No. 7 November 1999
Book Review: English Flowers from Foreign Fields
by Elizabeth Adlam published by Cappella Archive 1999 £19.50.
Some years ago Elizabeth Adlam played a prominent role in the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust’s affairs relating to education and publications. Since then she has retired from teaching and distilled a book from the many courses she gave on wild flowers for Birmingham University Department of Continuing Studies.
It gives me great pleasure to recommend her book to you. It traces the history of English flowers since the last ice age about 20,000 years ago to present times, especially in relation to social history. For example, we learn about the plants which colonised bare ground exposed when the ice retreated, and again when the Victorian railways and modern motorways scarified the countryside. She explains how the Normans, the Black Death, and the later Enclosure Acts affected the flowers She tells how many plants reached this country both naturally and by man – on Roman sandals and in shoddy from round the world. Her book is not a scientific treatise but an accurate, fascinating and easy to read history of our flowers. The book itself attractive, well-produced, and illustrated by 16 colour plates and lots of line drawings. Nice touches are drawings in the centre-fold looking at first like pressed flowers, and a built-in ribbon page marker.
Harry Green
The book is available from Cappella Archive, The Steps, Foley Terrace, Great Malvern, Worcs., WR14 4RQ, telephone 01684 565022
Polecats Are On Their Way Back
Johnny Birks of The Vincent Wildlife Trust
The polecat, the mammalogists’ spiritual equivalent of the quintessentially Welsh Red Kite, is recovering well in Britain. That is one conclusion from a major study recently published by The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT). The report, The Distribution and Status of the Polecat Mustela putorius in Britain in the 1990s, by Johnny Birks and Andrew Kitchener, includes a review of previous distribution surveys, the findings of a new survey, development of a method to monitor variations in abundance based on live-trapping by volunteers, a summary of the relationship between polecats and ferrets, and a description of a study of polecat ecology on lowland farmland in England (part of which was carried out in Worcestershire).
The VWT distribution survey produced over one thousand records from the 1990s, 68% of which were road casualties. Many of these were collected by naturalists (thanks to all who helped in Worcestershire) for us to confirm their identity as either true polecats or ferret hybrids. Records of true polecats came from 228 ‘new’ 10-km squares (several of which were in Worcestershire), confirming continuation of the encouraging recovery after near-extinction at the beginning of this century. Worcestershire is now completely repopulated by true polecats (a process which probably began in the far west of the county in the 1960s), although feral ferrets and hybrids will always occur from time to time as a result of ferrety escapes or releases.
for the diagrams please buy a copy of the printed version of Worcs Record
Figure 1. The caption is on the figure. However the reproduction method may not show the populations derived from introductions clearly. They are clearly defined in Scotland, the Lake District, and the SE band running SW-NE across England away from the growing Welsh population.
The latest survey suggests a dramatic 93% increase since 1991 in the area occupied by polecats in Britain. However, only some 30% of this is thought to represent ‘real’ range expansion. The remainder amounted to ‘catching up’ following a period of conservative recording which had not reflected the true extent of the expanding range, nor the establishment of new populations derived from re-introduction’s since 1970 (now occupying 87 10-km squares). The understandable confusion with feral ferrets and mink, and assumptions about the polecat being mainly confined to Wales probably explain past reticence to report polecats in the Midlands. Notably, the VWT survey indicates that the polecat occurs in more 10-km squares in England than in Wales. Reduced persecution and the post-myxomatosis recovery of rabbits, a favoured prey, are thought to be the main factors behind the polecat’s continuing advance. Clearly the polecat’s recovery has much in common with that of the buzzard.
for the diagrams please buy a copy of the printed version of Worcs Record
Figure 2. The caption is on the figure, which should be viewed in relation to figure 1
All possible polecat corpses collected were processed by the National Museums of Scotland where, among many valuable studies, work on the confusing ‘ferret question’ was carried out. Skins were scored and skulls measured from polecats and ferrets from many parts of Britain, and compared with those from ‘pure’ Welsh animals to determine where else true polecats still survived. Despite increasing evidence of hybridisation with ferrets as one moved East through the polecat’s range, true Welsh-type animals were found throughout Wales, in the English Midlands, and in populations derived from re-introduction’s. True polecats are now re-established in the Midlands by natural spread at least as far east as a line through Macclesfield, Northampton and Oxford, and through re-introduction’s to Argyll, Cumbria, the Chilterns and parts of Hampshire and Wiltshire in central southern England.
Studies of mitochondrial DNA at the University of Leeds revealed two geographically distinct lineages in British polecats and feral ferrets that probably reflect the past history of hybridisation. However, this work also showed just how closely related the two forms are, adding weight to the view that the ferret is simply a domesticated variant of the wild polecat. Domestication in ferrets involved selection against many of the predatory and survival skills found in wild polecats. As a consequence the ferret is severely disadvantaged in the feral state, so there is likely to be selection for the polecat phenotype in all wild populations. This is expected to limit the damaging effects, in terms of polecat conservation, of hybridisation with ferrets.
To improve understanding of the polecat’s recovery, a monitoring exercise based on live-trapping by volunteers was developed and tested. 136 1-km squares of the Ordnance Survey grid were each live-trapped for seven nights. Significant regional variations in trapping success were recorded, with squares near to the species’ historical stronghold more likely to catch polecats. The trapping data revealed a positive association with rabbit abundance, and a negative association with areas of high road density. It seems likely that polecat mortality on Britain’s roads may be high enough in some areas to cause population effects; this may explain why the species has still not re-established itself fully in the valleys of South Wales, nor around the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation. Estimates of population density suggest a modest abundance on farmland of between 0.7 and 1.0 polecats per square kilometer.
The apparent link between polecats and rabbits was backed up by diet and radio-tracking studies. Analysis of stomach contents of road casualty animals showed that rabbits comprised 85% of the bulk of prey remains. The radio-tracking study was carried out mainly in the Parish of Matron to the west of the Malvern Hills (in modern Herefordshire, but in vice-county 37), and around the Kemerton Estate on the edge of Bredon Hill on the Worcs/Glos border. Radio-tagged polecats spent half their time in rabbit warrens hunting the occupants and sleeping. Warrens comprised 80% of all daytime resting sites identified. In winter, farmyards were the most preferred habitat. Polecats visited them to prey upon rodents, leading to the risk of contamination with anticoagulant rodenticides. Analyses of liver tissues recovered from road casualty polecats shows that rodenticide contamination is widespread, and matches the pattern found in barn owls. The VWT is still studying the extent of this problem in collaboration with the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology.
The VWT report makes recommendations for research and action to promote polecat conservation. It recognises that the species is spreading from an upland, western refuge with relatively low human activity towards the intensively farmed lowlands where negative pressures are much greater. Areas of concern include the effects of road casualties, rodenticide poisoning, deliberate and accidental persecution, and habitat degradation. Maintaining rabbit populations is regarded as important, especially on intensive farmland where alternative prey are scarce.
For the time being we are no longer appealing for polecat records from Worcestershire, though a new survey may be organised early in the new millennium.
The VWT Polecat Report (152 pages) is available from The Vincent Wildlife Trust, 10 Lovat Lane, London EC3R 8DN, price £8.00 to include post and packaging.
Loss of Dunnock Nest – To a Frog!
By John Clarke
At first I thought it was a toad but eventually I saw it without its covering of moss, and of course it leaped out rather than climbing out.
I usually try to monitor bird’s nests in and around my garden and the more unusual ones are more carefully noted and information sent to the BTO Nest Record Scheme. Some years ago I caused a certain amount of disbelief in some circles when I was monitoring Buzzards on the island where we lived. This particular pair had chosen to nest on an inland cliff and were doing well until one of the islands many feral. goats clambered down and ate the greenery lining the nest, breaking the eggs in the process. I had to submit the record – “outcome of nest – predated by goat”! Now I have another record which will be hard to believe – a pair of Dumocks which nested in a large Senecio compactus shrub, just outside our back door, had their nest taken over by a large common frog!
I found the nest, plus three eggs and frog on 28th April.. The nest is sited amongst dense twigs and foliage – just over three feet above the ground. The frog was largely undisturbed by my daily monitoring of its ‘roost’ – it remained snuggled down in the bottom of the nest, the eggs squeezed to one side and part of the side walls pulled over its back like a ‘mossy duvet’. Its occupation was sometimes erratic – occasionally it would disappear for several days – but once there, it usually remained unmoved by the disturbance, as numerous visitors pulled back the foliage to get a glimpse of our ‘nesting frog’. I tried to photograph the whole thing but found it almost impossible to get a good picture when only the frog’s head and shoulders were visible and helpers were needed to hold back the foliage.
My last record of the frog was 11th June and, assuming that it will not now return, the occupation lasted over six weeks. It is interesting to speculate how the frog found and chose this unusual resting site – after all it was three feet above the ground in dense cover. So was the frog already clambering around in the bush, possibly hunting for food, or did it spot a dark silhouette way above its head and climb to investigate? Also, why did it choose to repeatedly return, surely that is quite a climb for a frog – especially when once there, a succession of nosy humans are likely to be disturbing your rest. Anyway, there are plenty of ‘normal’ resting places for frogs and toads in and around our garden and we frequently see them. So far I have been unable to find anyone who has heard of this type of frog behaviour. Maybe this story will encourage others to report unusual amphibians or indeed strange occupants of bird’s nests.
Postscript:
Since writing to you in June, I assumed the frog had abandoned its ‘roost’ in the Dunnock’s nest – but not a bit of it! It returned for a couple of days at the beginning of July, a day in early August, and again later in the month. Then, on 29th August, I was amazed to see a great big toad in residence – although that only stayed for a day. For most of September the nest was unoccupied but during the third week when dried leaves and flower heads started to appear in the nest, I concluded a mouse had taken it over. Imagine my surprise when a frog turned upon the 24th! During the next week or so I saw nothing – although more leaves appeared. Then, on 4th October the frog was back – and was still in residence in late October . The saga will no doubt continue – I will let you know what happens next!
The Whitty Pear – Sorbus domestica L. A Natural Pioneer Millennium Award Project, Work in Progress
By Frances Claxton
Introduction
In January 1999 I rang Will Watson and asked him if there were any ‘juicy’ locally distinctive tree species. In his answer he included Sorbus domestica, also known as the Whitty Pear, the Sorb Tree or the True Service tree. I had grown up in Worcestershire and had just returned from Northern Ireland where I had developed a passion for scarce native tree species. In May, I was awarded a Natural Pioneer Millennium Award that would pay for my training to equip me to deliver a project working towards the local Species Action Plan for Sorbus domestica.1 The project is now at its half-way stage and Harry Green has asked me to write this report. I will attempt to discuss what the project has involved and place it in the local and national context.
The importance of S.domestica is clear from European to local level. Europe-wide S.domestica is recognised as needing action in the EU GENRES programme2. It is the most endangered tree species in Switzerland with 300 individuals, which contrasts with 23 wild individuals plus 22 suckers that have been found in the UK3. In the UK, the species is classed as ‘critically endangered’4. English Nature has chosen S.domestica as the only tree species to have a current ‘Species Recovery Plan’. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew who chose S.domestica to be one of its ‘Threatened Plant Appeals’ species has found that it has stimulated a greater response than any other current TPA species, including tropical species. Locally, there is an individual Species Action Plan for the True Service Tree within the Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan.
Eleven tree species in Britain are in danger of extinction – all of which are members of the Sorbus genus5. It was the opinion of Sorbus experts who participated in a workshop held at Wakehurst Place in April of 1996, that Sorbus domestica shared joint top priority in terms of conservation in the UK, with S.bristoliensis, S.leyana and S.wilmottiana6. Others would go further and point out that, since S.domestica is in a subgenus of its own, subgenus Cormus, and it is the only sexual species of the four, that S.domestica could be considered priority number one in terms of conservation of tree species in the UK.
A brief history
The first individual of Sorbus domestica recorded in the UK was reported from the Wyre Forest in 1677 by Alderman Edmund Pitt of Worcester. In the 1800’s a poacher burnt the tree down and some say was transported to Australia for his crimes! Luckily some cuttings had been taken and propagated at nearby Arley Castle in the early 1800’s. The memory of the tree remained close to the communities’ heart and one of the Arley saplings was planted back into the Wyre forest on 30th March 1916 on the site of the original tree in memory of Robert Woodward, son of the Arley Castle Family, who was killed in the war. Many descendants of the Arley saplings are still growing throughout the county, including those in Bewdley, College Green and the Bishop’s Palace gardens, Worcester. There are also many more planted individuals whose origin is unknown. Despite there being historical references in Welsh poetry dating back to the 9th century, the Wyre individuals were for a long time thought to be the only known living trees which might still hold the genes of native S.domestica in the Britain. (Note: The history of the Sorb Tree in Worcestershire is told by Mary Munslow Jones in her book The Lookers-out of Worcestershire 1980, and there are many references to the tree in the Transaction of the Worcestershire Naturalists Club. A bibliography of the species is being prepare by the Sotbus domestica Study Group)
In 1983 a population was found by Marc Hampton on a South facing Lias limestone seacliff in Glamorgan. An individual in this population has been estimated to be c.400 years old!7 Since then a second site has been found in Glamorgan and three sites had been discovered in Gloucestershire8. In August 1999 while Mark and Clare Kitchen were showing me the Gloucestershire sites Mark Kitchen discovered another individual. The new tree is sufficient distance away from another site on the River Severn to be considered a separate population.
Project objectives and progress (See Table 1)
Table 1: Summary of contribution made towards species Action Plan objectives, May-October 1999
SAP objectives (summary)
| Natural pioneer Project contribution | Surveying for new records of wild S.domesica plants in prioritised areas. Recommended time: Flowering in May or fruiting seasons in September/October.
May 2 days surveying some potential sites in the Teme Valley and along the River Severn with local Tree Warden Roger Claxton. |
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| Establish database of known trees. Information to be transfered to GIS when available. | Database established with help from Worcestershire Sorb dom group members. Used to date during leaf sample collecting and analysis of molecular results at Kew. | ||||||||||||||||
| Molecular research | Leaf samples collected from 24 Worcestershire trees and 2 Gloucestershire sites with local involvement. These were added to samples from throughout Europe. See List 1. Four weeks work experience completed in the Conservation Genetics Unit at Kew under the supervision of Robyn Cowan. I am continuing to do research there on a voluntary part-time basis. Report of findings expected Spring 2000. |
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| Profile raising |
2 out of 5 educational events booked for Spring 2000 |
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| Propagation | Two collections of seed made for Kew UK Millennium Seed Bank Project from:
*Attempts made to collect wild seed from Gloucestershire were unsuccessful. |
Surveying in Worcestershire
I undertook two short spring searches for Sorbus domestica trees in Worcestershire without success..
Day 1:
Titton barracks near Lincomb (Grid Ref: SO820690) to the Hollies woodland down stream along the River Severn. Between SO820690 and river bank the following tree and shrub species were noted in the natural woodland: Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus, Prunus avium, Corylus avellena, Acer campestre, Fraxinus excelsior, Ilex aquifolium, Ulmus, Cornus sanguinea.
Moving down stream to Winnall coppice naturally wooded slope with marsh at base of slope and then woodland at the Hollies we saw the same tree species composition occurred at both sites. All three woodlands are on sandstone with unstable soil surfaces.
Day 2:
Homme Castle near Clifton-Upon-Teme north to Shelsley Walsh. Weyman’s Wood towards Top Barn (SO621724). Veteran Taxus baccata, abundant Sorbus torminalis including good natural regeneration, and Tilia cordata. We attempted to locate the limestone seam seen on geology maps meandering along the contours in this area. We assumed that any S.domestica might be growing near this seam. The mature Yews were consistently on one contour so we followed them. We continued down Witchery Hole, skirted round ascending steeply out of the quagmire to Rock Wood. At SO623723 there are extensive active badger sets. We descended to Shelsley Walsh.
Two miles north of Homme Castle, just north of Furnace Farm, surveying South to the Shelsley Walsh.
We surveyed Rock Coppice round to the top of Devil’s Den and Hell Hole. Along this stretch there are some veteran Yews of an impressive girth on the slope. Finally we descended returning to Shelsley Walsh.
Comments
Fraxinus excelsior was an abundant species throughout both days surveying. With hindsight it would be much more efficient to survey for S.domestica while its leaves are exhibiting their autumn colour (September-October), rather than when they are blooming in May. S. domestica inflorescences are inconspicuous from a distance, while their autumn colour includes vibrant reds and oranges that would help distinguish it from both S.aucuparia and young F.excelsior individuals from a distance. It may also be useful to know when F.excelsior drops its leaves in relation to S.domestica, despite this being effected by many other factors.
Figure 1 The original Whitty Pear (Nash 1799)
Since visiting all six suspected wild sites known of in the UK, I am now certain that there are more unrecorded S.domestica individuals, perhaps even in Worcestershire! In brief, the reasoning behind my optimism is based on the characteristics of the Gloucestershire sites. The Glamorgan sites have individuals suckering for up to 200m stretches of South facing exposed Lias limestone seacliffs, undercut by salt marsh. The individuals seemed to be repelled by encroaching woodland on less sheer gradients and on both sites there was Maiden Hair Fern Adiantum capillus veneris, Purple Gromwell Lithospernum purpureocaeruleum and a Fleabane Inula. Combined, these site characteristics are very specific. Many sites that share these characteristics in the UK, have already been identified, and have been relatively easy to survey with binoculars.9 In contrast, sites in Gloucestershire have many characteristics that are found frequently in Worcestershire and elsewhere. For example, the geology has Lias limestone as a small component of the slope profile, the rest of the slope is comprised primarily of sandstone. The slopes are densely wooded, sheer, unstable and in most cases can not be viewed from the top of the slope. These qualities make them very difficult to actively survey either close up or with binoculars. I feel the only safe way that botanists could be certain about an 10area of slope would be to carry out transacts at regular intervals on ropes from the top of the slope. However, it is more likely that sites will continue to be discovered by seeing new windows into the wooded slopes due to land slippage, which is how new site was discovered in August of this year. The species that are consistently associated with S.domestica in Gloucestershire are S. torminalis and wild madder Rubia peregrina.[latter does not occur in Worcestershire] .I would be interested to see the results of a coincidence search of sites in Worcestershire, or elsewhere, which share the Gloucestershire geological and botanical characteristics. This would be very useful information on which to base further surveying.
Molecular research
The molecular research being conducted at Kew uses the AFLP Plant Mapping technique11. AFLP is particularly well suited to assessing the degree of genetic variability within a species and the degree of relatedness between individuals within a species. In Worcestershire there is one burning question on everyone’s lips – How does the Whitty Pear that grew in the Wyre Forest relate to those recently found in Gloucestershire and Glamorgan? The research is attempting to address this question amongst others.
With the help of local enthusiasts I collected leaf samples from 28 S. domestica individuals. (A note for future samplers: using polepruners would have been a really good idea!) All these samples were from Worcestershire with the exception of two from Gloucestershire. Up to five grams of fully formed leaf material was collected from each tree, torn into small pieces and added immediately to a 50g bag of fine grain silica gel. The silica gel removes moisture from the leaves, indicated by a colour change in a gel. . It is important that leaf material is dried within 24 hours of collection to avoid DNA degradation. Therefore the silica must not be overloaded. It was also important to avoid leaves with rust where possible. A herbarium sheet of the material serves as the voucher for the DNA of each sample and these are best pressed between paper in the field. In addition, Pam Thaw arranged for the collection of the Taunton sample, Harry Green collected the Italian (Umbria) sample and Jon Stokes of the Tree Warden Scheme/Tree Council collected the Suffolk sample.
These 28 samples were added to others from England, Wales and from throughout Europe, totalling 74 samples from eight countries, (see Table 2). Currently, DNA of 71 samples has been totally extracted. All totally extracted DNA from this research is stored in Kew’s DNA bank available for use in this and future research involving Sorbus domestica. The three remaining samples are late comers and are half way through extraction. Every sample goes through the AFLP and electrophoresis process in triplicate. This is because a different genetic ‘primer’ or label is attached to each one of these, to obtain different information about the sample. Forty-five samples have already gone through the AFLP process and electrophoresis, and the data is being edited on the Genotype™ computer program. The remaining 29 samples plus a number of repeats will also go through this process. Once all the data is collated and edited, the three sets of information will be combined for each sample, then phylogenetic analysis of the data will begin. I am very lucky that Kew have given me the opportunity to write the report with them for English Nature. I am unable to realistically predict the timing of the final report as this is the first time I have carried out this process. However one snippet of information based on the information from one primer suggests that the Croome Perry Wood tree and the Oxford Botanic Garden maliform specimen are genetically indistinguishable using this technique. This suggests that they could have been vegetatively reproduced from the same origin.
List 1: Sites of samples included in the current molecular research at Kew, part of the work for English Nature’s Species recovery plan for Sorbus domestica.
| Site Name | Country |
| K08 Progeny 7 | Austria |
| Bergenland 1 | Austria |
| K09 Adult | Austria |
| K08 Adult | Austria |
| Bergenland 3 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 1 | Austria |
| Bergenland 4 | Austria |
| Bergenland 5 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 1 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 2 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 3 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 4 | Austria |
| Bergenland 2 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 6 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 2 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 3 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 4 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 5 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 6 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 7 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 8 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 9 | Austria |
| K09 Progeny 10 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 8 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 9 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 10 | Austria |
| K08 Progeny 5 | Austria |
| Loen, Callow Hill, Bewdley. | England |
| Croome Perry Wood | England |
| Croome Court | England |
| Oxford Botanic Garden – Pyriform | England |
| Arley Arboretum – Main gate 1 | England |
| Forestry House No.19 | England |
| Wyre Forest Visitor Centre | England |
| Withybed Wood 5 – Cadbury Forest | England |
| Withybed Wood 4 – Cadbury Forest | England |
| Withybed Wood 3 – Cadbury Forest | England |
| Withybed Wood 2 – Cadbury Forest | England |
| Withybed Wood 1, Cadbury Forest | England |
| Wyre Forest 4 | England |
| Wyre Forest – Site no. 57 | England |
| Cubsmore field tree | England |
| Cadbury Forest -Woodland Chalet 3 | England |
| Suffolk tree | England |
| Croome Perry Wood ,second tree | England |
| Arley Arboretum Main Arboretum second tree (Cat 68). | England |
| Arley Arboretum – Cat. No. 74 | England |
| Arley Arboretum – Main gate 4 | England |
| Shirehampton, Gloucestershire | England |
| Arley Arboretum – Main gate 2 | England |
| Cadbury Forest -Woodland Chalet 2 | England |
| Cadbury Forest – Woodland Chalet 1 | England |
| Taunton tree | England |
| Gatcombe, Gloucestershire. | England |
| Sedbury, Gloucester. | England |
| Arley Arboretum – Main gate 3 | England |
| Wyre Forest 1 – 90 year old | England |
| Poole House, Astley Town, Stourport | England |
| Oxford Botanic Garden – Maliform | England |
| College Green, Worcester Cathedral | England |
| Bishop’s Palace Garden, Worcester | England |
| Maquis vegetation, Aude Herault. | France |
| Thenon, Auxerre. | France |
| Quercus pubescens woodland, Dordogne. | France |
| Rochusbery, Birgen | Germany |
| Umbria. | Italy |
| Northern Pyrines | Spain |
| Geneva Botanic Garden (Wild plant) | Switzerland |
| Bois de Chatillion, Geneva | Switzerland |
| Quercetalia-Pubescenti, Geneva | Switzerland |
| Chateau de Penthes, Pregny. | Switzerland |
| Porthkerry, Sample from West end of population. | Wales |
| Porthkerry, Sample from East end of population. | Wales |
| Fontygary, Aberthaw, Vale of Glamorgan. | Wales |
This information is taken from the S. domestica database.
Conclusions
The training I have received from this Millennium Award and local experts has enabled me to deliver this project to date. This is something I am very grateful for. As for Sorbus domestica, with discoveries of new information like ‘Der Speierling’12 a German book documenting how the species is currently involved in industry and as part of German culture, the species becomes even more interesting. It is a shame that S. domestica is not the most aesthetic tree in the UK, due to it being on the extreme of its natural geographical range. It is obvious to me that this species is so rich in cultural history that it has great amenity value. It seems very sad that at present there is an unwillingness to recognise their value by protecting planted individuals with Tree Preservation Orders.
As for the wild populations, I hope the molecular work, which is one of the starting points of the English Nature Species Recovery Plan, will be the first step towards the active conservation of this amazing survivor in the UK.
Acknowledgements
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Natural Pioneer Millennium Awards Unit, BTCV, Wallingford. Members of the Worcester Sorbus domestica group, especially: Harry Green, Fred Jennings, John Bulmer, John Hodson, Rosemary Winnal and Will Watson. Mark Hampton, Glamorgan; Fiona Copper, Shropshire; and Mark and Clare Kitchen, Gloucestershire The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, in particular Dr Mike Fay and Robyn Cowan from Conservation Genetics, and Andrew Jackson, Bill Baker and Hugh Prendergast. Jon Cree and John Rymer from the Bishops Wood Centre, Stourport-on-Severn. Simon Pratt, Redfield Community, near Aylesbury. Jon Stokes, Tree Council; and Dr Quentin Kay. Dr Anthony Coles from Worcester College of Technology. Karen Sidwell, Natural History Museum, London; and Louise Daugherty, the Henry Doubleday Research Association. |
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Natural Pioneer Award is a training grant, funded by the Millennium Commission and administered by BTCV throughout the UK. |
Frances Claxton can be contacted at sbu99fec@reading.ac.uk
References
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HAMPTON M 1996 Sorbus domestica L. Comparative Morphology and Habitats. BSBI News No 73 p32-37 |
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HAMPTON M & KAY QON 1995 Sorbus domestica L new to Wales and the British Isles. Watsonia 20:379-384 |
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JEFFERY FR 1916 The Wyre Forest Sorb Tree Worcestershire Naturalists’ Club Transactions Vol VI part III pages 250-257 |
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JONES, MARY MUNSLOW 1980 The Lookers-out of Worcestershire. The Worcestershire Naturalists’ Club. |
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MARREN, PETER 1999 Britain’s Rare Flowers. Poyser Natural History |
Notes
- The local Biodiversity Action Plan is available form at the Worcester Wildlife Trust.
- EU GENRES programme is the European programme on characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture. S. domestica is in project 29.
- Taken from ‘The Conservation Status of Sorbus in the UK with the addition of the August 1999 site. See footnote no. 8.
- From the Red Data Book of rare plant species, under the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
- A fact reported by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the World Conservation Union, 1998. ‘Tree News’, Autumn 1998.
- Taken from ‘The Conservation Status of Sorbus in the UK proceedings of the Workshop held at Wakehurst Place 28th April 1996’, edited by Andy Jackson and Mark Flanagan from Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst Place. Published by Kew February 1998.
- ‘Sorbus domestica L., new to Wales and the British Isles’, by M. Hampton and Dr Q. O. N. Kay of University of Wales, Swansea. Watsonia 20 (1995).
- All the Gloucestershire sites have been discovered by Mark and Clare Kitchen, the vice-county botanical recorders for Gloucestershire.
- Mark Hampton has conducted much surveying throughout the UK.
- The picture on this page is from K Tomkinson, D&E Everett (1984) Collections from the History of Worcestershire by T Nash 2nd edition 1799 – a natural history plate showing the Wyre Firest Sorbus domestica.
- AFLP Plant Mapping Protocol, Part number 402083, Revision B, May 1996. PE Applied Biosystems. (A Division of Perkin-Elmer)
- By Kausch-Blecken von Schmeling. Out of print.
New Orthopteran for Worcestershire – Short-winged Conehead
By Gary Farmer
In June this year I discovered an interesting little “bug” at Ipsley Alders Marsh. Small, bright green with a black stripe down it’s back, combined with very long antennae, large hind legs and an oversized, upturned ovipositor made it immediately recognisable as a nymph of Conocephalus dorsalis – the Short-winged Conehead. Not a “bug” in strict biological terms but actually a type of Bush-cricket. This was the first record for this species in Worcestershire. Later in the summer I returned to Ipsley Alders and found an adult female of the same species. When mature these crickets are still quite easy to identify :- Length around 15mm with antennae twice that length. Ovipositor up to 9mm and upcurved. The stripe down their back becomes brown when adult. As the name suggests their wings are short and cover only about half the abdomen. It occurs in coastal and inland wetland areas in southern England and Wales but not in large colonies (Haes & Harding) with the nearest populations known from river flood plains in Gloucestershire, so may be overlooked in other Worcestershire sites where rushes grow in abundance.
The Orthoptera (Grasshoppers and Crickets) of Worcestershire
By Gary Farmer
The discovery of Conocephalus dorsalis takes the number of Orthoptera recorded in Worcestershire to 15 species. These can be broken down into three groups :-
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Grasshoppers (5 species) |
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Groundhoppers (2 species) |
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Crickets (8 species) |
Grasshoppers
| Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus) | Our commonest Orthopteran, found all over Worcestershire in virtually any grassland. |
| Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus) | Another common species but preferring dryer open sites including road verges. |
| Lesser Marsh Grasshopper (Chorthippus albomarginatus) | An under recorded species probably due to its’ similarity to C. parallelus. Found in damp grassland. Big colonies occur around Grafton Wood and at Upton Warren NR. |
| Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus) | Despite its name this is not very often encountered in the county. Found in unimproved grassland. |
| Mottled Grasshopper (Myrmeleotettix maculatus) | Requires maximum sun and so prefers dry, open sites with broken patches of grass, also Heathland. Recently found along the Malvern Hills. A good population exists at Hartlebury Common. |
Groundhoppers
| Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata) | Easily overlooked. Found in woodlands around the county. |
| Slender Groundhopper (tetrix subulata) | Again, easily overlooked. widespread but not so common as T. undulata. A large colony exists in and around Grafton Wood. |
Crickets
| Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) | The cricket most likely to be encountered in Worcestershire. Found in woodland and hedgerows. |
| Speckled Bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatisima) | More easily overlooked than P. griseoaptera but still quite common in our woodlands. Tiddesley Wood and the Wyre Forest hold good populations. |
| Oak Bush-cricket (Meconema thalassinum) | Most reports of this species come from bathrooms! The reason being that they live in tree tops and during their nocturnal flights they are drawn to light and so enter houses. |
| Great-green Bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) | WBRC hold a few old records for this species. My closest record is from the Chippenham by-pass. May be these new road “corridors” will bring this spectacular species to Worcestershire more often. |
| Short-winged Conehead (Conocephalus dorsalis) | See above. |
| Mole Cricket (Gyllotalpa gryllotalpa) | Nationally endangered. Known to have occurred in the Pershore area (see article in previous Worcestershire Record). |
| Wood Cricket (Nemobius sylvestris) | This species has its stronghold in the New Forest but WBRC hold an old record for Shrawley Woods. |
| House Cricket (Acheta domestica) | Can only survive in heated buildings. Sold as “food” for exotic pets. |
Future Newcomers?
There are two species of Orthoptera recorded at our borders. Areas of heath in the north of the county should be checked for Bog Bush-cricket (Metrioptera brachyptera). While Stripe-winged Grasshopper (Stenobothrus lineatus) might be found in short/limestone grassland in the south or on the Malvern Hills. Two more species worth a mention are Roesel’s Bush-cricket (Metrioptera roeselii) and Long-winged Conehead (Conocephalus discolor) are both expanding their range from the south east and south of the country respectively.
References
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MARSHALL, JUDITH A & HAES ECM (1988) Grasshoppers & Allied Insects of GreatBritain & Ireland Harley Books |
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HAES, ECM AND P.T. HARDING (1997) Atlas of grasshoppers, crickets and allied insects in Britain and Ireland The Stationery Office |
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BELLMAN , HEIKO (1988) A field guide to the Grasshoppers and Crickets of Britain and Northern Europe Collins (out of print ) |
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BROWN, VALERIE K (1983) Grasshoppers Naturalists’ Handbooks No 2 CUP (A new edition is due) |
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MAHON, ANDREW (1988) Grasshoppers and Bush-crickets Shire Natural History 25 |
(Editors note: The following field guide is available (its in the NHBS mailorder catalogue) and contains excellent photographs of British Orthopterans – only problem is that it is written in French. The original 1993 edition was in German. Costs about £20: BELLMAN H AND LUQUET GC (1995) Guide des Sauterelles, Grillons et Criquets d’Europe Occidentale. publisher Delachaux et Niestlé .
Some Notable Coleoptera Recorded During Surveys in Worcestershire 1999
By Don Goddard
During 1998 I did very little recording in Worcestershire, spending most of my time in the southern counties recording for the National Trust. This year I have managed to get about our own county surveying various sites including many Trust reserves. It served to remind me that from the beetle point of view we have a rich county certainly the equal of places like the New Forest. It’s just a matter of getting out and recording (plus the identifying etc!!).
Carabidae
Badister unipustulatus Bonelli (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A medium-small, rufous and black ground beetle which occurs in undisturbed marshes, fens and wet marshy woodland such as willow carr. It is usually found near standing water amongst lush vegetation, in reed litter or hibernating under bark. The species locally distributed in southern and eastern England and south Wales.
Threatened by loss of wetlands through agricultural improvement, falling water tables and habitat disturbance due to excessive grazing, trampling and overzealous conservation activity also habitat invasion by alien species such as Himalyan balsam may be detrimental.
Found under bark on semi-submerged log, Wilden Marsh SO826733 16/08/1999.
Pterostichus lepidus Leske (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A medium sized ground beetle, typical of dry, sandy or gravely soils particularly dry exposed heaths with heather. It appears to prefer open, sunny ground amongst sparse vegetation. This species has a discontinuous distribution with most records from southern heathlands and the North York Moors. Elsewhere records are very scattered and this would appear to be the only recorded site in Worcestershire. It may well searching for it on the nearby Devil’s Spittleful and Rifle Range reserves. Threatened by loss of habitat. Maintenance of disturbed ground with sparse vegetation is essential.
Running on bare sandy soil, disturbed ground, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO811738 4/08/1999.
Dytiscidae
Dytiscus circumflexus (F) (Nationally Scarce category B)
A large great-diving beetle with characteristic black stripes on the underside of the abdomen. Mainly associated with brackish pools in coastal counties of England and Wales with more scattered records from inland ponds. The species appears to have extended its range in recent years although it is still very local inland. Most Worcestershire records are from recently created or restored ponds. Threatened by loss of ponds and pollution.
Recently constructed pond, Wilden Marsh SO829742, 19/08/1999
Field pond, Tiddersley Wood SO931460, 7/09/1999
Graptodytes granularis (L) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small, oval diving beetle of bogs, fens, marshes and also swampy areas of ponds. It appears to prefer places with fluctuating water levels, ie. places that dry out on a seasonal basis. Both of the known county sites fit this description. It is fairly widespread but local in East Anglia and southern Scotland, elsewhere it is a scarce species and is never usually found in large numbers. There is one previous record for this species in the county, from a swampy pool near Hallow in 1982. Threatened by loss of wetland through falling water tables, agricultural improvement, excessive tidying of ponds and pollution.
Body Brook Marsh SSSI, Droitwich, SO913633 17/06/1999
Hydroglyphus pusillus (L) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small, globular diving beetle with yellow and black stripes, usually found in shallow, man made silt ponds. Most records are from the south and east of the country with scattered records as far north as Yorkshire. Due to its small size it may be under-recorded. This appears to be only the second record for Worcestershire, the previous record by Dr. P. Ponel from Brays Pit, Brandon SO731443, 19/06/1991. Threatened by loss of wetland through falling water tables, agricultural improvement, excessive tidying of ponds and pollution.
Shallow water hazard 6th fairway, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO805732 4/08/1999
Hydaticus seminiger (De Geer) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A medium sized, long-oval diving beetle with broad yellowish bands bordering the elytra. It occurs in ponds and ditches with dense vegetation appearing to prefer fen carr habitats. The adults are ready fliers and over-winter on land returning to their breeding sites in spring. The species has declined in the west and is generally restricted to East Anglia and the south-eastern counties being very scarce elsewhere hence its occurrence in Worcestershire is of particular interest. Threatened by loss of wetland through falling water tables, agricultural improvement, excessive tidying of ponds and pollution.
Recorded from two sites in the county. A single specimen from a pond in Lassington Close, Redditch SP070671 31/05/1999 whilst dozens were found in a weedy ditch at Wilden Marsh SO830745, 20/08/1999.
Helochares lividus (Forster) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
An oval greenish-yellow beetle found in weedy ponds, often in new or recently renovated ponds. A local species, found mainly in the southern and eastern half of the country. This species is widespread in the county but only occurs in better quality ponds. Threatened by pollution and loss of suitable ponds.
Porter’s Mill, Droitwich Canal SO850600 26/05/1999. Water hazard 6th fairway, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO805732 4/08/1999. Recently constructed pond, Wilden Marsh SO829742 19/08/1999
Anacaena bipustulata Marsham (Nationally scarce category B)
A small dark globular beetle found in a wide variety of wet land habitats such as streams, canals, drains, marshes, ponds, pits and peat mosses. A southern species, apparently near the limit of its range in the Midlands, and this would appear to be the first record for Worcestershire. Threatened by loss of wetland.
Porter’s Mill, Droitwich Canal SO850600, 26/05/1999. Droitwich Rugby Club, Droitwich Canal SO916631, 18/6/1999
Cercyon convexiusculus Stephens (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small oval beetle usually found at the edges of ponds amongst wet mud and litter. Widely distributed with more records in the east of the country. Possibly under recorded due to its small size. Only seven members of this large genus can be considered truly aquatic, most live in dung or decaying vegetation. Only one previous county record from Hanley Swan village pond in 1982, before it was cleaned out and cosmetically tided up!
Pond in Lassington Close, Redditch SP070671 31/05/1999
Berosus signaticollis (Charpentier) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A greenish-brown, oval beetle that sometimes squeaks when handled. It can tolerate shallow, muddy pools even those fouled by cattle so one wonders why it is so scarce. The main stronghold for the species is in the south-eastern counties, elsewhere it is extremely local. There was some excitement when this species was discovered in a field pond on the Croome estate during a survey by the National Trust in 1995 and also excitement when I found two specimens in shallow water in a redundant settling pit at the Severn-Trent Water Works at Strensham SO917399 on 29 September 1999. Croome is near to Strensham so a search of other ponds in the area may be rewarded with further specimens.
Hydraena testacea Curtis (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small elongated black beetle that occurs in both static water such as heathland pools, salt marshes and fens and muddy streams. Usually found at the edges of water-bodies amongst submerged grass etc. Locally distributed troughout the country with most records from the south-east. The species appears to be declining. There do not appear to be any previous Worcestershire records. Grassy edge of pond in Lassington Close, Redditch SP070671 31/05/1999
Staphylinidae
Stenus nigritulus Gyllenhal (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small black rove beetle, that frequents damp and marshy places, as do many members of this large genus. It has been recorded from tussocks in marshes, shingle and mud on riverbanks, and also from haystack litter. The species is widely distributed but local and appears to be declining an all to familiar story.
Reed litter, Linacres cottages, Droitwich Canal SO860601, 1/06/1999.
Paederus fuscipes Curtis (Nationally Scarce category B)
A small blue and orange rove beetle found in marshes, bogs, pond margins and other damp places. Usually occurs amongst reed litter and other plant debris and some times found running around on wet, bare mud in sunny places. Widely distributed but local throughout England, Wales and southwest Scotland. Adults have been recorded in most months. Threatened by pollution and loss of wetland through falling water tables, agricultural improvement and excessive tidying of ponds and ditches. Reed litter, Wilden Marsh, SO828735, 19/08/1999
Meladryidae
Anisoxya fuscula (Illiger) (Nationally Scarce Category A)
A small, elongate, dark brown, false darkling beetle whose larvae develop in dead twigs on a variety of broad-leaved trees such as ash, willows, beech, lilac and field maple. Adults appear to remain in the canopy and the species is associated with ancient broad-leaved woodland and also mature trees in more open areas. The species has a sparsely scattered distribution throughout the southern half of England and Wales. Threatened by loss of mature trees, removal of dead wood from living trees and the removal of standing and fallen dead wood for reasons of forest hygiene, public safety and aesthetic tidiness.
Dead branches, mature oak, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO810733, 4/08/1999
Orchesia minor Walker (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small, elongate, dark red-brown false darkling beetle usually found in bracket fungi on trees and in rotten wood. Recorded from beech, hazel, lime and willow. Adults have been found in January and from April to September. Widely distributed but very local throughout Britain. Threatened by loss of woodland and by clearing of old and fungus-infected trees. Dead branches on old willow pollard, Wilden Marsh SO828735, 19/08/1999
Dermestidae
Ctesias serra (F) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small oval dermestid beetle usually found as a larva amongst old cobwebs under loose, dry bark on old broad-leaved trees. Recorded from oak, elm, ash and willow. Adults and larvae are thought to feed on insect remains in old spiders webs. Larvae have been found in most months and adults are usually recorded between April and June. Widely distributed but local throughout Britain. Threatened by loss of broad-leaved woodland and particularly destruction of old trees and removal of dead wood from old trees for fire-wood or reasons of aesthetic tidiness. Under bark, old willow pollard, Wilden Marsh SO828735, 19/08/1999
Cerambycidae
Anaglyptus mysticus (L) (Nationally Scarce category b)
A spectacular “long-horn” beetle of woodland scrub and hedgerow with a preference for old hawthorn hedges with plenty of dead dry branches. The larvae develop ion dead wood and are thought to prefer very dry dead branches and boles. Adults visit flowers, especially hawthorn blossom. Threatened by loss of old hedges, cosmetic tidying of hedges and pesticides. Old hawthorn hedge, Burlish top, Stourport SO804735, 14/05/1999
Gracilia minuta (F) (Red Data Book Category 2 – Vulnerable)
A small, dark red-brown, suparallel slightly flattened long horn beetle with white pubescence. Associated with with various shrubs including blackthorn, dog rose, elm, hazel, lime and osier. The larvae excavate irregular longitudinal galleries under the bark of twigs and small branches. The species has been recorded from wicker-work articles. The life cycle lasts one year and adults are usually found between May and August. Formerly much more widespread, G. minuta, has declined dramatically and the only recent records are from Kent and Hampshire. Threats result from loss of broad-leaved woodland and changes in management practice such as removal of shrubs and under-story from woodlands. Two specimens were found at Eldersfield Marsh a new WWT reserve in the south of the county. One was beaten from dog rose and a second from willow twigs in old hedgerow on 14th and 19th June 1999.
Molorchus umbellaratum (Von Schreber) (Nationally Scarce category A)
A small, slender and flattened longhorn beetle with very long antennae and shortened elytra so the wings project well beyond the elytral tip. Recorded mainly from dog rose but also from apple, bramble, dogwood and guelder-rose. Adults have been recorded from May to July and are often found on hawthorn blossom or as the specific name suggests, on umbellifer flowers. Formerly more widespread current distribution appears to centre round Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Threats result from loss of broad-leaved woodland and changes in management practice such as removal of shrubs and under-story from woodlands. One specimen, beaten from dogwood, in old hedgerow at Eldersfield Marsh reserve.
Attelabidae
Bytiscus populi (L) (Red data Book Category 3- Rare)
A somewhat square-shaped, metallic green leaf-rolling weevil about 5mm long that is associated with aspen, white poplar and black poplar. The larvae live in leaf rolls constructed from a single leaf. The adults are most frequent in June but have been recorded from May to September. Formerly more widespread, most recent records are from the south east of England. The main reason for its decline would appear to be loss of open areas in woodland with changes in management practices altering the vegetation structure. Young aspen saplings appear to be preferred. A single specimen was beaten from young aspen in a clearing by the ponds at Monkwood Reserve on 22 August 1999.
Anthribidae
Platyrhinus resinosus (Scopoli) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A fungus weevil, oblong shaped and dark blue-grey with a dirty white rostrum and elytral tip. Usually associated with the fungus Daldinia concentrica on old ash trees. It has a scattered distribution throughout Britain. Threatened by loss of habitat through clearing of fungus-infected trees. Occasionally found on other trees. One was tapped from an old willow pollard by Bow Brook on the Marsh Warbler reserve next to Tiddersley Wood on 9th September 1999′
Brentidae
Perapion sedi Germar (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small seed weevil occurring on various species of stonecrop growing on grassland, dunes, stabilised shingle and disturbed ground, the larvae mine the leaves and stems of the host plant. Most records are from coastal areas with a few isolated inland records. Threatened by loss of habitat due to natural succession such as scrub invasion, development, conversion to agriculture and “tidying” of waste ground. Disturbed, sandy ground Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO807733 4/08/1999
Protapion dissimile Germar (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small seed weevil associated with hare’s foot clover Trifolium arvense, on dry, sparsely vegetated, acidic, sandy soils such as disturbed ground, dunes. Widely distributed but local from north-west England southwards. Threatened by natural succession, agricultural improvement schemes and habitat degradation caused by activities such as, excessive human trampling, horse riding, motor bike riding Rough grassland, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO812732 ,4/08/1999
Oxystoma cerdo Gerestaecker (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small seed weevil associated with vetches especially tufted vetch Vicia cracca. Found mainly in hedgerows, unimproved grassland, roadside verges and waste ground. The species has a northern distribution with more scattered records in southern England. Threatened by grassland improvement schemes, fertilizer application, loss of hedgerows and inappropriate mowing regimes.
Rough grassland, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO812732 ,4/08/1999
Curculionidae
Coeliodes erythroleucus (Gmelin) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small rounded weevil associated with oak in broad-leaved woodland, wooded heathland and oaks in scrub and hedgerows. The larvae feed on the female flowers of the host tree. Widespread but local. Recorded throughout England, Wales and Scotland. Threatened by felling of host trees, scrub clearance and coniferisation. Dead branches, mature oak, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO810733, 4/08/1999
Gymnetron collinum (Gyllenhal) (Nationally Scarce Category a)
A small weevil associated with common toadflax Linaria vulgaris. On grassland, disturbed ground, verges etc. The larvae develop in galls on the roots of the host plant. Very local, with a thinly scattered distribution, north to southern Lancashire. Threatened by loss of habitat through natural succession, agricultural improvement and development of disturbed ground.
Woodland edge, Wyre Forest Golf Club, Stourport SO812732 ,4/08/1999
Mecinus circulatus (Marsham) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small, dark, long-oval weevil usually found on grassland, chalk downland, cliffs, dunes, disturbed ground and road verges, predominantly coastal.. Usually associated with ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata and buck’s-horn plantain P. coronopus. Adults have been recorded in most months. Widespread but local southwards from the Midlands, including Wales.
Rough grass, St. John’s, Worcester SO828540, 13/09/1999
References
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BILY S. & MEHL, O. 1989: Longhorn Beetles (Coleopetera, Cerambycidae) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica Vol. 22 |
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GONGET, H. 1997: The Brentidae (Coleoptera) of Northern Europe. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica Vol. 34 |
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HYMAN, P. S. 1992: A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain.(Part 1) Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough |
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HYMAN, P. S. 1994: A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain. (Part 2) Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough |
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MORRIS, M.G. 1990: Orthocerus Weevils, Coleoptera: Curculionoidea (Nemonychidae, Anthribidae, Urodontidae, Attelabidae and Apionidae) Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, 5(16) |
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MORRIS, M.G. 1993: British Orthocerus Weevils: Corrections and New Information (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea). Ent. Month. Mag. 129 |
Swimming Weevils at British Camp Reservoir, Malvern
By Don Goddard
As part of the Worcestershire County Councils Aqua Vitae project organised by Will Watson I was asked to do a rapid survey of the aquatic invertebrates of British camp Reservoir at Little Malvern at the southern end of the Malvern Hills 350 metres to the east of Herefordshire Beacon where the impressive Iron Age Hill-fort of British Camp is located. This site is administered by Severn Trent is one of the few mesotrophic/oligotrophic water bodies in Worcestershire.
Most water bodies of this sort have a fairly limited but often specialised fauna. A small range of common and local aquatic invertebrates were noted with nothing to arouse excitement until I observed a number of weevils swimming in the collecting tray, not floundering as terrestrial weevils would but swimming like Olympic champions. Upon examination with the microscope there turned out to be two species, Eubrychius velutus (Beck) and Litodactylus leucogaster (Marsham). Both weevils were found amongst the water milfoil, which occurred all around the Reservoir and extended down into deep water. The former species, Eubrychius, was present in large numbers with occasional specimens of Litodactylus mixed with it. This appears to be the only county site for both of these species. As very few Litodactylus were found I am wondering if the main population occurred at a greater depth beyond the reach of the net. I shall have to return with scuba equipment!
Eubrychius velutus (Beck) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small rounded weevil associated with water milfoil Myriophyllum sp. It can tolerate brackish water. On the Continent this species has been recorded from spiked water-milfoil M. spicatum and whorled water-milfoil M. verticullatum. The larvae form a cocoon on the food-plant. The adults require well-oxygenated water and are excellent swimmers. They can dive to considerable depths and can withstand a pressure of 20 atmospheres!! (Morris pers. comm.). Adults have been recorded from April to June and from August to September. Widespread but very local in England, also recorded from parts of Wales and Scotland. Threatened by pollution, pesticides and herbicides, eutrophication and habitat loss due to falling water tables, in-filling of pools and natural succession.
Litodactylus leucogaster (Marsham) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small rounded weevil associated with water milfoil, Myriophyllum sp, in pools and ditches. It can tolerate brackish water. On the Continent this species has been recorded from spiked water-milfoil M. spicatum and whorled water-milfoil M. verticullatum. Adults have been recorded from March to June and from August to October. Widespread, but very local throughout Britain. Threatened by pollution, , pesticides and herbicides, eutrophication and habitat loss due to falling water tables, infilling of pools and natural succession.
Reference
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Hyman, P. S. 1992: A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain. (Part 1) Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough |
Windmill Hill WWT Reserve Recording Day, 29th May 1999
This was a fairly low-key recording day mainly aimed at insects. The botany of the reserve is well-studied and mapped by Reserve Manager Terry Knight who has initiated a great deal of management work aimed at improving the limestone grassland and keeping the scrub at bay. The snails are also well-recorded.
The survey of coleoptera was greatly enhanced by Don Goddard who was present on 29th May and also carried out a much more detailed survey for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust on 2nd October 1999. He has written a little about his more outstanding records and the species lists from his report are appended facsimile
Insects
(other than Don Goddard’s records)
Lepidoptera
Dr ANB Simpson
Butterflies
Brimstone
Large White
Green-veined White (K McGee)
Peacock
Common Blue
Speckled Wood (K McGee)
Small Heath
Macro-moths
Narrow-banded 5-spot Burnet
Silver-ground Carpet
Shaded Broad-bar (larva)
Yellow Shell
Common Marbled Carpet (larva)
Scorched Carpet
Common Heath
Latticed Heath (K McGee)
Muslin Moth (larva)
Treble Bar
Burnet Companion
Mother Shipton
Micro-moths
Nemophora degeerella
Adela rufimitrella
Anthophila fabriciana
Glyphipterix simpliciella
Argyresthia mendica
Elachrista argentella
Pancalia leuwenhoekella Second couty site – on Viola hirta
Cochylimorpha straminea First Vice County record since 1901. Feeds on Centaurea nigra
Aphelia paleana (larva)
Pseudagyrotoza conwagana
Hedya pruniaria
Cnephasia stephensiana
Epiblema cynosbatella
Epiblema scutulana
Commophila aenaena Found on this site two weeks later. Second county site – the other is on Craycombe Hill near Wood Norton (first county record0 Feeds in shoots of Senecio eructifolius.
Lathronympha strigana
Cydia compositella
Cydia pallifrontana
Cydia nigricana
Cydia jungiella
Dichrorampha sequana
Dichrorampha plumbana
Crambus lathoniellus
Phycitodes maritima First VC37 record. Feeds on Senecia jacobaea. Often a coastal species which now seems to be moving inland onto roadsides, waste ground, etc.
Micropterix aruncella (female, photo K McGee)
Insect records additional to Don Goddard’s lists (see below)
Coleoptera
Grammpoptera ruficornis (Cerambycidae) About 30 on hogweed (K McGee)
Altica palustris (Chrysomelidae) 2-3 seen (K McGee)
Heteroptera
Rhopalus subrufus. one on meadow crane’s-bill (K McGee)
Odonata
Calopteryx splendens Banded Damoiselle one male (K McGee)
Platycnemis pennipes White-legged Damselfly 4-5 (K McGee)
Enallagma cyathigerum Common blue damsel fly (One female (K McGee)
Diptera
Eristalis nemorum A Hover fly (G H Green)
Eristalis pertinax A Hover fly (G H Green)
Birds of Note
Turtle dove (one)
Lesser Whitethroat (two)
Yellowhammer (one)
Tree Pipit (one male singing – has returned to the reserve after a few year’s absence)
WINDMILL HILL RECORDERS DAY
29 MAY 1999
Don Goddard
Last year (1998) I was working for the National Trust on a one-year contract recording invertebrates and commenting on the effect of various management regimes on properties in southern England. Many of these properties included chalk downland and most had a rich beetle fauna. Worcestershire has very little chalk escarpment and being further north I did not expect to find as many ‘goodies’ as I did on the South Downs. I was mistaken!
On getting out of the car by the reserve entrance I almost trod on the first rarity, Cryptocephalus aureolus an attractive metallic green leaf beetle sitting on Hawkweed flowers, Hieraceum sp. Further searching revealed about another twenty or so of these beetles, many in copula. They clearly breed here and were not just visiting. This nationally scarce category B species is generally associated with Hawkweeds and has also been recorded on Rock Rose Helianthemum sp. Although it is more commonly found in southern counties it is a widespread species and has been recorded right up to North East Scotland. C aureolus can be confused with a similar, commoner species C. hypochoeridis (L), however, C aureolus is larger, virtually always over 6mm usually with a coppery tinge whilst C. hypochoeridis rarely exceeds 5.5mm and is usually a darker bluish green without the coppery tinge. As is often the case the only foolproof way of distinguishing doubtful specimens is to dissect out the male genitalia.
Further searching on the verge revealed a rich assemblage of insects including another nationally scarce species:
Pseudotrichapion astragali (Paykull) (Nationally Scarce Category A)
A shining, metallic, golden- green weevil about 3mm in length. The larvae feed on the flower heads of the only known foodplant, wild liquorice Astragulus glycyphyllos. This attractive weevil is widely distributed throughout the country but since 1970 it has only been recorded from four vice counties (five now including the present record). The species used to be called Apion astragali, the subgeneric name (Pseudotrichapion) used in the in the current RES key (Morris 1990) was raised to full generic status, then the generic name was changed to Pseudoprotapion in the in corrections to the key(Morris 1993) whilst the latest continental work uses the name Protapion (Gonget 1997). All these name changes can be very confusing for beginners (and more experienced recorders!). For ease of general understanding it is often best to stick to the name given in the most recently published key.
A number of local weevils were also found on this verge, Gymnetron labile, which feeds on ribwort plantain, Eutichapion ononis, which feeds on restharrow, and Oxystoma craccae, which feeds on vetches. These species were not found on the reserve although this does not imply that they do not occur on the reserve grassland, did anybody else record these species?.
The road verge is not strictly part of the reserve and the faunal composition was essentially identical to that found on the grassland parts of the reserve. The main difference was that the numerical abundance of species was much greater on the verge than in similar grassy habitats on the reserve. A partial explanation for this may be the shorter turf and greater amount of bare patches on the verge.
Other scarce beetles recorded on the reserve are listed below.
Harpalus azureus (F) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A medium sized ground beetle feeding on seeds, found on open clay sites in coastal areas and sunny chalk and limestone slopes such as open grassland and quarries. Adults have been recorded from April to August. The species is locally a distributed from the Midlands southwards. In Worcestershire this beetle appears to be restricted to open, calcareous habitats. One specimen found on the path through one of the central paddocks.
Platydracus latebricola (Gravenhorst) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A medium sized rove beetle with reddish elytra, recorded from woodland, limestone grassland, and wet meadows. This species occurs under moss, stones and amongst herbage. Has been recorded with ants: Formica rufa and Myrmica sp. This specimen was close to one of the mounds formed by the yellow meadow ant Lasius flavus (L) Adults have been recorded from April to August. Widely distributed but local throughout the UK. Worcestershire status unknown.
Agrilus sinuatus (Olivier) (Nationally Scarce Category A)
A jewel beetle occurring in pasture-woodland, downland, wood edges, old hedgerows and scrub. Associated with old hawthorn bushes. The larvae develop in dying branches. The characteristic ‘D’ shaped emergence holes of the adults are more often found than the adults themselves. This is true of the current record. Several of the old isolated hawthorns had these ‘D’ shaped holes. Without finding adult beetles or larvae under the bark it is difficult to know how recent these holes are unless anyone else found this beetle on the day? Peak adult emergence usually occurs in July and August in hot, sunny weather. Very locally distributed from Herefordshire southwards. Threatened by loss of old hedges, cosmetic tidying of hedges, pesticides and excessive removal of old hawthorn scrub.
Scaphidema metallicum (F) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A darkling beetle found in a wide range of habitats including broad-leaved woodland, hedgerow, scrub, allotments, coastal shingle and estuarine beaches. Usually found in damp situations under bark of a variety of trees and shrubs, under moss, in litter and by sweeping rank vegetation. In this case it was found under loose bark on an old hawthorn. I have previously recorded this beetle in a similar situation from St. Wulstan’s Reserve in Malvern. S. metallicum is widespread, but local throughout England and Wales. Threats uncertain but possibly loss of old hedgerow and woodland.
Ischnomera cyanea (F) (Nationally Scarce Category B)
A small green flower beetle found in ancient broad-leaved woodland, old hedgerows, pasture woodland and downland. The larvae develop in decaying wood of various trees including ash, beech, elm, oak, ivy and willow. Adults overwinter in pupal chambers in decaying wood. This species is fairly widespread in the county and is usually found in its pupal chamber by working dead wood in winter or, in spring and summer on umbellifer flowers or hawthorn blossom along woodland rides or old hedgerows. Threatened by loss of broad-leaved woodland and hedgerows and removal of decaying wood from living trees.
The above species were only represented by single specimens.
Windmill Hill is famed for its glow worms (Lampyris noctiluca L). I only found one specimen of this beetle, a wingless female sitting on a redundant ant hill.
In all 104 species of beetle were recorded during the day. It has been said the ‘good site’ is one where an experienced coleopterist can record seventy or more species in a single visit, so despite the problems of scrub invasion and dominance of the grass sward by excess Brachypodium sylvaticum, Windmill Hill is till a good site for insects.
Casual records of other groups were made but the only non-beetle worthy of note was a local chalk grassland squash bug Coriomerus denticulatus (Scopoli).
References
|
GONGET, H. 1997: The Brentidae (Coleoptera) of Northern Europe. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica Vol. 34 |
|
HYMAN, P. S. 1992: A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain.(Part 1) Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough |
|
HYMAN, P. S. 1994: A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain. (Part 2) Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough |
|
MORRIS, M.G. 1990: Orthocerus Weevils, Coleoptera: Curculionoidea (Nemonychidae, Anthribidae, Urodontidae, Attelabidae and Apionidae).Handbk. Ident. Br. Insects, 5(16) |
|
MORRIS, M.G. 1993: British Orthocerus Weevils: Corrections and New Information (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea). Ent. Month. Mag. 129: 23-29 |
Asilus crabroniformis (Diptera – Asilidae) In Worcestershire, Kidderminster Area, 1999
By David M. Green
Asilus is a large nationally notable (scarce) true fly, on the priority list of the national Biodiversity Action Plan (UK Steering Group 1995), and considered to be in decline, though survey is perhaps needed for clearer information as there could be unknown sites. Asilus was first recorded in Worcestershire on the outskirts of Kidderminster on pony dung (Brett Westwood 1997) during 1995. I wrote in Worcestershire Record on the need for survey of Asilus in Worcestershire and its known biology (Green 1998, 1999) largely derivative of the reports of contract field research by CCW and English Nature. This year, August 1999, Brett revealed Asilus again in the same Kidderminster area, resulting in further survey and observation, including by Mike Averill who has provided a list of sites and revealingly photographed Asilus feeding on a beetle. In the Kidderminster the soil is very sandy with steep slopes and hillocks in places; on the steep slopes the grass is sometimes less dense, less improved, so that the vegetation in a single field can be variable. I characterise the condition of the areas of fields used by Asilus that I observed personally this year, also recording insect carcasses left by Asilus after feeding on the horse dung – with some interpretation and reasoning noting Clements and Skidmore 1998. My observations made during the last week of August 1999 and the first week of September, mainly on warm sunny days, were written on around 9th September 1999 with some additions and editing later.
The sites
| A | (about SO850780) Hurcot Pasture (SSSI) | acid grazed grassland that suffers lack of grazing presently. A small amount of old horse dung remained. At the end of August1999, 4 Asilus seen, including pair in copulation; beginning of September, 1 Asilus seen. All on the second hillock, on south side not far from the south boundary, where there is some old horse dung, the grass longer but sparser, not lush as in many other parts of field where the grass someplaces shorter. Some dung was turning into ants nests; amount of dung limited and most shaded out; the grass long, not grazed for months, or if was then at low levels. Some of dung turning to soil with roots within, merging with the ground; this reflecting the state of the dung generally. Fauna in the dung was less evident compared with site D in terms of Aphodius dung beetle larvae for example (despite that some such larvae can live in debris like grass litter). These various reasons apparently accounted for the site becoming unsuitable for Asilus. Over visits in last 10 days the numbers of flies decreased from 4 to 1, then 1 again; then none seen, even in hot weather. Grazing is urgently required by horse (or cattle) in good numbers to provide more dung and rough grazed grass (not reduced to lawn-like length judging by preferences of Asilus in the areas) on the slopes and tops of hillocks and other places. There is no need for continuous grazing apparently, but when grazed there need be impact, and periods between grazing not so long the dung is obscured by grass. There was scattered ragwort in this field but not much and was going over and brown. Over the north fence of this field are previously arable fields, to be houses site, now grassed over and covered with dense ragwort. Other fields to the west and north to the road were little grazed, if at all, with little dung (varying amounts of ragwort), except the small pony paddocks that are over grazed down to bare soil. Thus these fields north and west of the Hurcot Meadow SSSI were reduced value for Asilus. Rabbits had made little impact little in the way of piles of rabbit dung and grazing that Asilus is reported to use. |
| B | (about SO848783) | Asilus seen by Mike Averill in August 1999 at least one seen; none were seen myself. Lack of appreciable grazing for months, lack of dung, and shading out of dung resulted in deterioration of site from borderline to no good over last weeks apparently. The lack of grazing or limited horse grazing finally results in the site deteriorating to failure in the last week or so. Otherwise the site would be viable judging by appearance. |
| C | (about SO849783) | A single Asilus was seen by me in first week of September, beyond the fence forming the south boundary of this field and someway into the field on gentle south facing slopes, where the grass was grazed but not lawn-like, not lush and dense. The grass was ideal apparently in agreeable comparison with main site in field to the south (D): grazed but not too short and not dense, with plenty of suitable old horse dung few weeks old and dried on surface and fresh dung. This site is more exposed to wind than the upper part of site D sheltered with scrub. (When I visited this field latter in September after some wet weather the character of the grass had changed to longer and denser so that the distinctive patch of non-dense grass was no longer to be found – the quality of a particular field can quickly change.) |
| D | (about SO849784) | Main site with up to 20 flies estimated on my visits, maximum of 15 flies definitely counted at one visit, all perched on horse dung including fragments. Many Asilus were seen in copulation. Asilus was seen, up to 5, mainly on the very upper slopes and top of slope of the south side of this field. The colony continued, another 10, over the east fence (not on OS maps) in the scrub at the top and down the slopes quite steeply northwards, then flattening, reaching the middle of the field up to the area where the grass became short grazed to lawn length. I did not see Asilus here where the grass was very short, despite Asilus being found in low numbers further north in the middle of next field where the grass is longer again. Perhaps Asilus prefers shelter from wind of longer grass, but not so long and dense that the dung is shaded, preventing Asilus from perching on the dung in the sun. Asilus appeared to be distinctly biased to the scrubby upper parts on average. A north-facing slope would not be thought ideal for warmth but apparently entirely suitable on this site. In these fields there were number of small horses, plenty of dung. The dung somewhat kicked and scattered, to no bad effect apparently, and plenty of dung with well-dried surface is available, but Asilus was seen perched on fresh dung as well (horse dung being fairly dry when fresh unlike fresh cow dung that is not used). The scrub provides sunny sheltered areas of grazed grass complete with horse dung. The grass where Asilus is, appears not well nutrified, lush or dense; well grazed but mostly long enough to sweep net. Dung is exposed to the sun so Asilus can rest on the dung in the sun. Well-drained sandy soil, as usual on the sites and the Kidderminster area, are typical of Asilus, but not essential. The living dung fauna was evident. Aphodius larvae and adults were present in a number of dung piles, and a cantharid (soldier) beetle larva was found (identified to family by Paul F. Whitehead). The burrows of Geotrupid beetles were under the dung. Geoptrupes spiniger (a door beetle) was found alive and there with dead remains in fox dung around the horse dung. (The food of Asilus the adult fly is known to be notably Aphodius dung beetles (adults) and sarcophagid flesh flies). I saw Asilus feeding on Sarcophaga sp. (flesh fly) and found dead Sarcophaga subvicina with a sizeable hole in the body between the front coxa. A few dead Aphodius foetens a nationally local species (Ball 1994) were found here (D) and on site A (Hurcot Pasture SSSI) on the dung surface with wings out; all except one of these not visibly holed. Apparently the saliva of Asilus is very lethal enabling Asilus to overcome quickly beetles that are much more powerfully built, and the intersegmental membranes may be penetrated by the proboscis of Asilus leaving the beetle with no obvious hole. But one dead A. foetans was obviously holed taking out much of two abdominal tergites (site D), presumably the prey of Asilus, confirmed later by a photograph by Mike Averill of Asilus feeding on apparently A. foetans. Some specimens retrieved of A. foetans had unusually dark abdominal sternites, differing to the usual reddish-yellow to light brown as described by Jessop 1986 (identification confirmed by Paul F. Whitehead). |
All considered these fields of site D appear in good condition for Asilus as presently, as described. Removing the scrub could be detrimental owing to loss of sheltered areas on breezy days. On the cooler days, or cooler parts of the day when visited, Asilus tended to within the scrub or not far bellow during the September visits. Opposite westwards across the road from main site D and C, a single horse grazed fields with little dung, and the grass is long, or short and lush. If this area was more grazed, parts would be similar in grass to the main site. Despite being well populated a few days previously, my last visit to site D, 8.9.99, revealed no Asilus presumably because of the cooler weather: total cloud cover, wind force 3.
Threats of ivermectins and biology
Asilus seems to require rich dung fauna on site (Clements and Skidmore 1998). The Asilus larvae itself in the field could be affected by ivermectins used as antiparasitic digestion treatments on cattle and horses that kills the dung fauna, but the larva has proved illusive causing lack of information how it might be affected. There could be sublethal breeding effects on Asilus. Ivermectins could be damaging to Asilus populations, but there has been lack of firm knowledge of when and how. Horses can not be given bolas treatments the same as cattle because of the different digestive system, so the dung receives less lengthy treatment with horses after the dose. After drench by mouth, the dung from horses is contaminated with ivermectins for about 2 weeks; at the New Forest, ponies take about 2 weeks to make their way back to sensitive sites after treatment (pers. comm. Martin Drake, EN, 1999). In at least one Asilus pasture around Kidderminster the horses are taken off the fields when being treated; the dung during this treatment time piled in one place not scattered on fields (pers. comm. Mike Averill 1999). The ivermectins in deposited dung naturally break down apparently after some weeks (pers comm. Malcolm Smart 1999). Definite advice on when and how treatment by ivermectins would be least environmentally damaging is lacking, owing to lack of research that is perhaps referable to MAFF (pers. comm. Martin Drake). Ivermectins clearly could be a great risk, or be relatively harmless, perhaps depending on the circumstances and timing. Asilus has been known to survive on sites where ivermectins have been used (pers. comm. Malcolm Smart).
The Asilus larva has been illusive, causing more uncertainty on how its biology might be disrupted by ivermectins. But there is apparently some progress very recently by Peter Skidmore in recent work not yet published. And marked Asilus individuals revealed large turnover of flies leaving a site. (Pers. comm. Mike Howe, CCW, December 1999)
In conclusion, at the limited Kidderminster sites I have observed, for this limited period, Asilus is discouraged to use pasture where there is either of the following: lack of grazing, lack of horse dung, presence of dense well-improved grass, tall grass shading out the dung that is limited, or lawn-like grass (that provides no shelter from wind). Asilus tends to the slopes or peaks in fields observed, including a north facing incline on the main site, possibly because this is often where the grass is usually less lush. The SSSI pasture particularly requires grazing and would appear to be an illustration of how SSSIs may not well cared for owing to management difficulty: a national issue. Horse dung appears entirely suitable, even could be advantageous to Asilus compared with cow dung owing to the lesser period of effect of a dose of an ivermectin on a horse, as the bolas treatment is not applicable to the horse. At the main Asilus site (D), the dung had obvious beetle fauna including Geotrupes spiniger.
Acknowledgements
My thanks to Paul F. Whitehead for useful discussion, and all mentioned above as pers. comm.
References
- BALL Stuart G 1994 Recorder 3.3. JNCC
- CLEMENTS David K & SKIDMORE Peter 1998 The autecology of the hornet robber fly Asilus crabroniformis L. in Wales, 1997. CCW Contract Science Report No. 263
- GREEN David M 1998 Asilus crabroniformis L. hornet robber fly. Survey in Worcestershire – help wanted. Worcestershire Record 5: 10
- GREEN David M 1999 The mysterious biology, and survey, of Asilus crabroniformis L. (Diptera – Asilidae) hornet robber fly Worcestershire Record 6: 12
- JESSOP L 1986 Dung beetles and chaffers. Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea. Handbk Ident. Br.Insects. RES
- UK STEERING GROUP 1995 Biodiversity: The UK steering group report. HMSO
- WESTWOOD Brett 1997 Pats and robbers. Worcestershire Record 3: 7
Worcestershire Red Data Book: Critical Analysis Of Specifically The Structure
By David M. Green
The subject is of fundamental interest to recorders, conservation, and societal aspect of Wildlife Trusts, and the Biological Records Centre. A Red Data Book (RDB) is one major consequence of biological recording. In Worcestershire we have our own RDB now – of good quality writing and information – but the pseudorandom order of the species accounts within the pages impedes gain of comparative information on similar species, impedes just looking up a species, and there is no indexing. Family groups are not used to advantage (as in national RDBs) but merely mentioned – we have the arbitrary categories determining structure of the text. The bats, for example, are psudorandomly arranged interspersed with the other mammals so it is difficult to find a bat species in the book and then see how the bats differ in habitat requirement, distribution and assess the presence of the group. The book presents the information as a mass of detail specific to each species, hence giving a poor impression of the intellectual value of the subject, expert or inexpert. Ideally, comparison of the similar species and between the different groups provides meaning to what is otherwise a mass of detail. This comparison would be achieved by placing the text of similar species together like an identification guide to birds or plants and national RDBs by JNCC. For the insect orders of numerous species that are numerously represented in the book (such as the Coleoptera/beetles) the absence of taxonomic organisation and absence of any form of indexing is particularly disadvantageous. The desirable way to appreciate the vast array of species is by using taxonomic family groups, in taxonomic order of the families because families are often evidently closely related. Then the species may be listed alphabetically under family headings, each species annotated with category, resulting in genera being together, and it may be useful to use subfamily divisions as well. Some kind of indexing is required for families, species and genera. Serial numbering the families within an order would enable indexing without page numbers. An index contained with each group, such as an order of insects, would cut out the complexity of combining an index to all the sections of the book and would allow species to be easily added later revising sections independently. However software may provide indexes without manual compilation. Software could have been used to generate the whole book from a database, rather than arduously manual piecing together pseudorandomised text.
Families of species have typical appearances of imagines and larvae, typical morphology, and typical groups of life histories. Family groups in books enable species to be located even when there is confusion of names or difficulty in remembering a name. Superfamilies or families often have similar appearance (e.g. crane flies) enabling the reader to gain understanding by realising the patterns of similarity. It is impossible to understand the subject without thinking of groups of species, otherwise the subject is complex and fragmented owing to lack of structure. The point of a RDB is to assemble information in an analytical accessible form. A reader of the WRDB has to hunt about the text to look up a species.
There appears disinterest to sell this book to the public. It offers minimal interpretation to the inexpert reader. The use of the expert reader is discouraged because the format is a barrier to looking up a species and making comparisons with similar species and assessing the presence of a group.
The local council areas for each species are largely meaningless; you can only guess what the letters code stands for; there is no map. The usual grid references that are universally used normally are not mentioned despite this being the standard method that can be referred to with standard maps.
Taxonomic organisation is the heart of the BRC and biological recording because otherwise you can not appreciate the array of species. Taxonomy makes the subject interesting, i.e. other than a mass of indigestible fact. Whether the reader is expert or inexpert, using taxonomic family groups and genera will maximise meaning. Lack of useful organisation discourages people from approaching the subject, to find the subject of interest, relevant to them, their range of interests. Recognition of groups is basic to meaning whatever the subject, revealed in basic general philosophy. The group has to be non-arbitrary. The categories of rarity, scarcity, etc, are arbitrary, subject to review and error – yet they dominate the present book obscuring the ecological meaning and producing a pseudorandomisation of the species so you have to search about in the pages. The book should enable the reader to look up category for a species easily. Ideally lists of species under categories should be included as well; compiling lists is the essence of this kind of work. Compilation by database would have been the practical solution. Text is convertible to database form.
This subject I write about is interdisciplinary, being, for examples, a mixture of science, publicity and education – familiar areas to Wildlife Trusts comprehending the whole. The Worcestershire RDB should be usable for most expert use and should be accessible for inexpert use as is possible; i.e. should be organised to make sense of the material within. As it is, groups of diverse species, such as mammals or beetles, are divided into arbitrary category headings, then the species arranged alphabetically under these category headings, resulting in an arrangement of species that is arbitrary, and without any indexing. When an organisation produces arbitrary work, more is revealed about the nature of the people-organisation than is revealed about nature (for people). There is little need for conflict between expert and the inexpert needs here if there is good presentation. The analysis provided by such disciplines I mentioned above (as some examples) is not applied to the book, despite that such a range of disciplines are well known to conservation organisations. So why are they not coming together? The reason is a lack of conceptual understanding that makes sense of the organisation, enabling that the organisation might be more capable than the sum of the parts, otherwise, topics are reduced to personal opinion, the opinions of groups who maintain they know needs, fashions, copying previous examples, and convenience of the organisation and people.
Snails in Death’s Dingle
By G H Green (identifications checked by J W Meiklejohn).
After a weary morning tramping some very uninteresting arable land in search of flowering plants as part of tetrad bashing for the Worcestershire Flora Project on 15th August, Roger Maskew thought we needed a sight of some unusual and important habitat to raise our spirits. So we went to Death’s Dingle! Despite its sombre name the dingle is a beautiful and remarkable place. A stream cuts back into the steep side of the Teme valley and in so doing cuts through the calcareous bands of Psammosteus limestone. The waters that spring from this band are highly calcareous and deposit calcium carbonate on plants, stones and rock, in places forming a softish rock known as tufa. As is often the case limestone brings interesting rare plants and animals. Death’s Dingle, other dingles along the Teme, and similar areas along part of the Sapey Brook are known to be important places for flowering plants, ferns and bryophytes, but we have little information on other taxa.
Parts of the dingles are clothed in ancient woodland , and, sadly, many others are wooded with secondary and plantation woodland of conifer, poplar and sycamore. It is likely that some areas were once open tufa marsh, an uncommon and scarce habitat on a European scale (Biron 1999). Nowadays, in some places, the woodland soils contain innumerable fragments of tufa derived from the original carbonate deposits on woodland debris and mosses.
During our visit in August I remarked to Terry Knight that we had recently thought it important to investigate the snails of west Worcestershire limestone areas as they were under-recorded, and the soil we were standing on at the time looked interesting in this context. Being a man of action Terry said something like – “Well, get on with it then!” so we filled a polybag with a few handfuls of soil and woodland leaf litter.
When I washed it out at home I was pleased and a little astonished to see dozens of snail shells, mostly in the 2 mm to 10mm size range. The majority were shells without living snails and must have accumulated over the years. I showed my harvest to John Meiklejohn and he took some to identify and eventually we keyed out the following species (the size and status note according to Kerney (1999):
| Acicula fusca Point snail | 2.2-2.5 mm long | Intolerant of human disturbance and declining |
| Carychium minimum Herald snail | 1.6-1.9mm long | Common |
| Carychium tridentatum. Slender Herald snail | 1.8-2mm long | Common |
| Lymnaea truncatula, Dwarf Pond snail | 7-12 mm | Common. Intermediate host of liver fluke |
| Ena obscura. Lesser Bulin | 8.5-9mm | Somewhat restricted national distribution. Undisturbed shady places |
| Discus rotundatus. Rounded snail | 5.5-7mm | Ubiquitous in moist sheltered places |
| Vitrea crystallina. Crystal snail | 3-4mm | Widespread |
| Vitrea contracta. Milky Crystal snail | 2.2-2.5 | Common in somewhat dried places than previous species |
| Nesovitrea hammonis. Rayed Glass snail | 3.5-4.2 | Common |
| Aegopinella pura Delicate glass snail | 3.5-4.2mm | Common in woodland leaf litter |
| Oxychilus draparnaudi. Draparnaud’s Glass snail | 11-15mm | Originally Mediterranean. Spreading |
| Oxychilus cellarius. Cellar snail | 9-12mm | Common |
| Oxychilus alliarius. Garlic snail | 5.5-7mm | Common |
| Zonitoides excavatus. Hollowed Glass snail | 5.3-6mm | Restricted national distribution, usually in old-established acid woodland! |
| Zonitoides nitidus. Shiny Glass snail | Tends to found in wetter areas. Probably declining nationally | |
| Euconulus alderi | 2.3-2.8mm | Local. Nationally scarce |
| Clausilia bidentata. Common Door snail | 9-12mm | Common. Climbs. tree |
| Trichia striolata. Strawberry snail | 11-15mm | Common |
| Cepaea hortensis. White-lipped Hedge snail | 16-20mm | Common |
| Helix aspersa. Garden snail | 30-40mm | Common |
Most of these species are fairly common if searched for in woodland litter. The most interesting are Acicula fuscus, a brown almost cylindrical snail with a horny operculum, and Zonitoides excavatus which, according the Kerney (1999) is scarce though probably unrecorded.
Bearing in mind that this list is derived from a few handfuls of soil and litter, and that many common or expected species are “missing” it is likely that the limy Teme valley areas are important for snails and need further study. I already have several bottles of snail shells awaiting identification!
Death’s Dingle is near Eastham around grid reference SO670677. A public footpath goes through the wood which is otherwise private property.
References
|
BIRON L 1999 Tufa springs in Somerset. Nature in Somerset 1999, 32-36. |
|
KERNEY, M 1999 Atlas of Land and Freshwater Molluscs of Britain and Ireland, published recently by Harley Books |
Butterfly Records Arising from Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Publicity and Phone-ins 1999
Compiled by Harry Green
WWT received a lot of records of Orange Tips and some for Brimstones in response to public appeals and Richard Southwell’s article in Worcestershire Record No. 6. Hopefully this has helped to make Worcestershire one of the best-covered counties for the Millennium Butterfly Atlas now in preparation.
I has a great time (!) sorting through all the messages and allocating the observations to (I hope) the correct tetrad by referring to 1:25,000 maps and street maps. County coverage was patchy. Why did so many people phone from Malvern and Ledbury? The Malvern Gazette must have given cracking good publicity. and we ended up with very good coverage of the Malvern squares.
I thought readers might be interested to see the result of the public response. The following list is sorted into tetrad order indicated by the four-figure grid reference to SW corner.. All should be prefixed “SO” apart from the “SP” records are at the end of the list – I like the one from Birmingham Airport!
OT stands for Orange Tip, the other abbreviations are self-explanatory. Dates are day/month.
| 5868 | Tenbury Wells | OT 15/5 |
| 6466 | Highwood Eastham | OT 3/5 |
| 6632 | Hallwood Gr Dymock | Brimstone 23/3, OT 5/4 also Speck Wood, Peacock |
| 6636 | Little Marcle | OT 23/5 |
| 7036 | Ledbury | OT 3/5 |
| 7036 | Ledbury | OT, brimstone, holly blue in May |
| 7036 | Ledbury | OT, brimstone April/May |
| 7038 | Ledbury | OT 3/5 |
| 7038 | Ledbury | OT 12/5 |
| 7038 | Ledbury | OT 11/5 |
| 7038 | Ledbury | OT, brimstone Aprl/May |
| 7040 | Wellington Heath | OT April, brimstoneApril |
| 7058 | Whitbourne | OT May |
| 7242 | Colwall | OT 14/5, brimstone 14/5 |
| 7246 | Cradley | OT 15/5 |
| 7246 | Cradley | OT 7/5 |
| 7246 | Cradley | OT 14/5 also Peacock |
| 7442 | Malvern | Small Copper 13/5 |
| 7444 | Mathon | OT May |
| 7448 | Storridge | OT 19/5 |
| 7450 | Old Storridge | OT 29/4 also small white, peacock, holly blue, spec wood |
| 7452 | Alfrick | OT May |
| 7452 | Knapp Papermill | Brimstone 1/4 |
| 7460 | Hillside Martley | OT May also Holly Blue |
| 7460 | Hillside Martley | OT 28/4, brimstone 28/4 also Spec Wood, Holly Blue, Peacock |
| 7460 | Kingswood Common | OT 18/4 |
| 7540 | British Camp | brimstone 23/7 |
| 7632 | Egg Tump Bromsberrow | OT, brimstone, Peacock, Holly Blue April/May |
| 7634 | Bromsberrow | OT 14/5, brimstone April, also Small Tort, Peacock |
| 7640 | Malvern | OT 14/5 |
| 7642 | Malvern | OT May |
| 7642 | Malvern | OT 14/5 |
| 7642 | Upper Colwall | OT, brimstone, holly blue, spec wood in May |
| 7642 | Malvern Wells | OT 30/4 |
| 7644 | Malvern | OT 14/5 |
| 7644 | Malvern | Holly Blue 13/5 |
| 7644 | Malvern | OT 14/5 |
| 7644 | West Malvern | OT 25/5, brimstone early 99 |
| 7644 | Malvern | OT 28/4 |
| 7644 | Malvern | OT May |
| 7644 | Malvern | OT, brimstone May |
| 7644 | Malvern | OT 13/5, brimstone 2/5, holly blue 2/5 |
| 7644 | West Malvern | OT, brimstone, holly blue, Comma May |
| 7646 | Malvern | OT 1/5 |
| 7646 | Malvern | OT 14/5 |
| 7646 | West Malvern | OT 30/4 |
| 7646 | Malvern | OT 28/, 3/5 |
| 7646 | West Malvern | OT 3/5 also peacock, red admiral |
| 7646 | West Malvern | OT 1/5. 3/5 25/5 also small tort, peacock |
| 7646 | Malvern | OT 2/5 |
| 7646 | West Malvern | OT 1/5 also small tort, peacock, holly blue |
| 7646 | Malvern | OT 3/5 |
| 7830 | Pendock Stauntom | OT 5-14/5 |
| 7834 | Birtsmorton Common | OT May |
| 7838 | Castlemorton Com | OT 15/5 |
| 7838 | Castlemorton Com | OT 15/5 |
| 7838 | Elliotts Fm Welland | OT 1/5 |
| 7840 | Welland | OT 19/5 |
| 7840 | Welland | OT 30/4, also holly blue, peacock |
| 7840 | Upper Welland | OT May |
| 7844 | Malvern | OT, brimstone, meadow brown early May |
| 7844 | Malvern | OT 2/5, 3/5 |
| 7846 | Malvern | OT 3/5 |
| 7846 | Malvern | OT May |
| 7846 | Malvern | OT May |
| 7846 | Malvern | OT 14/5 also Holly Blue |
| 7846 | Malvern | OT April |
| 7846 | Malvern | OT early May |
| 7846 | Malvern | OT 30/4, 1/5, brimstone 9/4, holly blue8/5. 16/5 |
| 7848 | Malvern | OT May |
| 7848 | Malvern | OT 3/5 |
| 7848 | Malvern | OT 13/5 |
| 8034 | Longdon Marsh | OT May |
| 8036 | Longdon Marsh | OT May |
| 8040 | Hook Common | OT, brimstone, peacock April/May |
| 8042 | Hanley Swan | OT 30/4 & 3/5 |
| 8050 | Colletts Green | OT 3/5 also Holly blue 3/5 |
| 8050 | Bastonford | OT May |
| 8056 | Lower Broadheath | OT 11/5 also Painted Lady 10/5 |
| 8064 | Boreley | OT May, also small white, large white, small tort |
| 8234 | Longdon Marsh | OT May |
| 8236 | Longdon | OT 16/5 also Red Ad, Peacock, Common blue |
| 8236 | Longdon Marsh | OT May |
| 8246 | Clevelode | OT 12/5 |
| 8246 | Callow End | OT May, also Small Tort |
| 8248 | Callow End | OT 13/5 also Holly Blue |
| 8258 | Worcester | OT April, brimstone April |
| 8258 | Hallow | OT 17/5 |
| 8260 | Grimley | OT 28/5 |
| 8438 | Upton-on-Severn | OT 14/5 |
| 8440 | Quay Lane Hanley Castle | OT 19/5 |
| 8440 | Upton on-Severn | OT May, brimstoneApril, also peacock, small tort, holly blue |
| 8442 | Cliff Wood | OT 11/4 |
| 8448 | Kempsey | OT early May |
| 8448 | Kempsey | OT 14/5, brimstone April |
| 8448 | Kempsey | OT, peacock, small tort in May |
| 8450 | Worcester | OT 1/5. brimstone 1/5 |
| 8452 | Worcester | OT April |
| 8452 | Worcester | OT May |
| 8454 | Worcester | OT 29/4, brimstone 27/3, also peacock & holly blue |
| 8460 | Hawford | OT 19/5, brimstone 19/5 also small tort |
| 8460 | by Severn | OT 28/3 |
| 8638 | Naunton | OT May |
| 8640 | Baughton | OT 28/5 |
| 8644 | High Green | OT 3/7 |
| 8654 | Ronkswood | OT 3/5 |
| 8656 | Rainbow Hill Worcs | brimstone May, Holly blue 14/5 |
| 8656 | Blackpole Worcs | OT 8/5 holly blue 8/5 |
| 8846 | Narrow Wd Wadborough | OT 19/5 also Purple hairstreak |
| 8862 | Droitwich Canal | OT 4/5 also Spec Wood |
| 9056 | Tibberton | OT May |
| 9062 | Droitwich | OT 28/4 |
| 9244 | Tiddesley Wd Lodge | OT 14/5 |
| 9256 | Crowle | OT May |
| 9258 | Trench Wood | OT 3/5 |
| 9266 | Wychbold | OT 1-3/5 |
| 9270 | Timberhonger | OT 1/5 |
| 9440 | Upton-on-Severn | OT 13/5 |
| 9440 | Upton-on-Severn | OT 1/5 also Red Admiral May |
| 9444 | Pershore Abbey | brimstone 27/3 |
| 9454 | Worcester | OY 14/5, also brimstone in 1998 |
| 9466 | Stoke Prior | OT 1/5 |
| 9466 | Stoke Prior | OT 3/5 |
| 9482 | Halesowen | OT May |
| 9668 | Bromsgrove | OT 20/5 |
| 9668 | Ashton Field Bromsgrove | OT 28/4-2/5 |
| 9670 | Stony Hill Bromsgrove | OT 28/4 |
| 9670 | Stony Hill Bromsgrove | OT 1/5. 2/5 |
| 9848 | Throckmorton | OT April, brimstone April & May also Peacock |
| 9856 | Moat Fm Dormston | OT May, brimstone April |
| 9872 | Barnt Green | OT May |
| SP0056 | Inkberrow | OT 1/5 |
| SP0266 | Webheath Redditch | OT 2/5 |
| SP0266 | Webheath Redditch | OT 28/4 |
| SP0280 | Birmingham Weoley Castle | OT 9/5 |
| SP0282 | Birmingham B29 | OT27/4 |
| SP1682 | B’Ham Airport | OT 7/5 |
BTO Surveys
By Harry Green, BTO Regional Representative for Worcestershire.
Common Bird Census (CBC) and Breeding Bird Census (BBS)
The main survey which has accurately followed trends in breeding bird numbers for many year has been the Common Bird Census (CBC). This survey started in 1962 after trials the previous year It is based on a mapping technique in which a census plot of around 70 acres is visited ten times during the breeding season and all the birds seen and especially those heard singing are plotted on a visit map. This information is transferred to species maps and used to estimate the number of breeding territories of each species on the census plot. The CBC has mainly concentrated on farmland and woodland plots. The method does not accurately count all the birds on the plot (for instance, some are more conspicuous than others) and the important point is to register changes from year to year while the survey methodology remains constant. The results are analysed using standardised methods by BTO scientific staff and the results from all plots are combined to produce an annual estimate of change for each species by year on year comparisons. The CBC gives excellent results but there are various problems. The method is time-consuming for both field workers and BTO staff, and its expensive to run. Also the sites are self-selected by the surveyor and tend to be sites which are good for birds. There is also a bias towards SE England where most census plot are situated.
To overcome some of these problems the BTO (with funding from both RSPB and JNCC) started the Breeding Bird Survey in 1994. This survey is based on randomly selected (by BTO computer) 1-km squares of the national grid. The survey method is by walking two (out and back) 1 km transects in each square twice in the breeding season, and recording the birds encountered. All-important habitat details are also recorded. The results are again analysed by BTO scientists using standard methods. This survey is now running well with over 2000 1-km squares surveyed each year, and it is providing information from all over UK
Changes in funding now mean that JNCC will not support the CBC after the year 2000. However the overlap between the two surveys is being managed and integrated in such a way that long-term trends will still be revealed. It is hoped that CBC will continue on some plots for specific purposes such as monitoring in relation to management, and in integral study plots alongside bird ringing and other studies.
The demise of the CBC is in many ways is a sad thing because through these surveys we have made a difference which should help conserve birds, especially on farmland! However, the BBS is even more exciting as it will provide monitoring of many more habitats and many more species over a much greater area, and this is very important. For instance recent research is showing that heavy over-grazing of upland grasslands by huge numbers of sheep (and red deer in Scotland) is seriously affecting bird populations. Lapwings, hard-hit by intensive lowland farming, are now being hit on northerly and upland grasslands. BBS will help monitor these and other changes barely touched by CBC.
A small number of CBCs are currently running in Worcestershire (less than five I think). As I reported in Worcestershire Record No 5 we have 51 BBS 1-km squares in Worcestershire and most of these are covered each year. We have yet to achieve 100% coverage – some disaster always strikes! I thought we’d hit it in 1999 but sadly two squares were not covered and I am still waiting for results for two others. Perhaps in 2000 we shall hit the jackpot! Within the national pot we are now monitoring birds over about 50 square kilometres in Worcestershire compared with a few hundred acres covered by CBC.
Wintering Farmland Birds Survey
This new survey is attempting to find out how many (how few!) birds feed on farmland in winter and which types of fields or crops they are using.
Starting this winter (November to February) and running for three years, the survey is at three levels.
First: Field by field survey. Based on randomly selected 1-km squares including many of the BBS and Winter Skylark Survey squares and a few new ones. The aim is to survey all farmland fields in the square for certain birds on three occasions during the winter (mid-November to mid-February).and to record some habitat information. BTO provides a map of the square, forms and instructions. This is the major part of the survey and nationally about 1500 squares have been taken on this winter. I’ve been a bit slow getting started and so far I have eight squares covered – the aim for Worcestershire is about 25 squares. If anyone is interested in taking part in this survey please contact me as soon as possible as its not too late to make a start this winter.
Second: Winter Walks. The aim of this survey is to collect records during a regular winter walk of at least 1 km on farmland and. Observations are to be entered on a form with minimum data on habitat and activity.
Third: Casual records of significant flocks above a certain size of certain species are also required. Observations are to be entered on a form with some information on habitat and activity.
Which species are to be recorded? The species included in the main survey and the winter walks are: Grey Partridge, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Snipe, Curlew, Stock Dove, Woodlark, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat,. Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Brambling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Twite, Redpoll, Bullfinch, Snow Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting
For the casual records the species and flock size criteria are:
100 or more plovers (Golden Plover, Lapwing)
20 or more other waders (Snipe, Curlew)
100 or more thrushes and starlings (Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Starling)
20 or more partridge or doves (Grey Partridge, Stock Dove)
20 or more small passerines (Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow, Chaffinch , Brambling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Redpoll, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer)
All scarce passerines (Woodlark, Stonechat, Tree Sparrow, Twite, Snow Bunting, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting)
Which habitats are to be surveyed?
This is a survey of farmland habitat patches – fields, hedges and farmyards. Woods, gardens and other non-agricultural habitats are ignored. If anyone would like to take part in these surveys please contact me for information, forms, etc.
Countryside Survey 2000
This is a small scale but very important survey of breeding birds in spring and summer 2000. It is linked to the 1-km squares which are nationally subject to very detailed habitat and land use surveys by ITE (Institute of Terrestrial Ecology). The methodology will be similar to BBS – transects – but with minimal collection of habitat data as this is being done in detail by ITE. The survey will probably be repeated about every ten years.
It is estimated that Worcestershire’s allocation will be about five squares and I should very much like to hear from anyone who might wish to participate.
Naturalised Goose Survey 2000
The aim of this survey is count swans and naturalised geese within randomly selected tetrads (2×2 km squares) on two visits, one between mid-April and mid-May, the other between mid-June and mid-July. Main target species are Mute Swan, Canada Goose and Greylag Goose, with others Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose, White-fronted Goose, Egyptian Goose, and hybrid farm geese breeding in the wild.
The tetrads allocated to Worcestershire are SO74E, SO76R, SO83Q, SO83T, SO84M, SO85S, SO86E, SO93C, SO95L and SP04V
This is a straightforward survey. In many of these tetrads it will be quite difficult to find water bodies, never mind about swans and geese, and the target species are easy to identify – a useful identification guide will be supplied with the survey instructions and forms. In many cases the tetrad will be easy to search from public rights of way as the target species and habitats are quite big!
Again anyone interested in taking part should contact me as soon as possible as BTO want to know by end of December 1999 – They’ll be lucky!
Other surveys
On-going surveys include the Heronries Census (undertaken in Worcestershire by Shaun Micklewright) , Nest Records Scheme, Waterways Birds Survey, several important investigations associated with bird ringing, and Garden BirdWatch. The latter is amazingly successful with over 11,000 people taking part nationally, and some fascinating data is emerging.
Nightingale Survey – Worcestershire 1999 Results
By Harry Green
| Known site no | 10 km square | Site name | Grid reference | Number singing 1999 |
| SO66 | Kyrewood | SO608671 | 1 | |
| SO73 | Castlemorton Common | SO791396 | 1 | |
| SO73 | Gadbury Bank | SO793316 | 3 | |
| SO73 | Welland | SO793397 | 2 | |
| 3 | SO74 | Assarts Rd Malvern Wells | SO786476 | 0 |
| 1 | SO74 | Coombe Hill, Coddington | SO724422 | 0 |
| 5 | SO74 | Langdale Wood | SO791425 | 9 |
| SO74 | Malvern, Great | SO783459 | 2 | |
| SO74 | Malvern, Leigh Sinton Rd | SO774491 | 1 | |
| 4 | SO74 | Malvern Link | SO786476 | 0 |
| 2 | SO74 | Whitmans Hill Coppice | SO751478 | 0 |
| SO75 | Easinghope Farm, Broadwas | SO743574 | 2 | |
| SO76 | Hockham’s Farm, Martley | SO763630 | 1 | |
| 9 | SO83 | Boat House, Tewkesbury | SO880315 | 1 |
| 10 | SO83 | Brockeridge Common | SO885380 | 1 |
| 7 | SO83 | Forthampton | SO858326 | 1 |
| 8 | SO83 | near Ripple | SO878379 | 0 |
| 11 | SO83 | near Tewkesbury | SO887387 | 0 |
| 6 | SO83 | Swinley Green | SO840322 | 0 |
| SO83 | Upper Strensham | SO893395 | 1 | |
| SO84 | Brotheridge Green | SO827413 | 2 | |
| 18 | SO84 | Church Cover, Croome | SO887453 | 0 |
| 12 | SO84 | Deblin’s Green | SO824492 | 0 |
| 21 | SO84 | Defford Airfield | SO893450 | 2 |
| 16 | SO84 | High Green | SO879452 | 1 |
| 19 | SO84 | Marsh Common | SO893423 | 3 |
| 14 | SO84 | Menagerie Wood, Croome | SO874444 | 1 |
| 22 | SO84 | Narrow Wood, Wadborough | SO898478 | 1 |
| SO84 | Northmoor Common | SO861472 | 1 | |
| 13 | SO84 | Old Hills | SO829483 | 1 |
| 20 | SO84 | Salt Baths covert, Croome | SO893436 | 0 |
| 15 | SO84 | Trout Pools Covert, Croome | SO875459 | 1 |
| SO84 | Upton-on-Severn | SO845405 | 2 | |
| 17 | SO84 | Viners Plantation, Croome | SO878472 | 0 |
| SO84 | Wadborough Railway | SO893479 | 1 | |
| 25 | SO86 | Bowling Green Inn | SO863621 | 0 |
| 24 | SO86 | Hawford Wood | SO844604 | 0 |
| 23 | SO86 | Monkwood | SO804608 | 1 |
| 26 | SO86 | Westwood Park | SO885635 | 0 |
| SO87 | Burlish Top, Kidderminster | SO805738 | 1 | |
| 27 | SO87 | Wilden Marsh | SO825773 | 0 |
| 28 | SO93 | Long Green, Ashchurch | SO945334 | 0 |
| 29 | SO93 | Westmancote | SO946380 | 0 |
| 32 | SO94 | Caldewell Mill, Wadborough | SO913481 | 1 |
| 30 | SO94 | Croome Perry Wood | SO900463 | 0 |
| 33 | SO94 | Deerfold Wood, Wadborough | SO914477 | 1 |
| 36 | SO94 | Defford | SO924433 | 0 |
| 35 | SO94 | Dufty Coppice, Wadborough | SO919485 | 0 |
| 38 | SO94 | Lodge Wood, Drakes Broughton | SO927480 | 0 |
| 31 | SO94 | North Covert, Strensham | SO911409 | 0 |
| 34 | SO94 | Strensham Waterworks | SO918400 | 4 |
| 37 | SO94 | Tiddesley Wood | SO927452 | 0 |
| 41 | SO95 | Bow Wood | SO943557 | 0 |
| 39 | SO95 | Fillet Wood, Sale Green | SO925580 | 0 |
| 42 | SO95 | Grafton Wood | SO973562 | 0 |
| 43 | SO95 | Lower Kite’s Wood | SO978565 | 0 |
| 44 | SO95 | Round Hill Wood | SO985583 | 0 |
| 40 | SO95 | Trench Wood | SO925585 | 0 |
| 45 | SO96 | Goose Hill Woods | SO935608 | 0 |
| SO96 | Upton Warren | S0937676 | 2 | |
| SP03 | Bow Meadow Farm | SP066357 | 2 | |
| SP03 | Peasebrook Farm | SP077372 | 1 | |
| SP03 | Wormington Brake | SP055363 | 3 | |
| 46 | SP04 | Wood Norton Woods | SP015472 | 0 |
| SP06 | Conduit Coppice, Redditch | SP093678 | 1 |
| Total 5910×10 km square (or part) | 1976 | 1980 | 1998 | 1999 |
| SO 56 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| SO 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 73 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| SO 74 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 12 |
| SO 75 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| SO 76 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 83 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| SO 84 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 16 |
| SO 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 86 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 87 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 94 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 6 |
| SO 95 | 50 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 96 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| SO 97 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SP 03 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| SP 04 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SP 05 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| SP 06 | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| SP 07 | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| SP 13 | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| SP 14 | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 88 | 70 | 42 | 59 |
| Survey report totals – see text | 92 | 66 | NA | NA |
Table 2. Numbers of nightingales recorded in 10×10 km squares during the BTO 1976 and 1980 surveys, reported in 1998, and recorded in 1999 BTO survey.
Table 2 gives the results of the BTO surveys in 1976 and 1980 together with the response to a general appeal for records of nightingales in 1998 and the BTO 1999 survey The totals in the survey reports, Hudson (1979) and Davies (1982). are slightly different because the BTO received some information which escaped me, and Worcester & Hereford were lumped together, and slightly different boundaries were used. The downward trend remains the same and actually appears greater from the survey reports. . These results with illustrative maps were published in Worcestershire Wildlife News (Green 1994)
Although considerable efforts were made in the two BTO surveys it is likely that the totals are lower than the actual numbers of birds simply because it was difficult to visit every likely site in early summer in one year. Similarly the 1998 results are from a simple appeal for information made in Worcestershire Wildlife News, Worcestershire Record, and through press releases taken up by the media and local radio. The media take-up was good because we made use of the BTO’s National Nightingale Appeal to gain publicity. It is quite likely than the actual county coverage was better in 1998 that in the earlier years!
The 1999 survey was based on visits to sites known to the BTO from earlier surveys, including our 1998 information. It was a “known sites” survey plus any further information we could obtain Once again we obtained quite good publicity via the press, radio and Worcestershire Wildlife News. A glance at the tables may suggest that the nightingale population of Worcestershire had increased between 1998 and 1999 but this is probably not so. The apparent increase is probably related to vagaries of reporting by the general public. However, there were several surprising records west of the Severn including the solitary birds which sang with vigour at Burlish Top, Kidderminster, and was reported by many people. The records near Kyre are also striking as they are a long way from their nearest neighbours.
In 1976 SO 95 way a key square with nightingales in most of the woods. In 1980 best woods were Trench (9), Goosehill (8), Grafton (6), Round Hill (5), Old Yew Hill Wood (5), Tiddesley Wood (9). Most birds now occur further south in SO84
It is obvious that the county’s nightingale population, as estimated by singing males, has decreased by at least half over the 23 year period. Nightingales were once much commoner in Worcestershire but have long been less frequent in the NW and W of the Severn. They have gradually decreased, disappearing first from the N and W. For further historical information see my notes in Worcestershire Record No 5 November 1998.
Very many thanks to everyone who helped with this survey by visiting known sites and contacting me either via Worcestershire Wildlife Trust or BTO with records. The information gained, although rather depressing, does give a clear baseline for future surveys.
References
|
DAVIES PG 1982 Nightingales in Britain in 1980 Bird Study 29:73-79 |
|
GREEN GH 1980 Nightingales in Worcestershire. Worcestershire Nature Conservation Trust Newsletter January 1980 p5 |
|
GREEN GH 1981 Nightingales 1980. Worcestershire Nature Conservation Trust Newsletter January 1981 p5 |
|
GREEN GH 1994 Focus on nightingales. Worcestershire Wildlife News No 69:14-15 April 1994 |
|
HARTHAN AJ 1934 A census of nightingales in S Worcestershire British Birds 28:50-52. |
|
HARTHAN AJ 1946 The Birds of Worcestershire. Worcester: Littlebury |
|
HARTHAN AJ 1961 A revised list of Worcestershire Birds. Trans. Worcs. Nat. Club p 167 |
|
HUDSON R 1979 Nightingales in Britain in 1976 Bird Study 26:204-2`12 |
Soldier Fly Stratiomys potamida Meigen 1822 and Hoverflies at Roundhill Wood
By Harry Green
On 30th June 1999 I was invited to visit Roundhill (SO985584) Wood by the owner Bob Steele, together with Joe Hardman and colleagues from Warwickshire. It was a warm day after rain and the open woodland rides were alive with insects.
Hoverflies
Malanostoma scalare
Syrphus ribesii
Eristalis arbustorum
Erystal;is intricarius – a furry bee mimic
Cheilosia illustrata
Fernandea cuprea
Volucella pelucens
Volucella bombylans – a bumble bee mimic which is not often seen nowadays.
Soldier fly
However, the most exciting observation was of a large black and yellow insect on hogweed near a pond on the border of the wood. This was later identified as Stratiomys potamida Meigen 1822. The species is figured in Colyer & Hammond (1968).
Ball (1994) in the Recorder data base states: “A large and attractive soldier fly which inhabits marshy areas and is the only larger brachycerous fly that has become generally more frequent in recent years, especially in the north. The carnivorous larva is amphibious and feeds in shallow water in shaded seepages, stream margins, and to a lesser extent in heavily vegetated ponds and ditches. It is possibly easier to find than the adult, which is very sluggish and reluctant to fly during the emergence period from late May to early September. The adult is very large and attractive, yellow and black and resembling a fat wasp, with yellow bands on the abdomen which are often unbroken, although these are less conspicuous in the female” This species was nationally designated as a RBD 3 species but is now regarded as Notable B. There are very few records from Worcestershire.
Interestingly the Recorder script for Stratiomys singularior (reported opposite from Upton Warren by Kevin McGee) runs as follows: “Spectacular large yellowish soldier fly of brackish marshes and fens. Larvae are detritus feeding in shallow, sometimes temporary pools and are resistant to desiccation. Widespread but very local in Britain”. Its national designation has similarly been changed from RDB3 to Notable B. As far as we know there have been no previous records from Worcestershire.
It is well worth keeping a look out for these spectacular flies in wetland areas.
References
|
BALL Stuart G 1994 Recorder 3.3 JNCC |
|
COLYER CN & HAMMOND CO 1968 Flies of the British Isles. |
The Whitty Pear Alias the Old Sorb Tree Alias the True Service Tree, Sorbus Domestica L. In Worcestershire
By Harry Green
Sorbus domestica is part of Worcestershire’s natural history folklore originating from a solitary old tree reported in Wyre Forest by Alderman Edmund Pitts in 1677. Much has been written about that tree, especially in the Transactions of the Worcestershire Naturalists’ Club founded in 1847 and many people have speculated on its origin. Was it a true native or planted by man?. The original tree was destroyed long ago but its progeny, grown from cuttings or seed, were planted in Worcestershire and elsewhere. There are also planted trees of unknown origin. A recent botanical bombshell in the S. domestica saga was the discovery of wild old Sorbus domestica trees in Glamorgan and Gloucestershire – are they related to the Wyre Forest tree? What are the relationships between all the S domestica now growing in Britain? Is the species a true British native?
I have been fascinated by Sorbus domestica for many years. About two years ago I became aware that several people unknown to each other were visiting the trees, measuring them, photographing them, and growing seedlings. It seemed sensible to get everyone together so I convened a “Sorbus domestica Study Group which first met on 18th July 1998. We agreed to undertake various projects, summarised as follows:
- Prepare an inventory of all S. domestica in Worcestershire and elsewhere.
- Initiate biochemical/DNA studies to follow-on work done of the trees found in Glamorgan.
- To appeal for information on any other trees both locally and nationally,
- To search likely habitats in Worcestershire for unknown trees.
- To assemble a bibliography on S domestica
- To help prepare S. domestica text in Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan.
- To prepare a batch of Old Sorb Tree wine to encourage out activities!
Soon after we commenced work Frances Claxton arrived on the scene and soon became a very active participant in these studies. She has been able to take forward someof our objectives more rapidly than we had hoped, particularly DNA finger-printing. She describes her progress in the following paper.
Also, a data-base of all known trees has been prepared. Appeals for information through the media and privately have resulted in reports of cultivated trees unknown to us both in Worcestershire and elsewhere. Material is being assembled for a bibliography – a few key references are given at the end of Frances Claxton’s article. So far no new wild trees have been found in Worcestershire although we still hope the Teme valley or adjacent streams where there are unstable limy soils may shelter an unknown tree! We did prepare two batches of Old Sorb wine, one from Wyre, one from Croome, and we have enjoyed some of both!
The Sorbus domestica Study Group: M Averill, J Bingham, J Bulmer, F Claxton, G H Green, J R Hodson, F & C Jennings, J Meiklejohn, P Thew, W Watson, B Westwood and R Winnall. R Maskew and W A Thompson of the Worcestershire Flora Project are kept informed. Bronwen Bruce was actively involved during her work preparing Worcestershire’s Biodiversity Action Plan.
We should to thank Frances Claxton for her enthusiasm for all things Sorbus, her ability to get things done, and her willingness to work with a band of somewhat eccentric enthusiasts!
Worcestershire Mothers Group Moth Report 1999
By Neil Gregory & Corinna Philpott
The Worcestershire Mothers Group is a sub-group of the West Midlands Butterfly Conservation Branch. We have enjoyed evenings this year in a variety of locations and habitats. They have been made easier with the valuable contribution of a generator for supplying power to the traps, provided by English Nature. Our aim is to gain a better picture of the moth situation in this region, supplementing the records of the two county moth recorders, Tony Simpson (Worcestershire) and Mike Harper (Herefordshire). Tony Simpson’s collated information on the status of Macro-moths in Worcestershire was a useful guide to the local status of each moth trapped.
This year has shown a diverse and interesting set of Lepidoptera trapped over 10 evenings throughout 1999 (in total 190 Macro-moths, 138 Micro-moths and 1 Butterfly!). There has been an abundance of insect life on some evenings and on others very little; such is the way with conservation work that depends on climatic conditions. Various notable species have been seen throughout the county this year along with regular sightings of some more common species.
At Chaddesley Wood in June, the rare (for Worcestershire) Small Seraphim (Pterapherapteryx sexalata) was trapped. Feckenham Wild Moor brought the rare Southern Wainscot (Mythimna straminea) and new records for Blue-bordered Carpet (Plemyria rubiginata rubiginata), Brachmia rufescens, Coleophora deauratella, Eurrhypara hortulata, Hedya salicella and Scoparia subfusca.
The joint evening with Worcestershire Wildlife Trust in Trench Wood proved to be a good one for numbers and diversity of Lepidoptera with 92 Macros, 72 Micros and several performing Glow Worms. Angle Striped Sallow (Enargia paleacea) was noted as being the first record since 1976. Also there were new site records for Oak Eggar (Lasiocampa quercus) – attracted to various peoples’ trousers! – and Round-winged Muslin (Thumatha senex), all of which were classified as “local and less common”. There were two rare status moths of the night: two separate trappings of Festoon (Apoda limacodes), which hadn’t been recorded since 1974 and Mere Wainscot (Photedes fluxa), last recorded in 1994. New site records of micros were: Acentria ephemerella; Acleris aspersana; Bryotropha senectella; Epinotia cinercana; Euzophera pinguis; Lozotaeniodes formosanus; Monochroa lutulentella.
Bredon Hill in July gave a wonderful view of a sunset over the Malvern Hills. Because it was an exposed site, there was a chill to the air, but deep in the wood various Lepidoptera were trapped including the Green-veined White. Haugh Wood in Herefordshire proved to be very interesting with Wood Ants in the traps and Bats preying on the insects attracted to the lights. Several rare Buff Footman (Eilema depelana) were seen, along with over 130 different moths.
Wilden Marsh had a spectacular array of mostly non-aggressive (!) midges over the traps (hence most observers watched at a safe distance). The traps attracted the rare Small Seraphim (Pterapherapteryx sexalata) and new records for Worcestershire: Small Rufous (Coenobia rufa) and Cochylis atricapitana.
There was also a new site record for Platyptilia isodactylus. Ravenshill Wood, with no previous records, turned up the rare Bordered Sallow (Pyrrhia umbra) and a spectacular display from a Red Underwing (Catocala nupta).
The last four nights all turned quite cold with depleted numbers of moths. 27 showed at Roundhill Wood, a site not previously recorded; 19 at Saint Wulstans, a developing local nature reserve; 19 at Grafton Wood, which had previously been recorded only once at a different location; and 4 on Hartlebury Common.
Many interesting moths showed throughout this year including the Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata). The Black Arches (Lymnantria monacha) and Leopard Moths (Zeuzera pyrnia) showed their simple, yet appealing markings many times.
A more detailed report can be obtained by emailing us at droitwich@btinternet.com
Progress on Computerisation on WBRC Records
By Martyn Hodgson
The data entry project is a long term effort to get the existing BRC records computerised. The project has been running for a couple of years now and at present we have four people keying records. Since I last wrote about the project Richard Nicol has been continuing to work on completing the smaller animal kingdom groups (mostly invertebrates). This has proved to be very useful as a number of national invertebrate recorders have been requesting record lists, and it is somewhat easier to print the records out rather than transcribing them from the record cards.
Martyn Hodgson and Patrick Taylor have been keying in the historical (i.e. pre Worcestershire Flora Project) flowering plant records. John Partridge having brought the spider records up to date, is now working on the fungi records (good luck to him!).
Since each person works pretty well independently, its hard to say exactly how many records have been keyed so far. The animal kingdom stands at about 50,000 records, whilst the number of flowering plant records has reached about 30,000. The rate of record entry is very variable as well. Plant records are easy to do, as there are few problems with nomenclature, whilst the small invertebrate groups can be very difficult to work on.
An interesting recent development has been that Mike Averill has supplied us with a computerised version of all of the dragonfly records he used to create his book The Dragonflies of Worcestershire. These have been converted to the required format and have been loaded into Recorder. This has added over 10,500 records. Mike has also promised us his more recent records as well. This type of contribution is incredibly valuable to the BRC (and it’s greatly appreciated by those of us doing the typing!).
If you have any questions about this project, please let me know. Enquiries via e:mail usually gets the quickest response: martyn_hodgson@compuserve.com.
Birds At The New Gwen Finch Wetlands, Birlingham: July/August 1999
By John Hodson (Worcestershire Wildlife Trust)
I visited Gwen Finch Wetlands on the 30th July with Andy Graham in order to check on the water levels in the various pools. They were low due to lack of rain, several leaks and failing wind pumps. To counter these problems Andy had arranged for a large diesel pump to be delivered in the next few days, by which time he would be up to his knees in a Hungarian wetland. It was therefore to be my job to arrange installation of the pump, start it each morning, stop it each evening and take water level readings for the three weeks that Andy would be on holiday. The prospects of doing this were greatly enhanced by the birds that were present on that first visit. Andy had already told me of Green Sandpipers and lots of Lapwing but nothing about the Greenshank, Little Ringed Plovers, Sanderling and first-summer Mediterranean Gull that we saw on that first day.
The following weeks saw bird numbers increasing daily and increasingly interesting birds, such as both Common and Wood Sandpiper on the following day with Ruff the next. The first Common Snipe and Ringed Plovers appeared on August 3rd with two and four birds respectively. On the 5th three Black-tailed Godwits dropped in followed by five more on the 7th. On Sunday 8th August a Curlew Sandpiper in superb full summer plumage arrived together with the first Little Stint. The following day provided two Little Egrets and Green Sandpiper numbers reached eight. The first Teal and Common Terns appeared on the 10th with three and two birds each, and an adult Dunlin on the 11th The next few days saw Green Sandpiper numbers rise to ten by the 17th, with a juvenile Red-necked Phalarope, Peregrine, another Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Egret together with Greenshank numbers up to eight on 21st. The Phalarope remained until the 25th and the Curlew Sandpiper until well into September.
Another new wader species arrived on August 27th in the shape of a Spotted Redshank and a further eight Curlew Sandpipers stopped off briefly on the 29th By the end of the month Greenshanks peaked at 13, small numbers of Teal together with three Wigeon arrived, and Peregrine, Hobby, Raven, Cuckoo and Turtle Dove were seen.
The total number of wader species for August reached 18 with most of them probably new for the site. Species other than waders were recorded but it was the waders that were able to exploit the site in such an exciting way. It may not prove to be so attractive to migrant waders in future years, and there will certainly be more competition for the aquatic invertebrates on which they were feeding , but as the site develops it will hopefully provide breeding habitat for some of them.
Special Wildlife Sites and Species
Julian Jones, Sites & Species Officer, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust
There are approximately 550 Special Wildlife Sites (SWS’s) in Worcestershire. These places are considered to be the best places for wildlife in the county outside of legally protected areas such as SSSIs, National Nature Reserves and Local Nature Reserves. Special Wildlife Sites were selected in 1990 from a desk-study of several thousand sites that had been surveyed in the county during the 1970’s and 80’s. I have recently been appointed by The Wildlife Trust to review the Special Wildlife Sites, begin selecting ‘new’ ones and develop a system to ensure their protection and management for conservation. In order to achieve adequate protection, we are setting up a local partnership of all the key countryside organisations, with the Wildlife Trust taking on the role of the day-to-day running of the system.
One of the key aims of a Wildlife Sites System is to produce objective criteria for the selection of Wildlife Sites. In the case of habitats, the primary criteria used are: rarity, diversity, size and naturalness (the so-called ‘Ratcliffe criteria’). If a site is to be selected on the basis of its species importance the criteria need to be different. It is possible to select sites where RDB species are known to occur which may be straightforward in the case of plants, but could prove a problem with birds given their rather transient nature!
Setting thresholds is also a potential ‘minefield’. For example, if an area of standing water is to be chosen as a Special Wildlife Site for its dragonfly assemblage, how many species need to occur? In Mid-Wales, the threshold is 6 breeding dragonfly species for a site, what should it be in Worcestershire?
There is a problem in selecting Special Wildlife Sites for a particular species which is rather rare nationally, but may have many sites within the county. For instance, should all Great-crested Newt sites in Worcestershire be selected as Special Wildlife Sites?
In order to establish credible criteria for selecting Special Wildlife Sites in Worcestershire, the local knowledge of biological recorders needs to be included. For this reason I have written to a number of you asking for your help. I would welcome any comments on the selection of SWS using species criteria and also any details on sites which are important for species within the county.
The Border Bryologists and The British Bryological Society
By Mark Lawley
[The Border Bryologists have recently been contacted by both Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and the Worcestershire BRC. This has already led to survey work at a couple, of sites in the Teme Valley and the opportunity to join beginner’s courses in Ludlow. This is very useful and helpful because there has been little bryophyte recording in Worcestershire in recent years. The following note by Mark Lawley explains the thinking behind the foundation of the Border Bryologists and its relationship to the national society. Ed]The Border Bryologists meet to look for and identify bryophytes in Shropshire, Herefordshire, and east Wales. We found it easy to start up our group because the Herefordshire Botanical Society was already providing a forum for active local botanists, to whom we could advertise. And since the Border Bryologists have come into existence, the Shropshire Flora Group has constituted itself into the Shropshire Botanical Society, which also advertises our activities to its members. So, with free advertising and postage provided by two local botanical societies, the Border Bryologists enjoy negligible running costs. Long may our two sugar-daddies remain solvent.
Why have a local bryophyte group? What purpose does it serve? We wanted first to learn how to identify bryophytes in the field, which necessitated regular meetings close to hand, with an accomplished bryologist in attendance. During our first two years – 1994 and 1995 – Roy Perry attended nearly all our meetings, and provided the required expertise. Without Roy we would have struggled to identify the plants we found, and quite likely lost heart. Instead we gained sufficient momentum for lift-off. Latterly, Ray Woods and Jonathan Sleath have given expert help, despite busy professional careers. Gradually, the other members of our group have gained in confidence (if not in competence), even though it sometimes seems that the partly sighted are leading the blind.
And what of our future? Rather than allow our group to become a coterie of experienced bryologists, too daunting for beginners to join, those of us who have acquired a little bryological knowledge are trying in turn to help Stage-1 novices gain some bryological ability. Indeed, our most important function is to help interested but ignorant botanists gain a foothold on the lower rungs of cryptogamic competence. Collecting and compiling records for a site or grid-square, and finding uncommon species are of secondary importance at our arranged meetings, and better catered for during ad hoc or solo sorties.
To further this educational gearing, the Border Bryologists have arranged an indoor workshop at Ludlow Museum this winter. Both the Museum and the bryologists stand to gain: the Museum benefits because more people in through the front door this year brings a bigger grant from local government next year. Consequently we have not been asked to pay to hire the museum’s facilities. And budding bryologists will also benefit by acquiring confidence in examining and identifying bryophytes under the microscope: how to dissect leaves off stems, look for auricles on Plagiothecium stems, prepare peristomes for examination, or search for stomata on Orthotrichum capsules, or for gemmae and gametangia.
So an active Local Interest Group, by getting beginners started – both in the field and indoors – may serve a different function to that of the British Bryological Society (BBS). A local group is better placed than the BBS to cater for beginners, who are more likely to become aware of and attend local meetings than make the effort to travel long distances for national meetings. In this way a local group can act as a nursery for L-plate bryologists, who may subsequently join the BBS and the national scene. Indeed, several people from the Welsh borders have recently joined the BBS, apparently as a consequence of interest generated locally.
On the Welsh borders, as elsewhere, local natural history societies and wildlife trusts arrange meetings quite independently of each other, and indeed often seem entirely ignorant of each other’s programmes. I certainly met with genuine rather than merely polite surprise and interest when mentioning the Border Bryologists to local wildlife trusts, and improved communication between groups of local naturalists may well bring more potential bryologists on to the scene. The Worcestershire Wildlife Trust has recently expressed interest in the Border Bryologists as a convenient local vehicle for introducing their members to bryology. At present, no one regularly records bryophytes in Worcestershire, and it will be interesting to see if anything develops in the county as a result of the Trust’s initiative. I suspect that members of other local wildlife Trusts would like to learn about bryophytes, but that neither the Trusts nor their members know who to approach locally, and understandably blanch at the prospect of going it alone.
By regarding local groups as nurseries for budding bryologists, one sees the role of our national bryological society in a new light. The British Bryological Society is better placed than local groups to promote bryology to a wider public. My tip as top priority for the BBS’s publicity arm in the coming century is publication of a popular, user-friendly field-guide to genera of British and Irish mosses and liverworts: a guide with lifelike drawings of the forms of bryophytes and any of their other characteristics which are visible through a lens, while leaving microscopic details for Floras which distinguish species. Its key might also have line-drawings instead of (or at least, as well as) polysyllabic tongue-twisters. The guide would also have distribution and habitat notes as in the 3-volume Atlas of the Bryophytes of Britain and Ireland.
A well-produced field-guide to genera of British bryophytes could not fail to become the BBS’s flagship publication, and do far more to attract the public to bryology than any coffee-table book or symposium-volume of abstruse scientific articles. Bookshops abound with popular guides to vascular plants, birds, mammals and insects. It is time bryophytes joined them. The Border Bryologists will certainly find it much easier to introduce beginners to bryology once we have a good field-guide to take out with us on our excursions.
Border Bryologists, 1999-2000
Copies of our programme are available from Mark Lawley (address below)).
Publications of interest:
The Bygone Botanists of Herefordshire
traces the social and personal histories of botanists who explored Herefordshire, with accounts of several accomplished bryologists, including Augustin Ley, Eleonora Armitage and Charles Herbert Binstead. £3.75 (inc. 50p P & P) from Heather Colls, The Steppes Cottage, Jingle Street, Wonastow, Monmouth, Gwent NP5 4DL. Please make your cheque payable to “Herefordshire Botanical Society”.
A Botanical Stroll through North Herefordshire
describes the plants of interesting botanical sites in the countryside between Ludlow, Leominster and Presteigne, with annotated lists of bryophytes and vascular plants. £4 (inc. 50p P & P) from Heather Colls (see above) ; cheque payable to “Herefordshire Botanical Society”.
All proceeds from sales of these booklets will help defray costs of publishing a projected Herefordshire Plant Atlas.
Contacts
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Border Bryologists – Mark Lawley, 12A Castleview Terrace, Ludlow, SY8 2NG. Tel: 01584 876564. |
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British Bryological Society – Mr M.A. Walton, Ivy House, Wheelock Street, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 9AB. |
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Herefordshire Botanical Society – Mr Les Smith, Lonsdale, Firs Road, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 5BH. Tel: 01989 563599. |
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Shropshire Botanical Society – Sarah Whild, 66 North Street, Castlefields Shrewsbury, SY1 2JL. |
Botanical meeting at Ardtornish, Morvern,
August 9th-16th 2000 provisional dates), by kind invitation of Faith Raven.
Leader: Brian Brookes.
Ardtornish is an estate on Morvern, a peninsula on the west coast of Scotland opposite Mull, south-west of Fort William. Its mires, woods, cliffs and coast carry an exceptionally varied flora. For bryologists, the hepatic mats and tiny liverworts in the moist ravines are particularly choice. If the remote splendour of a Scottish mansion and countryside sounds like your sort of holiday, contact Brian Brookes at Borelick, Trochry, Dunkeld, Perthshire PH10 OBX; Tel: 01350 723222. Inclusive cost will be in the region of £375.
Interesting Sawflies (Symphyta) Abia sericea and Abia candens photographed in 1999
By Kevin McGee
Abia sericea
Mill Meadow, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Reserve at Drakes Broughton once again turned up trumps. On 5.6.99 I couldn’t fail to notice a quite large ‘metallic’ green Cimbicid sawfly. I eventually managed to obtain a fairly decent photograph from which Paul Whitehead was able to identify it as Abia sericea, local and declining species.
Abia candens
Another somewhat smaller ‘metallic’ Cimbicid was found on angelica flowers in the meadow on 29.7.99. This proved even harder to photographing a nagging breeze! I asked John Meiklejohn, who was with me at the time, to capture the specimen as I was sure it was unusual. Indeed it was – it turned out to be a male Abia candens, something very rarely seen, and of unknown status in Britain. The specimen is now in John Meiklejohn’s private reference collection. Interestingly both Abia sericea and Abia candens are often found in association with each other – when they are found. A sericea larvae are known to use both Devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis and Field Scabious Knautia arvensis for its life cycle, and this is probably also the case with A candens
Another sawfly new to me was photographed in Tiddesley Wood 29.8.99. A very large blue-black insect was found ovipositing on the trunk of a Norway Spruce, she was about 25 mm long with predominantly orange legs and antennae. Several photographs were taken before I noticed that two others of the same species were also ovipositing on the saw trunk! I concluded that they were Sirex juvencus and Paul Whitehead agrees with my determination.. I have no idea of the status of this insect in Worcestershire.
With grateful thanks to Paul Whitehead and John Meiklejohn for their kind help and expertise. Reference WRIGHT, Adam 1990 British sawflies, a key to the adults of genera occurring in Britain. AIDGAP key Reprinted from Field Studies vol 7 no 3. Field Studies Council publication 203.
Notable Coleoptera Photographed in Worcestershire in 1999
By Kevin McGee
| Platyrhinus resinosus Col: Anthribidae Notable B | Having previously photographed this fungus weevil at the Knapp & Papermill and Feckenham Wylde Moor in 1998 I found my first one in Tiddesley Wood 4.4.99. on a recently cut stump of ash, a wood it is particularly associated with. Another was found in Tiddesley on living ash 8.5.99 |
| Ampedus pomorum Col: Elateridae. Notable B | A very attractive click beetle with bright red-brown elytra which make it very noticeable. However, it is one of several extremely similar species and is definitely one for the experts. I photographed a very active beetle amongst the bark of a fallen birch log in Tiddesley Wood 18.4.99. Several shots were taken, none particularly brilliant but fortunately Paul Whitehead was able to determine the species by taking key features from about six different slides. Basically all clicks with red elytra should be taken to an expert for determination – many are extremely rare and endangered. |
| Phytoecia cylindrica Col: Cerambycidae Notable B | Recorded on hogweed foliage in Monkwood 15.5.99, as in 1998. Also found at Drakes Broughton where a pair in-cop were photographed on hogweed in an orchard on 30.4.99. This is one of the first longhorns to appear in Spring – look out for it on hogweed stems, the host plant. |
| Ischnomera cyanea Col: Oedemeridae Notable B | A very handsome dark blue-green beetle often found at flowers of hawthorn and hogweed. This another which has a couple of nearly identical cousins and needs expert determination I have found it to be quite widespread in Worcestershire and have added Grafton Wood, Windmill Hill and Drakes Broughton orchards to my list of localities. |
| Ctenicera pectinicornis Col: Elateridae notable A | A beautiful metallic bronze-tinged click beetle with distinctive ‘feathered antennae known to be associated with old lush meadows I photographed this one in Knowles Coppice Meadow alongside the Dowles Brook in the Wyre Forest on 2.5.99. Strictly speaking this is a Shropshire recorded has been sent to the Ludlow Museum, however the meadow is managed by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and is only just across the county boundary of the Dowles Brook! |
| Grammoptera variegata Col: Cerambycidae Notable A | This was one of those occasions when a hunch paid off! There was something about the jizz of this little longhorn beetle which made me take several careful photographs It was one of two on emergent grasses and brambles low down on the side of a path in Monkwood 15.5.99. My hunch was right! It turned out to be G. variegata rather than its very common relative G. ruficornis. I believe this is only the second record lodged with the Worcs. BRC. |
| Dendroxena quadrimaculata Col Silphidae Notable B | This striking carrion beetle was again found in Monkwood (as in 1998) on 15.5.99 on hogweed foliage. Monkwood remains the only place where I have recorded it. |
| Platystomus albinus Col: Anthribidae Notable B | The log pile in Monkwood is a great place to search for this beautiful cryptically marked weevil – photographed 15.5.99. |
| Pyrochroa coccinea Col: Pyrochroidae Notable B | This is one of the rarer cardinal beetles. It has a black head whereas the commoner P. serraticornis has a red head I photographer one of several found in Monkwood 23.5.99. The Knapp & Papermill is the only other place where I have found it. |
| Anagylyptus mysticus Col: Cerambycidae. Notable B | I have found this distinctive and widespread longhorn to be quite widespread in Worcestershire. However I photographer a female on a birch trunk in Tiddesley Wood on 25.5.99 which lacked the usual reddish markings on the elytra. Paul Whitehead confirmed it to be one of the extremely few records of the form ‘albofasciatus’. I found the usual type on hogweed flowers in Drakes Broughton on 6.6.99 – a new site record. |
| Cryptocephalus aureolus Col: Chrysomelidae NOTABLE B | A strongly metallic-green leaf beetle which like to sit inside the flowers of yellow Compositae, particularly hawkweeds. I photographed on a buttercup flower on the disused railway line near the Broadway Gravel Pit Reserve on 27.5.99. As many as 30 were noted an photographed at the Windmill Hill recorders meeting on 29.5.99 All were sitting on buttercup or hawkweed flowers and many were in-cop. |
| Molorchus umbellatarum Col: Cerambycidae Notable A | A very distinctive small longhorn which is probably overlooked. It is known to be associated with fruit trees so it is not surprising that Tiddesley Wood and the surrounding area holds a small population. The hogweed flower by the track into Tiddesley Wood from the car park are good places to look and I found one on hogweed by the Bow Brook on the W side of Tiddesley on 18.6.99 Also one on hogweed at Mill Meadow, Drakes Broughton, possible a first site record 3.7.99. [see also Don Goddard’s article on uncommon beetles] |
| Platys minutia Col: Lycidae Notable B | This is a rather pretty net-winged beetle having bright red elytra and fairly long antennae There is a curious net-like texture to the surface of the elytra. A woodland species of late summer, I couldn’t miss mine photographed on nettles in Tiddesley Wood 15..8.99 and found at another place in Tiddesley 22.8.99. |
Rare Soldier Fly Stratiomys singularior (Harris 1776) at Upton Warren
By Kevin McGee
During the recorders’ meeting at Upton Warren 31.7.99 I photographed a large fly I had never seen before. She was in the process of ovipositing on the surface of a Typha leaf. Immediately apparent was the broad flattened abdomen crossed with alternate creamy-yellow and black bands, and its large size – about 15 mms in length. The situation was not good for photography. I was sinking in the mud and the long Typha leaf was swaying gently in the breeze! I had alerted Mike Averill, who was nearby, to this curious fly I did’nt recognize. The plan was for him to try and ‘tube’ the specimen as I was not confident of getting a spon-on photograph. However after just three shots the fly departed as Mike approached. She did not return!
A couple of slides were actually OK and on looking through my general insect books it was obvious that the species in question was a Stratiomys, all of which are generally uncommon, but which one? The answer was supplied by Malcolm Smart who identified it as Stratiomys singularior (Harris 1776) , female.
It is listed as a nationally notable B species with most records coming from coastal areas in the southern half of the country, brackish lagoons being the favoured habitat. John Meiklejohn is searching the archives to see if there are any other records for the species in Worcestershire.
Reference
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CHINERY, M 1993 Collins Pocket Guide to the Insects for Britain and Western Europe. Harper-Collins. |
Second County Site for Rare Micromoth Nemophora minimella, sub-family Adelinae, familiy Incurvariidae
By Kevin McGee
The small Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Reserve Mill Meadow at Drakes Broughton has turned up quite a number of interesting entomological records on the few visits I made in 1999 On 24.6.99 I photographed one of about six small highly ‘metallic’ longhorn moths at the flowers of corn-mint. The rather bright greenish eyes of the moth were quite noticeable through the camera view-finder. Unable to identify them from my slides I sent one to Dr ANB Simpson for determination and he told me they were Nemophora minimella belonging to sub-family Adelinae of the family Incurvariidae. Mill Meadow is only the second known site for the species in Worcestershire, the other being Pitcher Oak Wood near Redditch. The presence of corn-mint is immaterial as the species depends on Devil’s-bit Scabious for its life cycle.
With grateful; thanks to Dr ANB Simpson for his expertise.
Reference
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Robbins, J 1997 A provisional atlas of the lepidoptera of Warwickshire Part 3: The smaller moths and more primitive larger moths. |
Worcestershire Longhorn Beetles (Cerambycidae): An Update.
By Kevin McGee
Readers of previous newsletter will know that I have been concentrating on longhorns since 1997. During 1999 I have added a further three species to my personal list, bringing my Worcestershire total to 26 species. I have detailed the best addition above: Grammoptera variegate at Monkwood. 15.5.99.
I was delighted to have at last found Rhagium bifasciatum at Monkwood: one on a picnic table (!) 23.5.99 and another on a gatepost 1.6.99
At Tiddesley on 18.7.99I saw a fine example of Phymatodes testaceus on ash leaves. Unfortunately I was unable to photograph it before it became agitated and flew high into the tree tops. This species is variable in colouration: mine had an orange head and pronotum with blue-black elytra, somewhat similar to a powerful-looking soldier beetle.
Many thanks to Paul Whitehead for his expertise and help.
Windmill Hill Spiders
By John Partridge
I was away for Windmill Hill Recording Day but. I did make some visits there last year, which were not very productive, either in numbers or species:
Theridion pictum
Zora spinimana
Trochosa terricola
Lepthyphantes tenuis
Micrargus herbigradus
Harpactea hombergi
Enoplognatha ovata
Erigone atra
Microlinyphia pusilla
Segestria senoculata
Silometopus reussi
Ozyptila pratico
Milleriana inerrans
Oedothorax fuscus
For this area I find Cleeve Prior better for spiders, perhaps due to its greater variety of habitats.
Worcestershire Spider Report – Autumn 1999
By John Partridge
The long-awaited British Distribution Atlas is one step nearer as the many thousands of records held at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology are now being transferred to computer. No new records are being accepted after 31st December 1999, so if you have something strange pickled at home, or lurking in the cellar waiting to be caught, please do not delay any further – get it to me as soon as possible. There are no plans to produce any further editions of the Atlas; perhaps it is assumed that the National Biodiversity Network will allow everything to be accessed by Internet in future.
The collection of records round the county has continued during the summer and autumn, so that there will not be white space for Worcestershire on every page of the Atlas. The two best recorded hectads will still denote where the two main recorders live, but I suspect that that will be the case in almost every county, except perhaps Essex where over 40,000 records have been produced.
Two WWT Reserves – Ipsley Alders Marsh and Feckenham Wylde Moor – have over 50 species with recent records, and it may be possible to get one or two more reserves up to this level during the Autumn.
There have been some more additions to the County list since the last Newsletter, with the rarest being Philodromus collinus on Ipsley Alders, Hybocoptus decollatus on the Malvern Hills – apparently the most northerly record in Britain for a spider that was only known from the Isle of Wight in 1974, and Theridion hemerobius (figure 2) from Strensham Lock- an even more recent addition to the British lists, first reported in 1994, and since found in four counties, now five. Theonoe minutissima was found on Hartlebury Common, Panamomops sulcifrons (figure 1)at Eades Meadow and Marshlands Meadow and Pelecopsis mengei on the Gwen Finch Reserve. Apart from the Philodromus, all these are small black money spiders and only identifiable under the microscope.
My thanks to Dr Peter Merrett who has confirmed my identifications and the County record status for these species, and who identified the Theridion for me.
Birds in Worcestershire – April to November 1999
By Gavin Peplow
Spring 1999 was generally mild with some fine spells of weather and periods of east and south easterly winds, producing a lot of species of interest to the local birder, particularly in the form of passage waders. Following Worcestershire’s first Common Crane at Kinsham Private Nature Reserve in mid March, the site continued to attract passage migrants during the spring period. A pair of Mandarin Ducks also favoured the site, presumably as a secure feeding area for their young despite the regular presence of local Buzzards and Sparrowhawks!
Garganeys were found at several sites whilst three Red-breasted Mergansers through Westwood sadly didn’t linger. Five Ospreys were noted passing through; Marsh Harriers appeared briefly at Upton Warren and Westwood and Red Kites were reported from four scattered sites.
Wader attractions across the County included ten Sanderling with separate groups of three birds at Kinsham and Ryall in May, two Bar-tailed Godwits at this first site, a Grey Plover at Upton Warren, six Turnstones and four Wood Sandpipers at various sites and also a Curlew Sandpiper at Bredon’s Hardwick. The main highlights however were Worcestershire’s largest ever trip of 20 Dotterel on Bredon Hill one evening in mid-May (after a single the previous week), followed by a superb female Red-necked Phalarope in breeding plumage at Upton Warren (the female acquiring the brighter plumage in this sexually dimorphic species!). Only a little less unusual was a Temminck’s Stint for a couple of days at Upton Warren during this period.
Spring Tern passage was generally unexceptional apart from a party of 20 Arctics at Bredon’s Hardwick in late April following heavy rain. Black Terns, traditionally slightly later moving through, were very scarce, but a Roseate landing briefly on the Tern raft at Upton Warren quickened the pulses of the half dozen or so birders present at the time but sadly it didn’t stay for more than a couple of minutes ! A Sandwich Tern, at this site a little later in May was also a good local find. Little Gulls were very scarce, but of interest a Yellow-legged Gull paired with a Lesser Black-backed at Bredon’s Hardwick. Extensive unseasonal flooding in June however, put paid to any hybrid young being raised – perhaps a relief to gull enthusiasts already struggling to fully understand the very complex realms of gull taxonomy!
A Short-eared Owl was seen on Bredon Hill in mid May a scarce visitor in recent years, whilst Wheatear passage there peaked at 15 birds including several of the larger, more northerly ‘Greenland’ form. A count of White Wagtails – the continental counterpart of our Pied, totalled 13 at Holt in late April, again another local record. Two ‘Blue-headed’ Wagtails were also found amongst parties of Yellows.
Other passerine highlights included a reeling Savi’s Warbler at a central reedbed in May and two Nightingales were heard at Upton Warren late in the month. Also of interest was a report of a Woodlark holding territory in the north of the County during the spring. If confirmed, this could hopefully prove to be the start of a very welcome return of a former breeding species.
As spring matured, Quails were heard at Abberton, Defford and Holt whilst at the end of June, an extremely elusive Hoopoe toured the Eldersfield area in the ‘deep south west’ of the County, singing around various homesteads during the early morning periods.
Late summer and autumn records included Black-necked Grebes at Kinsham, Ryall and Westwood, along with several Mediterranean Gulls around the County. A Spotted Crake at Upton Warren in July was totally unexpected and was surprisingly followed by a (perhaps the same) long staying individual at Grimley for a month from mid August.
Perhaps the most significant ‘development’ of the autumn from a birders perspective, was the creation of the new Gwen Finch Wetland Reserve by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust at Nafford. (See also John Hodson’s notes in this issue) Although intended as an Otter reserve, it immediately proved very attractive to passage waders with at least 18 species being recorded from late July !These included Spotted Redshank, up to 13 Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Sanderling, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper (including one flock of 8 birds) and amazingly the County’s second Red-necked Phalarope of the year, this time a juvenile. Also of interest there were up to three different Little Egrets in August with others being seen at Bredon’s Hardwick, Strensham and over Hindlip.
In late July a Spoonbill was watched at Bredon for a few minutes before regrettably heading off westwards, whilst a juvenile Marsh Harrier cruised through Upton Warren in early September. A potential first County record was of a Great White Egret was found at Westwood Pool in mid September. This bird roosted overnight before flying off soon after dawn broke the following day and was later seen back down in Wiltshire at the site where it had first been found! It had been colour ringed and one suggestion was that the rings matched up to a ringing scheme being carried out in Poland.
As autumn progressed the quality of birds being found continued to be of an excellent standard with a dark phase Honey Buzzard at Long Green at the end of September, perhaps long overdue. Similarly, a juvenile Red-backed Shrike was warmly welcomed by everyone who saw it at Upton Warren one afternoon in early October, proving to be the first on the reserve since the mid 1970’s.
Three Shags flew over Bredon’s Hardwick at this time and in what turned out to be a bit of a golden patch for the site were followed by a Pectoral Sandpiper, three fly-over Eiders, Scaup and then a female Ferruginous Duck in mid November. Other notable duck records from around the County included 17 Common Scoter, a somewhat elusive Long-tailed Duck at Bittell, and a redhead Smew at Lower Moor.
The Malverns were also productive with a Yellow-browed Warbler being heard on North Hill in mid October and up to 12 different Snow Buntings (maxima of five together) lingering around Worcestershire Beacon and at times allowing approach to within a few feet ! A party of eight Ravens there during early November was also testimony to their spread back eastwards in recent years from their Welsh strongholds.
Elsewhere a Black Redstart was found on the top of Bredon Hill and a Hen Harrier was reported in the Goosehill Wood area at the end of October to continue what has been an extremely varied year for avian records.
Records compiled from reports received by Birdline Midlands. Please phone through details of all your interesting sightings to the 24-hour Hotline on 01905-754154 (free on application to regular callers). For all the latest information on birds currently within Worcestershire and the Midlands Region, call 0891-700247 (calls charged at 60p per minute).
Small Mammals and Road Verges. A National Survey
We have received the following request, from the Mammal Society and University of Bristol, for help in this survey. Its now too late for the autumn 1999 survey but you could take part in the Spring 2000 survey, and future surveys. If any reader has some experience in small mammal trapping and would like to take part in the survey or become a local organiser they should contact the organiser directly. If any work is undertaken please let us know and be sure that a copy of the results are sent to Worcs BRC. I have the original request and forms if you wish to contact me – Harry Green.
The Mammal Society is undertaking a nationwide survey of small mammals on road verges with the assistance of its members and other volunteers. As wildlife in the wider countryside comes under increasing pressure from farming and other developments, relatively undisturbed habitats such as road verges constitute an increasingly valuable nature conservation resource. Road verges support a rich diversity of wild flowers and insects; various species of reptile have been found to be abundant within the patchwork of rough grassland and scrub; and kestrels, which are often seen hunting over our motorways, testify to the value of verges for small mammals.
The aims of the national survey will be two fold:
- To identify the relationships between road verge habitat features and small mammal abundance and diversity.
- To help formulate management prescriptions for small mammals and other wildlife on road verges.
Volunteers are requested to survey for small mammals along as many transects as possible on suitable road verges close to their homes during autumn 1999 and spring 2000. Volunteers who have time to survey in only one season (autumn or spring) will also be welcome. We intend the survey to run for a second year and therefore will also be seeking volunteers for autumn 2000 and spring 2001. A limited number of Longworth traps will be available on loan, and priority will be given to those volunteering to survey a number of sites. Most volunteers, however, will need their own or have access to at least 20 Longworth traps or alternatively trip traps in order to participate. Trip traps are relatively cheap to purchase (5 for £8.30) and are available from the following address:
Procter Bros Ltd, Pantglas Industrial Estate, Bedwas, Newport, Gwent NP1 8XD.Tel 01222 882111.
An outline of the small mammal trapping guidelines follows below. Volunteers should ideally have basic experience in small mammal trapping or should be taught the necessary skills by somebody suitably experienced prior to undertaking the survey.
We would also like volunteers, if possible, to undertake a basic botanical survey during the summer along each of their transects. We hope to identify any relationships between small mammal abundance and botanical species composition.
Anyone interested in participating in our survey should fill in the enclosed form (or write/phone/email the organiser) stating the number of transects they would like to survey, whether they are able to survey in both of the two seasons and if they are able to undertake the botanical survey. They are also requested to state if they would provisionally like to volunteer for the second year of the survey.
National Road Verge Small Mammal Survey: Guildlines for Volunteers
Survey guidelines
1. Habitat selection
Small mammal trapping will be carried out along road verges within rough grassland habitat. The study aims to investigate the relationships between small mammal abundance and diversity and a variety of verge habitat characteristics.
2. Safety
Volunteers must be able to park safely and legally at their survey sites. They must not walk within the road to access their survey sites or stand on the road or its edge while undertaking the survey. Volunteers must not choose motorway verges for their survey sites.
3. Transect lines
Twenty Longworth traps will be positioned along each transect line extending along a section of road verge. A small number of Longworth traps may be available for loan. Most volunteers will be expected to provide their own traps. Volunteers who do not have access to Longworth traps may use trip traps which are cheap to purchase.
4. Recording information
Volunteers should have basic experience in small mammal trapping or should be taught the necessary skills by somebody suitably experienced prior to undertaking the survey. During each visit the following information will be recorded at each trapping grid:
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Weather conditions. |
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Each species trapped and its grid location. |
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Whether the animal is marked. Every new individual will be given a unique fur clip. |
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Sex. |
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Breeding Condition. |
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Weight (volunteers are expected to provide their own weighing balance). |
5. Trapping period
Volunteers are requested to survey as many transects as possible during two survey periods which will coincide with small mammal peak abundance (September – November, 1999) and low abundance (March – May, 2000) periods. Each survey will be undertaken over two consecutive mornings, plus one evening / afternoon when the traps are first set. Volunteers who only have time to survey one transect within the year will also be welcome. Volunteers will also be sought to survey alternative grids during Autumn 2000 and Spring 2001.
6. Optional botanical survey
Volunteers will be encouraged to record information during the Summer on botanical species diversity and abundance along each transect using a relatively simple technique. Many volunteers will have friends and colleagues with botanical expertise who might be able to assist them with this task. All volunteers will be requested to make a subjective assessment of grassland cover following a basic scale (e.g. sparse, moderate, dense).
For more information contact Lincoln Garland at:
School of Biological Sciences, Mammal Research Unit, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 lUG Telephone: 0117 928 7593 Facsimile: 0117 925 7374. email: linc.garland@bristol.ac.uk
Progress with the National Biodiversity Network – A Visit to Nottingham.
By Geoff Trevis
On 14th. September Patrick Taylor, Martyn Hodgson and I attended an NBN Linking Local Record Centres seminar at Wollaton Hall, Nottingham. Linking Local Record Centres is that part of the National Biodiversity Network project which is being managed by The Wildlife Trusts. The topic for the day was “Delivering Wildlife Information”
The context was set by Sara Hawkswell of The Wildlife Trusts National Office in a talk entitled “National Biodiversity Network – how will it improve the delivery of wildlife information?”. Sara’s talk covered: who will need information? what is the information for? what are the problems of providing data? and how do the local record centres address these issues as part of the NBN? There was little new here but it provided a valuable reminder of the big picture and the role which the LRC’s can play in achieving biodiversity targets.
Sara Myles of the Bristol Regional Environmental R.C. and Graham Webb of South Gloucestershire Council then spoke of the practical aspects of running a BRC in a talk entitled “Delivery of data for development control – the experience of Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre”. This, as the title makes clear, was concerned only with provision of data to local authorities and developers in response to planning applications. The main message – a well run centre providing high quality information is extremely cost-effective for the local authority which is, therefore, willing to invest in the centre. It was made clear that both the local authority and the developer get the same data and contextual information and this objectivity is appreciated by both as it makes life easier in negotiations. The Centre is not involved with interpretation of data.
“Tapping into voluntary enthusiasm” was the subject for Derek Lott of the Leicestershire County Council Museums Service. Much that he said was already in place in Worcestershire as he recognised the vital role of voluntary naturalists in collecting, validating, storing (on computer) and publishing data. However, in Leicestershire they have extended involvement of volunteers to include interested members of the public who do not think of themselves as naturalists. This has developed into a Parish Wildlife Survey which is producing valuable monitoring data for habitats and specified, easily recognised species. I was particularly taken with this as it is a scheme which was discussed in Worcestershire two or three years ago but not implemented because of the high level of resources needed to keep it going. Community volunteers need direction, training and constant support through newsletters and personal contacts. Involving the public is a not a cheap option except for specific projects.
The afternoon was divided into two sessions. First were workshops covering issues of the role of BRC’s (Analysis versus interpretation – how far should an LRC go?) and the contribution to biodiversity (Servicing Local BAP’s – what can LRC’s deliver?). Second was a talk on “NBN Internet Access – Possible? Practical? Controllable?” by Lawrence Way of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. I attended the BAP workshop but felt the discussion did not really get anywhere except to note that liaison at a scale above county level is required to produce uniformity of approach and standards across the country.
By the time we got to “Internet Access” I was suffering marked writers cramp and took significantly fewer notes. However, it was clear that “The Net” is going to be a major and essential aspect of the NBN. The public will want access to information and much business will be conducted electronically. How this will be achieved (Practical? Controllable?) remains to be decided but achieved it certainly must be.
I came away from the meeting with the feeling that we have made a sound start in Worcestershire but we have a very long way to go. The biggest problem will be resources as it is clear that little will come from national sources in the short term. How do we bridge the gap between the current volunteer managed BRC to a professionally run one with paid staff carrying out the full range of data provision and survey work? If we achieve this, how do we maintain the enthusiasm of the voluntary naturalists and ensure that their wishes are met for continuing scientific study of the county’s flora and fauna? There is indeed much to do but if we do it, and get it right, we can contribute greatly to meeting the BAP targets.
Upton Warren Worcs BRC Survey Day
Saturday 31st July 1999 was the day selected to undertake a survey of wildlife other than birds at Upon Warren. The area is an important wetland and up-welling brine has led to the fevelopment of important inland salt marsh at the Flash Pools. The saltmarsh plants are well-known but we have little knowledge of other taxa. Our plan was, in retospect, over-ambitious. We aimed to cover the Flash Pools, the County Council Educational Reserve by the sailing lake, and the Moors Pool area. In the event we only managed partial coverage of the first two, in part because it was a very hot, dry day. Nevertheless. a good series of records were obtained which give indication of what needs tobe done in the future. As far as insects are concerned many specimens (especially beetles) remain to be identified and results from that work will be published later. A lot of recording still needs to be done at this important site.
Diptera
By Malcolm Blythe
Literature: where the publication used pre-dates 1976 the nomenclature has been adjusted to that of Kloet & Hincks (1976).
Tipulidae
Tipula oleracea. One female specimen. (Coe R.L. Family Tipulidae. Handbook for the Identification qf’British Insects 9:(1)
Ceratopogonidae
Culicoides riethi. One female and two males from sedge. (Edwards F. W. (1 926) On the British Biting Midges. Trans. Ent. Soc.Lond. 74:389-426. Campbell JA. and Pelham-Clinton E.C. (1960). A Taxonomic Review of the British Species of Culicoides Latreille (Diptera Ceratopogonidae). Proc. R. Soc. Edinburgh LXVII (3)
1 am confident of this identification, but I will make a genitalia preparation as soon as I have some polyvinyl lactophenol. The aedeagus of C rielhi is very distinctive. It is recorded by Campbell and Pelham-Clinton as common in the salt marshes of the Forth and Tay estuaries.
Dolichopodidae
Dolichopus nubilus. Two females from the Meadow Sweet area. (d’Assis Fonseca E.C.M. (1978). Diptera: Orthorrhapha: Brachycera: Dolicholpodidae. Handbooks.Ior the Identificcition of British Insects 9 (5)
Psilidae
Loxocera aristata Single individual from sedge at the base of a thistle. (Collin J.E. (1944) The British Species of Psilidae (Diptera). Ent. Mon. Mag. 80.. 214-24. Name amended from Loxocera aristata reference Kloet and Hincks.
Chyromyidae
Chyromya sp. Three specimens (two males and a female) from lush vegetation away from the water’s edge. The female has a distended abdomen as described in Colyer and Hammond for C flava
This is most probably the common Chyromya flava, described in Colyer and Hammond (1951 ) but I do not have the literature to confirm it. The only key I can trace is a German one in Die Fliegen der Palaerktischen Region. Name amended from Chryomyia reference Kloet and Hincks.
Chloroppidae
Elachiptera cornuta. A single specimen collected.
Collin J.E. (1 946). The British Genera and Species of Oscinellinae. Trans. R. Ent. Soc. Lond. 97: 117-48.
Sepsidae
Themira annulipes Single male from sedge.
Sepsis cynipsea. Two specimens collected from sedge.
Pont A.C. 1 979) Sepsidae. Handbook. for the Identilicalion qf’British Insects 10 (5c).
Ephydridae
Large numbers of ephydrids were present in the sedges and on the surface of the mud. I have no literature for most of them but the genera Notiphila, Ephydra, Scatella and Psilopa appeared to be present. An old key (unidentified) to Notiphila keys out my specimens to N. setigera, a name which is not recognised by Kloet and Hincks.
Scatella stagnalis. Two specimens.
Scatella lutosti. One specimen.
Key to genus in Les Insectes Aqualiques d’Europe.Collin J.E. (1930). Some new species of the Dipterous genus Scatella gen. nov., and the differentiation of Stictoscatelia gen. nov. Ent. mon. Mag. 66, 133-9.
Sphaeroceridae
Present in large numbers. Identifications to follow.
Syrphidae
Syritta pipiens. Numerous.
Neoascia tenur. Three specimens of this minute svrphid collected from flowers near the second lake. A genitalia preparation will be needed to confirm as the genus is a tricky one.
Eristalinus sepulchralis. A single male specimen collected.
Stubbs A.E. (1983). British Hoverflies, an Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological and Natural History Society.
Stubbs A.E. (1996). British Hoverflies.’ Second Supplement. British Entomological and Natural History Society. (for Neoascia)
Coe R.L. (1953). Diptera.. Syrphidae. Handhook,for the Idetifcation of ‘British Insects 10 (1 ).
Scathophagidae
Spaziphora hydromyzina. Numerous amongst the sedge. Six specimens taken.
CollinJ.E.(1958). A short Synopsis of the British Scatophagidae (Diptera). Trans.Soc Brit Ent, 13: 37-56. Generic name adjusted from Spathiophorta. reference Kloet and Hincks. A new key is due to be produced soon.
Tachinidae
Eriothrix rufomaculata. Numerous on flower heads especially thistles.
Belshaw R. (1993) Tachinid Flies. Handbook.flor the Identification of’British Insects 10 (4a(i)) R. Ent Soc Lond.
A detached wing of a Bicellaria species (Diptera, Empididae) was found in one of the tubes and a specimen of Haematopota (Diptera: Tabanidae) was seen resting on a leaf over the stream but was not collected.
Further records of Hoverflies Syrphidae
Harry Green
Flash Pools SO 934664
Cheilosia bergenstammi (larvae live in base-stems of ragworts)
Chrysotoxum bicinctum (one)
Episyrphus balteatus
Eristalis arbustorum
Eristalis nemorum
Platycheirus clypeatus
Sphaerophora scripta
Syritta pipiens
Education Centre reserve SO 934673
Cheilosia antiqua
Chrysotoxum bicinctum (one)
Eristalis arbustorum
Eristalis tenax
Pyrophaena granditarsa
Syrphus vitripennis
Syritta pipiens
Invertebrates
Combined list from observations by John Meiklejohn, Kevin McGee, Patrick Taylor, Martyn Hodgson
Those marked * found at Education Centre Reserve only.
Further information on Odonata and Diptera follows.
Coleoptera collected at the Flash Pools are yet to be identified (Don Goddard).
Coleoptera
*Abax parallelpipedus
Adalia bipunctata
Agabus bipustulatus
Altica lythri
Altica palustris
Anisosticta 19-punctata (photo on Typha at Flash Pools K McGee) Anthocomus rufus (photo at Flash Pools K McGee)
Apion haematodes
*Badister bipustulatus
Ceutorhynchus litura
*Chalcoides plutus
*Chlaenius vestitus
*Cryptocephalus pusillus
*Endomychus coccineus
*Elaphrus cupreus
*Galerucella lineola
Hydrobius fuscipes
Hygrotus inaequalis
Longitarsus rubiginosus
Micraspis 16-punctata
Noterus clavicornis
Oedemera nobilis
Paederus fuscipes
Propylea 14-punctata
*Pterostichus madidus
Rhagonycha fulva
*Sinodendron cylindricum
Sphaeridium scarabaeoides (photo on teasel flower K McGee, det PFW)
*Staphylinus olens
Stenus cicendeloides
Dermaptera
Forficula auricularia
Diptera
Episyrphus balteatus
Eristalis horticola
*Eristalis nemorum
*Liriomyza melampyga
Syrphus vitripennis
leaf mine on Impatiens
Hemiptera – Heteroptera
Anthocoris nemorum
Aphropohora alni
Deraeocoris ruber
Elasmucha grisea
Gerris lacustris
Halticus saltator
*Heterotoma merioptera
*Hydrometra stagnorum
Philaenus spumarius
*Sigara lateralis
Stenodema laevigatum
Hymenoptera
*Bombus lapidarius
*Pontania proxima – Bean gall on Salix
*Neuroterus quercusbaccarum – Spangle gall on oak
Lepidoptera
Moths
Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae 100’s of larvae on ragwort at Educ Res.
*Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fuliginosa
Bright-line Brown-eye (larva on Meadow Vetchling at Flash Pools)
Bullrush Wainscot (pupa of Typha stem at Flash Pools)
Agriphila tristella (Pyralid at Flash Pools)
Butterflies
*Small Copper
Small skipper (both sites)
Large White (both sites)
Small White (both sites)
Green-veined White (both sites)
*Brimstone
*Red Admiral
Small Tortoiseshell (both sites)
Peacock (both sites)
*Comma
*Speckled Wood
Gatekeeper (both sites)
*Meadow Brown
Marbled White
Orthoptera
Chorthippus albomarginatus
Chorthippus bruneus
Chorthippus parallelus
Leptophyes punctatissima
Tetrix subulata
Tetrix undulata
Araneae
Larinoides cornutus
Tetragnatha extensa
Opiliones
*Leiobunum rotundum
*Opilio parietinus
Isopoda
*Armadillidium vulgare
*Trichoniscus pusillus
Porcellio scaber
Mollusca
Snails
Aegopinella nitidula
Clausilia bidentata
Cochlicopa lubrica
Discus rotundatus
*Helix aspersa
Helix hortensis
*Lauria cylindracea
Lymnaea truncatula
Oxychilus alliarius
*Vallonia costata
*Vallonia excentrica
Bryophytes
Mark Lawley
Here is a list of the bryophytes I collected at Upton Warren on July 31st. Conditions were too dry to be conducive for finding bryophytes, and I am sure that this list could be doubled or trebled by a visit in winter. None of the species in the list are in any way unusual; most could be found in a municipal park, and I do not think that Upton Warren is likely to have unusual bryophytes unless some can be relocated in salty conditions. Unfortunately, I failed to find a single moss or liverwort where the Puccinellia or Spergularia grew.
Mosses
Amblystegium serpens
Dicranum scoparium
Barbula tophacea
Grimmia pulvinata
Barbula vinealis
Homalothecium sericeum
Brachythecium rutabulum
Orthotrichum diaphanum
Bryum caespiticium
Calliergon cuspidatum
Pohlia carnea
Campylopus introflexus
Polytrichum juniperinum
Campylopus paradoxus
Pseudoscleropodium purum
Dicranoweisia cirrata
Rhynchostegium confertum
Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus
Ulota crispa
Liverworts
Frullania dilatata
Pellia epiphylla
Lichens of Upton Warrent SO 9367
Trevor Duke
Parish Church and surrounds to the flash pools and flooded pits
A survey was undertaken of the wayside and hedgerow trees around the sailing club lake and flashpools nature reserve and also on the thinly vegetated soils behind the petrol station/plant hire yard. Time spent approximately three hours. A further hour was then spent in the local parish churchyard. Good weather conditions.
The following four lists were produced. Names according to the “Lichen Flora of Britain and Ireland, Purvis et al (1992)”.
Thinly vegetated soil behind petrol station/plant hire yard (11 species)
Cladonia chlorophaea (on a log)
C. ciliata var tenuis
C. foliacea
C. furcata
C. humilis
C. portentosa
C. rangiformisa
Diploscistes muscorum
Lecanora muralis (on a pebble)
Peltigera membranacea
P. rufescens
(except where stated these species were growing directly on soil or turf)
Trees and lignum in the Nature Reserve (18 species)
Caloplaca citrina (L)
Candelariella vitellina (L)
Diploicia canescens (S, A)
Diplotomma alboatra (L)
Evernia prunastri (L, S)
Hypogymnia physodes (L)
Lecanora conizeaoides (widespread)
L. expallens (L, S)
Parmelia subaurifera (S)
P. sulcata (S)
Phaeophyscia orbicularis (S)
Physcia tenella (S, Sn)
P. adscendens (S, A, Sn)
Placynthiella icmalea (L)
Scolisciosporum chlorophaeum (L)
Xanthoria candelaris (L)
X. parietina (S)
X. polyocarpa (S)
L = lignum (mainly fence posts)
S = Salix species
A = Acer campestre
Sn = Sambucus niger
(NB substrates given for each species should not be considered exhaustive)
Wayside trees and other substrata outside the Nature Reserve (6 species, 5 additional).
Caloplaca citrina (.C)
C. holocarpa (.C)
Lecanora albescens (.C)
L. chlarotera (S)
L. dispersa (.C)
Parmelia caperata (S)
.C = concrete
S = Salix species
(NB only those species not recorded above and those those recorded on an additional substrate are included)
Upton Warren Churchyard (32 species, 23 additional)
Acarospora fuscata (*)
Caloplaca citrina
C. flavescens (*)
C. saxicola (*)
Candelariella vitellina
Cladonia chlorophaea
C. pyxidata (*)
C. subulata (*)
Diploschistes scruposus (*)
Haematomma ochroleucum var porphyrium (*)
Hypocenomyce scalaris (*)
Lecanora campestris (*)
L. crenulata (*)
L. dispersa
L. expallens
L. orosphaea (*)
L. polytropa (*)
L. sulphurea (*)
Lecidea fuscoatra (*)
Ochrolechia parella (*)
Parmelia glabratula subspecies fuliginosa (*)
P. sulcata
Phaeophyscia orbicularis
Physcia adscendens
P. caesia (*)
Porpidia tuberculasa (*)
Psilolechia lucida (*)
Tephromella atra (*)
Trapelia involuta (*)
Verrucaria nigrescens (*)
Xanthoria calcicola (*)
X. parietina
(*) = species recorded only from the churchyard.
Discussion
The survey at Upton Warren provided a corticolous flora that is typical for the area, together with an interesting terricolous site. Lignum (mainly fence posts) together with concrete walls and posts provided further substrates. Saxicolous habitat was however somewhat limited on the site. The churchyard was therefore visited to provide a list from a stable saxicolous habitat.
A total of 57 species were recorded, 34 on the Upton Warren site and 32 in the churchyard. The latter was not very rich when compared with many other Worcestershire churchyards but is perhaps typical of the more polluted northern Worcestershire yards.
The 34 species on the Upton Warren site include 10 on the thinly vegetated soil and pebbles, 21 on bark and lignum and 3 restricted to concrete. The bark/lignum species are typical of acidified trees and lignum in polluted areas. P. caperata was recorded only once and is indicative of reducing sulphur dioxide levels. Further colonisation of this habitat can be expected.
The terricolous species included seven Cladonias, of which C. foliacea and C. rangiformis, together with Diploschistes muscorum and Peltigera rufescens are indicative of base rich soil. Other species such as Cladonia ciliata var tenuis and C. portentosa are normally found on acid substrates and are possibly growing raised above the soil. The community is dependent on sparse vegetation and may thus be temporary. i.e. the community might be lost if the vegetation sward was to thicken into a dense turf or scrub.
None of the species found on these sites are considered rare. Cladonia foliacea, C. ciliata var tenuis and Diploscistes muscorum may be considered local in Worcestershire but more data is required before this can be confirmed.
Flowering Plants
Bert Reid
The surrounds of the flash pools are one of the best inland salt marhes in Britain and the visit tumed up a good number of the special plants from here. Puccinellia distans (Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass) and Spergularia marina (Lesser Sea-spurry) fonned a narrow band on the otherwise bare mud around the pools. Just landward of these were good stands of Juncus compressus (Round-fruited Rush). A couple of specimens of the rush were taken to make sure that they were not Juncus gerardii (Saltmarsh Rush) which is thought extinct in Worcestershire but measunnent of seed size dashed any hopes in that direction. A puzzling plant in the saltmarsh area was an orache sirnilar to Atriplex prostrata but looking rather different to the normal ruderal form common in the county. Unfortunately the plant was too young to identify.
The tall marsh vegetation behind the saltmarsh area contained few surprises but we did find a small patch of Potentilla palustris (Marsh Cinquefoil) which is scarce in the county.
Schoenoplectus tabemaemontani (Grey Club-rush) was quite widespread.
The land within the educational centre was completely different. The most striking feature here was the presence of a number of non-native plants. Impatiens glandulifera (Indian Balsam) was common and Crassula helmsii (New Zealand Pigmyweed) dominated a couple of pools. The little Lemna minuta (Least Duckweed) covered the surface of some ponds and the international flavour was complete by a large plant of Lysichiton americanus (American Skunk-cabbage). Even the Ranunculus lingua (Greater Spearwort) is surely an introduction here.
Not all the plants in this area are introductions, however, and it was pleasing to find a good stand of Carex ovalis (Oval Sedge) in a dried up hollow accompanied by a mixed colony of Juncus acutiflorus (Sharp-flowered Rush) and J. articulatus (Jointed Rush). I failed to convince myself that any plants were the hybrid between the two rushes although some did look possible. By the brook we saw quite a lot of Dipsacus pilosus (Small Teasel).
Taxa recorded at Upton Warren – 31st July 1999
Scientific name/Common name
Acer campestre Field Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Aethusa cynapium Fool’s Parsley
Agrimonia eupatoria Agrimony
Agrostis stolonifera Creeping Bent
Alisma plantago-aquatica Water-plantain
Alnus glutinosa Alder
Anagallis arvensis ssp. arvensis Scarlet Pimpernel
Angelica sylvestris Wild Angelica
Arctium lappa Greater Burdock
Arctium minus ssp. minus a lesser burdock
Arenaria serpyllifolia ssp. serpyllifolia – a thyme-leaved sandwort Armoracia rusticana Horse-radish
Arrhenatherum elatius False Oat-grassv Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort
Arum maculatum Lords-and-ladies
Atriplex prostrata sens.str. Spear-leaved Orache
Ballota nigra Black Horehound
Bellis perennis Daisy
Betula pendula Silver Birch
Brachypodium sylvaticum False-brome
Brassica nigra Black Mustard
Callitriche sp. a water-starwort
Calystegia sepium Hedge Bindweed
Calystegia silvatica Large Bindweed
Cardamine flexuosa Wavy Bitter-cress
Cardainine pratensis Cuckoo-flower
Carduus crispus Welted Thistle
Carex hirta Hairy Sedge
Carex otrubae False Fox-sedge
Carex ovalis Oval Sedge
Carex riparia Great Pond-sedge
Centaurium erythraea Common Centaury
Chaerophyllum temulum Rough Chervil
Chamerion angustifolium Rosebay Willowherb
Chenopodium album sens.str. Fat-hen
Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle
Cirsium palustre Marsh Thistle
Cirsium vulgare Spear Thistle
Conium maculatum Hemlock
Convolvulus arvensis Field Bindweed
Cornus sanguinea Dogwood
Coronopus didymus Lesser Swine-cress
Corylus avellana Hazel
Crassula helmsii New Zealand Pigmyweed
Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn
Dactylis glomerate Cock’ s-foot
Digitalis purpurea Foxglove
Dipsacus fullonum Wild Teasel
Dipsacus pilosus Small Teasel
Dryopteris dilatata Broad Buckler-fern
Dryopteris filix-mas Common Male Fern
Eleocharis palustris Common Spike-rush
Epilobium ciliatum American Willowherb
Epilobium hirsutum Great Willowherb
Epilobium obscurum Short-fruited Willowherb
Epilobium parviflorum Hoary Willowherb
Epilobium tetragonum Square-stalked Willowherb
Equisetum arvense Field Horsetail
Equisetum palustre Marsh Horsetail
Erodium cicutarium sens.str. Common Stork’s-bill
Euonymus europaeus Spindle
Fallopia japonica Japanese Knotweed
Filipendula ulmaria Meadowsweet
Fraxinus excelsior Ash
Galium aparine Cleavers
Galium palustre Common Marsh-bedstraw
Geranium dissectum Cut-leaved Cranels-bill
Geranium pusillum Small-flowered Crane’s-bill
Glechoma hederacea Ground-ivy
Heracleum sphondylium Hogweed
Hippophae rhamnoides Sea-buckthorn
Holcus lanatus Yorkshire-fog
Hordeum secalinum Meadow Barley
Humulus lupulus Hop
Hypericum perforatum Perforate St. Johnls-wort
Impatiens glandulifera Indian Balsam
Iris foetidissima Stinking Iris
Juncus acutiflorus Sharp-flowered Rush
Juncus articulatus Jointed Rush
Juncus bufonius sens.str. Toad Rush
Juncus compressus Round-fruited Rush
Juncus conglomeratus Compact Rush
Juncus effusus Soft Rush
Juncus inflexus Hard Rush
Lamium album White Dead-nettle
Lathyrus pratensis Meadow Vetchling
Lemna minor Common Duckweed
Lemna minuta Least Duckweed
Lemna trisulca Ivy-leaved Duckweed
Leontodon autumnalis Autumnal Hawkbit
Leontodon saxatilis Lesser Hawkbit
Ligustrum vulgare Wild Privet
Lolium perenne Perennial Rye-grass
Lotus corniculatus Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil
Lycopus europaeus Gipsywort
Lysichiton americanus American Skunk-cabbage
Lysimachia numularia Creeping-Jenny
Malus domestica Apple
Malva moschata Musk-mallow
Malva sylvestris Common Mallow
Mentha arvensis Corn Mint
Moehringia trinervia Three-nerved Sandwort
Myosotis arvensis Field Forget-me-not
Myosotis laxa Tufted Forget-me-not
Myosotis scorpioides Water Forget-me-not
Myosoton aquaticum Water Chickweed
Oenanthe crocata Hemlock Water-dropwort
Oenothera glazioviana Large-flowered Evening-primrose
Parietaria judaica Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Persicaria amphibia Amphibious Bistort
Phalaris arundinacea Reed Canary-grass
Phleum pratense sens.str. Timothy
Phragmites australis Common Reed
Picris echioides Bristly oxtongue
Pilosella officinarum Mouse-ear-hawkweed
Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain
Plantago major Greater Plantain
Polygonum aviculare sens.str. Knotgrassv Populus alba White Poplar
Populus x canadensis (P. deltoides x nigra) Hybrid Black Poplar
Potentilla palustris Marsh Cinquefoil
Potentilla reptans Creeping Cinquefoil
Prunella vulgaris Selfheal
Puccinellia distans Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass
Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak
Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup
Ranunculus lingua Greater Spearwort
Ranunculus repens Creeping Buttercup
Ranunculus sceleratus Celery-leaved Buttercup
Reseda luteola Weld
Rosa canina agg. Dog Rose
Rubus ulmifolius a bramble
Rumex acetosella Sheepls Sorrel [agg.]
Rumex conglomeratus Clustered Dock
Rumex crispus Curled Dock
Rumex obtusifolius Broad-leaved Dock
Rumex sanguineus Wood Dock
Sagina apetala sap. erecta Fringed Pearlwort
Sagina procumbens Procumbent Pearlwort
Salix alba White Willow
Salix caprea Goat Willow
Salix cinerea sap. oleifolia a willow
Salix fragilis Crack Willow
Salix viminalis osier
Sambucus nigra Elder
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Grey Club-rush
Scrophularia auriculata Water Figwort
Senecio erucifolius Hoary Ragwort
Senecio jacobaea Common Ragwort
Senecio vulgaris var. vulgaris a groundsel
Silene dioica Red Campion
Silene dioica x latifolia (S. x hampeana) – Hybrid Campion
Silene latifolia White Campion
Sisymbrium officinale Hedge Mustard
Solanum dulcamara Bittersweet
Sonchus arvensis Perennial Sowthistle
Sonchus asper Prickly Sow-thistle
Spergularia marina Lesser Sea-spurrey
Stachys byzantina Lamb’s-ear
Stachys sylvatica Hedge Woundwort
Stellaria graininea Lesser Stitchwort
Symphytum asperum x officinale – (S. x uplandic Russian Comfrey
Taraxacum sp. Dandelion agg.
Torilis japonica Upright Hedge-parsley
Trifolium dubium Lesser Trefoil
Trifolium pratense Red Clover
Trifolium repens White Clover
Tripleurospermum inodorum Scentless Mayweed
Tussilago farfara colt’s-foot
Typha latifolia Bulrush
Ulmus procera English Elm
Urtica dioica Common Nettle
Verbascum thapsus Great Mullein
Veronica anagallis-aquatica Blue Water-speedwell
Veronica arvensis Wall Speedwell
Veronica beccabunga Brooklime
Veronica chamaedrys Germander Speedwell
Veronica serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved Speedwell
Amphibians and Reptiles
from a report by Will Watson and a few other casual observations.
No reptiles or amphibians seen at the Flash Pools
Reptiles
A Slow-worm Anguis fragilis found under log piles in drier part of Education Reserves
Amphibians
Pool on Education Reserve at grid ref SO936673
83 Smooth Newts Triturus vulgaris
22 Great-crested Newts Triturus cristatus
were counted from netted sampling. Only about 20% of the edge of the site was covered by the survey The body of water is over 0.5 hectares and supports a very large Smooth Newt population. The Great-crested Newt population is “good” or “excellent” (“Excellent” is when over 100 are seen during the survey)
Random searches of litter beneath trees etc in other parts of the Education area revealed at least three first-year Common Frogs Rana temporaria, one Common Toad Bufo bufo, 23 adult and two juvenile Smooth Newts, and four adult Great-crested Newts
The Education Reserve is an important and valuable site for amphibians.
An Orchard Survey of the City of Worcester February 1999
By William Watson
(The following article is an extract from a report being prepared for the City of Worcester. We are glad of the opportunity to present it to Worcestershire’s naturalists and it may well come as a surprise to many readers to learn that Worcester City was an important fruit growing area in the 19th century. The orchard and old tree remnants are important sites for the City’s remaining wildlife and they and other parts of Worcester’s Greenspace often contain more wildlife that much of the surrounding agricultural countryside).
Summary
The survey of Worcester’s orchards and the report was commissioned by Worcester City Council, Technical Services Department on the recommendation of the Project Greenspace Officer. It is the first orchard survey and report to be commissioned within the city. Much of the information is new and emanates from detailed survey work in the field.
There are approximately 20 orchards within boundary of the City of Worcester. There are as many fragments of previously intact orchards which contain five or more trees in the city. The orchards are spread throughout Worcester, and all the orchards are located within the existing Green Network.
Nineteen different orchard sites were visited throughout the city. in total 223 trees were recorded and their condition assessed. Management recommendations are provided for each site and maintenance advice is provided for every tree referenced in the report. This information will be used in future plans to heighten awareness of these important landscape features, help prevent further losses of orchards and orchard trees.
Thirty two individual varieties of apple tree were identified from the 19 orchard sites. In addition to this 9 individual varieties of pear and 5 individual varieties of plum were identified during the course of the survey.
A wildlife survey of the orchards was also carried out. Important grassland swards worthy of conservation management were found at six of the sites. Mistletoe, a parasitic plant with a local national distribution, was found growing on 26 apple trees. The orchards were also shown to be valuable habitats for birds, beetles and butterflies.
Orchards have cultural and often historic landscape significance. They are valued by local people for recreation and wildlife they contain, particularly in an urban setting. This report demonstrates that Worcester’s residents have a high estimation of their orchards.
The report has also drawn together other references to fruit growing within the city. Worcester was once at the centre of commercial fruit growing within the three counties. This report reminds us of the pivotal role the city played within this fruit growing region,
At the turn of the 19th Century there were hundreds of acres of fruit nurseries within the city boundary. Eight international varieties of apples and two varieties of pears have either been raised or introduced from Worcester nurseries, including the world famous Worcester Pearmain. The City’s crest incorporates three Worcester Black Pears. This variety of pear is believed to be very close to the varieties that the Romans introduced into Britain.
Introduction
A historical perspective of fruit growing in Worcester
The counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire have always been famous for their fruit production. Worcestershire in particular has a very long association with the growing of fruit trees. There is no variety of soil or situation, surface or aspect, throughout the county without its orchard plantation (Pitt W. 1813). Stanley Baldwin referred to the county as ‘the land of heavenly spring’. At that time of year there is nothing in the world to surpass the beauty of England, and the blossom of the Worcestershire garden (Mee, A. 1938). The pear, above all other fruit, is one of the most majestic of trees for both its blossom and autumn foliage. It seems highly appropriate therefore, that the county of Worcestershire should select a pear tree on a hill for the county arms. The City of Worcester’s crest also features fruit in the form of three Worcester Black Pears. This also reflects the city’s long association with the cultivation of apples and pears. With seven international varieties of apple and two varieties of pears, either having been raised or introduced by Worcester nurseries, Worcester can rightfully claim to being at the centre of this world famous fruit growing region.
Apples Growing in the City
Varieties of culinary apples have been widely grown in Britain since Roman times but pears were far less grown. It is believed that both fruit were gradually introduced or re-established by monastic orders.
During the Medieval period the majority of Worcester’s hinterland was owned by the Priory belonging to Worcester Cathedral. It is probable that the monks of Worcester and Evesham Priories re-introduced apple and pear cultivation to the county. By the I ith century apple growing was known to be widespread in the county. This led Robert of Gloucester, in the reign of Henry 111, to sing the praises of the fruit of Wircestre. In Middle Ages apples were far more often planted in hedgerows and probably on the edge of woodland rides than in formal orchards (Morgan, J & Richards, A 1993). This was because grafting was not employed and propagation of fruit relied upon raising apples from seed. This was a hit and miss affair and in many instances it would have been a waste of valuable pasture. Grafting of fruit was not widely employed again until the 15’h and 16th centuries and then probably only by specialist growers. It was during this period that orchards were supposed to have increased rapidly in the county (Gaut, R.C 1939). By the beginning of the 19th century the practice of planting grafted trees in formal orchards became more refined with the introduction of better rootstocks and new varieties of fruit.
The most widely grown varieties of apple at that time were red and yellow stire, golden pippin, bland-rose, red streak and varieties of quinnings, rennets margils and pear-mains (Pitt, W. 1813).
Worcester was literally at the centre of the apple and pear growing region. The outskirts of the city, particularly St. John’s, were surrounded by fruit growing nurseries from the beginning of the 19th century. There are references to several Worcester nurseymen at this period. A certain Mr. Biggs advertised the new scarlet nonpareil and the new Blenheim Orange apple in high estimation in 1807 (Pitt, W. 1813). Whilst Mr. J. Boughton of Lower Wick Nurseries is quoted in A History of Worcestershire Agriculture and Rural Evolution as advertising the new Blenheim Orange in the same year (Gaut, R.C. 1939). They must has been one of the first nurseymen to distribute Blenheim Orange as it was not in wide circulation before 1818 (Bultitude, J. 1984)
Later on in the 19th Century John Williams (1773-1853), described as being a crusty old Tory of the 18th Century school (Gwilliam, W. 1993), built Pitmaston House along the Malvern Road in St. John’s. He was the most advanced of our (Worcestershire’s) growers. He distributed the Pitmaston Pine Apple which is described as being a connoisseurs apple with a firm, juicy and slightly sweet, with a distinctive flavour. It was first shown in 1845. It had been raised by Mr. White, of Witley, steward to Lord Foley. Williams also raised Pitmaston Golden Pippin in about 1838 which was described as ‘a very nice little fruit now seldom met’ and the Pitmaston Nonparpeil (Bunyard, E.A 1920).
The other great nurseryman of the period was Richard Smith, the son of nurseryman, Thomas Smith of Lower Wick. In the 1820’s Richard Smith developed what was to become one of the largest nursery businesses in the world. In its heyday in the late 19th century St. John’s Nurseries covered 157 acres stretching from the Bransford Road, St. John’s to Lower Wick in the south, There were 18 miles of walkways between its rows and displays. It had a 2,300 yard-long central drive lined by trees and there were two and a half acres of glasshouses: The whole operation was manned by a labour force of 200 (Grundy M. 1988). In October 1829 alone Richard Smith sold 10,000 fruit trees! He was succeeded in the business by his son, also called Richard. It was Richard Smith ‘the second’ who introduced the world famous Worcester Permain. It was found in the market garden of William Hales of Swan Pool, St. John’s in 1872. There were two similar fruit varieties, one with a yellow fruit, the other with a red-coloured fruit. Richard Smith offered £10 for the exclusive right to remove grafts from the coloured one. He named it the Worcester Permain. It was introduced to the market trade in 1874. It received a first class certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society the following year. It is described as a brilliantly coloured apple with white firm flesh which is a little juicy and sweet with a pleasant flavour (Bultitude, J. 1984) It is still one of the most important commercial varieties in the UK and has the distinction of being the most widely used apple in the cross fertilisation of modem commercial varieties. In the 20th Century Richard Smith ‘the second’ handed the business over to his son Richard ‘the third’. The nursery gradually contracted in size as land was sold off. In 1993 Richard Smith and Company finally ceased trading when the remaining three and a half acres was sold for housing development.
Another well known nurseryman and distributor of apple varieties was William Rowe who sold his nursery products from a shop at 65 Broad Street in Worcester as well as having outlets in Barbourne, Claines and Droitwich. His nursery was located at Barboume. His foreman, J. Carless, was responsible for raising the William Crump, which is a cross between Worcester Permain and Cox’s Orange Pippin and Madresfield Court. Rowes also introduced Edward VII in 1908. Another international variety raised in Worcester was May Queen by Haywood, first recorded in 1888.
At one stage virtually the whole of St. John’s seems to have been given over to growing of fruit trees and other nursery products. Other nurseries which were present in the 19th Century which appear in the Kelly’s Directory or the Post Office Directory are Richard Hayes of Henwick Nursery, Hallow, John White of Rupert Villa, Lower Wick and Joseph Hill-White of 51 Broad Street and Corner Gardens. The land at St. John’s was particularly suitable for the production of fruit growing due to the fact that it is located on the upper and middle terraces of the River Severn which is composed almost entirely of river sands and gravels.
Pear Growing in the City
There is good evidence for pear cultivation in Medieval Worcester even if they wasn’t much evidence for pear growing in the rest Britain at that time. In the Anglo-Saxon Battenhall charter of 969 there is a reference to the Manor of Pirian which is identified with the area around Perry Wood (Della Hooke, 1990). A literal translation is Manor of the Pear tree (Mawer, A. & Stenton, F.M. 1927). The 10th Century Manor of Pirian. within the city’s hinterland, alludes that domestic pears were grown close to Perry Wood at that time. The Manor survived well into the Middle Ages. In 1546 Henry VIII granted the land to the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford (Victoria County History, 1901). In 1310 one Joan, widow of John Muchegros of Worcester was accused of ‘unlawfully cutting down 100 pears and a 100 apples trees each worth 2 shillings. Her fine of £20, at that time would have been equivalent to at least a years earnings!
Pear growing was widespread within the county by the 16th Century ‘Worcestershire abounds in pears, yielding a kind of wine from the juice called ‘pyrry’ this was in great demand though like all those kinds of liquors was ‘cold and flatulent! (Camdem, W. 1586).’
Varieties of perry pears which were commonly grown in Worcestershire at the beginning of the 19th century were squash, huffcap, barland and linton (Pitt, W. 1813). Veteran Worcester Black Pears are known from several locations within the county and must also have been widely grown at that time (see below). John Williams of Pitmaston House, St. John’s was also responsible for introducing two of the most well known and commercially successful dessert varieties of pear, the William and the Pitmaston Duchess pear. The latter was raised in about 1865 from Duchess d’Angoulême x Glou Morceau. It is described as having flesh which is pale yellow melting, very juicy and pleasantly flavoured in a good season.
The Worcester Black Pear
The story of the Worcester Black Pear is fascinating piece of history. It is made all the more intriguing by the fact that our current knowledge on the origins of the Black Pear and how it became to be incorporated onto the City’s crest still are incomplete. It is known that the Worcester Black Pear is oldest cultivar of a type of culinary pear known as ‘Warden’ pears which have been grown since Roman times (Arbury, J 1997). They are culinary pears which are described as being typically hard and gritty and ripen slowly but are long keeping. The Black Pear does not originate from Britain at all and may have been introduced into Worcestershire by the Romans. The earliest reference in Britain to this variety is from Warden Abbey, Bedfordshire in the 14th Century, where it was raised by the Cistercian monks (Roach, 1985).
The exact date when pears were first emblazoned on the Arms of the City of Worcester is not known, nor is there a record of any such grant from the Herald’s office. The earliest reference to pears associated with a crest is in relation to the Worcestershire bowman depicting a pear-tree laden with fruit on their banners at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Varieties of warden pears were also supposed to have been transported with the troops as part of their food provisions because of their long lasting properties.
A story goes that when Queen Elizabeth I visited the City of Worcester in August 1575, the City Authorities caused a pear tree of this variety, heavily laden with fruit, to be taken from the gardens at White Ladies and planted by the gate by which Her Majesty was to enter the City. The Queen is said to have noticed the tree with admiration and directed that three pears be added to the Arms of the City. The story is slightly expanded by other historians, accordingly Her Majesty ‘riding upon her palfrey’ had to stop at the stage erected ‘very comely decked’ to listen to three boys ‘uttering very good and delectable manner in their speeches’. The Queen in wonder and admiration that such fine fruit should remain unplucked must be the result of good management, ordered three pears to be added to the City Arms as an achievement (Drayton, M 1563-1631). It is thought that it acquired the term ‘black’ pear from the sable of the escutcheon on the City’s coat of arms.
The Current Status of Worcester’s Orchards
There are approximately 20 orchards within boundary of the City of Worcester. There are as many fragments of previously intact orchards which contain 5 or more trees in the city. The orchards are spread throughout Worcester. Significantly all are to be found within the existing ‘Green Network’ (City of Worcester Local Plan. 1998).
However, orchards as wildlife habitats and local landscape features have not been a high priority for planning controls. There is no reference to them as an important habitat feature within the City of Worcester Local Plan. Over the last ten years their survival has owed more to chance rather than pro-active conservation. During the course of the Wamdon Villages development in the early 1990’s two orchards were lost; Little Tolladine Farm, Home Orchard and Upper Ground Orchard by the junction of Trotshill Lane and Tolladine Road. Aconbury Orchard was spared because it was within a retained area of open space within the expansion area. Many of the old orchard fragments are within St. John’s. Several of the back gardens belonging to houses along the Malvern Road in St. John’s still contain groups of apple trees which were once part of St. John’s Nurseries belonging to Smith & Company. Housing development has been prevented from taking place on Larkhill Orchard because it is within the Worcester Structure Plan as a building conservation area and are Green Spaces within the Green Network.
Twelve orchards were visited during the course of this survey. A further seven fragments of orchards or sites which generally contained more than five fruit trees were also visited.
In terms of meeting the Biodiversity Action Plan targets for traditional orchard conservation very little to date has been achieved within the City of Worcester. One of the problems is that up until now is that there hasn’t been sufficient data on the city’s orchards sites. The information within this report should now make it easier to protect the remaining orchards and designate the best examples. It should enable the best practice management techniques to applied to those sites surveyed. It should also be possible to apply some of the methods suggested within the report to those sites which had to be excluded from the survey.
Currently only the orchard at Homhill is included within a Special Wildlife Site. The latter is also within cartilage of Homhill Meadows Local Nature Reserve. Nunnery Wood and Perry Wood included under Sites 3 and 5 respectively, in this report, are also SWS’s and LNR’s but only contain scattered fruit trees. Countryside Stewardship applications have not been made for any of the orchards within the city. However, 15 out of the 19 sites currently surveyed are now contained within the Green Network. A further eleven of the sites surveyed have a local designation as Green Spaces. There has been a problem with the issuing of Tree Preservation Orders on orchard sites and fruit trees because trees grown for commercial purposes have been exempt from this process. To date the only fruit trees which have been listed are groups and individual old perry pears or wild pears growing within the hedges on Wamdon Villages (Wamdon TPO plan, 1987) and a group at Lower Battenhall Farm. However, in the latest Govermnent consultation paper (DETR report, 1998) on TPO’s it is stated that the Goverwnent proposes to revise the orders to so that orchard trees no longer managed for commercial production can be protected under the Orders. If this becomes legislation a review of all orchards and fruit tree groups should be carried out with a view to their listing under the new orders.
Results
The full report contains a detailed series of results. A site file contains both site specific results and the fruit tree file which lists individual account of all fruit trees from each of the sites visited during the course of the survey work.
Fruit Tree identification
In total 223 trees were surveyed from 19 different sites throughout the city. This detailed information is contained in the results section. Thirty two individual varieties of apple tree were identified from the 19 orchard sites, In addition to this nine individual varieties of pear and five individual varieties of plum identified during the course of the survey. Surprisingly only two varieties were of Worcester local provenience were found; a Pitmaston Pine Apple from the RNIB New College and Worcester Permain from several sites. The former variety has also recently been planted at Pitmaston Primary School.
It is possible to conclude that none of the orchards are currently being managed as working orchards. The vast majority of sites visited contained old fruit trees in a senescent state and as such were on average greater than 50 years of age. In some situations the fruit trees may be 100 years of age – almost certainly those in some gardens in Malvern Road and perhaps some of the apple trees at Tutnall House, and pears at Aconbury. Even more exceptional are the veteran Barland perry pear trees at Barland Orchard, Lockfields which may be 300 years of age, judging by their girth measurements. All of the extant orchards no longer contained their full compliment of fruit trees, usually because trees had died through a combination of old age, physical damage and disease.
Wildlife Survey
Generally the wildlife value of orchards visited was considered to be high, because the orchard trees were old and the orchards supported other habitats such as flower-rich pasture and/or mature mixed hedgerows. Important grassland swards worthy of conservation management were found at six of the sites. Although it was beyond the scope of this survey to record invertebrate species, several specimens of the woodworm beetle Hadrobregmus denticolli were collected from Barland Orchard. This species is very local within Worcestershire. This indicates that old orchard trees with standing dead wood are very likely to support a wide range of associated beetles, bugs and other invertebrates.
A record was also made of the trees with parasitic plant Mistletoe Viscum album. The survey found it growing on 26 of the apple trees from 7 sites The orchards of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire hold the highest national density of this plant which is usually only locally distributed outside this region. Mistletoe is an ‘associated species’ of traditional orchards within the Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan. Apple trees in particular are valuable hosts for lichens. Prominent lichen growth was present on 35 trees from ten of the sites surveyed and Physcia adscendens and Xanthoria parietina were identified from an apple tree at the YMCA. It is likely that these two species and Parmelia sulcata will be the most commonly occurring species on trees within the city because the air may be too polluted to support a wider range of lichen species.
Colin Harris of the Wamdon Villages Wildwatch Volunteers has keep a diary of birds seen at Aconbury Orchard. Over the last few years he has recorded 29 species of bird. Included within the list are Green Woodpecker Picus viridus, Fieldfare Turdus piliaris and Redwing Turdus iliacus. All three species are ‘associated species’ of traditional orchards within the Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan.
Monitoring Rural Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Populations November 1998 to October 2001
By Charlotte Webbon
Foxes are a familiar inhabitant of the British countryside, but very little is actually known about even the most basic aspects of the ecology of rural foxes in this country. For example, it is not known how many foxes are there and how are they distributed across Britain. There is also a lack of information about their diet and the impact predation by foxes may have on species of agricultural and conservation interest.
Foxes are thought to be increasing in numbers (although even this is uncertain in many areas) and they may potentially have a huge ecological impact.
To address this need for more information on the red fox in rural Britain we have just begun a two-year national study, one of the most important aspects of which is The National Fox Survey.
The National Fox Survey
The survey is being conducted in association with The Mammal Society and BBC Wildlife and will take place during February-March 1999 and 2000.
The aims of The National Fox Survey are:
to determine the current size and distribution of the fox population and to compare this distribution with patterns of land use, and to determine the diet of foxes in different areas of Great Britain.
The basic premise of the survey is to use counts of fox droppings (scats) to determine how many foxes there are in Britain on a regional basis. The survey relies upon the help of volunteers, who are asked to walk all the linear features (e.g. hedgerows, footpaths) within a 1-km square collecting and recording the position of all the fox scats they find. The square is walked twice within a two to four week period, so that the number of scats produced in that area during a given time is known. The volunteers are also asked to record some basic habitat data. The scats collected will be used to calculate the nwnber of foxes within that square, and they will be analysed to determine the diet of the foxes.
The survey will provide a baseline estimate of the fox population in rural Britain, allowing future surveys to investigate any changes in fox abundance.
We are also conducting a number of other studies alongside the National Fox Survey, the results of which will be important in helping us to use the data from the survey to calculate the absolute number of foxes in Britain.
Feeding trials
To convert the number of scats found within the 1-km square to the number of foxes presentwe need to determine how many scats are likely to be produced per fox for a ‘Yen diet, hence 91 the need for survey volunteers to collect the scats that they find. This will be done by conducting a series of feeding trials on captive foxes, feeding them with a variety of food types which would be available to them in the wild, and determining how food affects scat deposition rate.
The National Fox Survey update after February-March survey 1999
Although the fox is one of the most familiar mammals in the British countryside, surprisingly little is known about fox populations. The National Fox Survey is part of a three year study being conducted by researchers at Bristol University to find out more about their distribution, diet and ecology.
The first stage of the survey, which is being run in association with The Mammal Society and BBC Wildlife Magazine, took place during February and March this year. Over 220 squares were surveyed with the help of volunteers from across Britain After this year’s success, the second phase of the survey will be taking place during February and March 2000, and volunteers are still needed to help with this important piece of research.
The survey simply involves walking the linear features ( hedgerows, fences etc.) within a 1-km square on two occasions between February 1st and March 15th, collecting and recording the position of all fox seats found- This information will then be used to calculate the number of foxes within that square, and the scats will be analysed to determine the composition of the diet.
Volunteers are also needed to help with regular collection of scats and collection of fox carcasses. We would also like to hear from people feeding wild rural foxes who would be willing to take part in bait-marking trials.
If you would like to help with any of these projects, or would like more information, please contact Charlotte Webbon at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 I UG, or email C.C.Webbon@bristol.ac.uk.
Weasels Crossing!
By Paul F Whitehead
On the 10th August 1999 I observed an adult weasel with five full-grown young crossing the A44 near Bricklehampton (SO9844) in evenly spaced single file. The whole line took up one carriageway, but they made it!
Cephalanthera longifolia(L.) Fritsch, Narrow-Leaved Helleborine in the Wyre Forest
By Rosemary Winnall
The presence of Cephalanthera longifolia in Wyre Forest is well documented by past botanists, although it was often referred to as either Epipactis ensifolia or Cephalanthera ensifolia. Edwin Lees writes in 1867 “The appearance of orchideous plants is much influenced by the light and temperature that breaks in upon the coverts where they grow, for in some seasons it is difficult to find the Sword-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis ensifolia) in the Wyre Forest, while when I once visited it in the company with my friend the Rev. Andrew Bloxam, whole glades of the exposed portion of the greenwood were perfectly white with its elegant flowers.’
1999, in common with most other sites in Britain, was a poor year for Cephalanthera longifolia in Wyre Forest. This continues the downward trend for this species both nationally and in the Wyre Forest, and it is suggested that time is running out if the species is not to become extinct during the next few years. The reasons for the general decline are complex, and may be linked to climate changes especially as the species in Britain is at the edge of its geographical range. However, post war changes in woodland management with the cessation of rotational coppicing probably play an important part in the equation, and it is known that the plant was much more common when the forest was coppiced for charcoal on a 18 year cycle.
The Narrow-leaved Helleborine (also called Long-leaved or Sword-leaved Helleborine) Cephalanthera longifolia(L.)Fritsch is native in Japan, western Asia to Kashmir, North Africa and Europe to about 63 degrees north in Norway. In Britain it is nationally scarce (present in between 16-100 10-km squares) and a decreasing plant at the north west edge of it’s range. Hampshire is the stronghold, and it occurs in other scattered pockets in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland north to Sutherland. A National Review of the species was carried out in 1993 jointly between Hampshire Wildlife Trust and British Wildlife. The results showed a serious decline in Britain from 79 10-km squares sites pre 1970 to 42 in 1993. Only 3 of these sites had over 100 plants and 33 of the recorded 48 sites had less than 10 plants. 40% of the total were in Western Scotland, and 23% in Hampshire.
Plantlife has adopted Cephalanthera longifolia as one of the species on its ‘Back from the Brink’ species recovery programme (supported by English Nature & World Wide Fund for Nature). In 1997 Wyre Forest was chosen as one of three sites in Britain for Plantlife to consider in depth and to give special advice regarding management. A monitoring programme was set up In Wyre during 1997 to obtain data about each plant and the response of the colonies to changes in woodland management.
This helleborine is perennial and relies on fungal mycorrhizal associations in order to grow, at least for part of its life history. It has short underground rhizomes, which apparently do not necessarily produce flowering spikes every year. Thus periods of dormancy may be observed with some mature plants. Cephalanthera longifolia has flowering spikes containing usually between 3 and 20 individual flowers. The fruiting capsules ripen on the plant and the tiny seeds are released as fine dust through longitudinal slits.’]n vitro germination and growth takes about 3 years from germination of seed to emergence of the neonatant (young non-flowering plant).
The flowers, as in all orchids, do not produce nectar and Cephalanthera species have no detectable scent. They may be reliant on mimicry to attract pollinators. The pollen is produced in each flower within a stalkless pollinia (waxy sac), and an insect pollinator is required for the transfer of this from one flower to another, It has been noted that self-pollination cannot occur between flowers on the same plant, Solitary bees are thought to be the pollinators and they must have a sunny area in which to fly, and nectar-producing flowers from which to collect nectar and pollen for food and to store in their burrows for their larvae to feed on.
During 1998 three Cephalanthera longifolia sites in Wyre Forest were identified, the plants were mapped and data from each plant was collected during the flowering and fruiting season. 22 plants were found of which 18 flowered. 4 fruiting capsules were produced and 3 of those dehisced during the autumn.
During 1999 three other sites were added of which two had not been previously recorded and one which was re-found from the 1980s. In total 53 plants were monitored of which 18 flowered. Only two seed capsules were produced, both at the same site, and only one of these dehisced.
The Forestry Commission is committed to working with Plantlife to try to save this species from extinction in Wyre Forest. The monitoring programme will continue and through this it is hoped that more will be learned about this beautiful and intriguing plant before it is too late.