Just look at those eyes

Wednesday 1st June 2022, St. Edith, Eaton-under-Heywood

Is this a repeat of last week’s report “The Eyes have it”?

Not really, but the most amazing sight of the day was the eyes of a male mayfly. As I could not really reuse the same title as last week I have had to a change it whilst keeping a similar meaning. More about the eyes later.

We met in the spacious car park of Eaton Manor. A bush of Box demanded our immediate attention. Within its leafy structure a few Box bugs were found to be in residence.

Photograph: David Williams

From the car park we progressed slowly to the church. On the way we spotted various bees visiting flowers at the side of the lane, together with a Painted Lady butterfly, which nobody thought to photograph.

St. Edith is a Grade I listed building. Parts of the church date from the 12th  century. Subsequent alterations were carried and it was restored in the middle to late 19th century.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

The church and its churchyard are situated on the lower slopes of Wenlock Edge.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

The interior of the church is very modest.

At the end of each beam supporting the roof there are carvings of faces looking at you. Here are a few examples:

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Photograph: Bob Kemp

The wooden altar has depictions of the leaves of the plant Elecampane carved into it.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

And here is an example of the plant, which can be found in the churchyard.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Standing by the Elecampane you get a good view of the church exterior.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

The churchyard is quite small which, apart from a few paths and small areas that have been cut, has been left to its own devices. This state of affairs was very much appreciated by the local bees.

There is not really a narrative to tell for the morning and early afternoon’s activities. We just milled around following our interests and noting what we found, pausing now and then for refreshments, lunch, a rest or a chat.

Having mentioned lunch …

A couple of benches were available in one of the mown areas and this made an obvious spot to gather.

Apart from the Box bugs that we found in the car park, the Painted lady and anonymous bees, I have yet mention anything that we found. It is time to rectify that.

As molluscs rarely appear in these reports here is a small section dedicated to them!

Arion subfuscus, Dusky slug;

Photograph: Mags Cousins

Oxychilus alliarius, Garlic snail;

Photograph: Mags Cousins

Oxychilus cellarius, Cellar snail and Aegopinella nitidula, Smooth glass snail.

Photograph: Mags Cousins

The pale bodied snail is Oxychilus cellarius and the dark bodied is Aegopinella nitidula.

An abundant plant, much visited by bees, was Dusky crane’s-bill. I am told it is a garden escape but it looked at home in the churchyard.

Photograph: John Martin

The Dusky crane's-bill may have been a garden escape but it was a long time ago as subsequent research by a member of the group has found that it was recorded on the site in 1892!

Amongst our other findings were:

A pseudoscorpion, possibly Chthonius ischnocheles;

Photograph: David Williams

A long-horned moth Nemophora degeerella;

Photograph: John Martin

A pair of 14-spot ladybirds;

Photograph: David Williams

A Swollen-thighed beetle;

A tachinid fly, a species of Thelaira;

Photograph: John Martin

A large click beetle, sorry I do know the species;

Photograph: David Williams

A harvestman, Homalenotus quadridentatus (with a mite on its back);

Photograph: David Williams

And the eyes.

Photograph: David Williams

They belonged to a mayfly which was identified as possibly being a Small spurwing, Centroptilium luteolum.

Whilst all these sightings were happening the lichenologists paid close attention to the church.

Midway through the afternoon we bid farewell to this delightful church and churchyard and spent an hour or so looking at the gardens and other areas around Eaton Manor, as well as enjoying the use of some seats in the warm afternoon sun.

My thanks to Caring for God’s Acre for arranging this visit and to the photographers for their excellent images.