Going ... Going ... Gone

"Lot 15", Prees Heath - Wednesday, 13 September 2017

"Lot 15" is a parcel of land close to Butterfly Conservation's Prees Heath Reserve. It recently came up for sale at an auction, hence the name, where it was purchased by local residents. They in turn have handed over responsibility for its management to Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

It is situated on the opposite side of the A41 from the reserve, sandwiched between Hospital Lane and an unnamed road (on the maps I have looked at) which may be Ash Road, Ash Lane or even Tilstock Lane.

I would include a "proper" map but I am not sure of the copyright issues - advice readily accepted - here is my effort (not to scale).

There is no car park but there is an area opposite the entrance large enough to get four cars off the road. Fortunately only four cars turned up.

Aerial photographs show well worn paths around the site. These appear to have been caused by bikers using the area for off-road activity. Posted at the site entrance is a notice from the trust saying the use of the land by motorised vehicles is forbidden.

It is a small notice, I have no idea whether it is heeded.

The site, where the paths have not been kept clear is dominated by bracken.

There are a few bushes and mature trees scattered around the site but very few areas of grassland where more timid plants can thrive. In one of these areas we found a few small clumps of heather hinting at what the site may have been like in days gone by.

An early find on the entrance path was the was the wasp Mellinus arvensis.

Photograph: David Williams

As we progressed along this path we came to a large area where human activity has kept most of the vegetation at bay.

The margins of this area held our attention for quite a while.

A comma butterfly was enjoying the sun.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

A gorse shieldbug nymph was located

Photograph: Bob Kemp

In amongst the broom we found several Arytaina genistae, one of the two psyllid species that are found on this plant

Photograph: Bob Kemp

"Mothvac", a converted garden leaf blower, was used to assist our searches. This is an easy way to extract mini-beasts that live deep down in the vegetation. Amongst the several species found was a Denticulate leatherbug adult and nymph. When I have come across adults of this species in the past they have been very flighty but this one just sat in the tray and waited to be photographed. The flightless nymph, of course, had little choice in the matter.

Photograph: David Williams

Another "poser" in the tray was the bee Halictus tumulorum.

Photograph: David Williams

We moved on to a small patch of sparse grassland. A few plants made an appearance here including Haresfoot clover which was one of the commoner plants on the site.

And Centaury

Close to this grassland was another area of rough grassland where the aforementioned heather was clinging on. Amongst the taller vegetation we found several stems of toadflax.

Close by was a mature pedunculate oak. On the trunk, sitting on the lichen, we found the planthopper Alebra albostriella.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

I have only one photograph left to include. One of the group has taken a fancy to photographing jumping spiders. Searching "Lot 15" provided him with several opportunities. Unfortunately he never names his photographs. So, this week's quiz is - "Name this spider".

Photograph: Bob Kemp

There is a small patch of woodland in the north western corner of the site. We made two attempts to reach this but in both cases the paths we were following met a wall of bracken which only the most determined explorer, with suitable slashing tools, could have made progress through. We gave up and went home.

"Lot 15" needs a lot of care and attention if the bracken and bramble are to be prevented from suffocating it. The paths are clear but provide little marginal habitat. However, the paths will soon disappear if there is little or no activity to keep them open.

My thanks to Shropshire Wildlife Trust for drawing my attention to the site and granting permission to survey. My thanks as always to the photographers David Williams and Bob Kemp for allowing me to use their excellent photographs to supplement my own.