Home for adders?
Hounslow Heath
The heath is an area of wilderness surrounded by tower blocks and under one of the main flight paths of Heathrow airport. During the first World War the heath itself was an airfield. Most of the open area is now a local nature reserve.
Flora
The heath is home to plants which are rare in other parts of London notably heather. In among the many grasses are gorse, broom and rushes. Some bee orchids have been found too.
Fauna
The heath is a breeding ground for many birds.
In summer the striped caterpillars of the cinnabar moth feed on yellow ragwort growing on the heath. These caterpillars are being used by farmers in an attempt to control ragwort which spreads rapidly and is pest because it is poisonous to cattle.
Butterflies seen on the heath include small copper, common blue, meadow brown and small heath.
Observers have spotted common lizards, slow-worms, grass snakes and adders. More common are foxes, rabbits and weasels.
Submitted by: Andrew Hunt, 20 January 2007
