the burnt site
The burnt site
The heat and smoke from fires attract many insects. They live on the dead wood and the fungi that grow there and here they lay their eggs.
Flowers following fire
After fire, the burnt site flower! A lot of nutrients have been set free from the burnt wood. Many seeds are hidden in the ground. Bitter vetch and tufted vetch are such species.
Life-giving heat
Some plant species can only be found after a recent fire. Their seeds must be heated by fire or strong sun before they can germinate and may have been dormant since a previous fire, hundreds of years ago.
