

 One of the most common butterflies: the Large White. 

I think the two spots on each wing indicate this is the female of the species. 

 Also known as Cabbage White, and they do indeed like a bit of brassica. Or rather the caterpillars do which is what does the damage. The Large White will lay up to a hundred eggs two or three times a year which results in a lot of hungry mouths to feed.

 These photos were taken on the allotment and I notice my neighbours have netted their cabbages to protect them.

 Late summer wildflowers were the theme of last week's entries. As daylight hours decrease so too the number of flowering plants (and I'm sorry to say the nights are drawing in). 

 Gardeners face the same situation and seek out species to extend the season. Case in point Sedums flower well into September and October. I think this one is the form known as 'Munstead Red'?

 Many plants in the genus have been renamed Hylotelephium but try saying that with your mouth full. I'll stick with Sedum or the colloquial name Stonecrop. 

 NB gloriously warm and sunny this week which helps stave off the transition into dormancy (mine as well as the plants).

Here is a fantastic beast: the caterpillar of the Elephant Hawk-moth.

 Wild Marjoram aka Wild Oregano (Origanum vulgare). An important plant for bees and butterflies by virtue of its long flowering season through July/August/September. 

 Devil's-Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) flowers in grassland from late summer into autumn. Said to be a plant that needs moist soil but I see S. pratensis growing on calcareous soils in places like the South Downs and Knocking Hoe which are free draining and dry. Generally on sloping ground so perhaps they get the benefit of rainfall as it drains downhill?

 Various sources note the common name comes from archaic folklore that the roots are short because the devil bit them off. Hard to imagine this would become the common parlance but common names of plants are frequently obscure and curious.