Few-flowered leek with visitor

This rather strange plant of the onion family is a very invasive garden escape or throw-out in our area. Few-flowered leek or Allium paradoxum was introduced into British gardens from SW Asia and first recorded in the wild in 1863. There are woodland edges and roadside verges in this area, especially along the Beds-Bucks border, where it is now completely dominent and has overwhelmed bluebells and other native spring flowers. Sadly, it was introduced to the woodland in my nature reserve around 20 years ago, almost certainly on the tyres of contractor's vehicles at a time when a lot of wind-blown trees were being dealt with. Despite digging out most years, it has taken a hold in one corner of the wood. It spreads very effectively by means of the yellow bulbils you can see here. The tiny beetle landed just as I was lining up my shot and clearly wanted to be in the photograph - no idea what it is!!

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