Flat out

Wednesday 25th August - Snailbeach

The leaden skies that we have plagued us in August were in evidence as we arrived at the car park by the Village Hall in Snailbeach.

Even before I had got out of the car earlier arrivals had already discovered a Green shieldbug and Dock bug in the vegetation bordering the car park. Was this an omen of what we would find once we got onto the site?

Our site for the day was the former lead mine that is situated in the village. The spoil heaps are now nature reserves and some of the mine artefacts are preserved and cared for by volunteers and are visible as you walk around the site.

The area we concentrated on was one of the spoil heaps the slope of which is now a grassland. 

At the top of this hill there is an area of scree which is surrounded by a bit more grassland, scrub and a hedge.

We spent all morning exploring this area gradually progressing up the hill until we got to the scree at lunchtime – brilliant timing on my part!

I am ahead of myself. We did not start at the top, we started at the bottom. So, back down the hill and lunch will have to wait!

The first photograph may have been taken in the car park or nearby as the time it was taken was nearly 30 minutes before we met! A hoverfly, Melangyna umbellatarum.

Photograph: David Williams

The next hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, was taken at the meet time. I suspect it was also in the car park or nearby.

Photograph: Jim Almond

We are now definitely on the site! Close to the entrance there is an oak tree on which an Artichoke gall had formed.

This gall is caused by the all female generation of the gall wasp Andricus foecundatrix.

Soon afterwards two more hoverflies were spotted and photographed:

Eupeodes latifasciatus;

Photograph: Jim Almond

And Platycheirus granditarsus.

Photograph: Jim Almond

What colour are grasshoppers?

I think the quick answer would be green, or maybe brown.

How about purple?

It is not really a colour that would spring to mind, but here we are ...

A purple Field grasshopper.

Photograph: David Williams

Leafcutter bees derive their name from the behaviour of some of species within the family that cut sections of leaves from plants which they then carry back to their nests to create the cells in which eggs are laid. This one is Megachile centuncularis with its distinctive orange haired pollen basket on the underside of its abdomen.

Photograph: Jim Almond

About half way up the hill the remains of a quarry building make a good resting spot for a quick sit down, morning refreshment and chance to admire the view. Its walls also provide an excellent resting place for a tray full of things of interest which can be checked “hands-free” without having to kneel down on the ground.

I am not sure if this spider was in the tray in the above photograph, Tetrix denticulata.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Right, rest over, time to continue the scaling of the hill.

What an obliging subject this wasp was. It is probably the species Ectemnius continuus.

Photograph: David Williams

And our hoverfly hunter is back in business, this time with a Chrysogaster solstitialis.

Photograph: Jim Almond

The grassland yields a brightly decorated ladybird, a 22-spot ...

Photograph: David Williams

And the nymph of a Bishop's Mitre shieldbug.

Photograph: David Williams

At last I attain the dizzy heights of the top of the hill and wander onto the scree looking for a spot to park myself for lunch. Looking around I notice that I am not the first to arrive, in fact I am one of the last. Never mind, just think of all those things they missed as the raced up the hill. 

Then I notice two people standing over someone who is flat out on the ground.

Has he fallen, having a rest, or …

The pair do not seem concerned, then I notice an magnifying lens in his hand and realise they are looking for lichen on the rocks.

And here are a couple of the lichens, which are often found on metal-rich siliceous rock, that they found:

Stereocaulon dactylophyllum;

Photograph: Bob Kemp

And Rhizocarpon oederi.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

At last! Lunch.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

I must concede that the scree was not the most comfortable place to sit.

The afternoon started with intensive searching of the scree and the area surrounding it. The finds came in thick and fast.

A 24-spot ladybird.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A weevil, Hypera suspiciosa.

Photograph: Emm Cane-Honeysett

A spider, Neottiura bimaculata with its egg-sac.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A small, juvenile Slow-worm.

Photograph: Jim Almond

Broom leaf beetle.

Photograph: David Williams

A young adult Sloe/Hairy shielbug, Dolycoris baccarum.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And adults feeding on Wild carrot.

Photograph: David Williams

A Yellow shell moth that decided to settle on the handle of my sweep net.

A female Common blue butterfly.

Photograph: Jim Almond

An adult Bishop's Mitre shieldbug.

Photograph: Jim Almond

Green tiger beetle.

Photograph: David Williams

A Mottled grasshopper.

Photograph: David Williams

A micro-moth, Ypsolopha parenthesella.

Photograph: John Lyden

And, as we have not had a picture of harebells for a while, here are some of the many that could be found making their living on and around the scree.

Unfortunately during this frenetic time we had our second "flat out" experience. A large piece of scree onto which I stepped decided it did not like the indignity of being used and threw me off, face down, onto the surrounding scree. Fortunately no damage was done to me other than a few scrapes, but the insect I was carrying took full advantage and escaped.

Time to move on.

Some went to a pool which was further up the hill, others crossed the road to where there were more artefacts from the time this was an active mine together with more areas of vegetation, and the rest decided to stay put.

Here are some insects that were seen at, or on the way to and from the pool:

A Ruddy darter dragonfly;

Photograph: Jim Almond

A hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissiquum;

Photograph: Jim Almond

And another hoverfly, Sericomyia silentis.

Photograph: Jim Almond

Meanwhile in a grassland in amongst the mine buildings, which was also an unofficial BMX track, as we found out when several cyclists came ahring past, those of us on two legs continued our searches for thinhs on 6 and 8 legs.

A Shaded broad-bar was spotted in the grass.

A Small grass shieldbug nymph was vacuumed from the grass.

Photograph: Jim Almond

Another hoverfly was spotted and photographed, Volucella pellucens.

Photograph: Jim Almond

To bring the day to a close two bees caught our attention:

Epeolus cruciger;

Photograph: David Williams

And Colletes succinctus.

Photograph: David Williams

Remarkably we found ourselves all in the same place at the same time and the decision to depart was made, bringing an enjoyable and busy outing to an end.

My thanks to Shropshire County Council for giving us permission to do what we enjoy doing and to all the photographers for their stunning photographs.

News from Church Stretton

Our correspondent from this region has sent me this photograph of a Volucella pellucens enjoying the delights of his garden.

Photograph: Graham Wenman

Keep well.