November notes

Wednesday 15th November 2023, Colemere

We were treated to a glorious autumnal day for this visit. We parked and met in the visitor car park, discussed which direction we should circumnavigate the mere, agreed, then immediately went the other way (should I be surprised) by starting in the large meadow.

Our first sighting was of some black cattle which were grazing the meadow. Three or four stopped what they were doing and stared at us. Then, one of them proved extremely friendly and said hello to our Dipterist.

Perhaps it was hoping that he would get his pooter out and remove the flies that were pestering it.

They followed us for quite a while until someone else arrived on site and wandered off onto the meadow. The cattle seemed to think he was more likely to give them what they wanted and trooped after him, leaving us alone.

Early activity was at the edge of the mere where the plants were being examined closely and photographed extensively.

And this is what had been found under one of the leaves.

Photograph: David Williams

Three species of ladybird. From left to right: Coccidula scutellata; Coccidula rufa and Water ladybird.

After the copious amount of rain that had fallen in the previous days the meadow was very wet and parts that were normally dry were flooded.

Within the meadow there is an area that is meant to be wet. On this occasion it was very wet, but it did nor stop one member of the group wading in to see what he could find.

I would like to think he found this:

Photograph: John Martin

A curlew. However, this was an opportunistic photograph of a passing bird snapped later in the day.

It may have been in this area where the shore fly Trimerina madizans was found. This is a fairly scarce species of wetlands that eats the eggs of wetland inhabiting spiders in the genus Hypselistes. It’s a handsome little fly sporting shiny black livery and bright orange legs. 

Photograph: Nigel Jones

Moving on we checked out the rougher vegetation at the edge of the meadow. Here we disturbed a rather groggy Silver Y.

You often come across these moths during the day when walking through grassland. Generally you see something fly away from you and settle at a “safe” distance. As you try to follow it, it will almost inevitably fly away again as soon as you start to get close enough to identify it. As you can see from this photograph, this moth had lost its get up and go.

Continuing our circumnavigation, we entered the wood. A Common darter was spotted resting on a tree. An attempt to photograph it resulted in it flying away. We saw where it went and tried again, with the same result. Fortunately, we were able to follow its flight as several other unsuccessful attempts were made before it finally decided to pose for us.

Photograph: John Martin

After this chase things settled down as we were able to concentrate on  more sedentary species as we made our way through the wood.

A Speckled wood larva.

Photograph: David Williams

A Forest bug nymph on the trunk of a tree.

Photograph: David Williams

The larva of a case-bearing moth Taleporia tubulosa.

Photograph: David Williams

A Green shieldbug.

Photograph: David Williams

And a harvestman Leiobunum blackwalli.

Photograph: John Martin

Having exited the woodland, we were now at the far side of the mere in a small open area of grassland. Glancing through the trees, bushes and other poolside vegetation we were able to see the church, on the far side, picked out by the mid-afternoon sun.

 

As time was marching on, we raced back (more like ambled with a purpose) through the woodland glade bordering the mere. To be fair, apart from a few fungi, there was little to observe.

Back at the grassland by the car park we had a last search before returning home.

Wednesday 22nd November 2023, Benthal Edge

We have visited the woods along Benthal Edge quite frequently, but have always been at the foot of the edge and never the top. This visit changed that as we wandered along the summit footpaths.

Having met in Benthal Hall car park we made our way along a lane to the Edge. There was a little dallying as the hedgerow was tapped and patches of vegetation suction sampled, but, on the whole, we got to the woodland fairly quickly.

Reaching the wood, the path divided with one going left and one going right. There was a third path that went down but temptation to take it was curtailed as this was closed due to a landslip.

Unfortunately, the path did not prove very interesting entomologically and very few species yielded to our efforts to find them. 

Here are photographs of a few species that we did find and were able to photograph.

A pseudoscorpion, Neobisium carcinoides, with its meal, a captured springtail.

Photograph: John Martin

A beetle that we were only able to identify to genus, not species, Asaphidion.

Photograph: John Martin

A harvestman Rilaena triangularis. This species has recently suffered the indignity of having its name changed – it used to be Platybunus triangularis.

Photograph: David Williams

A bristletail, again we could not identify the species only the genus, Dilta. Just look at those eyes!

Photograph: David Williams

A spider Cyclosa conica, its name seeming to reflect its conical shape.

Photograph: John Martin

Another harvestman, Nemastoma bimaculatum, with its two white patches on a dark body.

Photograph: David Williams

And a bit of a curiosity, a larva with what looks like caked mud between its legs.

Photograph: David Williams

Are they clumps of mud or are they parasites that have covered themselves in detritus?

I do not know, do you?

Wednesday 29th November 2023, Corbet Wood, Grinshill

You may have noticed that I have yet to mention success in finding Snow fleas recently. Although it is early in their “season” we had hoped to find them in the sites we had visited. With this in mind we visited Corbet Wood where, a few years before, several had been found.

Corbet Wood is a former quarry on the side of a hill that has naturalised with woodland. There are also some patches of conifer.

As usual, after getting ready, we dallied in the car park as a patch of rough grassland with marginal bushes and trees was investigated. Eventually it was suggested that we headed to the spot where Snow fleas had been found before.

We “raced” to that spot, skirting past the upper quarries…

And down a long descending path …

To the path that followed the foot of the site.

We followed the path for a short way to “the spot”.

Search as we might, we could not find any Snow fleas.

Very disappointing.

Down, but not out, we then concentrated on what was there rather than what was not.

An early surprise for us, and for it, was a Tawny owl that our rummaging in the undergrowth disturbed. Unfortunately all that most of us saw was a flash of wing feathers as it disappeared into the woodland.

More sedentary was this Common wasp.

Photograph: Neil Nash

And this long-legged harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus agg.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Why the agg.? Well, there is at least one other species that looks the same and rather than having to kill and dissect it to determine the species we just lump them together with the “agg.” suffix.

A cluster of 7-spot ladybirds.

Photograph: David Williams

A tightly rolled up Pill millipede.

Photograph: Neil Nash

A ground beetle, Notiophilus biguttatus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A pair of spiders, Drapetisca socialis, living up to their name.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A fungus, Purple jellydisc.

Photograph: Neil Nash

A quarry wall in this lower section of the site attracted a good deal of attention.

What were they staring at?

A tiny indentation in the stone face in which a Forest bug nymph had stationed itself.

Photograph: David Williams

We were making slow progress along the bottom path as species of interest (except Snow fleas) kept turning up.

A Scarlet tiger moth larva.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A harvestman Nemastoma bimaculatum whose description I mentioned above when we found it on Benthal Edge.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And a very common and distinctive fly Mesembrina meridiana, known as the Noon-day fly as that is generally about the time of day you find it, on sunny days, resting on the vegetation.

Photograph: David Williams

For a change I wandered up the slope a little way and found two enormous fungi. I have no idea what they were but am happy to be enlightened. Here is one of them.

The object at the bottom of the photograph, to give you a sense of its size, is my boot.

Reaching a gently sloping path that seemed to return us to the start we ignored it and carried on along the path at the bottom. This passed some houses then joined a lane. After a few yards the lane veered off to the right and some of the group wandered off along it. 

Others were more circumspect and noticed a path over a huge stone stile that seemed to offer a route to the top. This was taken.

Clearly we had split in two. A few telephone calls later we were content that everybody would end up in the same place and we carried on.

Reaching the top one of the group spotted some holes in an oak leaf.

Photograph: David Williams

These were feeding signs of the case-bearing moth Coleophora flavipennis. Diligent searching of the tree on which the leaf was found revealed the larva tucked in at the base of a leaf bud in its case.

Photograph: David Williams

Passing through an area of conifers we caught a glimpse of The Wrekin.

One of the conifers had taken a tumble and the opportunity was taken to examine it and, lurking on its bark, was a 2-spot ladybird with beads of condensation (or melted frost) on its elytra.

Photograph: David Williams

Nearby a clump of bramble was beaten and out fell this…

I am no good at identifying a bug from its underside, so it was flipped over to reveal that it was a rhopalid bug,  Corizus hyoscyami.

And passing a final seat one of the group found it just right for a little reflection on the day's events.

My thanks to Shropshire County Council and the National Trust for allowing us to do what we enjoy doing. My immense gratitude to the photographers for sending me their images to illuminate the report.

Winter begins

Wednesday 1st November 2023, Lilleshall Hill LNR

As we move into November the completion of the latest Joy of Wildlife programme does not mean that the group can put its collective feet up and sit in front of the fire, warm and cosy.

We carry on.

There is no formal programme during the winter. Sites are decided just a week or so in advance.

Normally we try to find suitable woodland as this generally provides more shelter from the elements than open grassland and gives us a chance of finding our favourite winter animal – Boreus hyemalis (snow flea). They can be found, usually associated with Polytrichum moss, between November and February.

As we had postponed a few trips recently, due to bad weather, we decided that the first two visits of the winter schedule would be to Lilleshall Hill and Lyth Hill. The third postponement, to the pair of Shropshire Wildlife Trust sites at Mason’s Bank and Lower Shortditch Turbary, at over 450m altitude, considerable higher than Lilleshall and Lyth Hills, could be left until warmer weather!

Back to our visit to Lilleshall Hill.

We parked and met at the Memorial Hall which lies at the foot of the hill. From here there are two routes up the hill which meet about halfway up the ascent.

Which to take?

The steep steps, or the gentle path.

Unsurprisingly we chose the gentle path. After walking gently uphill along the side of the road for what seemed ages but was probably less than five minutes, we realised that we were not sure where the path to the hill started.

Heads were scratched, chins rubbed in thought, but the answer was not revealed.

We returned from whence we had come and tried again, this time using the steps.

They were not too bad but as soon as we reached the top, where they joined the other path, we paused and did a bit of vacuum sampling finding …

A Ruby tiger moth larva;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

An “inconspicuous” ladybird Rhyzobius litura;

Photograph: David Williams

And a couple of 24-spot ladybirds.

Photograph: David Williams

Breath back, heart rate down to normal, moving on we came to a patch of scruffy dry grassland.

Photograph: Nigel Jones

This is the sort of habitat where we have been finding the tiny wingless wasp Callitula pyrrhogaster.

And as if by magic we found one. 

Of course, it was not magic. It was with the use of a vacuum sampler, then immense patience sorting through the sample, and a keen eye to spot something less than 2mm in length and maybe 0.5mm in width.

No-one took a photograph so here is one taken earlier in the year.

Photograph: David Williams

Continuing our stroll up the hill we came to a hedge dominated by Leylandii. This was beaten and out popped a Juniper shieldbug.

Photograph: David Williams

Other finds in this area were:

A female Common earwig;

Photograph: David Williams

A rhopalid bug, Corizus hyoscyami;

Photograph: David Williams

And, possibly around this time, the spider Nuctenia umbratica;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Together with the ground beetle Pterosticus niger.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Another vacuum sample was taken and several members of the group crowded round to see what it would yield.

This gathering was cut short when it started raining, heavily, and we scuttled towards some nearby trees to seek whatever shelter they were able to provide.

The rain stopped…

The sun came out…

It was lunchtime…

And we were only about halfway up the hill!

A good lunch spot seemed to be the monument on the summit which was bathed in glorious sunshine. We yomped our way up the rest of the hill and enjoyed our picnic in the sun.

Unfortunately, there was a stiff bracing wind!

However, it provided an excellent view of the distant Wrekin.

Photograph: David Williams

And, behind the Wrekin, approaching rain.

After lunch we continued searching through the vegetation along the top of the hill until the distant rain had travelled the many miles to reach us and forced us to seek shelter once again.

The rain was very short lived, to be replaced by sun and we were able to capture the tail-end of a very vivid rainbow.

Photograph: David Williams

And turning the other way we saw the monument silhouetted against the sun.

Photograph: David Williams

The grey clouds disappeared.

A convenient bench provided an opportunity to sit down and take in the view to the north.

By now the day was winding down and the issue of how to get back to the cars arose. 

We decided to continue over the hill assuming there would be a path down.

There was. However, there was a choice of two. Which one of the two opportunities should we take?

Whilst waiting for the decision the vegetation was sampled and a 7-spot ladybird and collection of Pine ladybirds was found.

Photograph: David Williams

A decision was made and we followed the path that appeared to take us down to the correct side of the hill to reach the Memorial Hall.

We did not go take the shortcut!

The path skirted what I assume is a rockface of a former quarry and then descended to the road. This in turn led us back to the hall, our cars, and home.

Wednesday 8th November 2023, Lyth Hill

Our second “make up” following the postponement of our scheduled visit was to the Shropshire County Council site at Lyth Hill.

This is a long southeast facing escarpment, south of Bayston Hill, which commands an excellent view of the hills of Shropshire from the Stiperstones in the west to the Wrekin in the east with lots more in between. A series of information boards has been provided to help you identify them all.

Unfortunately the weather was grey and misty when we met, rather spoiling the view, but here are the Stiperstones (on the right in the far distance);

And a rather hazy Wrekin.

The first issue was getting everyone together in the same place. We met at Lyth Bank, which is the most central car park, but there are two others at the eastern corner of the site. Needless to say, a couple of the group decided to park there.

They offered to walk the ¼ mile or so to join us.

The offer was accepted!

This did not delay us as they had arrived before we were all ready.

We walked a short way towards the west before Broom and Gorse, a little way down the slope, attracted our attention. A Gorse weevil, Exapion ulicis, was spotted.

Photograph: John Martin

Having descended part of the slope I noticed a second path, Rather than go up again I went further down. This isolated me from the rest of the group who were busy at work above me.

Another weevil, Protapion fulvipes, was found somewhere on the site as the time marched on towards lunchtime.

Photograph: John Martin

At about 11.55am I chanced upon a bench. Even though it was rather early I decided this was a good spot to picnic and tucked in. 

Others joined me.

“Isn’t it a bit early?” they asked.

My answer did not matter as they also tucked in.

Thankfully my lunch was finished when I noticed attention being paid to some dung.

This soon drew in admirers.

I do not think they found anything on great interest.

At the far end of the reserve is an area known as Spring Coppice. Parts of this are noted as being Ancient and Semi-natural woodland. This was where we went next. However, as we were less than halfway there at lunchtime, a great effort of will was needed to get there reasonably quickly.

The only insect of note that we found was a Hawthorn shieldbug.

Photograph: Neil Nash

But we did find some nice fungi including Witches’ butter;

Photograph: Neil Nash

And a Wood blewit, whose subtle blue/purple colour has not been captured by the camera.

It is possible that this aptly named Leopard slug was found in the wood.

Photograph: Neil Nash

Moving towards the exit of the wood we came across this fine display of Hairy curtain crust.

Leaving the wood we found more broom. This was home to the weevil Andrion regensteinense.

Photograph: John Martin

Fungi now became the focus of our attention.

Blackening Waxcap;

Younger specimen…

Photograph: Neil Nash

Older specimen…

Photograph: Neil nash

A Club fungus;

Photograph: Neil Nash

Parasols;

Photograph: John Martin

And a Shaggy Parasol.

All this needed a period of rest before starting the homeward journey.

Other news

Unexpected debris

Whist having windows replaced at his home some debris fell out when they removed the old windows. Imagine the window fitters' surprise

Photograph: David Williams

It was taken to the Cuan Animal Rescue Centre where it was given a clean bill of health. Advice on how to encourage it to fly away was to place it on a towel on a hot water bottle.

Photograph: David Williams

It worked. After it had enjoyed the warmth it took a few step and disappeared into the sky.

Wasp nests

Wasp nests in the roof space is not that unusual but three? And one was big enough to more than half fill a bin bag.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Hooded katydid

We encountered a very large insect at, appropriately, the Worcestershire Entomology Day.

Photograph: David Williams

It is Siliquofera grandis, otherwise known as the Hooded katydid.

You will be relieved to know that it was not a resident but was brought by one of the attendees, who enjoys rearing local and exotic orthoptera. It is normally found in New Guinea and possibly other islands where it lives in the rainforest canopies.

Such an impressive individual deserves another photograph.

Photograph: David Williams

My thanks to Telford and Wrekin Council and Shropshire County Council for permitting us to do what we enjoy doing, Lilleshall Memorial Hall for providing somewhere to park and to the photographers for sending me their images to illuminate the report.