WILDLIFE
These pictures show the small wildlife most likely to be seen in Cornish hedges by the passer-by.
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 basking on bracken. The hedge brown is still seen in Cornish hedges, though their numbers have been slashed by use of the flail type of hedge-trimmer. Where, before the flail was introduced, you would see a dozen in a few yards, now there may be only one or two in half a mile of hedge.)
 is another of the few butterflies still haunting Cornish hedges in pitifully small numbers. This one at rest on a creeping buttercup leaf shows how the wing colours act as camouflage among the woody twigs and leaf-litter of the hedge.)
 is one of the many butterfly species once commonly seen in Cornish hedges, now rarely as for example this solitary male resting on hart%27s-tongue fern. The flail destroys the butterfly%27s larvae and chrysalids along with the food-plants in the hedge, and sucks in most of the insects on the wing close to the hedge.)
 is now seen sparsely in Cornish hedges. This one is busily feeding on spear thistle, long tongue extended.)
 on black knapweed in a roadside Cornish hedge in West Penwith in 2007.)
, favourite food of the song-thrush, is killed wholesale by the flail as it sticks itself on to the foliage like this during hot weather. Every creature on or among the hedge growth is mashed by the flail%27s action.)
 live under loose bark on the hedge-top bushes and trees. They are carnivorous and prey on other insect larvae.)
 with its fierce-looking red turned-up tail is harmless and beneficial, like nearly all the insect life of the Cornish hedge.)
![](photo.htm?src=pics/hoverflyheloph.jpg&height=450&width=609&alt=The beautiful hover-fly Helophilus pendulus lives up to its name "sun-lover" and comes out to feed and bask on hogweed flowers when the sun shines.)
 is to be seen in flailed hedges if they are allowed to grow throughout summer without being trimmed.)
 feed on figwort and foxglove in Cornish hedges as well as their "official" food-plant great mullein as seen here.)
 seen in a mile of flail-damaged hedge in 2007.)
 making a brief re-appearance in a hedge degraded by the flail but now allowed to grow in summer.)
 on yarrow. It is now quite unusual to see a number of insects at any one time on a single flower-head, as invertebrate populations in Cornish hedges have fallen so low due to the destruction by flail.)
 rests on the sunny side of a Cornish hedge.)
