Fauna
Flower

Field Scabious

Knautia arvensis

Also known as Blue Pincushion, Bachelor's Buttons, Gipsy Rose, Blue Buttons

Field scabious rises on stiff, bristly stems to display domed, lilac-blue flower heads that flutter above dry grasslands and roadside verges throughout summer. Each composite blossom is ringed by enlarged outer florets that create a landing platform, drawing an exceptional diversity of long-tongued bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. A taproot anchors the plant deeply into chalky, calcareous soils, allowing it to withstand prolonged summer dry spells while maintaining a steady nectar flow.

WildflowerPollinator MagnetGrassland
Field Scabious reference1 / 6
(c) Patrick Hacker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Patrick Hacker · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, Soil Minerals
Predators
  • Roe Deer
  • Marsh Fritillary Caterpillar
  • Domestic Sheep
ThreatsAgricultural intensification, excessive herbicide use, and loss of unimproved grassland
HabitatsDry meadows, chalk downland, pasture borders, road verges, and open scrub
Life spanPerennial (typically 3–10 years)
Classification
  1. OrderDipsacales
  2. FamilyCaprifoliaceae
  3. GenusKnautia
  4. SpeciesKnautia arvensis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Pollinator Watching: Visit sunny meadows around midday to observe dozens of solitary bee and butterfly species feeding on the nectar.
  • Identification Check: Count the petal lobes on individual florets; this genus carries four lobes, distinguishing it from five-lobed true scabious species.
  • Meadow Cultivation: Leave roadside verges unmown until late autumn so plants can drop seed and sustain native pollinators.
Related species
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