12 Mar 2024

New habitat choice?

Wednesday 6th March, Hawkstone Park Follies

It was a grey misty morning when we gathered at the visitor centre for our visit to the Hawkstone Park Follies. 

As it is such a large site a quick discussion was held to see which part we should head for. The “Grand Valley”, which is a strip of grassland between steep wooded slopes, was the majority request. This saved me from having to make a decision only for everyone else to go somewhere different.


During the day we found one species new to Shropshire, another that may be a first record, and had a very pleasant surprise.

The new species: a lesser dung fly Crumomyia notabilis.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

Described by the finder as a “really nice fly” (be he seems find all small flies "really nice”) but our expert dipterist agreed! He described it as one of the “greater lesser” dung flies, i.e. it’s quite big for a lesser dung fly, so not likely to have been overlooked. There are very few records on national database it appears to be a genuinely scarce fly.

The species that may be new for the county is Andricus quercusradicis, a gall causer on oak. 


Its presence is given away by the slight swelling and large incision just before the branch.

As with many gall causes there are two generations. One is sexual, i.e. male and female adults emerge; the other is asexual or agamic, i.e. only females emerge. The gall in the above photograph was caused by the sexual generation. I can find no records for either generation in Shropshire and there are not many on the national database. I do not know if it is scarce or just under-recorded.

You will have to wait a while for the surprise.

Initial investigations were around the visitor centre before we moved on a short distance to an area known as the Menagerie. 

We had only been on site for 10 minutes or so when the first picnic table proved to be irresistible.


It was in this area that I found the only centipede I can identify in the field, Lithobius variegatus.


Another species that could be identified in the field (not by me) was the slime mould Metatrichia floriformis.

Photograph: John Martin

I think the term “slime mould” with its unpleasant connotations needs to be revised to something more appealing.

We moved on to the head of the “Grand Valley” where there was a play area, a couple of seats and waste bins.


Why include a picture of a waste bin area?

All will be revealed.

Rather than steer clear of this area one member of the group decided to investigate and looked in one of the bins.

No, not the one full of waste, but the upturned one.

Whatever was in there generated a lot of interest.


And what was in there provided the surprise for the day.

A Cave spider, Meta menardi.

Photograph: David Williams

As implied in the name cave spiders are normally found in caves, but they can be found anywhere that is dark and damp. However, I think upturned rubbish bin may be a new habitat choice for the spider! Cave spiders are found in the caves at Hawkstone but this one was a good distance from any cave.

The bin was returned to its rightful spot.

After that bit of excitement, we started to progress down the valley towards some picnic tables that shouted “Lunch” to us.

On the way we spotted a beetle larva.

Photograph: David Williams

A weevil, which may be Ceutorhynchus erysimi.

Photograph: John Martin

And another weevil, a member of the Sitona genus.

Photograph: John Martin

Rhododendron is abundant at Hawkstone Park and there were a great number of buds preparing to flower. Unfortunately, quite a few will not get to this stage as they are infected by the fungus Sphaerulina azalea, commonly known as Rhododendron bud blast.


Although the fungal spores will spread this infection it is thought that it is assisted by the egg-laying activities of the planthopper Graphocephala fennahi. The females make egg incisions in next year's flower buds in late summer-autumn. It is assumed that the fungus may infect the buds through the egg wounds. However, there is some doubt about this.

We reached the lunch spot.

Picnics consumed we continued down the valley. 

Reaching a path to the right we pondered awhile whether to take it. 

As it was up, relentlessly, we decided against it. However, there were some Primroses in flower at its side.

Photograph: John Martin

Reaching the end of the valley we continued along a path skirting the wood. 

Beating a Yew revealed a 10-spot and an Orange ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

Emerging from some moss was the fungus Xylaria polymorpha, known as Dead man’s fingers. I will leave it to your imagination to decide how it gained that name.

Photograph: Neil Nash

Our last significant find of the day was a Smooth newt found in a rotting log.

Photograph: David Williams

The sun came out.

But...

Too late, it was time to go home.

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

5 Mar 2024

February notes

Paul Watts

I start with the news that our dear friend Paul Watts has succumbed to his illness. Paul was one of the founder members of the group and a regular attender in its first couple of years. His commitment to walking and then illness prevented him from joining us for more than a handful of outings more recently. He will be missed.

Reproduced with permission from Pam Greenwood

Wednesday 4th February 2024, Rudge Farm

The month started off spectacularly with a visit to Rudge Farm and the recording of FOUR species new to the county.

These were:

An ichneumon – Ichneumon oblongus;

Photograph:Nigel Jones

A couple of flies, Geomyza nartshukae and Drosophila limbata;

And a ground bug Arocatus longiceps/roeselii.

Photograph:David Williams

The reason for this unusual name is that there are two identical species, one of which is associated with London plane trees (A. longiceps) and one with Alder (A. roeselii). However, there is some doubt that they are different and they may be the same species.

Adding to the list of highlights we also found Black oil beetles and a Glow worm larva. The only disappointment was our failure to find Snow fleas.

Rudge Farm is a large arable farm on the eastern border of Shropshire. Within its boundaries it has a large area of heath which is being protected and developed by the owner.

We were met by the owner who told us that there had been reports of sightings of oil beetles nearby. As we knew, from our previous visit last May, that oil beetles inhabited the heathland, we decided to abandon our plans to visit the ancient woodland and look at the heathland instead.

From where we parked it was a middling walk to the heathland. We were, almost immediately, rewarded for our efforts by the sight of a male Black oil beetle. This was followed a few minutes later by a second.

Photograph: David Williams

This is where we found the first.


And this is the habitat in which the second was spotted.


Initial excitement over we switched into our normal search mode. 

Beating a grass tussock revealed a Bishop’s Mitre and Rhopalus subrufus.

Photograph: David Williams

At some stage this moth larva was found:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

This is likely to be the larva of the moth, Setaceous Hebrew character.

Another Black oil beetle turned up. The less kinked antennae led us to believe that it was a female.

Photograph: David Williams

At times searching through a sample in a tray can look a bit like a chess match:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

King’s springtail to Queen’s snow flea 3!

Moving on from the heathland we continued along a descending path that led to a stream.


We searched among the dead and newly emerging vegetation on the banks, but found very little that moved. However we did find a fungus on a branch of an Ash.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

As yet it has not been identified, but a small sample has been passed on to a local expert for his opinion.

Nearby there were a number of the bright red Scarlet elf cups.

Photograph: Neil Nash

Next door to these fungi a small ox-bow had formed when the stream changed its course some time ago.


We continued to follow the stream’s course until it veered off to the right and we had to turn left return to our parking spot. Before we departed there was time to do some more searching.

A Slender ground hopper was spotted.

Photograph: David Williams

Sifting through a patch of rough grassland located a Harvest mouse nest, rather in need of repair!

Photograph: Neil Nash

And finally a suction sample of the same area revealed a Glow worm larva.

Photograph: David Williams

What a day.

Wednesday, Valentine’s Day, Lloyd’s Coppice

This trip generated a lot of photographs, so, apart from a preamble briefly describing the day, I leave the details to your imagination as you look through them.

Lloyd’s Coppice is an area of woodland that cloaks the northern slopes of the Severn Gorge opposite Jackfield. Much of the woodland is regarded as ancient and semi-natural.

We met at the top of the slope and made our way down to the main path at the bottom via a series of steps and sloping paths. Once we reached the main path we took a brief look at the Ice House and an a nearby ancient Sweet chestnut before heading west first to the Engine House then to the pool.

By the time we had reached and looked around the vegetation surrounding the pool it was time to trudge all the way back to the top to where we had started.

This was a day of strenuous exercise in addition to our usual activities.

Now for the photographs, roughly in the order they were taken!

Welcome to the site!


Meandering along before the descent.


Lesser celandine spotted at the side on the steps.


A wood-boring beetle, a member of the weevils, Trypodendron domesticum.

Photograph: John Martin

A snail, Clausilia bidentata.

Photograph: John Martin


A Nursery-web spider, Pisaura mirabilis.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Another snail, Discus rotandatus, Rounded snail.

Photograph: John Martin

A landmark at the bottom of the hill, the Ice House.


The ancient Sweet chestnut.


A beetle, Ischnomera sanguinicollis.

Photograph: John Martin

A photograph named USOs (Unidentified Snaily Objects).

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Thanks to the county’s snail expert these have now been identified. From bottom to top they are Zenobiellina subrufescens, Oxychilus alliarius, Discus rotundatus and Trochulus hispidus.

A ground beetle, unfortunately we do not know its species name but it is a member of the Ocys genus.

Photograph: John Martin

Lesser periwinkle.


An Eristalis tenax hoverfly feeding on a Snowdrop.

Photograph: David Williams

The Engine House


A springtail, Entomobrya albocincta.

Photograph: David Williams

An Orange ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

A spider, Metellina merianae, a variation known as chelata.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Another springtail, this time a member of the Tomocerus genus, but we do not know which species.

Photograph: David Williams

A gall commonly found at the tip of Yew tree twigs caused by the fly Taxomyia taxi.

Photograph: John Martin

The pool area.


A largish Staphylinid or Rove beetle, as yet unidentified.

Photograph: John Martin

And, finally, what comes down must go up!!!!!

Photograph: Nigel Jones

Wednesday 21st February 2024, Hopton Hill and The Cliffe

Torrential rain fell on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Althgough it had eased by the time we set off for these sites close to Nesscliffe, it was still raining. However, as if by magic, it had just about stopped by the time we had all arrived and were ready.

We were greeted this information sign warning us about “giant Americans”!

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Undeterred we set off to explore the woodland on Hopton Hill which was a mixture of conifers and beech. 

Early finds included:

A 14-spot ladybird;

Photograph: David Williams

A Buff footman moth larva;

Photograph: David Williams

An ichneumon, Ichneumon stramentor;

Photograph: John Martin

And a moth, Diurnea fagella;

Photograph: John Martin

Throughout the morning we kept finding beetles that looked like this.

Photograph: John Martin

Scouring our field guide did not reveal its identity. But further research, in the comfort of home, suggests it may be Nalassus laevioctostriatus.

By now we had progressed through the wood to some residences. As time was marching on we decided to go straight to The Cliffe, which would entertain us for the afternoon.

But the first priority on getting to the second site was to find a spot for lunch.

Refreshed we climbed to the top of The Cliffe and enjoyed a rather grey view looking over the countryside towards Wales.


Our stay at the top was short lived as the strong wing encouraged us to seek a more sheltered area.

Fortunately, we did not have to go far to find shelter and carry on our searching.

Here are some of the creatures we found:

A ground bug Cymus melanocephalus and a small ladybird Rhyzobius litura;

Photograph: David Williams

A harvestman, Nemastoma bimaculatum;

Photograph: David Williams

A curled up woodlouse, Armadillidum pulchellum;

Photograph: John Martin

A cluster of 7-spot ladybirds on Gorse;

Photograph: David Williams

A Tree slug, in a tree;

Photograph: John Martin

And, finally, a pseudoscorpion, Neobisium carcinoides.

Photograph: John Martin

Time was up, so we meandered back to our starting point.

Wednesday 28th February 2024, Fordhall Farm

A proposed development of land next to Mullers and of woodland close to the farm is causing concern. The proposal includes the conversion of the woodland that borders the farm to a community recreation area and car park. With this in mind, we were asked to look at the meadow that would be next to this, an area known as Mill Meadow.


The woodland subject to the proposal is the area in front of the industrial units of Muller’s Dairy which are just visible above the trees at the far end.

The meadow was very wet and the first couple of insects of note that we found are, fittingly, normally associated with wet areas:

A Water measurer;


And a micro-ladybird, Coccidula rufa.

Photograph: David Williams

We also found several snails. Here are a couple.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

I regret that I do not know which species they are.

We gradually worked our way down the meadow towards the far end and a pool.

Frogspawn was spotted in the pool.

Photograph: David Williams

A stonewort, Chara vulgaris var. vulgaris, was observed and photographed.

Photograph: John Martin

Time for lunch. 

We moved to some higher and dryer ground to consume our picnics. 

Throughout lunch we were serenaded by several rooks that were pottering about the tops of the nearby trees.

Photograph: David Williams

Refreshed we moved out of the meadow and followed the grassland along the edge of the River Tern.

Here are a few of the things we spotted:

A moss, Orthotrichum pulchellum;

Photograph: John Martin

A beetle, Prasocuris marginella;

Photograph: John Martin

A weevil, Cheutorhynchus pallidactylus;

Photograph: John Martin

A Green dock beetle, Gastrophysa viridula;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And an early season mayfly, a Baetis species.

Photograph: John Martin

Activities were starting to wind down when someone spotted this nest in a tree.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

This generated a great deal of interest …


As some of the nest was removed to see if there was anything to be found in its cells.

Photograph: John Martin

Surprisingly there was nothing.

We believe that it was a wasp’s nest, although it is possible it could have been a hornet’s nest.

After this we retired to the café where we were treated generously to a hot drink and cake. This was greatly appreciated by everyone.

My thanks to the owner of Rudge Farm, Fordhall Farm, Severn Gorge Countryside Trust and Shropshire County Council for allowing us to do what we enjoy doing. My immense gratitude to the photographers for sending me their images to illuminate the report.