There’s a really large broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) in our front garden which has been growing for the last couple of years. It has its lush new leaves now, and a dozen or so dock bugs (Coreus marginatus) are currently calling it home. I really like shield bugs, especially since I learned how adorable their nymphs are, and dock bug babies have disproportionately large antennae so I’ll be looking out for those over the next few months.
You can see that the dock still has its seedheads from last year – this makes a great scaffold for spider webs, and as the new garden spiders are hatching at the moment, it’s good to keep some tall stems to help them make their first webs. The seeds are eaten by birds, and the larvae of many insects live on dock leaves.
Speaking of birds, nestlings eat spiders, and while I love all the invertebrates in the garden, it’s also important to realise the vital role they play in providing nutrition and moisture to fledglings, especially in this unseasonably hot weather we are having right now.
Docks are regarded as “weeds” by many as they are difficult to dig up, and being common, are regarded as superfluous and unattractive in a garden. Of course, it’s precisely its commonness which makes it so valuable for wildlife; lots of species rely on our ubiquitous native plants such as thistles and dandelions for food and other resources. Even the RHS, not known for its expansive approach to nature-forward practices acknowledges how docks don’t need to be treated as garden pariahs.
Here are some of the dock bugs I found:
Aren’t they sweet? And here are my drawings. I wanted to paint them but it’s really hot in my room and the paint dries really quickly, and to be honest I have painted a lot of green and brown recently and didn’t feel inspired. I also really enjoy just using my Blackwing pencil to draw…the simplicity is comforting and it really is my favourite medium.
