Country diary: How extraordinary to see with an insect's eye | Kate Blincoe

Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk: Algae is red, nettles are blue - this is all perfectly normal for creatures who, unlike humans, can see biofluorescenceIt was a long time coming, but spring is here at the farm. The swallows are back, the annual bluebell open day completed, and the infertile but broody goose is tending her surrogate goslings.Now, as night falls, I gather with a group of people for a walk with a difference. We're handed ultraviolet torches. I switch mine on and I'm suddenly standing in a pool of scarlet blood. Our guide, David Atthowe, explains that the greenish algae underfoot is now glowing bright red. Continue reading...