More Beetle Frenzy

Sunday, 20th June 2021

It is my intention to write a report of each visit the Joy of Wildlife group makes before we go on the next outing. Unfortunately my good intention has fallen by the wayside as other activities have taken precedence. 

I will try to catch up.

But I do not suppose that I will.

On Wednesday 9th June on a gloriously sunny morning the group met at the main car park for Colemere where we were going to look at the meadow (known as Yell Field) that borders the east shore of the mere.

Photograph: David Williams

As can be seen from the photograph above the meadow is extremely flower rich.

At most sites we spend time around the entrance to the site catching up on news, taking in the view and sometimes searching for things of interest. This day was no different.

We moved on to the water's edge.

There was plenty of tall vegetation that was attracting insects such as Common blue damselfly.

Photograph: John Sweetland

And this female Scorpion fly.

Photograph: John Sweetland

The Irises were in full bloom.

In between the tall vegetation there were short lengths of shore where the route to the water was unimpeded. These areas were much loved by the many dogs that passed by as they were allowed and often encouraged to plunge into the water. 

Careful examination of the water in one of these less vegetated areas revealed Water scorpions in amongst the vegetation. One was put into a container to be photographed and then released back into the water.

Photograph: David Williams

One of the group was wearing a tee shirt emblazoned with a drawing of a weevil and the slogan "Entomologists fear no Weevil". 

Excellent choice of clothing ... but tempting fate.

And fate responded by handing him this weevil:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

True to his tee shirt, it did not strike fear into our entomologist as he was later able to identify it as Cleopus pulchellus. 

[I have been informed by a reader that this is probably a Hypera species, possibly  Hypera conmaculata, which he finds locally on Hemlock water-dropwort. This plant is common along the water's edge at Colemere.]

An easier insect to identify was this Small copper butterfly which settled on the path close to where I was standing.

Also on the path a large and colourful staphylinid beetle was spotted, Paederus riparius.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We began to drift away from the water's edge and into the main body of the meadow.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

There were a large number of orchids in the meadow. Here are a couple that were found.

Heath spotted orchid.

Photograph: Margaret Mitchell

Southern marsh orchid

Photograph: John Sweetland

And in a meadow you sometimes get Meadow grasshoppers. This photograph is of a nymph.

Photograph: David Williams

Attention switched to a large, much wetter area of grassland (admittedly not as wet as the nearby mere, but in places you had to be careful where you put your feet for fear of your footwear being inundated).

The edge of this wet grassland contained a large patch of Meadow thistles.

Photograph: David Williams

And thistle proved irresistible to this Scaeva seleniticus hoverfly.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Moving on beyond the wet area, we continued to explore the rest of this large meadow. In amongst the ranker vegetation that the borders the meadow we found a Black-headed cardinal beetle.

Photograph: David Williams

And so we continued to look, beat, sweep and vacuum our way around the meadow until we paused, exhausted, for afternoon tea.

Without the tea.

Or the sandwiches.

Or the cakes.

Even in this state vigilance was high.

A bumble bee mimic was netted and photographed. Initially our powers of identification failed us, until we realised it was the hoverfly Merodon equestris. 

Photograph: David Williams

This hoverfly has a number of different colour forms that allows it to mimic different bumble bees.

No wonder we were a little bit perplexed when we first set eyes on it.

On an orchid close by, a pair of White ermine were oblivious to the world, especially photographers, as they got on with the main reason for being an adult.

Photograph: David Williams

Just as we were about to call it a day one of our more sprightly members appeared clutching a pot containing a beetle, Malachius aeneus.

Photograph: David Williams

Photograph: David Williams

This was a great find and technically a first county record ...

However, this revived the story of how one of the group had seen this beetle about twelve years ago close to Colemere but his record had not been accepted for reasons unknown.

(The current County Coleoptera Recorder has now accepted this original record, so our find is now the second record.)

We retained the beetle to put it back close to where it was found.

On the way back we found a Burnet companion moth.

As I mentioned we kept the beetle in order to return it from whence it came but before we did several members of the group got the urge to photograph it before it wandered off to get on with its life.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

Goodness knows what the other visitors to the site though of this spectacle!!

To be fair to the beetle, it was very, very patient, and posed, presenting its best side, for all involved.

As the beetle was in danger of being trampled on once the photographers had finished, it was moved to the longer vegetation at the side of the hedge.

It was time to say goodbye, so we did.

My thanks to Shropshire County Council for granting us permission to visit the site and do what we enjoy doing, and to the photographers for the generous donation of their photographs for use. I apologise that I was unable to include all the photographs I was sent. An excellent day on an excellent site.

Other news

Our correspondent in Church Stretton continues to unearth things of interest in his garden and moth trap.

We start with a cranefly that I have never come face to face with, Ctenophoria pectinicornis. The photograph is of a female.

Photograph: Graham Wenman

Having noticed that I include photographs of adult insects doing what comes naturally in their quest to produce the next generation, here are a pair of Small white butterflies.

Photograph: Graham Wenman

Clearly found in his moth trap as the bee is posing on an eggbox is a Tree bumblebee.

Photograph: Graham Wenman

 And finally from Church Stretton an Alder moth.

Photograph: Graham Wenman

Switching now to a recently excavated pond in Horsehay. The number of species of damsel- and dragon-flies that have made use of the facility has recently increased to five with a pair of Large red damselflies in tandem, ovipositing.

Photograph: David Williams

And a visit from a pair of Azure damselfly, also ovipositing.

Photograph: David Williams

Next is a photograph that the sender entitled "Meeting of Minds", very apt for this meeting of a toad and a spider.

Photograph: David Williams

And popping up unexpectedly in the the unmown grass a Common spotted orchid.

Photograph: David Williams

I think that is enough for one report.

Thank you for your interest.

Take care.