Better late than never

Wednesday 3rd April 2024, Burnside Meadow

It was June 2020 when I received an invitation for the group to visit this site. Nearly four years later, with chunks of time disappearing due to the COVID pandemic restrictions, we finally made it for a day at this site.

Having parked a little way away from the site in a local car park, and meeting one of the volunteers who looks after the site, we walked to the site where we were met by a few other volunteers joining us for the day.

The site is a sizeable patch of grassland with an area of woodland. It is bordered on one side by housing and on the other by the Rea Brook. It is part of the Rea Brook Valley Nature Reserve.

The name of the site has made me ponder on the many names for flowing water! (My thesaurus provides nine alternatives to river.) Is there a difference between a brook and a burn or a beck? When does a brook become a river? When does a stream become significant enough to be named? The answers to these questions are beyond me!

I digress.

The volunteers have planted hedgerows and some trees which are still in the early stages of development. They are trying to control some of the more dominant species of plant. A pool is also planned, and suitable sites are being tested.

Moving onto the grassland our early finds were dominated by ladybirds.

A 2-spot ladybird. This one is a less common form of the ladybird, known as form quadrimaculata.

Photograph: David Williams

A 7-spot ladybird together with the typical form of a 2-spot ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

A Harlequin ladybird and a Pine ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

A pair of 24-spot ladybird sensing that spring was in the air.

Photograph: David Williams

And now for something that was not a ladybird …

Not even an insect.

A Common frog, passing the time of day hunkered down in the grass.

After this quick diversion it is back to insects.

A Dock bug, Coreus marginatus.

A solitary bee, Andrena scotia.

Photograph: John Martin

A lesser dung fly, Spelobia clunipes.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

This unfortunate fly has been infected by a fungus which has erupted through its abdomen. The photographer has, helpfully, added a red arrow to point this out.

Moving away from insects once more we managed to find a couple of snails that could be identified:

A Rounded snail, Discus rotundatus;

Photograph: David Williams

And a Hairy snail, Trochulus hispidus.

Photograph: David Williams

And now for another ladybird; one we have seen before, a 24-spot. 

So why include another photograph? 

Because it was spotless!

Photograph: David Williams

Lunchtime! 

As the grassland we were in was very wet and not really suitable for a picnic we sought higher (and drier) ground.

We headed for the edge of the reserve, by the housing, where we made use of some conveniently placed tree trunks that had been coppiced and laid out.

On the way, ever vigilant, we spotted a hoverfly, Eristalis arbustorum;

Photograph: John Martin

And a Cuckoo flower, possibly the only one in flower at the time within the site.

Lunch was consumed in relative comfort.

During this sojourn a large ground beetle was spotted wandering along the ground between our feet. It was put in a pot as we tried to identify the species.

Unfortunately, we were unable to decide which species it was but narrowed it down to either Abax parallelepipedus or a Pterostichus species. [Note: It has now been confirmed as Abax parallelepipedus]

It was photographed then released to continue its rambling. We await information about whether it can be identified.

Photograph: John Martin

Lunch over we hauled ourselves up from our perches and meandered over to the woodland. 

A large bend in the Rea Brook restricts the woodland to a narrow strip between the water and the housing. 

Although some adventurous members entered the body of the wood, as there was no path and the underfoot conditions were wet and slippery, those of us of lesser agility stayed at the edge.

An Alder leaf beetle and a Parent bug were observed.

Photograph: David Williams

And munching its way through some tasty wet dead wood was a Green cellar slug, Limacus maculatus. It is also known as an Irish yellow slug.

Photograph: Neil Nash

Retreating from the woodland and returning to the grassland we continued our searching as we made our way very slowly towards the exit. 

A suction sample of the vegetation revealed a tortoise beetle, Cassida flaveola;

Photograph: John Martin

And a lace bug, Tingis ampliata. The lace bug is associated with Creeping thistle.

Photograph: John Martin

Time to go.

As we left the site, tapping a conifer overhanging the entrance revealed another ladybird. This was the tiny (about 2mm in length) Scymnus interruptus.

Photograph: David Williams

What a nice way to finish the day.

My thanks to Shrewsbury Council and the volunteers for allowing us to do what we enjoy doing. My gratitude to the photographers for sending me their images to illuminate the report.

The Joy of Mountaineering!

Wednesday 27th March 2024, Lee Hills

Lee Hills are a pair of hills overlooking the village of Lee Brockhurst. The slopes and the summits are cloaked in woodland and there is a large area of grassland between the two peaks.

It was raining as we gathered at the edge of the village in the shadow of the hills.

Actually, there were no shadows, The sun was hidden by thick cloud.

And even if the sun was shining there would be no shadows over the village as the hills were to the north!

The problem with hills is that you have to climb them to get to the top.

The rain stopped as we walked along the road to a public footpath sign pointing into the hillside. Having scrambled over the style we were met by a path that ascended steeply. 

Unfortunately, this initially distinct path soon became indistinct. 

We managed to pick our way through the trees and Rhododendron to find a clearer area that allowed us to see where we were making for.

We paused for a breather.

Continuing up we finally made the path that circumnavigates the hills.

Once on the path we wandered to the left, doing quick searches of the vegetation as we went, arriving, quite soon, at a viewpoint.

The sandstone rock that provided the viewpoint was obviously a big attraction for the local artists who made their marks on the stone.

Turning around from the viewpoint we could see the summit of the southern hill.

Up we went. 

A shorter and gentler slope.

At the summit we found the ruin of a small stone building. This became our base for a while.

Sending out search parties from here we managed to find quite a few species of interest.

A lichen, Cladonia polydactyla.

Photograph: John Martin

The fungus Sphaerulina azalea, which is found on Rhododendron.

All three forms of 10-spot ladybirds:

decempunctata;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

decempustulatus;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

and bimaculata.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A red velvet mite, sorry I do not know the species.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A fly, Opetia nigra.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

An “inconspicuous” ladybird, Nephus quadrimaculatus, known as the Ivy ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

Lunch was enjoyed.

Before moving on after lunch another foray into the undergrowth discovered three more species, one of which we were unable to identify.

A ground beetle;

Photograph: John Martin

A pill woodlouse, Armadillidium pulchellus;

Photograph: David Williams

And a harvestman that has been given the rather mouthful of a name, Sabacon viscayanus ramblaianus.

Photograph: John Martin

Moving north from the southern summit we moved down onto a large grassland that covers the saddle between the two hills.

By now the clouds had broken up allowing the sun to emerge. This encouraged a couple of bees to venture forth and pose for photographs.

A Tawny mining bee.

Photograph: David Williams

A Red-tailed bumble bee.

Photograph: David Williams

Also spotted, was an Ichneumon wasp. I am reliably informed that it is a member of the Ophion genus.

David Williams

However, the sun did not encourage these 7-spot ladybirds to emerge from the safety of an old fruit of a Sweet chestnut.

We eventually reached to far side of the grassland as it rose to give way to more woodland on the northern hill.

There was a choice at a branch in the path. Follow it as it climbed over the other side leading to a path down and back to the cars, or, continue straight on until it met a lane that would provide a longer but gentler descent to the cars.

We headed for the lane ...

Passing a dead branch on which there was an eruption of Witches’ butter.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

As we walked down the lane we passed some patches of Cuckoo pint which were infected by the parasitic fungus, Spermosporia aricola.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

The rain restarted just as we got back to the cars. 

My thanks to the National Trust for allowing us to do what we enjoy doing. My gratitude to the photographers for sending me their images to illuminate the report.

Lamproderma giganticum

Wednesday 20th March, Roveries Wood

The privately owned Roveries Wood covers a pair of hills on the western edge of Shropshire just north of Bishop’s Castle. The wood is conifer plantation with some broadleaved trees and there is a hillfort at the summit of the southern-most hill.

Recently the owners have been felling some of the conifers to allow more light into the wood with the intent to improve its biodiversity.

I was unable to attend this meeting, so I am grateful for a summary of the day from Jim which forms the basis of this report.

Entering the site they followed a track which was south facing, in the sun and quite warm. To the north of the path, cloaking the slope was mixed woodland.

Large patches of Polytrichum moss were noted. Although it was too late for Snow fleas it may be worth returning to next winter to see if they are present.

The aim was to reach the hill fort for lunch but the pace, despite best endeavours, was too slow! 

As the track headed round to the north it went downhill. This continued for quite a while as it passed into the trees of the conifer plantation. Eventually they started to head westwards, uphill towards the saddle between the two hills.

As the time for lunch arrived the hillfort was still some way off so they had lunch perched on the main path.

Lunch over they took a path to the top, which was not too steep as it meandered upwards. 

The hillfort is quite flat with some trees but mostly lush grass. Unfortunately the attempts to include Yellow rattle have not yet been fruitful.

After spending time exploring the hillfort area they followed a path down that led to where the cars were parked. 

And now the pictures from the day.

A general scene within the wood.

Photograph: David Williams

A slime mould, Trichia varia.

Photograph: John Martin

A moth larva, probably a Scarce footman.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A 7-spot ladybird.

Scarce footman David Williams

A wingless lesser dung fly, Apteromyia claviventris.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

This was a very interesting find as this species is not known for being wingless.

An Orange ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

A moth larva, possibly an Anomalous moth.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A micro-ladybird Scymnus suturalis together with a springtail, a species of Entomobryia.

Photograph: David Williams

Here is a Scymnus suturalis alongside a Pine ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

A plant, Bird’s foot.

Photograph: John Martin

A huddle around a tray containing the results of a suction sample.

Photograph: Caroline Uff

A pair of Broom leaf beetles.

Photograph: David Williams

Finally a Common damsel bug.

Photograph: John Martin

As the group drove away from the site a passenger in one of the cars took the following photograph.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

After much discussion the structure was named Lamproderma giganticum.

Why?

Lamproderma is a group of slime moulds whose fruiting bodies are often iridescent globes on the top of stalks. Type Lamproderma into your search engine and look at the images it returns; you will see the resemblance between them and the photographed structure.

My thanks to the owners of Roveries Wood for allowing us to do what we enjoy doing. My gratitude to Jim for the summary of the day and the photographers for sending me their images to illuminate the report.