Joy of Wildlife Chorale

Wednesday 28th August, Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre

Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre is situated in Craven Arms and occupies about 30 acres of grassland and woodland bordering the River Onny. It also boasts a fine Visitors Centre.

I was away on holiday enjoying myself. And whilst the cat (me) was away the mice came out to play! In all about 24 people took part in the event at some time during the visit.

The day started warm and dry but with such a large number of people present it took ages to get out of the car park, not as there were lots of invertebrates to check out, but due to the time it took to get ready and, of course, have a good natter.

Eventually they set off, but progress was very slow as people lingered around the hedgerow and the surrounding habitats.

For anyone who has witnessed any of our trips you will know that the suction samplers tend to bring up the rear. BUT on this occasion, they streaked ahead and had to wait for the others to catch them up!

Apparently, there were a good number of bugs (always the case when I am not there), smaller numbers than usual of springtails, spiders and weevils. However, "nice" beetles kept turning up, but not many bumble bees and only a few hoverflies were seen.

Lunch was drawing near, and progress had been snail-like. It took a herculean effort to reach the river where there was a large picnic bench.

Lunch was taken.

It was near here that the cramp ball weevils were observed (photographs later in this report).

Until this time the habitats had been very similar, so the group hiked towards the southern end of the site where there was more bare ground.

Like many sites although there were still bare patches there was much more scrub.

Then the weather played its trump card.

No sooner had everyone arrived at the southern end – the part furthest from the car park – than it started to rain. It soon got heavier, and the sky got darker and darker. 

As there was no sign of any breaks in the cloud play was abandoned for the day. The group returned to the visitor centre at a rate proportional to the heaviness of the rain!

To the café, where a group, quietly celebrating a birthday, were somewhat nonplussed to be invaded by a large group of wet entomologists eagerly seeking tea and cake.

Photograph: Clare Boyes

However, after a hearty rendition of Happy Birthday by the group all was forgiven.

There have not been many people treated to the massed voices of the Joy of Wildlife Chorale.

Now… who should we approach for a recording contract?

Oh! 

I almost forgot.

What was seen during the day?

Here are some photographs.

A Saucer bug.

Photograph: John Martin

A water bug, Notonecta glauca.

Photograph: John Martin

A rhopalid bug, Corizus hyoscyami.

Photograph: David Williams

Hairy shieldbug (Dolycoris baccarum) nymph.

Photograph: David Williams

Green shieldbugs, an adult and a nymph.

Photograph: David Williams

A River limpet.

Photograph: Mags Cousins

Cramp ball weevil, Platyrhinus resinosus.

Photograph: David Williams

What a curious insect.

They were found on one of the series of “invertebrate logs” erected on the site.

Photograph: Clare Boyes

Apparently the larvae are deposited inside the Cramp-ball (or King Alfred's Cake if you prefer) where they feed on the fungus. The adults then feed on the bark on the log.

Here is another photograph.

Photograph: David Williams

A barkfly, Stenopsocus stigmaticus.

Photograph: John Lyden

A hoverfly, Neoascia podagrica.

Photograph: John Bingham

A bug Arocatus longiceps / roeselii.

Photograph: David Williams

Why the peculiar name?

It was thought that there were two species, Arocratus longiceps which occurs on Plane trees and Arocratus  roeselli which occurs on Alder. However recent research suggests that there does not seem to be any differences between the two species, so they are currently known by this rather clunky name Arocatus longiceps / roeselii.

 Tree pipit (as a change from all these invertebrates!).

Photograph: John Martin

A Slender-horned leatherbug nymph.

Photograph: David Williams

Another change to bring relief, a plant, Broadleaved helleborine.

Photograph: John Martin

A Red underwing.

Photograph: John Martin

A weevil-looking beetle that is not a weevil, Brachidius varius.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

And finally, the prize for finding the "smallest insect in a tray" goes to our summariser, Jim, who found this delightful fairy-wasp, measuring about 0.5mm body-length. Remarkably it was identified by an expert as Mymar pulchellum.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

My thanks Grow Cook and Learn for granting us permission to do what we enjoy doing, to Jim for providing a summary of the day and to the photographers for providing their excellent images for this report.