Moth Trapping in Wanstead Park

The local Wren Conservation Group held a moth-trapping evening in Wanstead Park on 24th September. It was attended by ten Wren Group members, including myself, and four people with a range of moth-trapping identification skills who brought five moth-traps along.

Tim Harris organised this, with the co-operation of the City of London Corporation, as the event was held in and adjacent to the Temple at Wanstead Park. Forest Keeper Brian Gotts was kind enough to open up the Temple for us to plug in the lamps that attract the moths and to give provisions for those present to try to identify the catch around a table in the Temple.

There are a range of ways that moths can be attracted, and the most well-known of these is by light. Even an electric light and an open window can provide a good supply, as may be well known! However, moths are more attracted to certain wavelengths of light, and the appropriate light source can have a considerable effect on the numbers and even the species attracted. Having been attracted, the traps themselves can vary greatly. The traps used on the evening were Robinson Traps and Skinner Traps, and the lamps were very bright Mercury Vapour types.

It should be emphasised that the moths are trapped live, and can be released unharmed afterwards. The lamps attract them, they make their way into a container - or even simply onto a sheet so that they can be seen - and then can be removed in individual clear plastic containers to be examined and identified. To make things more homely for them whilst they are in the traps, egg-boxes are laid out which they can cling to and hide out in the crevasses.

Hornet

One of our first catches was not a moth but a Hornet. Other creatures are of course attracted to the lights, and these included a Frog-hopper and some Caddis Flies. The Hornet was quite a large one - and one of many that have been around Wanstead Park in recent months. Although they are often feared, this member of the wasp family is actually one of the less aggressive wasps and its sting is said to be not much different from that of the common wasp. Nevertheless...

Very few moths were caught, however, between setting up the traps at about 7.30 and finishing at about 10pm. As with all wildlife, it's not always easy to predict what will happen. The night was relatively clear - with Jupiter and quite a few stars shining - bats were flying, but we noticed the first "huffs" from our breaths of the season. Maybe it could have been just a bit warmer to have produced more of a moth-catch, but it didn't actually feel particularly cold.

Lunar UnderwingA good collection of moth-identification guides were available, brought by the experts and provided by some of the local naturalists, and some moths were available early on, brought from Epping. The guide that I like to use is the "Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland" by Waring, Townsend and Lewington. This has illustrations of all the resident and migrant macro-moths (the larger ones as opposed to the usually tiny "micros"), showing the moths in typical pose and at life-size. This helps a lot in visually identifying species, and reference to the text then can help clarify the identification.

With a bit of help at times from those who were more knowledgeable, all of the macro moths were identified including those that were caught locally. The latter were Lunar Underwing, Willow Beauty, Pale Mottled Willow, Brindled Green and Square-spot Rustic. Two "micros" were taken away for expert identification, and it is hoped that we may find out what these were to supplement local records.

Willow BeautySome years ago I set out a moth trap in my garden by Wanstead Flats. This was a "Heath" type trap, with an Actinic (fluorescent) lamp of much less intensity than the mercury vapour ones. (It's more friendly to the neighbours!). In the course of the two seasons that I set the trap nightly, some175 species were identified. For a review of this exercise, click here

Thanks to Tim Harris for organising this, to the Conservators of Epping Forest for allowing us to use the Temple and Wanstead Park, to Brian Gotts for opening and closing the Temple for us, and to Anthony and Pat Harbott, Grahame Smith, and Martin who gave us their time and expertise.

Paul Ferris, 25th September 2011

A View from Wanstead Flats

"Obsidian is currently preparing for a masterplan for the regeneration of Forest Gate town centre"

That's the introduction to a proposal for a major regeneration scheme in Forest Gate. It goes on to say that this will refelect the issues and opportunities facing the local community, and that there is much about Forest Gate that reflects its historic past and the quality of the Victorian architecture. It mentions that Obsidian's motto is 'To work with the best of the existing'.

What has all this got to do with Wanstead Wildlife, then? I need to be careful that I don't go blogging off on too many tangents, but I live in Forest Gate, don't really think too much of it - apart from the part where I live - and do appreciate that the area in question, which is adjacent to the station, needs a good overhaul. But here is the crunch. The area in question consists of the likes of shop frontages, community facilities, some villa-like houses - a bit of a mix. But it is a mix that doesn't include anything quite on the scale of:

i) one residential tower of 26 storeys

ii) three 3-8 story buildings

iii) perimeter buildings between 4-8 storeys

iv) Three taller buildings of approximately 7-12 storeys

A comparison of the scale of present buildings in Woodgrange Road, compared to those proposed!

It does include a new public open-space "with access to non-residents", provision for approximately 850 residential units and private parking "limited and controlled by management of the new residential blocks and a controlled parking zone"; oh - and there will also be cycle parking, of course.

Wildlife again? Well, I'm sure the open space will deal with that; apart from the gardens front and back of the existing villas, nothing much will change there. Indeed a releatively new development exists near to Wanstead Park Station and is, to my mind, similar disproportionate dimensions in so far as "reflecting the past and working with the best of the existing" which was erected hard against the Eagle and Child pub and opposite what is a sympathetically-styled health centre. This - the residential development opposite the health centre - has a roof garden, apparently, because you can see the regimentaly-styled tree planting leaning across the roof's "garden" clearly - from Wanstead Flats!

The Shard, Orbit Tower, Capel Point and Westminster Bank Tower.

The proposed 26 Storey Block, plus the others, will be appear between the Shard and Capel Point. Capel Point is 10 storeys!

And so back to Wanstead Flats. Wanstead Flats is - some people eventually find - quite a gem, really. It's easy to see the attraction in the diversity of landscapes in Wanstead Park, but driving by the flat, open expanse of grassland that is Wanstead Flats doesn't necessarily immediately suggest the tremendous feel of openess that can be experienced if walking across it. Great cloud and skyscapes, views of the distant Highgate Hills, the Crystal Palace Hills and Shooters Hill. These are somewhat spoilt by the impossing twin towers at the Leytonstone end, the lesser impact of the 'Belgrave Heights' tower block by Bush Wood, and now the towering 105m 35-storey Pioneer Point skyscraper in Ilford. When the 115m “ArcelorMittal Orbit”, or Orbit Tower for short, is completed, this monstrosity will also be visible as an eyesore from Wanstead Flats. In the distance the even taller buildings of the City are clearly visible and - spreading southwards - now can be seen 'The Shard'. The complex around Canary Wharf is closer still, but all of these are far enough away not to impose themselves.

The Forest Gate project is another matter entirely. It is in no way sympathetic to the historic past or the Victorian architecture of the area, nor is it sympathetic to Wanstead Flats. The very name "Forest Gate" reflects what the settlement was - the gateway to Epping Forest.

The Woodgrange Web Community Website contains views on this subject and is available here.

Paul Ferris, Equinox, 23 September 2011

NO Compulsory Purchase Order for Wanstead Flats!

It has been a while since I issued an article on the website regarding the use of part of Wanstead Flats for a Police Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centre during the 2012 Olympics. As we are all probably well aware, the muster station will be set up and used, despite considerable local opposition. (see here)

However, apparently some social networking sites have been putting out comments that the Police have issued a compulsory purchase order for land at Wanstead Flats, and this is not the case. A statement issued by Detective Chief Superintendent Alaric Bonthron of the Metropolitan Police reads as follows:

"In response to the comment posted earlier on a social networking site, the Met have not issued a compulsory purchase order for land at Wanstead Flats and have no intention to. As set out in the Met's planning application, the use of the fairground area of Wanstead Flats is for a temporary period of 90 days in the summer of 2012 and awaits the outcome of the judicial review process which is currently with the High Court. " 

Paul Ferris, 5th September 2011

Bee Wolfs in Wanstead Park

The Bee-killer wasp or Bee Wolf is a quite dramatic creatures, known locally from around Alexandra Lake and recently seen near Jubilee Pond, but one of the easiest places to see them is near the refreshment kiosk in Wanstead Park. Whilst visitors sit in the sun sipping their tea or licking their ice-creams, the Bee Wolfs may be bringing their prey back to their nests very nearby.

The Bee Wolf Philanthus triangulum is the common European member of the genus Philanthus, of which there are about 170 species. It is a solitary wasp which preys typically on honey bees. It stings them to paralyse them, then carries its prey back to its tunneled nest slung underneath its body.

The nest hole may be up to a metre long, with numerous side tunnels branching off which end in a brood chamber, each of which contains one of the prey. On the Plain, the nests are in dusty soil with little or no vegetation, and after entering the hole the Bee Wolf closes it by pushing soil into the opening, using a digging motion with the soil being aimed backwards, much like a dog may do.

I deliberately set out to try to photograph or film these creatures at the end of July, and on a very hot 29th - when there really was a lot of ice-cream licking going on - I spotted some activity and began to film it. In this case, I didn't see the carrying of the prey into the nest-hole, but saw the "door" being opened from the inside, and the Bee Wolf emerging. Turning back to face the entrance, it appeared that it might be clearing something out from inside, although I couldn't make out anything other than soil. It proceeded to throw the soil backwards, away from the nest hole, for some minutes before re-entering the hole.

Crouching to get a video record, I was aware that some children had paused and were asking each other what I was doing, but I couldn't move as I was using the camera hand-held. However, after the wasp had re-entered its nest, I asked the three children who had stopped if they had seen it. They acknowledged that they'd been watching the wasp, and asked what it was. By the time I'd got into the explanation there was quite a little gathering of mums and children, seemingly fascinated that such goings on were happening all around them.

The video is available here.

Paul Ferris, 6th August 2011