Tree snot

Wednesday 7th May 2025, Crose Mere

Please do not be put off by the title. All will be revealed by reading on.

Photograph: David Williams

The outing to Crose Mere was greeted by very warm, calm, sunny weather. We spent most of the day exploring a short section of the vegetation at the edge of the mere, most of which can be seen on the above photograph of the mere, from the land in the foreground, round the lefthand edge to the clump of trees.

The good news is that the combination of the warmth, calmness and damp habitat seemed to bring out a large number of invertebrates. 

The even better news is that I have lots of photographs to share.

So. I will restrict my rambling to the bare necessities then focus on the pictures.

On reaching the mere we were met by a tree in the water telling us it was private property and that we should not swim or trespass. I assume that the notice referred to the whole site and not just the tree!

We got down to business.

During the day were accompanied by a Red kite, something that seems to happening more often as they appear to prosper in the county.

 Photograph: John Martin

Pausing for lunch we noticed how calm the upper atmosphere was by the persistence of the vapour trails left by passing aircraft.

And one of the group paused for a memento of the visit.

As an antidote to all the photographs of the animals we found, here is some Ragged Robin.

 Photograph: David Williams

As the day drew to a close, a patch of altocumulus clouds cloaked the sun.

 Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

OK. Back to the title.

Towards the end of the day, we found this at the water’s edge.

 Photograph: David Williams

Immediately it was christened Mr Blobby. We are not too imaginative.

But what was it?

Our best guess was an egg mass.

But what species?

Chief suspect was a Caddis fly.

It was taken home by one of the group to try and “grow it on” to see what emerged.

Here is the first report of progress:

“Blobby's Blob Blog #1

“Doing a bit more research it seems that there are only 2 species of caddis in the UK with such an egg mass- Glyphotaelius pellucidus being the most likely. (The other species is restricted to blanket bogs in the Scottish Highlands.) The egg mass also goes by the rather charming name of 'tree snot'. It seems that when the eggs are due to hatch the egg mass drops into the water. 

“This all seems to fit but any other ideas are welcome. 

“You will be pleased to know that the egg mass, aka Mr Blobby, which is presently in a small jar in my kitchen, appears healthy but there is no sign of hatching yet.”

And now, what you have all be waiting for…

The pictures.

Craneflies

Epiphragma ocellare – recognisable by the circle pattern on its wings.

 Photograph: John Martin

Ilisia macualata, with the bold block pattern on its wings.

 Photograph: John Martin

Ptychoptera contaminata – a mainly black fly, with a bold pattern on its wings.

 Photograph: David Williams

Tipula luna.

 Photograph: David Williams

Tipula vernalis.

 Photograph: John Martin

Hoverflies

Rhingia campestris, with its elongated face, that reaches parts of a plant that others can't - does that remind you of an advert for a certain brand of lager?

 Photograph: John Martin

Myathropa florea showing the “batman” pattern on the top of its thorax.

 Photograph: John Martin

Eupeodes corollae.

 Photograph: John Martin

Other flies

A tachinid fly, Gymnocheta viridis.

 Photograph: John Martin

A muscid fly, Limnophora tigrina, found on the mud at the edge of the mere.

 Photograph: Nigel Jones

And finally, a horsefly, Haematopota crassicornis.

 Photograph: Nigel Jones

Horseflies often have well-patterned eyes and this species is no exception. Here is another photograph of this very smart fly species.

 Photograph: John Martin

Beetles

The first beetle, Gastrophysa polygoni, was found close to the car park.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Soon after reaching the edge of the mere we found a ground beetle, Elaphrus riparius, known as the Green-socks Peacock.

Photograph: David Williams

This was followed by a small ladybird, Scymnus haemorrhoidalis, otherwise called Red-rumped ladybird after the red tip to its abdomen.

Photograph: David Williams

Beetles were found throughout the visit. Here are a few more.

Paederus riparius.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Tetrops praeustus, Plum Longhorn.

Photograph: David Williams

A tortoise beetle, Cassida rubignosa.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And as we were leaving the site we noticed this.

Photograph: John Martin

This is a Ship’s timber beetle, Elateroides dermestoides.

Damselflies

Red-eyed damselfly.

Photograph: David Williams

And a Common Blue damselfly.

Photograph: John Martin

Spiders

Just the two were photographed.

A Nursery-web spider, Pisaura mirabilis.

Photograph: David Williams

And a Gibbaraneae gibbosa, found in a ash tree.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Orthoptera

A Slender ground hopper.

Photograph: David Williams

And a Conehead nymph.

Photograph: David Williams

Moths

A brightly coloured and very hairy Yellow-tail moth larva.

Photograph: Neil Nash

And a Short-cloaked moth larva.

Photograph: David Williams

And to round off the photographs.

A Horse leech, Haemopsis sanguisuga.

Photograph: Neil Nash

And a Ear Pond Snail, Radix auricularia.

Photograph: David Williams

Phew!

My thanks to the land owners for granting us permission to enjoy ourselves, to Mags for making the arrangements and to the photographers for providing their excellent images for this report.

A looming presence

Wednesday 30th April 2025, High Leasowes, Church Stretton

High Leasowes is a collection of grasslands lying at the foot of Caer Caradoc and Helmeth Wood, just east of the A49 as it enters Church Stretton from the direction of Shrewsbury. 

We visited last June (2024) and were making a return visit earlier in the year in the hope of finding species that may not be about later in the year. 

And we succeeded in that a new fly for Shropshire, Chamaepsila nigra, was recorded during the day.

Since we had visited last year a pool had been dug. As the pool was very new, the banks and surrounding area were mainly bare earth with little cover for tiny animals, but there were some flies on the muddy areas.

Another change was additional trees in several areas of the site. However, regrettably, the site has been the subject of some vandalism with some of the saplings being destroyed.

It was very warm and sunny when we finally entered the site after dawdling along the short walk from the cars to the sites inspecting the hedgerow.

Once on site we remained within a few yards of the entrance carrying out suction samples of the grassland and searching the substantial hedgerow.

The dominant plant in the first field was Dandelion…

But there was quite a bit of Cuckoo flower in flower. 

And on one of the plants, we observed an egg of the Orange Tip butterfly.

Photograph: David Williams

The Cuckoo Flower also attracted some Crucifer shieldbugs. Here is one of them.

Photograph: David Williams

Meanwhile one of the suction samples discovered this Mottled Umber moth larva.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A couple of the group wandered off and inspected the hedgerows and trees for bees and flies. One hoverfly that they found was Platycheirus aurolateralis.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

This is only the second time this species has been recorded in the county.

We made our way very slowly through the first field and into the second.

Along the way we recorded a Clouded Silver moth.

Photograph: John Martin

And this plant.

Photograph: John Martin

This is Trachysternon orientalis. Slightly more conveniently it is known by the common name Abraham-Isaac-Jacob!

Now a couple of ground beetles were observed on either side of lunch.

Before lunch we noticed Paradromius linearis.

Photograph: John Martin

And after lunch we saw Leistus rufomarginatus.

Photograph: John Martin

We progressed into the 3rd field at the far end of the site. Climbing up the rising ground gave an excellent view back to Church Stretton and the Long Mynd with the Burway making its way up the hill.

Looking the other way Caer Caradoc loomed over us. In fact it's presence was a feature of the site as it was visible from most parts of the site.

Photograph: David Williams

A normally common spider, that has been conspicuous by its lack of numbers recently, was the Nursery Web spider, Pisaura mirabilis.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Turning for “home” and into the 4th field, searching some Hawthorn revealed this attractive weevil, Tatianaerhynchites aequatus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Fortunately, this weevil has acquired the common name Apple Fruit weevil. 

Far easier to remember.

The fourth field contains a small quarry that is now overgrown and dominated by an Oak. On one of the flowers of the tree we found this gall.

We found another, similar looking one, on a leaf.

They are both caused by the larvae of a small wasp Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. The gall is known as the Currant gall.

These wasps have a curious lifecycle in that different generation are either mixed male and female, or solely female. The Currant gall is generated by the mixed generation. The solely female generation causes a different gall known as the Common Spangle gall, which is often seen on the underside of an Oak leaf.

Further investigation of this oak revealed a weevil with an exceptionally long rostrum, Curculio glandum, known as the Acorn weevil.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Returning to the first field we concentrated on a large patch of rough vegetation close to the entrance that has been left to develop to provide a different habitat to the grassland. Searching this revealed a 7-spot ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

You will notice the growth under the ladybird. This is the pupa of the parasitic wasp Dinocampus coccinellae.

The wasp lays its egg in the ladybird. When hatched the wasp larva feeds internally on the ladybird. Its final instar emerges from the host through the abdomen and spins its cocoon between the ladybird’s legs, trapping it. At this point the ladybird is still alive, but it usually then dies within a few days.

On that cheerful note we went home.

My thanks to the High Leasowes Management Committee for granting us permission to enjoy ourselves and to the photographers for providing their excellent images for this report.