News of wildlife and other issues
Where has all the wildlife gone? - or why might it be going?
I gave up a couple of years ago writing letters and speaking to people in the Conservators' department of the City of London. I got a headache. I've never been much of an activist, just quietly suggesting that things might be done differently, better - or shouldn't have been done at all. You get a headache if you shout; you get a headache if you whisper. It's all to do with banging your head against a brick wall, I suppose.
Luckily, along came websites, and the ability to publish thoughts that one or two people might pick up on (at least in the case of Wanstead Wildlife - which doesn't try to sell things, just acts as a record-base and a facility for people to see what's living and happening around them). From the the website I was able to occasionally mention a few things that disturbed me (that's me, not necessarily others, who - it seems - tend to see things differently, or not at all).
What am I waffling on about? Sometimes I wonder, but this time I shall cover a number of aspects, all of which are having their impact right now on our wildlife and the ecology of the area.
The trees where the owls were...(and the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers)Where has all the dead wood gone? The City of London Corporation, in its wisdom and fear of litigation, has embarked on a policy of lopping off the branches and or tops of any trees on Wanstead Flats, the Park and hereabouts which it perceives might fall on somebody's head. Now anybody who watches television programmes, reads wildlife magazines or perhaps has been to school knows that dead wood - standing as well as laying about looking messy - is an extremely important habitat for a host of wildlife, from the fungi that may have caused the death in the first place to the insects that live in and on it, to the birds that feed on the insects and nest in the holes and the people that may just like to know that there are such things about to share our world. A couple of years ago on Wanstead Flats, dog-walkers were the most likely people to be able to tell enthusiastic visiting birders where the Little Owls families were. The birders probably noticed the breeding Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, and the bat enthusiasts were probably wondering which of the trees may have held the bats roosts that the make Wanstead Flats such a great bat-watching experience. Much the same goes for Wanstead Park: I haven't seen the Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers that so many casual strollers became aware of, and indeed once was pointed out to me by the courting couple at the base of the tree from which it was calling. If only that couple had known that the tree could have fallen on them at any time! They'd have done better to have used the long grass - but then there is less of that than there used to be; it's now more convenient to cut it for the events and picnic-ers.
At least when dead wood or cut branches lies about in Chalet Wood, it can be put to use; By mid-June - as the bluebell stems were finally dying back - there were SIX wigwam structures in the wood (plus a few others in rather more obscure or overgrown areas of the Park). What fun! Let's drag logs across the bluebells, trample a bare patch for yards round the trees, and then go away having done something worthwhile!
Down by the east end of the Perch Pond, the slashing machines had already been out cutting down the wildlflowers that probably provide the most colourful and varied floral display in the whole of the Park. This is usually done at the end of August - whilst it is still glorious - and I've moaned about that. It'll probably grow up again by then, so will need to be done again, but in the meantime all the dragonflies damselflies, moths, beetles, spiders, bugs and bees will have to find somewhere else to hang out. Of course, this is all necessary. It comes under the Reservoir Act - so we are told - so cutting flowers down in June and August is an absolute priority. Where have all the insects gone?
and the corner where the Cranesbill was...Where have all the flowers gone? Leaving the missing Perch Pond ones behind, I went to take a picture of the Shining Cranesbill in the Exchange Lands (yes - that's Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, which used to be a sewage works.) I don't go over there so much now, because there are now two Cycleways through there. That's Cycleways in the same sense as Motorways, by the way. The second of these - the North-South Roding Valley Way link has just been created and surfaced. I haven't yet met anyone who have said how great it is - but a few have mentioned their surprise at how wide it is. Well, can't say I didn't warn you. Anyway, it's done; cyclists, horse-riders, pram pushers and walkers (even on crutches) can all use it in perfect harmony. The disturbed edges will all grow up again, and it will merge in to the surroundings eventually. It might never resemble a green-ride in the countryside again, but - ho-hum. The Shining Cranesbill was gone. It wasn't anything to do with the new Cycleway; it had been carefully un-disturbed when the East-West one was laid, but the same top-layer material that had been used on the new surface had been also used to lay a surface on tracks in a totally different part of the Exchange Lands, nearer to the Riding-School. Was this part of the plan? I don't know, but I suspect there was some material left over and it was put to good use. Luckily, there is still some Shining Cranesbill elsewhere, the remains of the Biting Stonecrop that hadn't been covered over was wonderfully yellow-ly in flower and I suspect that it too will just merge into the landscape and anything that used to live there before will be forgotten.
Giant Hogweed plants near the Dell BridgeWalking back into the Park after not seeing the Cranesbill, I did see two potentially magnificent plants of Giant Hogweed, quite near the Dell Bridge. Now this has been increasing nearer to the Roding in the Exchange Lands, and steps have been taken to deal with it. It is a monster. Finding it in the Park is disturbing. I have reported it to the local head-keeper; I hope that these will be dealt with effectively, and soon. We have a few other invasive plants around that require action, including Floating Pennywort in some of the ponds. Around Alexandra Lake in particular is New-Zealand Pigmy-weed. How we will get rid of this I don't know, but perhaps more importantly by this lake is the amount of vegetation - including trees - that is increasingly obscuring views of the lake.
I'm actually getting fed-up writing this; there doesn't seem much point and trying to think more positively, there must be a lot of more positive things going on. Definitely there are now a lot more people out there interested in our wildlife. There are birders keeping records and also moaning about the tree-lopping, and a new nature-club for children (see here). The Conservators are organising loads of walks, exhibitions and events in and around the Park. The fact that they are getting a lot better at advertising and if anything even worse at listening and communicating is probably representative of life.
Just going to bang my head again...
Paul Ferris, 7th June 2012
Invertebrates in June 2012
The first day of June was a day of warm, somewhat humid and overcast weather, and insects were enjoying it. Speckled Wood butterflies were - as usual - visiting the garden, as well as Large Red Damselflies. But it was in Wanstead Park that a variety of insects could be seen during the morning. Surprisingly, perhaps, there were few butterflies - just Speckled Wood and one or two whites. Some moths were observed: Longhorn moths, Adela reaumurella, and a Grass moth Crambus lathoniellus (pic)
The first grasshopper of the year (at least for me) made an appearance by the Heronry Pond, and was well on its way to adult size. Not enough, really, for me to identify, but... having seen one, I became aware that there were others - albeit smaller - underfoot. On the plant leaves, low down, were numerous Wolf Spiders; higher up were Nursery-web Spiders Pisaura mirabilis. There were a few beetles too, including a Soldier Beetle Cantharis sp. and a new species record for the area: Attelabus nitens - the Oak Leaf-roller (pic.). Erratically flying about from leaf to leaf were Scorpion Flies Panorpa species. Damselflies were Azure, Common Blue, Red-eyed, Large Red and - by Ornamental Waters - a few Banded Demoiselles.
On the 31st May/1st June at Capel Road, the moth trap caught
1 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Common Swift 17
1 Currant Pug 1832
2 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Large Yellow Underwing 2107
1 Lychnis 2173
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
Overnight on the 1/2 June at Lakehouse, the moth trap produced:
3 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Common Swift 17
1 Maiden’s Blush 1680
2 May Highflyer 1778
4 Common Marbled Carpet 1764
2 Cypress Carpet 1771a ( a new species for the area)
1 White-spotted Pug 1835
3 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Heart and Dart 2089
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart 2092
1 Shears 2147
1 Common Quaker 2187
2 Grey Dagger 2284
2 Knot Grass 2289
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot 2334
1 probable Marbled Minor, and another or the same Minor sp. 2337
3 Treble Lines 2380
13 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
On the 4/5 June, the same moth trap caught nothing at all (cool, and full moon)
A visit to Wanstead Park and the old Sewage Works site (Aldersbrook Exchange Lands) produced six species of damselfy: Common Blue, Azure, Large Red, Red-eyed, Blue-tailed and Banded Agrion - of which there were lots by the Roding, predominantly male but with some females. Also on the emergant flag-iris leaves were a few Small China-mark moths, Cataclysta lemnata, a creature which lives around slow-moving water and often lands and sits on duckweed. There were few butterflies in evidence, just a couple of Small Heath on the Plain plus a very bright and new-looking Red Admiral in the Sewage Works, and a white-one. Here too was a Dark Bush-cricket, minus one of its jumping-legs. In addition, there were Scorpion-flies about; these are somewhat moth-like creatures, quite easily seen on vegetation, and there are three common species in Britain. These can't be identified properly without detailed examination, so Panorpa sp. will have to do.
The Capel Road moth trap on 6/7 June had just four moths: a micro Aethes smeathmanniana (947), 1 Willow Beauty, 1 Pale Mottled Willow and 1 Magpie (Abraxa rossulariata 1884) (pic). The Magpie was a new species for the area, as was Aethes smeathmanniana
The Lakehouse trap - as always - did better (I shall have to order a new lamp):
2 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
2 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
1 Common Swift
1 Garden Carpet
4 Common Marbled Carpet
1 Spruce Carpet
1 May Highflyer
4 Willow Beauty
4 Light Emerald
2 Heart and Dart
4 Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 Setaceous Hebrew Character
1 Common Quaker
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot
1 minor sp.
1 Pale Mottled Willow
Capel moth trap, 8/9 June : 1 Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 3 Common Marbled Carpet, 1 White Ermine, 1 Pale Mottled Willow, 1 White-point (2194) (pic) The White-point is an immigrant species, increasing particularly in SE England. This is a new species record for the area.
On 9th June a visit to Wanstead Park followed by a walk through the sewage works, along Aldersbrook Bridle Path and round the cemetery boundary to the Flats produced the following invertebrates: In Wanstead Park, a micro-moth as yet unidentified but click here for a picture. There was a male Banded Demoiselle by the Ornamental Water and near the Grotto was a good selection of bees, a few hoverflies, some newly-emerged damselflies, a Green-veined White butterfly and a Holly Blue. Entering the Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, a Pill Millipede Glomeris marginata was making its way across the cycle route, but rolled up protectively when photograhed (pic). By the Roding there were many Banded Demoiselles on both banks. There were also a few Red Admiral butterflies about, a few Dark Bush-crickets at a young stage of development and a Xysticus cristatus spider carrying an ant (pic). Later on, at the point where the Aldersbrook goes underneath the railway lines, there was a female Black-tailed Skimmer - the first this year. (pic)
The Lakehouse moth trap on 9/10 produced:
1Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
1Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Garden Carpet
1 Common Marbled Carpet
1 May Highflyer
1 White-spotted Pug
2 pug sp.
1 Brimstone
6 Willow Beauty
1 Turnip Moth
3 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3 (inc. a female)
1 White-point
1 Common Wainscot
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot
1 Rustic Shoulder-knot
2 probable Marbled Minor (but I'm advised to exercise caution with these!)
1 Vine's Rustic
7 Pale Mottled Willow
Capel moth trap, 9/10 June : 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 Common Marbled Carpet, 4 Pale Mottled Willow
Capel moth trap, 10/11 June : 1 White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella, 1 Common Swift, 1 Middle-barred Minor, 1 Pale Mottled Willow
Lakehouse moth trap, 13/14th June:
3 Common Marbled Carpet
1 Willow Beauty
1 Heart and Dart
2 Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot
1 Bird's Wing
1 Minor sp. (probably Marbled Minor)
2 Vine's Rustic
7 Pale Mottled Willow
Lakehouse moth trap 15/16 June:
1 Treble Brown Spot
1 Lime-speck Pug
1 Dwarf Pug
6 Common Marbled Carpet
2 Willow Beauty
1 Light Emerald
1 Minor sp. (looks like the illustration of Rufous in Waring and Townsend)
3 Large Yellow Underwing
2 Heart and Dart
2 Vine's Rustic
2 Shoulder-striped Wainscot
1 Pale Mottled Willow
Lakehouse Moth trap 18/19 June, sky rapidly cleared and temp. fell, so a cool night:
1 Willow Beauty
1 Common Marbled Carpet
1 Spruce Carpet
2 Heart and Dart
4 Pale Mottled Willow
Lakehouse Moth trap 19/20 June:
1Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
1 Celypha striana 1063
1 Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
1 tortrix sp.
1 Aphomia sociellaBee Moth 1428
1 Garden Carpet
3 Cypress Carpet
2 pug sp.
4 Willow Beauty
1 Bird’s Wing
1 Dark Arches
1 Vine’s Rustic
1 Pale Mottled Beauty
Lakehouse Moth trap 22/23 June:
1 Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
1 Aphomia sociellaBee Moth 1428
1 Willow Beauty
1 Large Yellow Underwing
1 Marbled Minor
2 Pale Mottled Willow
On Saturday 23rd June the Wren Conservation and Wildife Group organised a moth-trapping evening in Wanstead Park, with experienced lepidopterist Colin Plant bringing a number of moth traps and his expertise to help out. Three traps were set up near the Temple from 10.30pm, and although rain threatened about 10 people attended. The catch included many midge-like flies, but surprisingly few biting ones, and after a hesitant start moths began arriving to be identified. By about midnight the rain began to come down heavily so we abandoned the Park before 1am. In the list of species that follows the numbers after the name are commonly used reference numbers for each species.
Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
Aleimma loeflingiana 1032 (new species for the area)
Tortrix viridana Green Oak Tortrix 1033
Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer 1293
Common Swift (17)
China Mark (1345)
Yellow Shell (1742
Common Marbled Carpet (1764)
Freyer's Pug (1827) new species for the area
Green Pug (1860)
Double-striped Pug (1862)
Mottled Beauty (1941 )
Heart and Dart (2089)
Flame Shoulder (2102) new species for the area
Large Yellow Underwing (2107)
Shears (2147 )
Shoulder-striped Wainscot (2205 )
Light Arches (2322 ) new species for the area
Tawny Marbled Minor (2339 )
Middle-barred Minor (2340)
Bordered Sallow (2399) new species for the area
Silver Y (2441)
Straw Dot (2474)
Lakehouse moth trap 25/26 June
2 Brown House Moth 647
1 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
1 Bramble-shoot Moth 1175
1 Codling Moth 1261
2 Garden Grass-veneer 1293
1 Scoparia pyralella 1333
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
2 Common Carpet (1738)
1 Common Marbled Carpet (1764)quite a tatty individual
1 Spruce Carpet (1769)
1 Foxglove Pug (1817)
1 Scalloped Oak (1921)
6 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Uncertain (2381)
1 Pale Mottled Willow (2389) been coming to the trap since February!
Lakehouse Moth Trap 27/28
6 Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix 977
1 Cnephasia stephensiana Grey Tortrix 1020 NFY
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Crambus pascuella 1294 NFY
1 Eudonia mercurella 1344 NFY
1 Grass Emerald (1665) NFY
1 Cream Wave (1693) NFY
1 Riband Wave (1713) NFY
2 Garden Carpet (1728)
1 Spruce Carpet (1769)
1 Foxglove Pug (1817)
1 Currant Pug (1832) NFY
1 Scalloped Oak (1921)
4 Willow Beauty (1937)
8 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot (2205)
1 Bird's Wing (2301)
1 Uncertain (2381)
2 Pale Mottled Willow (2389)
Capel Moth Trap 27/28 (I hadn't put the trap out for some while in Capel Road as the catches had been so poor, then after this warm, overclouded night, the trap in the morning was more like it used to be - 30 or so species identified and 62 individuals, plus some that got away and many unidentified micros...)
1 Scythropia crategella 450 ? (pic)
1 Batia lunaris 640 (a new species for the area)
1 Pandemis sp. 972?
1 Tortrix viridana Green Oak Tortrix 1033
2 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
2 Pyrausta sp. (a small specimen) 1361
1 Hypsopygia costalis Golden Triangle 1413
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
1 Homeosoma sinuella 1481 (pic)
1 Least Carpet (1699)
1 Small Dusty Wave (1707)
3 Satin Wave (1709)
3 Treble Brown Spot (1711)
5 Riband Wave (1713)
1 Garden Carpet (1728)
2 Lime-speck Pug (1825)
1 Double-striped Pug (1862)
1 Brimstone Moth (1906)
2 Willow Beauty (inc. perfumaria) (1937)
2 Common Footman (2050) (pic)
2 White Ermine (2060)
1 Turnip Moth (2087)
3 Heart and Club (2088)
8 Heart and Dart (2089)
1 Large Yellow Underwing (2107)
1 Lesser Yellow Underwing (2109)
1 Shoulder-striped Wainscot (2205)
2 Grey/Dark Dagger (2284) (pic)
1 Birds Wing (2301)
1 Dark Arches (2321) (pic)
1 Light Arches (2322) (pic)
1 Marbled Minor (2337)
1 Minor sp. (2337)
1 Rustic (2343)
2 Uncertain (2381)
5 Pale Mottled Willow (2389)
1 Straw Dot (2474)
Capel moth trap 28/29 June
1 Crassa unitella 642 (new species for the area) (pic)
1 Oegoconia sp. 870
1 Tortrix viridana 1033
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Ephestia parasitella 1474 (new species for the area) (pic)
1 Amblyptilia punctidactyla 1498
1 Common Emerald 1659
1 Small Dusty Wave 1707
1 Scalloped Oak 1921
3 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Light Emerald 1961
1 Short Cloaked Moth 2077
1 Heart and Club 2088
5 Heart and Dart 2089
1 Shears 2147
2 Minor sp. (one possibly a Middle-barred Minor, the other was very small)
2 Uncertain 2381
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
1 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House Moth 647
First records of a species for 2012
Attelabus nitens - Oak Leaf-roller - Wanstead Park, 1 June. New species for the area. (pic)
Grass moth, Crambus lathoniellus - Wanstead Park, 1st June (pic)
Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.
May Highflyer Hydriomena impluviata 1778 - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June. New species for the area
Heart and Dart - Agrotis clavis - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.
Shears Hada plebeja - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.
Grey Dagger Acronicta psi - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June.
Rustic-Shoulder-knot Apamea sordens - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June. New species for the area
Marbled Minor Oligia strigilis - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June
Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 1/2 June
Small China-mark moth Cataclysta lemnata 1758 - Perch Pond, 6 June
Dark Bush Cricket - 6 June, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands.
Magpie Abraxa rossulariata 1884 - Capel Road moth trap, 6/7 June. New species for the area. (pic)
Aethes smeathmanniana 647 - Capel Road moth trap, 6/7 June. New species for the area.
Setaceous Hebrew Character - Lakehouse Moth Trap, 6/7 June
White Ermine - Capel Road moth trap, 8/9 June
White-point (2194) - Capel Road moth trap, 8/9 June. This is a new species for the area (pic)
Pill-bug Armadillium sp. (probably A. vulgare) - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands (Redbridge Field), 9 June (pic)
Spider Xysticus cristatus - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, 9 June (pic)
Black-tailed Skimmer - by the Alders Brook, 9 June
The bee-mimic hoverfly Volucella bombylans - Capel Road garden, 10 June (pic)
Small Emerald - Capel moth trap, 12/13 June
Common Blue - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, 14 June
Burnet Companion (Euclidia glyphica) 463 - Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, 14 June
Celypha striana (1063) - Lakehouse moth trap 19/20 June (new species for the area)
moth Aleimma loeflingiana 1032, Wanstead Park, 23 June
Freyer's Pug 1827, Wanstead Park, 23 June
Flame Shoulder 2102, Wanstead Park, 23 June
Scythropia crategella (450) - Capel Road moth trap 27/28th June (pic)
Batia lunaris - Capel Road moth trap 27/28th June. This is a new species for the area
Crassa unitella - Capel Road garden 28/29 June (pic)
Ephestia parasitella - Capel Road moth trap 28/29 June (pic)
for invertebrates in May, click here
for invertebrates in Jan, Feb, March and April, click here
Paul Ferris, June 2012
Invertebrates in May
Well, up to and beyond the middle of the month, I didn't see many invertebrates at all. Those that had been out and about had probably been so when I wasn't - mainly because when it hadn't been raining it had looked as though it might. It was only on Monday 21st that the weather seemed to change, then it changed drastically - to hot. It continued pretty much that way until the end of the month.
On 8/9th May the moth trap in Lakehouse attracted 12 moths of six species (and a large caddis-fly):
2 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Emmelina monodactyla Common Plume 1524
1 small, very pale micro, unidentified as yet.
1 Brindled Pug 1852
2 Brimstone 1906
5 Pale Mottled Willow. 2389. Some of these were tatty beyond belief. However, even when they lose colour the black dots on the leading edge of the wings seem to be a giveaway.
A Brindled Pug 1852 was also caught in the Capel Road trap on 9/10th May (pic)
There were many rainy nights and other reasons why neither of the moth traps could be put out, but butterflies seen during the first two weeks of May included a number of Orange Tips, Small White, Speckled Wood, Peacock and Holly Blue. On 15th May, there was a Holly Blue and a micro-moth, Anthophila fabriciana, sometimes called a Nettle-Tap, which is common around nettles. (click here)
On 16/17th the Capel Road trap attracted:
1 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Small Dusty Wave 1707 (click here)
1 Common Pug 1834 (click here)
1 Least Black Arches 2078 (click here). This small, dark moth had me stumped until it was suggested that it may be a partly melanistic form of the Least Black Arches. On 17/18th I caught a more typical form of this species and I am now convinced that they are the same.
On 17/18th the Capel Road trap had:
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart (click here)
1 Least Black Arches (click here) Nola confusalis 2078. This is a new species for the area
On 18/19th the Capel Road trap had:
3 Early Grey
1 Pale Mottled Willow
1 Common Pug
1 Double-striped Pug
On 19/20th the Capel Road trap had:
1 Common Pug 1834
1 Early Grey 2243
and Lakehouse had:
1 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
1 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
8 Early Grey 2243
8 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
1 Silver-Y 2441
On the 20th May the Wren Wildlife and Conservation Group organised a walk looking for butterflies, dragonflies and flowers. The weather was not May-like: somewhat overcast and temperatures just about reaching double-figures, so butterflies and dragonflies were hardly at their peak. In fact, so far off their peak were they that apart from one damselfly and one micro-moth we had no sightings of either of those groups. The one damselfly was a Large Red, Phyrrosoma nymphula, newly emerged and hanging on to a Flag-Iris in Perch Pond (click here). There were a few damselfly exuviae (click here) - which are the empty larval-cases - on Flag-Iris, indicating that some at least damselflies had emerged. The micro-moth was Adela reaumurella - commonly called a Longhorn Moth. There are a few species of longhorn-moths and they are so-called because of their particularly long antennae. The term "micro-moth" is a commonly used term for one of the smaller moths, of which there are many and which can be particularly difficult to identify. Adela reaumurella is one of the easier ones: its antennae and bronze colour makes it quite distinctive. (click here)
A few other invertebrates were noted during the day, including spiders, slugs, flys and bees, some ladybirds - both 7-Spot and Harlequin - and just a couple of hoverflies, including the Marmalade Hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus. Some of the group visited the Gatehouse Pantry at the City of London Cemetery afterwards, and a Hairy-footed Flower Bee Anthophora plumipes (click here) was seen on the Solomon's Seal in the garden there. We also noted that some of the leaves of this plant had been eaten, and it is likely that this will have been the work of the larvae of the Solomon's Seal Sawfly, Phymatocera aterrima. Worth keeping an eye on this one.
Of the other invertebrates, the spider was also on the flag-iris leaves: a Long-jawed Orb Weaver,Tetragnatha extensa. This likes damp places, and if alarmed sits with its four front legs and its four back legs stretched out fore-and-aft in line with its body. It also has the capability of walking on water, which apparently it can do faster than on land. On an adjacent leaf was a non-biting midge of a group called Chironomids. (click here). There was a cranefly, too - possiblyTipula vernalis. (click here)
The night of 21st/22nd had the following in the Lakehouse Trap:
2 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
3 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
2 as yet unidentified micros
2 Oak-tree Pug 1853
2 worn and unidentified pug sp.
1 Brimstone 1906
1 Knot Grass 2289
5 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
The Capel Road trap had nothing apart from a mirid bug - Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus - quite possibly because the lamp failed to ignite!
A walk across Wanstead Flats on 22nd saw the first two Small Coppers; in Wanstead Park a pair of Speckled Wood butterflies were dancing in dappled shade by Perch Pond, and in Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, a 14-Spot Ladybird Propylea 14-punctata, a Soldier Beetle Cantharis rustica, Orange Tip butterflies, one or two unidentified blue butterflies, some Small Whites and the second species of damselfly this year - a Banded Demoiselle (click here) - were seen. There were also some shield-bugs including the Dock Bug Coreus marginatus and a pair of Bishop's Mitre Aelia acuminita. This increase in activity was much due to a warming of the weather, and a bright, sunny day.
Capel Road's moth trap overnight on 22/23rd:
2 possible Pandemis cerasana Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix 970
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
1 Green Carpet 1776
2 Early Grey 2243
On 23rd May in the garden (Capel Road) there was the annual visit of the Large Red Damselflies - about three, a courting Speckled Wood couple and by the pond - seeing off everything - the hoverfly Helophilus pendulus. Also in the garden was a new species of hoverfly for the area: Merodon equestris eqestris (click here), the Nettle -tap moth Anthophila fabriciana , the Bee Moth Aphomia sociella and the longhorn moth Adela reaumurella (click here). There were numbers of these settling on Red Valerian and Yellow Archangel. There were also - incidentally and doubtless feeding on invertebrates - ten basking Common Frogs by the pond and an uncounted number that jumped in as I approached.
The 23rd May was - like the day before - a hot one, with temperatures up to 25.C. Wanstead Park produced a number of insects, notably a Brimstone butterfly which - as usual - didn't stop for a photograph. Other butterflies were a number of blues - again, not stopping even for i.d. - plenty of Orange Tips, Speckled Woods and two Small Coppers on the Plain. Moths seen were a new species for the area 0652 Alabonia geoffrella (click here), which was on tree-leaves at the edge of Northumberland Avenue, numbers of Adela reaumurella (the longhorn) and a Mother Shipton on the Plain. This last is so-named because part of the wing-pattern is said to resemble a well-known Yorkshire witch (of old). Landing actually on the surface of the Perch Pond was a Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata. There were also plenty of damselflies in evidence at last, many freshly emerged of course, and these included Blue-tailed, Azure and Large Red Damselfly Pyrhosoma nymphula . Beetles noted were Gastrophysa viridula by Perch Pond and Malachius bipustulatus on May-flowers on the Plain.
In the Capel Road trap on 23/24th:
1 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Cydia pomonella, Codling Moth 1261
1 unidentified tortrix
1 Lime-speck Pug 1825
1 Bright-line Bright-eye 2192
1 Early Grey 2243
1 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
The Lakehouse trap did much better:
1 Nemophora degeerella 148
1 Esperia sulphurella 649
19 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
2 Celypha lacunana: 1076 This is a new species for the area
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
1 Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscatia 1768. This is a new species for the area
2 Oak Tree Pug 1853
1 Double-striped Pug 1862
1 pug sp.
3 Knot Grass 2289
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
The catch at Capel Road on 24/25th:
1 Syndemis musculana 986 This is a new species for the area. (click here)
1 Codling Moth Cydia pomonella 1261
1 unidentified micro (click here)
1 Satin Wave 1709 (click here)
1 Lime-speck Pug 1825
1 Early Grey 2243
and a crane-fly species (click here)
1 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
15 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
2 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
3 other small micros, which haven't been figured out yet; also 3 Tortrix which may not be Light Brown Apple Moth.
2 Small Dusty Wave 1707
1 Garden Carpet 1728
1 Grey Pine Carpet 1768
1 White-spotted Pug 1835 Eupithecia tripunctaria This is a new species for the area
1 Oak-tree Pug 1853
2 Brimstone 1906
2 Willow Beauty 1937 (male and female)
2 Shuttle-shaped Dart 2092
1 Knot Grass 2289
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
On 25/26th in Capel Road trap:
1 Double-striped Pug 1862
2 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Bird's Wing 2301
1 Marbled Minor or Tawny Marbled Minor Oligia sp. 2337 - this could be Marbled Minor, Tawny Marbled Minor or even a Rufous Minor, the difference really only ascertainable by examination of the genitalia - which I am loathe to do. It would annoy the creature and be fiddly for me. (click here)
In the garden on 25th was new species of beetle in the area, the longhorn beetle Strangalia melanura
26/27 May catch at Capel Road:
1 Tinea trinotella Bird's-nest Moth 247 - a new species for the area (pic)
1 Common Swift 17 (click here)
1 Common Pug 1834
1 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
The Lakehouse trap on 26/27th had the following:
5 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1428
1 Spruce Carpet Thera brittanica 1769. This is a new species for the area
1 Common Pug 1834
1 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Light Emerald 1961
1 Poplar Hawkmoth 1981
2 Shuttle-shaped Dart 2092
1 Large Yellow Underwing 2107
2 Knot Grass 2289
3 Pale Mottle Willow 2389
The 27th May was another very warm day, with temperatures above 25.c. A walk in Wanstead Park in the latter part of the morning proved rather disappointing, as fewer insects were to be seen than expected. There were plenty of damselflies by Heronry Pond, including Common Blue (pic.), Azure and Large Red, but almost no butterflies, apart from a white and some Speckled Wood. Even in the garden, not much happening save for the rapid appearance and disappearance of a blue butterfly, one or two Speckled Wood, and the same three damselfly species as in the Park. Then what I at first took to be a Hornet appeared, and flew off. When it returned it was clearly a female Broad-bodied Chaser, which posed not only for pictures (here) but for video too (below).
Moths in the Lakehouse moth trap on 28/29th were:
2 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House Moth 647
2 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
unidentified micros, several
1 Garden Carpet, 1728
1 Common Marbled Carpet, 1764
1 White-spotted Pug 1835
2 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart 2092
1 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
In the garden on the 29th it was cooler - up to about 22.C - cloudier, but still invertebrate-quiet; a few Speckled Wood, one bright Red Admiral - the first of the year - and a few of the common damselflies. Quite a few bees, and just one Marmalade Hoverfly. A tiny, pale blue flying creature landed on my foot and stayed long enough for a photo-shoot. I assume it was a species of Wooly Aphid. (pic.) This prompted a look for some other aphids, which were quickly found on the leaves of roses. These were green ones. (pic.)
The Capel Road trap provided a Common Marbled Carpet and a Double-striped Pug, in addition to two micros. There were Holly Blues and Speckled Wood occasionally in the garden, and the first Red-eyed Damselfly on Alexandra Lake.
Overnight 29/30th, Capel Road accumulated
1 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Common Swift 17
1 Marbled Carpet 1764
1 Green Pug 1860
1 Double-striped Pug 1862
1 Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria 1936. This is a new species for the area.
1 Willow Beauty 1937
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
The Lakehouse trap had:
2 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House Moth 647
1 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth 648
5 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth 1261
1 Pyrausta aurata 1361
1 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella 1428
1 Common Marbled Carpet 1764
2 White-spotted Pug 1835
1 Green Pug Pasiphila chloerata 1860 (partly melanistic) (pic.)
1 unid. pug sp.
3 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart 2092
5 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
The night of the 30/31st at Capel Road:
1 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House Moth 647
1 Common Swift 17
1 Currant Pug 1871
1 Double-striped Pug 1862
1 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
1 Waved Umber 1936 This is a new species for the area
31 May/1st June in Capel Road:
1 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 998
1 Common Swift 17
1 Currant Pug 1871
2 Willow Beauty 1937
1 Large Yellow Underwing 2107
1 Lychnis 2172
2 Pale Mottled Willow 2389
List of Invertebrates recorded in May for the first time this year, in order of appearance:
Pale Mottled Willow - 8/9th May, Lakehouse moth trap
Common Plume - 8/9th May, Lakehouse moth trap
Anthophila fabriciana, Nettle-Tap - 15th May, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands (click here)
Peacock - 16th May, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands
Common Pug - 16/17th May, Capel Road moth trap (click here)
Small Dusty Wave - 16/17th May, Capel Road moth trap (click here)
Least Black Arches Nola confusalis (2078) - 16/17th May, Capel Road moth trap (click here). This is a new species for the area
Shuttle-shaped Dart - 17/18th May, Capel Road moth trap (click here)
Double-striped Pug - 18/19 May, Capel Road moth trap
Silver-Y - 19/20th May, Lakehouse moth trap
White-shouldered House Moth, Endrosis sarcitrella - 19/20th May, Lakehouse moth trap
Large Red Damselfly - 20th May, Perch Pond, Wanstead Park
Long-jawed Orb Weaver,Tetragnatha extensa - 20th May, Heronry Pond, Wanstead Park
Brimstone moth - 21/22nd May, Lakehouse moth trap
Oak-tree Pug - 21/22nd May, Lakehouse moth trap
Small Copper, 22nd May, Wanstead Flats
14-Spot Ladybird Propylea 14-punctata - 22nd May, Aldersbrook Exchange Land
Soldier Beetle Cantharis rustica - 22nd May, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands
Ichneumon wasp, possibly Pimpla hypochondriaca - 22nd May, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands
Banded Demoiselle - 22nd May, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, by Roding (click here)
Dock Bug Coreus marginatus - 22nd May, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands
Bishop's Mitre Aelia acuminita - 22nd May, Aldersbrook Exchange Lands
Bee Moth Aphomia sociella - 22/23 May, Capel Road moth trap
Green Carpet - 22/23 May, Capel Road moth trap
hoverfly Merodon equestris eqestris - 23 May, Capel Road garden
Nettle -tap moth Anthophila fabriciana - 23 May, Capel Road garden
Longhorn Moth Adela cuprella - 23 May, Capel Road garden (click here)
Alabonia geoffrella (0652) - 23 May, by Northumberland Avenue, Wanstead Park (click here) This is a new species for the area
Mother Shipton - 23 May, The Plain, Wanstead Park
Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata - 23 May, Perch Pond, Wanstead Park
Blue-tailed Damselfly - 23 May, Wanstead Park
Azure Damselfly - 23 May, Wanstead Park
Gastrophysa viridula - 23 May, by Perch Pond, Wanstead Park
Malachius bipustulatus - 23 May, on May flowers on the Plain, Wanstead Park
Lime-speck Pug - 23/24 May, Capel Road moth trap
Bright-line Bright-eye - 23/24 May, Capel Road moth trap
Codling Moth Cydia pomonella - 23/24 May, Capel Road moth trap
Nemophora degeerella - 23/24 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Esperia sulphurella - 23/24 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Celypha lacunana (1076) - 23/24 May, Lakehouse moth trap. This is a new species for the area
Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscata (1768)- 23/24 May, Lakehouse moth trap. This is a new species for the area
Double-striped Pug - 23/24 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Knot Grass - 23/24 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Garden Carpet - 24/25 May, Lakehouse moth trap
White-spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria (1835) - 24/25 May, Lakehouse moth trap. This is a new species for the area
Willow Beauty - 24/25 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Syndemis musculana 986 - 24/25 May, Capel Road moth trap. This is a new species for the area.
Satin Wave - 24/25 May, Capel Road moth trap (click here)
crane-fly species - 24/25 May, Capel Road moth trap (click here)
Longhorn Beetle Strangalia melanura - 25 May. This is a new species for the area.
Bird's Wing - 25/26 May, Capel Road moth trap
Marbled or Tawny Marbled Minor Oligia sp. - 25/26 May, Capel Road moth trap (click here)
Common Swift - 26/27 May, Capel Road moth trap (click here)
Broad-bodied Chaser - 27th May, Capel Road garden. (click here)
Light Emerald - 26/27 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Spruce Carpet Thera britannica (1769) - 26/27 May, Lakehouse moth trap. This is a new species for the area
Poplar Hawkmoth - 26/27 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Large Yellow Underwing - 26/27 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Common Marbled Carpet - 28/29 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Red Admiral - 29 May, Capel Road garden
Pale Tussock Callitera pudibunda (2028) - 29/30 May, Lakehouse Estate. This is a new species for the area
Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria (1936) - 30/31 May, Capel Road moth trap. This is a new species for the area
Lychnis - 30/31 May, Capel Road moth trap
Pyrausta aurata - 30/31 May, Lakehouse moth trap
Green Pug - 30/31 May, Lakehouse moth trap (pic.)
for invertebrates in June click here
Paul Ferris, May 2012
Green Tree-frogs at Snaresbrook?
The account below of Green Tree-frogs in Snaresbrook was taken from 'The Essex Naturalist', Vol.1. 1887
It is suggested that the species may have been Hyla arborea, the European Tree-frog, which is native to Europe excluding Britain, Ireland, Spain and Portugal. The Editors' comments are interesting: they don't seem to have persisted!
Locally, we only seem to have Common Frogs Rana temporaria (as well as Common Toads Bufo bufo), although not too far away - certainly at Rainham Marsh - there are other non-native frogs living and breeding quite happily. These may be Marsh Frogs or Edible Frogs, and maybe Pool Frogs as well, but as these seem to interbreed quite frequently there is some uncertainty!
Paul Ferris, 21st April 2012
Exchange Lands Cycle Path update
Work to lay the surface of the Roding Valley Way shared-use track through the Exchange Lands started during the first half of April - a very wrong time for such disturbance to be taking place. (see here for previous article) Already many birds had started nesting in the vegetation alongside the route - birds like Long-tailed Tits would have made use of such areas, Common Whitethroats - one of the specialities of this area - had just started to move in and Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were vigorously singing during a Wren Group migrant bird-watch walk there on 15th. It may have been that bad weather had delayed a proposed start, but this disregard of the wildlife aspect of the area in favour of a cycle route is typical of the attitude in general towards our environment.
Construction work in the Exchange Lands on 4th AprilA couple of weeks ago there was an article on Radio 4 that talked about just how rare Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers are. The CIty of London Corporation - in their efforts to protect people from branches of trees falling on heads - had just had the tops lopped off the very trees that had provided nesting places last year for this species and Little Owls on Wanstead Flats! Also on Wanstead Flats - and for reasons that I cannot think of lest it be stop people tripping on uneven ground - the rough grassland around one of our rare Creeping Willow shrubs is now being mown - leaving it isolated in a lawn. In Wanstead Park, the area that is being mown for recreation and picnic purposes (I suppose) seems to be expanding and I fear that it will at some time encroach upon one of the Park's rarities - the Harebell. Swings and roundabouts, anyone?
On a more positive note - I hope - the Skylarks on the Flats will soon be nesting and signs should be up advising dog-walkers of this, encouraging them not to let their dogs run loose over those areas. Similarly, in Wanstead Park the Bluebells of Chalet Wood are becoming very flowery, and the signs that were put up at the access-points to that wood asking to avoid trampling and not to pick, should have gone up. Those Bluebells are a victim of their own success, with bluebell walks already organised, individuals and families going to enjoy them and photographers going to photograph them. Let us hope that the tepee-builders don't have too much impact this year; the trampling caused by this fun-activity is seriously detrimental to the development of the plants and should be discouraged. I really think that we should even go to the extreme of erecting temporary fenced routes for people to follow - no more than low, roughly constructed single-log barriers - to act more as psychological barriers than physical ones. Might be able to make some good use of those felled or fallen branches?
Paul Ferris, 17th April 2012