Second Time Lucky

 Wednesday 18th March 2026, Block Wood, Ceri Forest

Block Wood lies just over the national border in Mongomeryshire and is in the care of Natural Resources Wales (NRW). The woodland is mixed, though that mix is very heavily skewed towards Norway and Sitka Spruce. The Kerry/Ceri Ridgeway long-distance path runs through the wood, which lies at approximately 450m altitude, giving sweeping views across the surrounding countryside. Wood Whites were discovered here last year.
 
This was our second attempt at visiting this site during the current Winter Programme season. The first, on November 19th, was cancelled on the morning of the visit, when the scenery in the area looked like this:

photo: John Lyden

Fortunately, the contrast could not have been greater for our second attempt, clear blue skies and warmth being the order of the day. Some people even dared to remove their coats!!

Beating and vacuuming the tussocky grass along the main ride (which is in fact the Kerry Ridgeway path) soon produced two micro ladybird species: Meadow Ladybird, Rhyzobius litura

And Red Marsh Ladybird, Coccidula rufa 

Beating the spruces, which are very depauperate tree species unless you like springtails (and then only one or two species) produced one 10-spot Ladybird. This was the first and last invertebrate of note to emerge from these conifers until well after lunch.

 
Back to the grass tussocks and a Ringlet larva fell into a beating tray.

Moving further along the ride, perhaps the best find of the day was made, without need of vacuum, net or tray. A mating pair of tachinid flies, Tachina ursina, discovered by sight. Many photos were taken.

photo: John Martin

Eventually they separated, whereupon one of the happy couple decided that an insect net made the perfect basking site. It was very reluctant to give this prime location up, returning repeatedly when disturbed.

Other species found along the ridgeway path included the weevil Sitona regensteinensis

And the bugs Cymus claviculus

And Scolopostethus decoratus

We reached a ‘T’ junction and turned northwards off the ridgeway, eventually heading deeper into the woodland. However this wide junction detained us for some time, its surroundings containing an area of heathland with heather and gorse. A large and striking find from the heather was the rove beetle Staphylinus dimidiaticornis.

Some time after this, the second and final find of note from the spruces was made: an Eyed Ladybird, one of the less picky of the conifer-specialist ladybirds. Quite a variable species, this individual completely lacked the pale rings around the spots which give the species its name.

Another bug appeared which admitted to identification (our bug expert also being absent for the day). This was the attractive stilt bug, Berytinus minor.

We reached another crossroads in our lives and stopped for contemplation.

photo: Liz Roberts

Finally, after examining a considerable quantity of gorse, the first Gorse Shieldbug was spotted, which was quickly followed by a second one. 

A third micro ladybird species appeared. This was the smallest of the lot, the Red-patched Ladybird, Nephus redetenbacheri, barely 2mm long.

At the other end of the scale was a big  bruiser of a spider. Probably (but not certainly, as our spiderman was also absent) Coelotes atropos.

The day seemed to be drawing to its natural conclusion. We had reached a point whereby the only course of action was to retrace our steps, there not being any circular route around the wood. More contemplation in the sunshine seemed to be in order, the displays of mosses and lichens making suitable subjects, before we headed home after a very enjoyable day in the sunshine. Thank you to NRW for allowing us to survey this site.

photo: Liz Roberts

 
 
Photographs © the author except as noted