Nine of us gathered on a gloriously sunny morning for our latest regular visit to Lea Quarry. We immediately split into two groups. The first went off to the “Regeneration” area to empty and replenish the pit-fall traps, the second headed for the small patch of grassland just above Edge Renewables offices.
As I went with the group to the grassland I cannot elaborate on what was found by the “Regeneration” group in the pit-fall traps or by vacuuming the cracks and crevices around that area. But as you can just about make out from the following photograph green is appearing amongst the grey.
The “grassland” group were soon regaled by squeals of delight as the Great Butterfly catcher captured a Dingy skipper. Unfortunately the butterfly was most disgruntled at being caught and refused to pose for photographs so I am afraid the best I can do is show you what it looked like in a glass tube.
I was then fortunate to net a long-horn beetle (Stenurella melaneura) in flight. It was clearly a member of the same union as the Dingy skipper as it too refused to pose so, again, you will have to put up with a photograph in a tube.
Whilst the entomologists were drooling over butterflies and long-horn beetles the botanists were scrutinising and reacting very favourably to the grasslands flora. One of the plants they found was Dyer’s greenweed which was handy as I found a bug Heterocordylus genistae which is hosted by this plant.
We moved on, about thirty yards, to an area that was a mixture of grassland and very young plantation. Why had trees been planted here? Was it to stabilise the ground at the top of and down the side of the quarry face? Here the Great Butterfly catcher demonstrated her technique and netted yet another Dingy skipper. Clearly it was a day of non-co-operation as this one also refused to pose. So you will have to make do with a photograph of the catcher in action.
In this patch we found our first orchids of the day within the site. A scattering of Common spotted orchids. (A Pyramidal orchid had been spotted by the gate – I am not sure if this could be classed as on the site.)
Time was passing; some of us (well at least me) were feeling peckish so we headed to the Regeneration area to meet up with the rest of the party. When we got there they were just breaking up after resting up for a coffee break. They settled down again and coffee break became lunch. But, as you can see from the photograph it was not a period of total relaxation. Findings were discussed, identifications made and food and drink consumed.
I set the group a challenge. We should visit the old quarry at the other end of the site. It had been recommended as a good site by Katy, our host from Edge Renewables, and we had yet to visit it. It was a long way away – about a mile – so we would need to be disciplined if we were to make it.
Well we tried but there were many distractions on the way not least a large patch of orchids, mainly Common spotted with some Pyramidal and, to our delight, one Bee orchid. This had not heard about the non-co-operation day so posed very contentedly as the local paparazzi snapped away.
Buoyed by this we pressed on but the distractions came thick and fast, would we ever get there? We found a huge violent ground beetle (later identified by beetle people as Carabus problematicus) and then a newt which I think is a Smooth newt but would welcome a confirmation.
Even a spider building a web caught my attention.
We came to a division in the path one way the old quarry – the other way back to the cars and home. Some chose to leave as they had other things to do, some to press on. And on and on, but with grit and determination we made it. To be rewarded with to areas of grassland rich in orchids and other plants. Unfortunately trees were encroaching so some TLC will be required in the not too distant future.
Tired but elated by the day’s findings we returned home.
Friday 13th June, 2014
Our second jaunt of the week was not a Joy of Invertebrates ramble but a survey of Langley Fields in Telford on behalf of the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. We had visited the site as a group a couple of times in the recent past. The last time was as part of the Heathland Surveys when we got drenched and gave up about lunchtime.
In the original Heathland report this area was described as one of the best heathlands in Telford. Then they built the new Phoenix school and the whole site is under threat of development.
We surveyed the plateau which is surrounded by wooded slopes, housing and two schools. The plateau consists of islands of heathland and grassland with three main pools and many others that are probably ephemeral separated by a network of wide tracks of bare earth.
The entomologists just drifted about generally following the herd and living off scraps as apart from damselflies and dragonflies there was little about that we could identify. There were huge numbers of nymphs which is, of course, the number one reason for not being able to identify anything to species. When they grow up we will be very busy.
One notable absentee, at least in the area we surveyed was Nettle. There was very little bramble, thistles and other “thugs”. Thugs, apparently, is the technical term for invasive species that tend to overrun the rather more pleasant vegetation if not held in check.
Over coffee (yes we had an official coffee break and I did not eat my lunch) we made the acquaintance of a Four-spotted chaser – so called as it has a total of eight spots on its wings.
A delight to see and photograph. We also found Dingy skipper and Small heath. For once the Great Butterfly catcher was usurped and did not find the first Dingy!
We continued to graze the site progressing via the main pools until we reached the one in the east and with it a seat and view over Town Park and beyond to at least Wolverhampton.
Unfortunately the seat only accommodated three and I received a scolding for not giving up my part of the seat to someone more senior!
Refreshed but rather hot we made a determined assault on the last pool. Here we found many orchids including some giants. (By the way they are not inspecting the plant they are looking for a large yellow spider that disappeared when the cameras came out.)
Time was called and we went home thankful it our luck had held on this reputably unlucky date.
Keith Fowler
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