This walk was led by Hazel Graves who has written this report.

The Section had previously visited this site in August 2021 when the weather was much wetter.  On this occasion we had fine weather but very little sunshine to lure the flying insects out.  There was a great deal of concern about the lack of rain as many of the flowers supporting nectaring insects were already in seed. 

We spent a fascinating time searching the willows, oaks, alders, hawthorns and blackthorn trees and bushes for a wide variety of galls and some leaf mines.  Eight species of wasp galls were photographed on oak trees plus Marble Gall Andricus kollari. I also noted when looking at photos on NatureSpot posted by another member of the group, that Blister gall, the sexual gall of the wasp that causes asexual Silk Button Galls had been found. Robin’s Pin-Cushion Gall caused by the wasp Diplolepis rosae was also found on Dog-rose. Willows also support a good range of galls.  We found three sawfly galls, Euura proxima Willow Redgall Sawfly on narrow-leaved willows such as Crack Willow, Euura bridgmanii and Euura pedunculi Willow Gall Sawfly on broad -leaved willows (sallows) such as Grey Willow.  Altogether 20 species of galls were found. 

Silk-button Gall (Neuroterus numismalis f. agamic) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Some leaf mines were found, one caused by an Agromyzid Fly Agromyza alnivora on Alder, distinguished from moth leaf mines by the double row of frass.  New for me and pointed out by one of the group was the sawfly Profenusa pygmaea mine on Oak. 

Leaf mine of the Agromyzid fly (Agromyza alnivora) on Alder (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Others in the group had a particular interest in birds and a list of 14 species was obtained. A buzzard was also seen towards the end of the trip when some of the attendees had already left. Unfortunately the sand martins which had been so in evidence on our previous visit had either not used the artificial bank this year or had failed at breeding or already left. Further research needed there.  

Our botanical interest on this trip was mainly simply enjoying and noting the presence of some colourful and interesting species. We admired the splendid stands of Purple Loosestrife around the pond edges. We found Agrimony which can be separated from Fragrant Agrimony at this time of the year by the grooves on the seed-heads. Some of the grassland had not yet been mown so contained large clumps of Meadow Vetchling and Tufted Vetch. 

We found a young toad, saw and photographed Common Blue Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly which we could identify and other species of dragonflies zipping around the ponds, not stopping long enough to be identified.  

I was particularly charmed by the Shieldbugs found on this trip.  We found a female Parent Bug brooding a group of recently hatched nymphs with the empty eggshells still around them. We found a Hawthorn Shieldbug nymph and also a mating pair of Red-legged Shieldbugs. 

Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Our lichen list was quite short as that was not the priority of the naturalists on this trip with so much else to see – lichens are good for winter days when there is so much less to see.  However a group of young ash-trees were discovered virtually covered in lichens with no exposed bark between.  We found one tree with several clumps of Ramalina fastiagata, one of the few lichens whose common name truly reflects its appearance – Fanfare of Trumpets.

Fanfare of Trumpets (Ramalina fastigiata) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Spiders were represented by a Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis, and it is always fun to see the aptly named egg sacs of the Sputnik spider Paidiscura pallens.

Egg sac of the Sputnik Spider (Paidiscura pallens) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

We had not enough time for the complete circuit planned but before we left a group of us headed towards the stand of the non-native Early Goldenrod, Solidago gigantea, which I had visited on previous occasions and being a late flowerer is a good source of food for August insects.  I was dismayed to find that this clump of plants, normally chest high, was on this occasion only knee high and very sparse and dismal looking – no doubt the effect of the drought.  Previously I have seen it buzzing with insects but the only two found was a hoverfly, probably Tapered Drone Fly - Eristalis pertinax and a very flighty Hornet which wouldn’t keep still for photography.

A full report will be published in the newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo at top: Hazel Graves)