STREAKED GILLYVOR
Plants, Gillyvor, Streaked Gillyvor Seona Anderson Plants, Gillyvor, Streaked Gillyvor Seona Anderson

STREAKED GILLYVOR

Shakespeare Species Streaked Gillyvor: the fairest flowers o’ th’ season are our carnations and streaked gillyvors. Carnations and Gillyflowers of different varieties were high status plants and in this quote Perdita questions the process of interfering with nature to produce different varieties.

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WHALE
Sea Mammal, Whale Seona Anderson Sea Mammal, Whale Seona Anderson

WHALE

Shakespeare Species Whale: What tempest…threw this whale, with so many tuns of oil in his belly, ashore at Windsor. Mistress Ford provides a graphic description of Falstaff’s arrival in her town.

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PINK
Plants, Pink Seona Anderson Plants, Pink Seona Anderson

PINK

Shakespeare Species Pink: I am the very pink of courtesy. “Pink” for the flower. Pinks are beautiful wild and garden Carnations.

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Lark’s Heel
Plants, Lark's Heel Seona Anderson Plants, Lark's Heel Seona Anderson

Lark’s Heel

Shakespeare Species Lark’s Heel: Lark’s heels trim: all dear Nature’s children sweet lie ‘fore bride and bridegrooms feet. Lark’s Heels is probably Larks Spur a popular garden plant.

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DAW
Birds, Daw, Jackdaw, Corvids Seona Anderson Birds, Daw, Jackdaw, Corvids Seona Anderson

DAW

Shakespeare Species Daw (Jackdaw): At your request? Yes, nightingales answer daws. Jackdaws are a widespread member of the Crow family with a distinctive ‘tchack’ call.

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GLOWWORM
Insects, Glowworm Seona Anderson Insects, Glowworm Seona Anderson

GLOWWORM

Shakespeare Species Glowworm: the glowworm shows the matin to be near, and ‘gins to pale hi uneffectual fire. Glowworms are female beetles and they shine in summer meadows. They are declining in the UK and Europe.

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CRICKET
Insects, Cricket Seona Anderson Insects, Cricket Seona Anderson

CRICKET

Shakespeare Species Cricket: her collars of the moonshine’s wat’ry beams, her whip of cricket’s bones, the lash of film. Yet more insect based construction and accessories for Mab, Queen of the Fairies.

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FLY
Insects, Flies Seona Anderson Insects, Flies Seona Anderson

FLY

Shakespeare Species Fly: As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods; they kill us for their sport. House Flies have featured in the culture and literature of many cultures around the world.

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MOTH
Insects, Moths Seona Anderson Insects, Moths Seona Anderson

MOTH

Shakespeare Species Moth: they say that all the yarn she spun in Ulysses’ absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Moths have great diversity and beauty with over 2,500 species in the UK, only 2 species favour clothes as food.

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GRASSHOPPER
Insects, Grasshopper Seona Anderson Insects, Grasshopper Seona Anderson

GRASSHOPPER

Shakespeare Species Grasshopper: Her wagon spokes made of long spinners’ legs, the cover of the wings of grasshoppers. Queen Mab’s Fairy chariot is based on insect engineering.

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BEETLE
Insects, Beetle Seona Anderson Insects, Beetle Seona Anderson

BEETLE

Shakespeare Species Beetle: And the poor beetle that we tread upon in corporal sufferance finds a pang as great as when a giant dies. There are over 4000 Beetle species in the UK.

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SPIDER
Insects, Spider Seona Anderson Insects, Spider Seona Anderson

SPIDER

Shakespeare Species Spider: My brain more busy than the labouring spider, weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies. There are over 600 species of Spider in the UK.

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FERN
Plant, Fern, Magic Seona Anderson Plant, Fern, Magic Seona Anderson

FERN

Shakespeare Species FERN: We have the receipt of fern seed: we walk invisible. There is a tradition in many parts of Europe that finding the fern seed gave you treasure or powers such as invisibility. This was often linked to Midsummer. Happy Solstice!

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PARROT
Birds, Parrot Seona Anderson Birds, Parrot Seona Anderson

PARROT

Shakespeare Species PARROT: that ever this fellow should have fewer words than a parrot, and yet the son of a woman! Parrots have been popular companion birds since antiquity with an ability to speak.

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