Better than anticipated

Halesfield 24, Telford - Wednesday 20 September 2017

On the face of it a site named after a road in a large industrial estate in Telford has little going for it. And looking at the map does not whet the appetite. A patch of land sandwiched between industrial units and the railway line that runs down to the power station.

However, a small party from the moth group visited the site last year and recommended it as a place to visit. So, always welcoming recommendations, we descended on the site.

The first issue was - where to park? Halesfield 24 and the equally unimaginatively named Halesfield 21, which are closest the site, are busy thoroughfares that abound with large vehicles - not ideal places to park. 

A suitable spot was found in a residential area on the other side of the railway and Eastern Primary (which runs parallel to the railway at that point) to the south west of Holmer Lake. (There is a car park on the north side of the lake which would have been a better place to park - but did involve a longer walk to the site.)

No matter, suited and booted we set off for the site.

First impressions were not good as the path we were taking descended and went through a gloomy underpass under the Eastern Primary. Its walls, of course, were covered in graffiti but for once, in amongst the drawings and words of crudeness there were some attempts to be humorous and artistic including a fine painting of a peregrine's head.

No sooner had we emerged into the light than we went under a second underpass to cross the railway. The path then took us through some woodland before opening out onto mown grassland. The grassland was surrounded by trees and a reasonable buffer of rough grassland.

We did not stay here but made our way to a wildflower meadow. As it was late in the year it had been cut, so we were unable to appreciate this area.

Like the first grassland this area was surrounded by trees and rough grassland. In addition there was a circular path worn, not by walkers doing laps of the site, but by bikers. When we arrived there were a couple revving up but, thankfully, they soon left.

We set to work looking, beating, sweeping and vaccing.

A beat of bramble disturbed an aggregation of 16-spot ladybirds. There were more than thirty in the corner of the tray with some bramble leaves. They soon dispersed. Here are a couple who posed for a photograph together with a money spider.

Photograph: David Williams

Another find was a red weevil. It may be Apion frumentarium, normally found on dock, but as we were not sure what plant it came from, it may not.

Photograph: David Williams

And vaccing a patch of rough grassland that had escaped the mowing revealed a hair caterpillar, later identified as a Ruby tiger

I wandered around the edge of the site beating the odd tree, oak, alder, scot's pine and grey poplar to see what I could find. The Grey poplar came up trumps by hosting the planthopper Viridicerus ustulatus. This a recent arrival to these shores and its first record in the county. Sorry, no photograph but you can see it on the British Bugs website here.

The bramble around the edge of the meadow was the main nectar source and attracted insects to feed including this Eristalis tenax.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Lurking amongst the undergrowth was a Pisaura mirabilis carrying her egg-sac.

Photograph: David Williams

We lunched then made our way back to the first grassland we had come across when entering the site. We found that a wide strip of rough grassland and been left between the mown area and the surrounding trees. I am not sure if this was deliberate or the ground was unsuitable for powered mowers. Whatever the reason it proved to be rich in things that interested us. 

Stars of the show were long-winged coneheads.

Photograph: David Williams

The photograph shows a female but there were also males present who were "singing"; one agreeing to be videoed in mid-song.

A spider Araneus quadratus was photographed on her web

Photograph: David Williams

A second patch of rough grassland, this time on a slope, was the home of a Roesel's bush-cricket with its striking pale band around the sides of its pronotum and pale dots on its thorax 

Photograph: David Williams

Eventually we reached a third and more extensive and varied patch of rough grassland in the north west corner of the site. We spent the rest of the day there.

An alder tree yielded the large colourful  mirid bug Pantilius tunicatus.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

I was very excited to find the large silverish planthopper Athysanus argentarius. Unless someone else has seen it this year then this is only its second sighting in Shropshire. Yes, it does have a seed stuck to it.

Photograph: David Williams

What?

No shieldbugs?

Were'n't there any?

Of course there were.

Here are a few of what we saw.

Spiked shieldbugs - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Dock bugs - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Hairy (or Sloe) shieldbugs - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

We retraced our steps back to the cars band returned home.

The main grassland areas of the site were really of no interest as the grass had been cut but the transition areas between the grass and the trees and the uncut rough grasslands proved to be very productive and provided some unexpected finds. The site turned out to be far better than I had anticipated.

My thanks to the Shropshire Moth Group for suggesting the site, Telford and Wrekin Council for permission to do what we enjoy doing and to Jim Cresswell and David Williams for their excellent photographs.

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.

Day of the Shieldbugs

The Haycop, Broseley - Wednesday 6th September 2017

The group visited this site a couple of years ago when, typically, in my absence as I was on holiday, they found 11 species of shieldbugs and allies.

Long overdue, we returned to The Haycop. 

Would the shieldbugs still be there? I think the title of this report gives it away. Yes they were. However we only managed 9 species which is still pretty good.

The Haycop is tucked away at the end of an unmade lane sandwiched between Dark Lane and Ironbridge Road. It is not easy to find as proven by one very late arrival.

"You should have followed my directions." said I.

"I did." said he; adding with feeling "They were rubbish."

"Did you miss the right turn into Dark Lane after the traffic lights coming up from Jackfield?" asked I.

"What traffic lights?" retorted he.

"Did you come over the new bridge and up the hill? " asked I, thinking he may have come another way into Broseley.

"Yes." replied he.

"The traffic lights are about 200 yards after the u-bend." offered I

"Ah! I must have missed them." was his meek reply.

The site is in the hands of a private owner but he has given permission to a local conservation group to manage it as a nature reserve.

We were joined by four members of the group. They appear to be very active attracting large groups of helpers and spreading the word to the next generation. Long may they be well supported.

Our first shieldbug, Green, was found before we entered the site in the hedge bordering the lane. 

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Yes, I have included this species in the final count but we did find more in the site itself.

The site is entered via a kissing gate next to the "Down Well". This was Broseley's main source of water for many a year. It has now been protected by covering it with a roof made of local bricks and a fence. For some reason I did not photograph it but images can be found by searching the internet.

On entering the site there is an immediate fork in the path. Should we go down into the grassland and to the pool as shown in the above photograph, or should we take the path along the top through the trees.

I refused to make a decision as generally it is ignored. The mood of the group was to stay on the top path. So we did.

A cranefly, Tipula paludosa, was resting on a leaf.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

And two robberflies were engaged in ensuring the survival of their species.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

On the subject of species, if anyone can identify the robberfly species please let me know.

Progress was slow but eventually we arrived at some heathland and a couple of neighbouring grasslands.

Progress halted here as we spent a long time, spanning lunchtime, investigating these three areas. Here are some of the things we found and photographed:

Pantilius tunicatus - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Halictus tumulorum (male) - Photograph: David Williams

Field grasshopper - Photograph: David Williams

Bishop's mitre - Photograph: David Williams

Small grass shieldbug - Photograph: David Williams

At last momentum gathered for a move and we made our way through some woodland down to the lower path, then turned back towards the pool.

Again progress was snail-like as things just popped up saying, "Look at us".

Cola-nut gall on oak (caused by the gall wasp Andricus lignicola - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Myathropa florea - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Tachina fera - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Southern hawker - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

We passed the pool

The end was in sight but we did not rush to get there taking in a bank of vegetation, some of which had been cleared, and some rough grassland. 

The site kept giving.

Woundwort shieldbug nymph - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Spiked shieldbug - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Dicranopalpus ramosus - Photograph: Jim Cresswell

Dock bug (teneral adult) - Photograph: David Williams

Comma butterfly larva - Photograph: David Williams

One last star made an appearance, attracted by one of the group's trousers. The large hoverfly Volucella inanis.

Photograph: David Williams

What a  brilliant day. The conservation group have created an excellent site. It is not "pretty" but, more importantly, it has plenty of varied habitat which should encourage "nature" to flourish. Surely that is what a nature reserve should do. We'll be back.

Finally, in case you were wondering, the three shieldbugs not mentioned in the text were: 
    Sloe (or Hairy) shieldbug
    Hawthorn shieldbug
    Birch shieldbug.

My thanks to The Haycop Conservation Group for permission to do what we enjoy doing, I wish them every success in the future. And thanks to the photographers Jim Cresswell and David Williams for their excellent photographs.