February notes

Paul Watts

I start with the news that our dear friend Paul Watts has succumbed to his illness. Paul was one of the founder members of the group and a regular attender in its first couple of years. His commitment to walking and then illness prevented him from joining us for more than a handful of outings more recently. He will be missed.

Reproduced with permission from Pam Greenwood

Wednesday 4th February 2024, Rudge Farm

The month started off spectacularly with a visit to Rudge Farm and the recording of FOUR species new to the county.

These were:

An ichneumon – Ichneumon oblongus;

Photograph:Nigel Jones

A couple of flies, Geomyza nartshukae and Drosophila limbata;

And a ground bug Arocatus longiceps/roeselii.

Photograph:David Williams

The reason for this unusual name is that there are two identical species, one of which is associated with London plane trees (A. longiceps) and one with Alder (A. roeselii). However, there is some doubt that they are different and they may be the same species.

Adding to the list of highlights we also found Black oil beetles and a Glow worm larva. The only disappointment was our failure to find Snow fleas.

Rudge Farm is a large arable farm on the eastern border of Shropshire. Within its boundaries it has a large area of heath which is being protected and developed by the owner.

We were met by the owner who told us that there had been reports of sightings of oil beetles nearby. As we knew, from our previous visit last May, that oil beetles inhabited the heathland, we decided to abandon our plans to visit the ancient woodland and look at the heathland instead.

From where we parked it was a middling walk to the heathland. We were, almost immediately, rewarded for our efforts by the sight of a male Black oil beetle. This was followed a few minutes later by a second.

Photograph: David Williams

This is where we found the first.

And this is the habitat in which the second was spotted.

Initial excitement over we switched into our normal search mode. 

Beating a grass tussock revealed a Bishop’s Mitre and Rhopalus subrufus.

Photograph: David Williams

At some stage this moth larva was found:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

This is likely to be the larva of the moth, Setaceous Hebrew character.

Another Black oil beetle turned up. The less kinked antennae led us to believe that it was a female.

Photograph: David Williams

At times searching through a sample in a tray can look a bit like a chess match:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

King’s springtail to Queen’s snow flea 3!

Moving on from the heathland we continued along a descending path that led to a stream.

We searched among the dead and newly emerging vegetation on the banks, but found very little that moved. However we did find a fungus on a branch of an Ash.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

As yet it has not been identified, but a small sample has been passed on to a local expert for his opinion.

Nearby there were a number of the bright red Scarlet elf cups.

Photograph: Neil Nash

Next door to these fungi a small ox-bow had formed when the stream changed its course some time ago.

We continued to follow the stream’s course until it veered off to the right and we had to turn left return to our parking spot. Before we departed there was time to do some more searching.

A Slender ground hopper was spotted.

Photograph: David Williams

Sifting through a patch of rough grassland located a Harvest mouse nest, rather in need of repair!

Photograph: Neil Nash

And finally a suction sample of the same area revealed a Glow worm larva.

Photograph: David Williams

What a day.

Wednesday, Valentine’s Day, Lloyd’s Coppice

This trip generated a lot of photographs, so, apart from a preamble briefly describing the day, I leave the details to your imagination as you look through them.

Lloyd’s Coppice is an area of woodland that cloaks the northern slopes of the Severn Gorge opposite Jackfield. Much of the woodland is regarded as ancient and semi-natural.

We met at the top of the slope and made our way down to the main path at the bottom via a series of steps and sloping paths. Once we reached the main path we took a brief look at the Ice House and an a nearby ancient Sweet chestnut before heading west first to the Engine House then to the pool.

By the time we had reached and looked around the vegetation surrounding the pool it was time to trudge all the way back to the top to where we had started.

This was a day of strenuous exercise in addition to our usual activities.

Now for the photographs, roughly in the order they were taken!

Welcome to the site!

Meandering along before the descent.

Lesser celandine spotted at the side on the steps.

A wood-boring beetle, a member of the weevils, Trypodendron domesticum.

Photograph: John Martin

A snail, Clausilia bidentata.

Photograph: John Martin

A Nursery-web spider, Pisaura mirabilis.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Another snail, Discus rotandatus, Rounded snail.

Photograph: John Martin

A landmark at the bottom of the hill, the Ice House.

The ancient Sweet chestnut.

A beetle, Ischnomera sanguinicollis.

Photograph: John Martin

A photograph named USOs (Unidentified Snaily Objects).

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Thanks to the county’s snail expert these have now been identified. From bottom to top they are Zenobiellina subrufescens, Oxychilus alliarius, Discus rotundatus and Trochulus hispidus.

A ground beetle, unfortunately we do not know its species name but it is a member of the Ocys genus.

Photograph: John Martin

Lesser periwinkle.

An Eristalis tenax hoverfly feeding on a Snowdrop.

Photograph: David Williams

The Engine House

A springtail, Entomobrya albocincta.

Photograph: David Williams

An Orange ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

A spider, Metellina merianae, a variation known as chelata.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Another springtail, this time a member of the Tomocerus genus, but we do not know which species.

Photograph: David Williams

A gall commonly found at the tip of Yew tree twigs caused by the fly Taxomyia taxi.

Photograph: John Martin

The pool area.

A largish Staphylinid or Rove beetle, as yet unidentified.

Photograph: John Martin

And, finally, what comes down must go up!!!!!

Photograph: Nigel Jones

Wednesday 21st February 2024, Hopton Hill and The Cliffe

Torrential rain fell on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Althgough it had eased by the time we set off for these sites close to Nesscliffe, it was still raining. However, as if by magic, it had just about stopped by the time we had all arrived and were ready.

We were greeted this information sign warning us about “giant Americans”!

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Undeterred we set off to explore the woodland on Hopton Hill which was a mixture of conifers and beech. 

Early finds included:

A 14-spot ladybird;

Photograph: David Williams

A Buff footman moth larva;

Photograph: David Williams

An ichneumon, Ichneumon stramentor;

Photograph: John Martin

And a moth, Diurnea fagella;

Photograph: John Martin

Throughout the morning we kept finding beetles that looked like this.

Photograph: John Martin

Scouring our field guide did not reveal its identity. But further research, in the comfort of home, suggests it may be Nalassus laevioctostriatus.

By now we had progressed through the wood to some residences. As time was marching on we decided to go straight to The Cliffe, which would entertain us for the afternoon.

But the first priority on getting to the second site was to find a spot for lunch.

Refreshed we climbed to the top of The Cliffe and enjoyed a rather grey view looking over the countryside towards Wales.

Our stay at the top was short lived as the strong wing encouraged us to seek a more sheltered area.

Fortunately, we did not have to go far to find shelter and carry on our searching.

Here are some of the creatures we found:

A ground bug Cymus melanocephalus and a small ladybird Rhyzobius litura;

Photograph: David Williams

A harvestman, Nemastoma bimaculatum;

Photograph: David Williams

A curled up woodlouse, Armadillidum pulchellum;

Photograph: John Martin

A cluster of 7-spot ladybirds on Gorse;

Photograph: David Williams

A Tree slug, in a tree;

Photograph: John Martin

And, finally, a pseudoscorpion, Neobisium carcinoides.

Photograph: John Martin

Time was up, so we meandered back to our starting point.

Wednesday 28th February 2024, Fordhall Farm

A proposed development of land next to Mullers and of woodland close to the farm is causing concern. The proposal includes the conversion of the woodland that borders the farm to a community recreation area and car park. With this in mind, we were asked to look at the meadow that would be next to this, an area known as Mill Meadow.

The woodland subject to the proposal is the area in front of the industrial units of Muller’s Dairy which are just visible above the trees at the far end.

The meadow was very wet and the first couple of insects of note that we found are, fittingly, normally associated with wet areas:

A Water measurer;

And a micro-ladybird, Coccidula rufa.

Photograph: David Williams

We also found several snails. Here are a couple.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

I regret that I do not know which species they are.

We gradually worked our way down the meadow towards the far end and a pool.

Frogspawn was spotted in the pool.

Photograph: David Williams

A stonewort, Chara vulgaris var. vulgaris, was observed and photographed.

Photograph: John Martin

Time for lunch. 

We moved to some higher and dryer ground to consume our picnics. 

Throughout lunch we were serenaded by several rooks that were pottering about the tops of the nearby trees.

Photograph: David Williams

Refreshed we moved out of the meadow and followed the grassland along the edge of the River Tern.

Here are a few of the things we spotted:

A moss, Orthotrichum pulchellum;

Photograph: John Martin

A beetle, Prasocuris marginella;

Photograph: John Martin

A weevil, Cheutorhynchus pallidactylus;

Photograph: John Martin

A Green dock beetle, Gastrophysa viridula;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And an early season mayfly, a Baetis species.

Photograph: John Martin

Activities were starting to wind down when someone spotted this nest in a tree.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

This generated a great deal of interest …

As some of the nest was removed to see if there was anything to be found in its cells.

Photograph: John Martin

Surprisingly there was nothing.

We believe that it was a wasp’s nest, although it is possible it could have been a hornet’s nest.

After this we retired to the café where we were treated generously to a hot drink and cake. This was greatly appreciated by everyone.

My thanks to the owner of Rudge Farm, Fordhall Farm, Severn Gorge Countryside Trust and Shropshire County Council for allowing us to do what we enjoy doing. My immense gratitude to the photographers for sending me their images to illuminate the report.