Did we find a B…?

Wednesday 1st October 2025, Old River Bed

This visit was to the Old River Bed in Shrewsbury. 

Since our last visit to this site Beavers have been introduced to assist in the upkeep of the site. Would we see one?

Our first task was to get into the enclosure which is now surrounded by a high beaver-proof fence. 

Fortunately, we did not need to scale the fence as a person from Shrewsbury Council met us at the entrance to unlock the gate. (And make sure we knew how to lock it when we left!)

Now in, we looked out onto the land in front of us.

The area by the gate was relatively firm underfoot and not too wet.

The area beyond here was uneven and covered in tall vegetation. In addition the tall vegetation hid areas of surface water so we had to be careful where we trod.

Wellington boots were definitely the order of the day.

We decided that the entrance was probably the best place to set up camp and, in complete contrast to the amount of walking about we did on our last outing, at Broncroft Lodge Farm, it remained our base throughout our stay.

One of the first areas explored was a patch of reedmace where the small bug Chilacis typhae was found wandering about on one of the plants.

Photograph: David Williams

People wandered off in ones and twos to explore the fen in pursuit of their own particular interests and this provided paths through the vegetation that others could follow.

On one of these excursions, we noted Meadowsweet leaves covered in galls.

These are caused by the larvae of the gall midge Dasineura ulmaria.

And a pair of Spiked Shieldbugs, Picromerus bidens,  busy ensuring a further generation.

Despite the wet condition we continued to use our suction samplers. They proved invaluable at getting to the base of the vegetation to allow us to see what had taken up residence in that habitat. Nets were not much use as they only skimmed the top surface and soon became waterlogged. Beating the vegetation was also used extensively. 

Finds included this weevil, Datonychus melanostictus.

Photograph: David Williams

Another Spiked Shieldbug.

Photograph: David Williams

A bat detector was used to listen for the calls of Ortoptera, and then locate any singing insect. This produced a sighting of a Long-winged conehead, Conocephalus fuscus.

Photograph: David Williams

Following the inside of the fence, as it goes along the end of the site tracking the Ellesmere road, it eventually comes to a stream that runs down the site. The view from the footbridge that crosses it was not dissimilar from that at the entrance.

After last week’s glut of 16-spot ladybirds, here is a reminder…

Photograph: David Williams

Tapping an oak to dislodge invertebrates lurking on the branches and leaves resulted in an avalanche of acorns…

BUT no invertebrates!

Then we saw a B…

So the answer to the title question is YES, we found a B…

Only this was not a Beaver, but a Bank Vole, Myodes glareolus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A bit of a let down if you were expecting something bigger, but great to see.

A late visitor was a Frosted Orange moth, Gortyna flavago, which took up my residence in my tray. It was potted to ensure it stayed long enough to be photographed.

Photograph: David Williams

It was now nearing the end of the day and as we gathered at “base camp” before leaving, a hoverfly, Helophilus pendulus, joined us.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Gathering up our equipment and bags we left the site.

And made sure we secured the gate.

I leave you with a photograph of “The harvestman, the ant and the boy”.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

(The boy is a wingless parasitic wasp, Callitula pyrrhogaster, which has become one of our favourite insects to find. Hardly a trip goes by without us finding one. However, now is not the time to explain how it got our nickname of “the boy”)

My thanks to Shrewsbury Council for granting us access to the site and giving us permission to do what we enjoy doing, My gratitude to the photographers for their excellent images.

Invaders

Wednesday 24th September 2025, Broncroft Lodge Farm

Broncroft Lodge Farm is an organic farm located close to the village of Broncroft in Corvedale bordering the River Corve.

We parked in the farmyard, where we were met by the farmer who then guided us though a field containing a very docile cow and three calves, only the smallest calf showed any interest in us, into a grassland field by the river.

Neighbouring this field was an enclosure in which a pool was situated.

This looked an interesting area, but it was patrolled by some cattle.

Apparently, these were not the farmer’s cattle, but had invaded the site, having forded the river, from a neighbouring farm.

Most of us stayed in the field, but a couple did brave the cattle to take a look at the pool.

In the field our interest was mainly in the marginal vegetation, but a woodpile attracted attention for a while.

Initial suction sampling of the field and marginal vegetation revealed a pair of Meadow laybirds, Rhyzobius litura;

Photographer: David Williams

A Red-rumped ladybird, Scymnus haemorrhoidalis;

Photographer: David Williams

And a Lucerne Flea, Sminthurus viridis.

Photographer: David Williams

A Lucerne Flea is not a flea!

It is a species of springtail. I assume it got its name from the fact it is mainly associated with clovers and lucerne on which it feeds…

And it is small…

And jumps.

At this time of year, you will often find bulgy swellings in the stems of creeping thistle.

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

These are galls caused by the larvae of the fly Urophora cardui. Eggs are laid by the fly onto the stem of the plant. On hatching the larvae burrow into the stem to feed causing the gall.

Shouts of encouragement and frustration in equal measure were heard from neighbouring fields as the invaders were marshalled back to their rightful place. After a while only birdcalls and the sound of suction samplers disturbed the peace.

Walking around the field edge we eventually got a glimpse of the River Corve.

It is not easy to see, but the black blob in the photograph is the shaded water of the river!

Other finds around this time were:

A Knot Grass moth larva, Acronicta rumicis;

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A leaf beetle, Chrysolina polita;

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A number of small, globular galls on an alder leaf caused by the mite, Aceria nalepai;

And a collection of pimple galls on a field maple leaf, also caused by a mite, Aceria myriadeum.

Now that the invading cattle had been returned to their home, we could easily access the pool and, just as importantly, the picnic table which was an inviting spot to have lunch.

As we made our way to lunch we spotted a harvestman, Dicranopalpus ramosus agg.

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And a Red Marsh Ladybird, Coccidula rufa.

Photographer: David Williams

Lunch over we spent time exploring the vegetation for invertebrates around the pool…

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And in it!

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Very, very carefully!!!

This was found.

Photographer: John Martin

This is a River Skater, Aquarius najas.

(I am not sure if it was extracted from the pool of the small stream that ran close-by.)

Other invertebrates observed in and around the pool were a female Brown hawker, Aeshna grandis, that was ovipositing;

Photographer: David Williams

A pair of Common darters, Sympetrum striolatum, captured in flight;

Photographer: David Williams

And a weevil, Leiosoma deflexum.

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Time to move on.

But where should we go.

A quick consultation with the map of the farm suggested visiting an area marked as swamp.

Unfortunately, it was at the far western border of the farm.

Was it too far?

Probably.

But we rose to the challenge…

Some of us did!

The first obstacle was a small stream that cut off the most direct access. We had no alternative but to return to the start (thankfully, the cow and calves ignored us)…

Cross a bridge…

And then follow the track that led most of the way to the swamp.

On the way we spotted a Slender Groundhopper, Tetrix subulata;

Photographer: David Williams

A Copper Greenclock beetle, Poecilus cupreus;

Photographer: David Williams

And tucked into the hedge, a Spindle, Euonymus europaeus, given away by its brightly coloured fruits.

We marched on.

Pausing every now and then to check where we were and that we were going in the right direction.

And, of course, keeping an eye out for things of interest.

An amazing sight greeted us when a clump of grass at the side of the track was beaten, and 16-spot ladybirds rained into the waiting tray like hundreds and thousands being sprinkled onto the top of your ice-cream.

Photographer: David Williams

The assumption made was that this was an aggregation of the species preparing to overwinter.

A couple of other beetles also turned up.

A leaf beetle, Chrysolina oricalcia;

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And a Vine Weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus.

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Finally we arrived.

Only to find the “swamp”, although it looking promising from the outside, was impenetrable.

There was nothing we could do but return from whence we had come, intercepting stragglers as we went.

Passing a hedge covered in ivy we paused to check for Ivy Bees, but none were found. We did, however, observe a male Hornet, Vespa crabro feeding.

Photographer: David Williams

As always seems to be the case, the walk back felt much quicker than the walk there.

And the sun came out, at the end of a cloudy afternoon, to illuminate Brown Clee in the distance.

Photographer: David Williams

I have not been sent a “Weevil of the Week” for this outing, so I am nominating this one, Rhinocyllus conicus, which, according to the photographer, is described in the literature as being like a “bedraggled sheep”. 

He adds “A bit like we were at Treflach Farm”!!

Photographer: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

My thanks to the owners for inviting us to visit and do what we enjoy doing, and to the photographers for their excellent images.

Brave or Foolhardy?

Wednesday 17th September 2025, Treflach Farm

Our destination this week was Treflach Farm in the Oswestry uplands. I can best sum up its ‘mission’ by quoting directly from its website “In August 2006 Ian Steele returned to the family farm from working in London and abroad in the Petrochemical Industry. So began a journey to revitalise a small scale, hillside farm in the family since 1904. The aim was to prove that small scale agriculture can indeed be environmentally aware, promote biodiversity and remain viable in the modern world.” 

After months of blameless weather, our visit continued the recent trend of wet Wednesdays. So wet in fact that several of the group, having perused the weather forecast, decided that their warm, dry houses sounded like a much better idea and stayed at home! However, a brave (foolhardy?) few decided to bash on. 

On arrival, the rain was still falling, though not as heavily as it had been.

Photograph: David Williams

Everything was, of course, soaked. Waterproofs were donned and vacuum samplers readied for action.

Grassland near the farm buildings was the first area to be examined. This produced several ladybird species, including a suitably bedraggled 7-spot Ladybird...

Photograph: David Williams

Other finds included:

A Straw Dot, Rivula sericealis (on the left) and a stiltbug, Berytinus minor, (on the right); 

Photograph: David Williams

A 22-spot Ladybird, Psyllobora vigintiduopuctata; 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Adonis' Ladybird, Hippodramia variegata; 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Drinker larva, Euthrix potatoria; 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Scarlet Tiger larva, Callimorpha dominula; 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A plantbug, a species Lygus;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Larvae of the sawfly Euura pavida eating a leaf of an osier.

Photograph: John Lyden

Common Flower Bug, Anthocoris nemorum;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Dock Bug, Coreus marginatus;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And a less fortunate 7-spot ladybird that has been parasitised by the wasp Dinocampus coccinellidae. The ladybird is "glued" in place by the pupating wasp causing the ladybird to starve to death.

Photograph: John Lyden

Nettles produced a Red Admiral larva, Vanessa atalanta...

Photograph: David Williams

And a groundbug, Heterogaster urticae.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Whilst finds from trees and hedges included:

A plant bug, Pantilius tunicatus; 

Photograph: David Williams

Common Earwig, Forficula auricularia; 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Garden spider, Araneus diadematus;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A missing segment spider, Zygiella x-notata;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And a Willow Leaf Beetle Chrysolina staphylaea. 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Lunch time arrived. It was still raining. We retreated to a convenient building for shelter, during which time the rain abated and rather miraculously the sun appeared, albeit rather fitfully. 

Lunch over, we made our way down to the bottom of the site where a marshy field and pond were our targets. Here, we found:

Red Marsh Ladybird, Coccidula rufa; 

Photograph: David Williams

Common Striped Woodlouse, Philoscia muscorum;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

European cinchbug, Ischnodemus sabuleti;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Another bug, Corizus hyoscyami;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A fungus, Taphrina alni that has grown from an Alder catkin;

Photograph: John Lyden

And a rove beetle, Paederus riparius.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Extricating ourselves from the marsh, we headed for a grassy hillock on which trees had recently been planted. By now the brisk wind was doing a surprisingly good job of drying the sodden vegetation.

More 22-spot Ladybirds were found, this time also including some 24-spots, Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata.

Photograph: David Williams

Two nice species of shieldbug were vacuumed:

Blue Shieldbug, Zicrona caerulea; 

Photograph: David Williams

And Small Grass Shieldbug Neottiglossa pusilla;

Photograph: David Williams

Plus a lacebug, Tingis ampliata;

Photograph: David Williams

And the groundbug, Drymus sylvaticus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

It was also nice to see Encephalus complicans for the first time in 2025, a tiny (less than 3mm) and remarkably flexible rove beetle, whose party trick is to curl its abdomen over its back so that it forms an almost perfect ball.

Photograph: David Williams

This area also produced the Weevil of the Week, Hadroplontus litura.

Photograph: David Williams

Time remained for us to explore an area of woodland at the edge of the site. This produced a fine display of earthstar fungi...

Photograph: David Williams

Including this Collared Earthstar, Geastrum triplex...

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And a White Ermine larva, Spilosoma lubricipeda. 

Photograph: David Williams

A leaf mine was spotted in a Primrose. This seems to be caused by a species of fly, Chromatomyia primulae. 

Photograph: David Williams

After this, we made a slow return to our vehicles and thence homewards, having had a much fuller day than we had feared when we had set off in the morning. 

My thanks to the owners for inviting us to visit and do what we enjoy doing and their hospitality. My immense gratitude to the photographers for their excellent images.