Up on the farm

Wednesday 2nd October 2024, Pentre Hodre Farm

Pentre Hodre Farm is an upland farm where the longhorn cattle and sheep have, more or less, the freedom of the farm. Gates within the farm are left open, so they can range from field to field at their whim. The overall aim of the owners is to “rewild” their farm and are using the stock in the same way that Knepp use theirs. It is still in its early stages. This is a site that should be visited periodically in future to see how it develops.

We met in the farmyard. Suited, booted and kitted out we set out on our wanderings, a bit like the cattle, ranging from field to field as our mood took us.

This is a little fanciful as I had a rough plan for a circuit in mind, but, as I have reported many times, the group does not often follow the plan I have in my head.

We passed a small fenced field where there was a single occupant - a Tamworth boar.

He was a friendly chap and came over to greet us, probably hoping for food, but stood still as we gave it a scratch. 

Moving from this field into the next we noted a herd of English longhorn cattle.

Photograph: David Williams

Eyeing them suspiciously we met the farmer who reassured us that they were very docile and we did not need to worry about them. BUT beware of getting too close as the horns are dangerous if you are near and one turns its head suddenly.

We were at the top of the field they were in the middle. And it remained that way as we investigated the hedgerow and elms.

Here are some of the things we saw:

A mirid bug that has turned up frequently in recent weeks, Pantilius tunicatus;

Photograph: David Williams

A 22-spot ladybird;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A colourful fly that awaits identification;

Photograph: John Martin

And, there being plenty of dung around, we noticed some fungi growing on one of the cow-pats, Cheilymenia granulata, otherwise known as the Cowpat fungus.

Photograph: John Martin

By now the cattle had moved down the field and were congregated in the entrance to the next field …

Which is where we were heading!

Emboldened by the farmer’s reassurance we walked straight towards them …

They moved into the second field allowing us to pass through the gate.

But in the next field we were surrounded, giving us a close-up view of those threatening horns.

Photograph: John Martin

The cattle moved further down the field and we followed more slowly, again inspecting the hedgerows and areas of rougher vegetation.

We spotted a clump of Jelly ear fungus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And suction sampling of the grassland revealed an Angle shades moth.

Photograph: John Martin

Another insect to present itself was a weevil, Barynotus moerans.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

The cattle led the way and we followed as we moved down the field.

Just when I thought they were going to stay with us for the duration of the visit they moved away to the left into another field.

Somewhat relieved we carried on, veering to the right.

More suction sampling caused a communal huddle.

This revealed a harvestman, easily identified by the two white spots on its otherwise dark body, Nemastoma bimaculatum.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A colourful Robin’s pin cushion was observed. This is a gall caused by the larva of the wasp Diplolepis rosae.

Lunch was taken with no interruption from the cattle … thankfully.

Early after lunch a suction sample of the neighbouring grassy vegetation captured a host of our favourite wingless wasp, Callitula pyrrhogaster. Here are three of them.

Photograph: David Williams

And here is a wolf spider surrounded by the wasps and a few springtails. Unfortunately the spider has decided to impose its will by walking on a couple.

Photograph: David Williams

Next we moved through some woodland towards an area of wooded meadow that was fenced off to keep the cattle out. On the way we found a green lacewing and springtail.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We also found a lacewing larva. 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

What big jaws you’ve got.

All the better to eat you with!

A great find was the staphylinid beetle Encephalus complicans.

Photograph: David Williams

You may remember we have encountered this beetle before when its ability to contort itself left us in awe. Here is the set of photographs that captured that ability.

Photograph: David Williams

We let ourselves into the wooded meadow. An early find in this area was a distinctive looking wasp, possibly an ichneumon.

Photograph: John Martin

And a harvestman. Paroligolophus agrestis.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Other observations included A Roesel’s bush cricket located in the long grass;

Photograph: David Williams

And a burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides.

Photograph: David Williams

But the star of this area was a Spindle that was in full fruit.

Photograph: David Williams

At some stage some wag took this thermal image of a couple of the group to demonstrate, and I quote, “the difference between ambient temperature and a working entomologist's brain".

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We keep ourselves amused!!!

Time was marching on, and we were at our furthest and lowest point on the farm from our starting position. The long. gentle (mostly) ascent back to the start was undertaken.

On the way we paused to look at the view (really to get our breath back after the steepest part of the climb).

The cattle had got there ahead of us!

Whilst we paused we did a bit of rummaging and found a Common rough woodlouse.

Photograph: David Williams

And a tortoise beetle which, after some debate, was determined as Cassida rubignosa.

Photograph: David Williams

Moving on we entered a field occupied by some sheep. These looked less threatening than the cattle.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

That was until we spotted this guy giving us the eye.

Photograph: John Martin

But, he was not interested in us and took his flock around us to the other side of the field, allowing us to pass unhindered, to return to our cars and home.

My thanks to the owners of Pentre Hodre Farm for granting us permission to do what we enjoy doing and to the photographers for their wonderful images and allowing me to use them in this report.

Local Patch

Wednesday 25th September, Dothill Local Nature Reserve

Dothill Local Nature Reserve is a large area of rough grassland, meadow, woodland, streams and pools. 

In 2009, when I first became seriously interested in the natural world, I used this site, as it was my local patch, as my “training” area, spending many hours on site, much to the amusement and occasional exasperation of my wife, pottering around the site seeing what I could find and identify.

At that time as the area was included in the council’s plan for possible future development, local politicians together with the Shropshire Wildlife Trust set up a working group to attempt to designate the area as a Local Nature Reserve.

Over a number of years species records were gathered from the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Wrekin Forest Volunteer group and the Joy of Wildlife group as well as others to justify its status as a nature reserve. 

In due course it was granted a Local Nature Reserve designation.

Our last Joy of Wildlife trips to the site were in 2016 when we did a series of 6 monthly visits. It was time to go back!

We parked and met on a residential street close to the northern end of Tee Lake, the largest body of water on the site.

Within a few yards of entering the site we came to two groups of mushrooms growing on the woodchips between the bushes.

Our identifications are tentative, but we think they were:

Coprinopsis lagopus, Hare’s foot inkcap;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And Leratiomyces ceres, Redlead roundhead.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Moving on to the vegetation that separates Tee Lake from a footpath we found several harvestmen including:

Opilio canestrinii;

Photograph: David Williams

And Leiobunum blackwalli.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

In amongst our other discoveries in this area was a White-lipped banded snail, Capaea hortensis.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We also disturbed a small green-speckled mirid bug, Malacocoris chlorizans.

Photograph: David Williams

This is a predatory bug that feeds on mites and aphids.

Time was marching on. We were still only about 40 yards from where we had parked. Not great progress in view of the size of the site! We shuffled on a few more yards before finding a Green shieldbug.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We were in a meadow area but, unfortunately, from our point of view, the grass had been cut, and the area was pretty devoid of invertebrate life other than in the well-vegetated border regions. On the plus side the cuttings had been removed which ought to benefit the overall health of the meadow.

We did manage to find a Bishop’s Mitre. 

Photograph: David Williams

From this area we had a bit of a view of the lake.

At the top of the meadow there is an island of woodland and this was the focus of our attention for some time.

 

A slime mould was located. We believe it is Fuligo septica.

Photograph: John Martin

This has been given the rather descriptive name of Dog vomit slime mould. As I do not have a dog I cannot comment on the accuracy of that description.

Here is a closer view of the slime mould’s surface.

Photograph: David Williams

We also found a second slime mould, but this one remains unidentified.

Photograph: Neil Nash

Slime moulds are not fungi. They have been assigned to the Protozoa kingdom of organisms. The life of a slime mould is far too complex for me to try and summarise in this report but it is fascinating. Please investigate if you are curious.

Other insects found at this time and photographed were:

A weevil, Curculio glandium;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A Cream-spot ladybird;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A larva of a Speckled wood butterfly;

Photograph: David Williams

And a male common earwig.

Photograph: John Martin

It was lunchtime and we had been offered refreshments by one of the group who lived very close to the site. We were still quite a way from his home so we rushed, but not too quickly, to get there.

On the way we paused by a Leylandii. Sometimes you find Juniper shieldbugs on this tree, so a couple of us beat the tree (not too vigorously) to try and dislodge one. Needless to say, I was unsuccessful, but my companion found one. It was not photographed.

We reached our lunch site just as it started to rain!

Great timing!

Tea and coffee were provided as we consumed our picnics. 

This was followed by freshly baked cake! 

A choice!

Carrot, Chocolate or Lemon drizzle?

I had some Lemon drizzle, which was excellent. 

Thank you.

We had clearly taken up residence in their pet’s favourite location as it came in whilst we were eating and stared, in the way that cats do, as if to say what are you doing here.

It did not retreat and leave us to it.

It stood its ground and, after being fed a few tit-bits and stroked by several people, it decided we were acceptable and settled down on one of the chairs.

A second “pet” appeared. A nymph of a Juniper shieldbug. I assume we had brought it unknowingly into the house. It was collected and, when we returned to the site after lunch, it was put in the Leylandii that we had beaten.

Photograph: David Williams

The rain was short-lived, but the skies were threatening. 

We moved slowly down a second meadow which contained a few trees and was bordered by large alders then the lake.

A sawfly larva was spotted, Nematus alniastri.

Photograph: John Martin

This was followed by a weevil, Hypera nigrirostris.

Photograph: John Martin

And a 24-spot ladybird.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

This fungus Clavulina cristata was observed, I am not sure where on the site it was but now seems as good a time as any to include the photograph.

Photograph: Neil Nash

Similarly this spider, Nigma walckenaeri.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We left the meadow area and headed for a stream which has grassland on one side and woodland on the other.

On the way we noted an aphid, Anoecia corni, known as the Dogwood aphid;

Photograph: John Martin

And the 4-spotted form of a 2-spot ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

It started to rain again, but it was very light. 

We carried on, taking the path between the woodland and the stream (I am sure this path was not there the last time we visited this site).

Not much was found but the rain was getting a bit heavier.

After a while there was a crossing point where the stream was quite shallow and we used this to get to the grassland on the other side.

This grass had not been cut and getting through it took quite an effort. But there were lots of tracks that made that task easier (when you found them).

We were happy pottering in this area until we noticed that the rain had increased significantly in wetness, so we decided to abandon the site and head for home.

But before we left we managed to locate a Long-winged conehead.

Photograph: David Williams

My thanks to Telford and Wrekin Council for granting us permission to do what we enjoy doing and to Sue and Neil for the excellent refreshments. My gratitude to the photographers for their wonderful images and allowing me to use them in this report.