Potpourri, December 2021

Wednesday 1st December 2021, Kinsley Wood near Knighton

Knighton is a long way from most of our homes (it is even further when the road is closed and a lengthy diversion in place), but that did not put off 10 hardy souls from making the trip. 

The day was “fresh” to put it politely, i.e. very cold and windy but what should we have expected? We were at the top of a hill approaching 1000ft in height in December. It must be said that we did have quite a reasonable amount of sun but also, a first for a few weeks, showers of rain.

Our start was delayed due to the diversion but we were soon into our stride. Perhaps “stride” is not the correct word to use as “striding” is something we do not really do, apart from when we are keen to get back to the cars – perhaps shuffled would better describe our mode of movement.

An early sighting was a Larch ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

This ladybird’s scientific name is Aphidecta obliterata. Please feel sorry for any aphid in its path.

The strong winds of Storm Arwen had caused some damage and we were treated to several fallen conifer branches and uprooted Scot’s pine. And yes, “treated” is an appropriate word as it gave us a chance to look for invertebrates that inhabit the canopy and are normally well out of our reach.

And it worked! We were rewarded with the sight of a Striped ladybird. 

Photograph: David Williams

This ladybird species is normally the inhabitant of “Mature” conifers, mainly Scot’s Pine, i.e trees that you can only dream of reaching the top. There are very few records of this species in Shropshire so this was an excellent find and worthy of another photograph!

Photograph: David Williams

There were some tall gangly trees on the side of a steep slope which were youngish oaks that had, through competition for light, grown tall quickly. In amongst the trunks we found some islands of Polytrichum and other mosses poking through the extensive litter of dropped oak leaves.

A couple of patches were vacuumed and …

Hey Presto!

A male snow flea was found, made to look menacing in this excellent photograph.

Photograph: David Williams

We continued to shuffle our way through the site eventually reaching the summit. In celebration we had lunch.

Here are some of our other encounters during this period:

A beetle larva – we have no idea which species;

Photograph: David Williams

A staphylinid beetle, Anthobium atrocephalum;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

An Oak cherry gal caused by the gall wasp Cynips quercusfolii;

Photograph: Stephen Mitchell

A collection of the fungus Psathyrella piluliformis, Common Stump Brittlestem;

Photograph: John Bingham

And one to whet the appetite, a beetle Dromius quadrimaculatus that has succumbed to a fungus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Lunch started in warm(ish) sun and ended in a passing shower of very cold rain.

At this point our Arachnologist unveiled one of his latest gadgets – A battery powered hair dryer!

A hair dryer on top of a hill????

There was method in his madness ... hair dryers produce warm air – which was used generously to warm up hands.

What a wonderful idea.

From the summit it was downhill all the way to the cars. We did stop and investigate the vegetation every now and then finding amongst other things:

A moth, Acleris hastiana;

Photograph: Stephen Mitchell

A ground bug, Drymus brunneus;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A harvestman, Platybunus triangularis;

Photograph: David Williams

Another staphylinid beetle, Xantholinus linearis;

Photograph: Nigel cane-Honeysett

And a Lemon slug.

Photograph: John Bingham

This was an excellent find as Lemon slugs are quite rare. They are found in ancient woodland which this wood used to be before being used as a conifer plantation.

The temperature was dropping and the clouds were getting darker and more threatening. As we left the site with the rain started and fell heavily and relentlessly for most of the journey home.

To finish, this week’s choice for Wednesday Weevil of the Week was rather limited as very few were found and they were all turned out to be the same species Sitona lineatus. 

Photograph: Emm Cane-Honeysett

Our weevil enthusiast points out that this is much smaller and darker than normal. Here is an example of the usual colouring also found in the wood.

Photograph: Emm Cane-Honeysett

Wednesday, 8th December 2022, Harton Hollow

Postponed due to the remnants of Storm Barra.

Wednesday, 15th December 2022, Whitcliffe Wood, Ludlow.

We had to practise all our car parking skills when we met in the car park of Whitcliffe Wood, just west of Whitcliffe Common in Ludlow, as the rest of Ludlow seemed to have decided to visit the wood on the same day. Fortunately the parking issues were solved quickly when one car left creating the space we needed.

The first area of interest that we investigated was what looked like a sunken lane. The vegetation provided us with the first patches of Polytrichum moss of the day which was vigorously searched for snow fleas.

Without success!

But we did find the flightless female Mottled umber moth.

Photograph: David Williams

We moved on and passed a few promising areas of snow flea habitat which were searched and again were found to be flealess.

This brought us to a clearing that was dominated by birch scrub and under the scrub there were extensive patches of our favourite moss. 

Extensive use of our vacuum samplers yielded a result.

No, not a snow flea, but a harvestman Mitostoma chrysomelas.

Photograph: David Williams

This find transported our arachnologist to harvestman utopia. 

Why?

This is a harvestman that is rarely found in Shropshire (although one did turn up in his garden).

A particular attribute is the heavily “dewed” pedipalps which are used to gather its prey such as springtails. And a closer examination of this creature's pedipalps revealed this process in action.

Photograph: David Williams

Interest in this clearing was maintained for a long time, so long, in fact, that we paused in the middle for lunch. This interest was intensified by the fact that we found a snow flea, not in the large patches under the birch scrub, but on moss on a bank at the side of the path.

Other finds in the clearing included:

Ypsolopha ustella;

Photograph: Stephen Mitchell

And a staphylinid beetle, Othius subuliformis.

Photograph: John Bingham

Having spent so long in the clearing and being fearful of straying into Herefordshire (indeed there was a bit of a debate about whether the clearing was in that county - we were not), we decided to meander our way back to the cars.

Once again the “sunken lane” drew our attention as it and its banks provided a variety of habitats from lush vegetation for the time of year through mossy areas, fallen trees to bare rock. 

Discoveries included:

Another Mottled umber moth but this time a male;

Photograph: Stephen Mitchell

A Purple clay moth larva;

Photograph: John Bingham

A spider, Anelosimus vittatus;

Photograph: John Bingham

And a beetle, Loricia pilicornis.

Photograph: John Bingham

And to crown the day we were treated to one of our photographers sacrificing his body and clothing to get in the optimum position to take a photograph of a collection of Milking bonnets.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Our WWWWW – Whitcliffe Wood Wednesday Weevil of the Week - was Ceutorhynchus typhae.

Photograph: Emm Cane-Honeysett

My thanks to Forestry England for giving us permission to do what we enjoy doing and to the photographers for providing the photographs that illuminate this report. 

Festive Greetings

The creative juices of some of the group were put to good use over the Christmas period:

"Photograph": Stephen Mtchell

"Photograph": Emm Cane-Honeysett

"Photograph": Stephen Mitchell

And Finally

Where's Wally?

(Use your browser tools to view a larger image, e.g. in Microsoft Edge you can just click on the image to display all the images in the blog, or right click and select open link in new tab.)

Potpourri, November 2021

Wednesday 3rd November 2021, Severn Valley Country Park

I returned to the fold after my recent absences and everyone I met in the car park at this site was very sympathetic. 

Did I milk this sympathy?

Not intentionally!

The country park is a large site and contains many different habitats. Deciding where to go is always an issue. I stayed silent to force the issue.

Off the meadow we did trot to look for waxcaps and our usual array of other interests.

Fortunately there were several seats in the meadow and I made use of them. The sympathy extended to being brought lots of insects to look at without having to swing a net or beat the vegetation. I must admit I enjoyed it.

Waxcaps were thin on the ground but a couple of beasts out of those we managed to dislodge from their hiding places were photographed.

A Large skipper butterfly larva;

Photograph: David Williams

And a Mite.

Photograph: David Williams

There was a pool at the top of the meadow, A search of the vegetation in and around the edge of the water revealed a water ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

There was a bench, conveniently close to the pool.

So convenient that we had lunch.

After lunch we descended through the woodland to the edge of the River Severn, then walked along the path bordering the river to a clearing where a Dark bush cricket was discovered.

Photograph: David Williams

From here we made our way further along the bankside path to an orchard.

Free food!

Although the trees were bare of fruit there were plenty of windfalls on the ground.

There were several less when we left making our way back to the car park and home.

Wednesday 10th November 2021, Benthall Wood

Light rain greeted us as we met but this soon subsided giving way to a brief period of sunshine which was quickly obliterated by grey but unthreatening clouds.

From the Station Road car park in Ironbridge we ambled along the old railway track accompanied by the merry sounds of a chain saw as some tree surgery was being undertaken on the other side of the river.

We stopped very soon after starting to view a wall that was covered in tiny springtails. We believe the species is Hypogastrura vernalis.

Photograph: David Williams

After a few hundred yards we left the track to a clearing around a former lime kiln where we paused for morning coffee and a general root around.

Moving on we took the path that ran parallel-ish to the old railway track. We continued to follow it when it rose a little way into the wood.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Progress had been slow and I needed a refuelling stop.

Needless to say the others joined me soon after.

At the lunch spot the leaf litter was inspected and we found some hatched shieldbug eggs:

Photograph: David Williams

And the egg-sac of the spider Paidiscura pallens.

Photograph: David Williams

Another find was the centipede Lithobius variegatus.

Photograph: David Williams

At the end of this path we came to a junction and had a choice to make:
1) Return the way we came;
2) Take the path that led down to the railway track;
3) Take the stairs which we knew led eventually to Patten’s Quarry.

Fortunately there was a bench we we used whilst we considered the options.

Close to this bench one of the more sprightly members found an enormous fungus, probably Clitocybe gigantea. Its cap was nearly a foot in diameter.

Photograph: David Williams

Another delaying tactic was employed.

Someone vacuum samples the vegetation at the side of the path.

It looked as though there was nothing of interest until a very observant person saw legs on a lump of mud.

The mud was carefully removed to reveal the large, "eared" planthopper Ledra aurita.

Photograph: David Williams

Regrettably we think it was not alive, hence its tolerance of our close attention.

The decision was made. Here is a clue:

Photograph: Bob Kemp

300 steps or more and somewhat exhausted we reached the edge of Patten’s Quarry. Now all we had to do was descend a short steep slope to get to the quarry floor.

The quarry is a flower-rich grassland much loved by botanists. Perhaps November is not the best time to see it!

We did, however, find two pseudoscorpions.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

The large one is Neobisium carcinoides and the smaller one Chthonius ischnocheles.

All that was left to do was get back to the cars.

There is an exit from the quarry but the path is a bit steep. Most of the group went that way. I took one look at the first slope and decided to go back down the steps. I was joined by one other to keep me company.

OK, it took us 10 minutes longer to get back but we stayed upright and did not damage any equipment, which is more than can be said for the others.

Wednesday 17th November 2021, Cramer Gutter and Catherton Common

An amazingly fine a pleasant day for November kept us company on this visit.

We met at a house next to the Cramer Gutter Nature Reserve whose owner had kindly given us permission to park there in her yard.

Not all chose this parking spot, some decided to take the healthy option and park on the common and walk to the site.

If we had bee in a hot air balloon, this is the view we would have had of the site!

Photograph: Bob Kemp

As well as the good weather we were kept company by three or four cattle who, apart from staring at us when we arrived, showed very little interest in what we were up to.

The underfoot conditions were tricky as there were plenty of humps and hollows trying to throw you off balance leading to many a stumble but, as far as I know, no falls.

We swept, beat and vacuum sampled the vegetation looking for animals of interest. To be fair it was hard work finding anything – but it was the middle of November. Here are some of the highlights:

A spider, Agalenatea redii;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

An inconspicuous ladybird, Nephus redtenbacheri;

Photograph: David Williams

A fungus found on a bulrush leaf, Typhula culmigena;

Photograph: John Bingham

A pseudoscorpion, Neobisium carcinoides;

Photograph: John Bingham

And a staphylinid beetle, Stenus bifoveolatus.

Photograph: John Bingham

After lunch we moved across the stream, which is the Cramer Gutter, into Catherton Common. The area of the common we were in was very wet and the paths very slippery, again making staying upright difficult.

As we made our way past the entrance to the site a Red admiral was spotted reading about the reserve. Clearly it was not particularly interested in what it found and flew away before a close up photograph could be taken.

Photograph: Emm Cane-Honeysett

Back in our virtual air balloon this is the view of where we now were.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Actually we were just of the picture in the bottom left hand corner.

Close to the entrance sat a birch tree. And on the trunk of this birch tree our lichenologists found something that had them jumping up and down with excitement, the lichen Leptorhaphis epidermidis.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Apparently each “fruit” (or, for non-lichenologists, the tiny black dot) is approximately 0.3mm. Now is that not just awesome!

There was plenty of Polytrichum moss in amongst some birches. This was searched vigorously in the hope of finding sSnow fleas, Boreus hyemalis. Unfortunately none were found. Never mind, we’ll try somewhere else next week.

Despite the lack of Snow fleas we were able to locate:

A Common darter dragonfly;

Photograph: Caroline Uff

A huge Birch polypore fungus on another birch tree;

Photograph: Emm Cane-Honeysett

A caddis fly, Anabolia nervosa;

Photograph: John Martin

And a pale version of the familiar Fly agaric, Amanita muscaria var. formosa.

Photograph: John Bingham

To round off this report I can reveal this week’s “Wednesday Weevil of the Week:

Sitona striatellus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Wednesday, 24th November 2011, Hope Valley SWT Reserve

Hope Valley SWT Reserve is a woodland situated on the steeply sloped west side of Hope Valley a few miles south of Minsterley. 

Photograph: Bob Kemp

The original woodland on this site was replaced in the 1960s with a conifer plantation. However the coppice stools of the felled trees regrew. The wood was acquired by the Trust in 1981 and they have removed many of the conifers allowing the wood to recover.

There is a circular route around the wood, so the first question was which way to go. We decided to take the shortest route to the top. This involved climbing around 130 steps. Nowhere near as many as to get to Patten Quarry but still quite a lot.

On our way to the foot of the staircase we noticed a small moth, Acleris emargana, resting on the vegetation.

Photograph: John Martin

One plant we were hoping to find was Polytrichum moss. And we did find several patches bordering the steps. These were vacuumed and YES, about half way up the hillside, we found our first Snow flea (Boreus hyemalis) of the season. This one is a female.

Photograph: David Williams

We made our way to the top and headed for the viewpoint.

Vacuuming of moss in this area yielded our second Snow flea. This time it was a male with its curious wing structure that it uses to support the female during mating.

Photograph: David Williams

Flushed with success lunch was taken before setting off to complete the far longer second part of the circular woodland walk.

Photograph: Bob kemp

We found a couple of beetles. One we could identify, but the other has foxed the best coleopterists in Shropshire (because we did not photograph the key feature from the correct angle):

Cychrus caraboides, known as the Snail hunter with its spoon-like palps;

Photograph: David Williams

And Carabus problematicus or violaceus.

Photograph: David Williams

Meanwhile another moth was spotted, Grey shoulder-knot.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

At this time of year we hope to find fungi and we were not let down. Finding fungi is one thing but identifying it is another. The best we could manage for this collection of delicate fruits was a Mycena.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

It is easy to forget but fungi also include lichens. This is sizeable cluster is a Cladonia.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

The circuit was completed and we went home.

But that is not the end of the story. Our Arachnologist took some leaf litter away. Sifting through it in the comfort of his home he spotted:

A spider, Walckenaeria acuminata, known affectionately as “Mr. Periscope Head” in recognition of the strange projection from the top of its head (the dark object between two legs in the photograph);

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And a very strange looking mite that looks as tjough it is made from a blob of plasticine and pipe cleaners.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We have no idea what it is.

My thanks to Shropshire County Council, the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust and Shropshire Wildlife Trust for permission to enjoy ourselves and to the photographers for allowing me to use their photographs to illustrate these brief reports.