Grand Finale

Eardington Quarry Nature Reserve, Wednesday 31 October 2018

This was our 31st and last outing of the season which started way back at the beginning of April. Now I can have a short rest before preparing to start all over again at the start of April 2019.

But first I must report on our visit to this former sand and gravel quarry. 

The target for this outing were fungi and Lesne's earwig. We found very few fungi and none of the target earwigs so it was a bit of a failure but we did find plenty of other mini-beasts of interest.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

We started out from the car park and moved about 10 yards before setting up camp to explore the scrubby gravelly ground and trees that were nearby. This us brought us early reward by uncovering a small yellow leafhopper with a broad dark stripe down its back.

Photograph: David Williams

This was Zygina hyperici and this was the first time it had been recorded in the county. We found several more. As its name suggests it is associated with St. John's wort, more specifically perforate St. John's wort.

After half an hour or so we moved about 50 yards and repeated the exercise as well as inspecting the area around the pond.

From here we moved into an enclosure that is more of a scrubby grassland.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Whist our arachnologist vacuum sampled the grassland I wandered over to the trees at the top of the above photograph and gave them a gentle tap.

Out fell a shieldbug. A Juniper shieldbug.

Photograph: David Williams

My second effort dislodged a ladybird we do not see very often. A Cream-streaked ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

My success rate dropped a little after these two excellent finds but our Orthopterist was all ears as he stalked a Field grasshopper.

Photograph: David Williams

Surprisingly lunchtime was fast approaching. One of the benefits of Eardington Quarry Nature Reserve is, thanks to the very active Friends group, a plentiful supply of seats dotted around the site and several picnic tables. We made for the one overlooking the Sand martin pool and nest boxes and enjoyed a leisurely lunch.

Photograph: David Williams

Not too leisurely as we made the occasional foray into the neighbouring vegetation and sifted the finding whilst taking in our refreshments.

Some of the insects that came our way at this time were an Ant damsel bug:

Photograph: Bob Kemp

A 22-spot ladybird:

Photograph: Bob Kemp

And a small planthopper Conomelus anceps:

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Nearby a Common darter was keeping an eye on us.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We were joined by a couple who had visited the bird hide and were now looking around the site at the other wildlife. They had seen a hawker not far from where we were so we moved to where that sighting had been. Unfortunately the sun had gone in and the temperature had dropped drastically. There was  no sign of any hawker. But we did find …

Another picnic table!

So we dumped our stuff there and looked at the vegetation in its vicinity.

The micromoth Carcina quercana was found in an oak.

Photograph: David Williams

If any of you possess the "Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland" by Sterling, Parsons and Lewington then you may recognise this moth as the one on the front cover.

We also found a pirate spider Ero furcate:

Photograph: Bob Kemp

I am informed that pirate spiders get their name as they specialise in entering the webs of other spiders and either stealing their prey or preying on the spiders themselves.

The temperature continued to plummet. The sun had gone behind thick cloud. We were getting cold. Alternative entertainment was sought.

We moved on to the Station pub at Bridgnorth for an end of season celebration. We were delighted to find the pub sold "Reg May" pork pies.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

As our aficionado of "Reg May" pork pies was not able to be with us we just had to have a couple in his honour (and to make him jealous).

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Time to go home and rest.

My thanks to Shropshire County Council for giving us permission to survey the quarry, to the Friends for providing plenty of seats and tables, to the photographers for their excellent pictures and to everyone who has attended any of these events over the past seven months.

Finally, thank you readers for showing an interest in what we do.

Winter well. All being well I will be back next year.