Saved!

Wednesday 13th July 2022, Heath Farm, Dudmaston

This outing was to Heath Farm in the National Trust’s Dudmaston Estate. We had been asked to look at a field adjacent to Comer Wood which is a mosaic of acid grassland plants, bare sandy ground and other recolonising vegetation, where NT have been trialling some heather seeding/plugs.

Having met in the car park and the initial extended period of greetings curtailed, we made our way directly to the site.

Yes!!

Unbelievably we did not dilly-dally on the way.

Well, almost …

A couple noticed activity at a log pile and could not pass it by without a closer look.

The rest of us piled onto the site and did not stray more than 50 yards from the entrance as we found plenty of larger insects to keep us busy. These included a Forget-me-not shieldbug which, despite the preponderance of the plant, remains one of our more elusive shieldbugs. However, it was not deemed worthy of a photograph. I must admit I never thought of it at the time!

What was worthy of a photograph was this female Roesel’s bush cricket which had a blob attached to her abdomen.

Photograph: David Williams

The blob is a spermatophylax which a male would have been produced by a male during mating.

Another worthy insect was a large nymph.

Photograph: David Williams

We decided it was the nymph of a Rhopalid bug, but which one?

Later we found this adult:

Photograph: David Williams

After much discussion and checking of documents it was identified as Stictopleurus punctatonervosus. 

It is likely that the nymph was also this species, but we cannot be certain.

Continuing the nymphal theme, an ant-like nymph was found:

Photograph: David Williams

This is one of the early stages of the Ant damsel bug.

I was approached determinedly by one member of the group with his hands forming a box in an attempt to enclose something.

On opening up the “box” …

“Oh! It’s escaped” …

Disappointment?

Not too much …

“I took a photograph.”

Here it is.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A Forest bug, also called a Red-legged shieldbug.

Another bit of insect activity he had photographed was this Anthocorid bug nymph tucking into another bug.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

At least it was not feasting on one of us!

Talking of feasting it was time to find some shade to partake of lunch.

The Oak looked inviting.

But it was rejected as too far away!

We found some nearer shade and settled down to eat, carefully avoiding the brambles.

Whilst eating I noticed this beast on my trousers.

It is a queen cuckoo bumble bee, Bombus rupestris. It is our largest bumble bee and resemble the more familiar Red-tailed bumble bee, Bombus lapidarius, of which it is a parasite.

I was quite happy nursing the bee until I was informed that its posture was such that it may administer its sting.

All of a sudden removal seemed the best course.

Fortunately a hero was close at hand to coax the bee onto a leaf and place it in the vegetation.

Saved!

In the afternoon we moved into the larger, more open and even dryer area where the plugs of heather had been planted to encourage a return to heathland.

An early find in this area was a Denticulate leatherbug which was far too flighty to agree to pose, meaning that it had to be photographed in the tube.

Photograph: David Williams

Later we found this attractive nymph which we believe to be a nymphal stage of the same bug.

Photograph: David Williams

In the hedge that formed the top boundary of the site there were a few Scot’s pines. An inspection of the needles of one of them revealed two species using the tree as a nursery:

Sawfly larvae;

Photograph: David Williams

And Green shieldbug nymphs.

Photograph: David Williams

There was an area of bare sandy soil under the trees. This formed the backdrop to the puzzling, frantic scurrying of wasps and bees, some of which occasionally popped into holes in the ground. Many of the insects seemed to be the same species, thought to be the wasp Astata boops. There was no chance of getting a photograph or catching one to confirm the identity. Sometimes you just have to stand, watch, wonder and admire.

Our next find was a beetle with a strange protuberance from its pronotum projecting over its head, Notoxus monoceros.

Photograph: David Williams

Before you ask…

I have no idea what the purpose of the ‘horn’ may be.

Time, as always, was marching on.

Heath Farm boasts a café, so what better way to finish the day than tea and cake? (Unless you do not like tea or cake.)

Making our way back to the entrance of the site we noticed this cane whose hollow centre was now being used by a bee or wasp as its nesting chamber.

Unfortunately I do not know the species of the beast whose abdomen can be seen nor whether is it a friend or foe.

We made our way back to the café, with the odd diversion, reasonable quickly.

And what did we find?

IT WAS SHUT!!!

Never mind, we made use of their picnic tables and benches for a short rest before heading back to the cars and home.

This week’s Wednesday Weevil of the Week is Otiorhynchus ovatus, a lovely black shiny broad-nosed weevil. Notice the dangerous looking ‘teeth’ on the femurs.

Photograph: Emm Cane-Honeysett

An excellent day on an excellent site. The only surprise was the lack of the smaller common bugs that I would expect to be plentiful on a site like this. I suspect the hot and dry weather was the main reason for them keeping out of our way.

My thanks to the National Trust for giving us permission to do what we enjoy doing and allowing us to use their car park free of charge. My appreciation to the photographers for providing their excellent images.