Cromwell Bottom

Cromwell Bottom

NEWS - MEETINGS - EVENTS

April 2015 Updated Link on The future of Cromwell Bottom Sign our PETITION (click) to help Cromwell Bottom
WILDLIFE SITING /IDENTIFICATION Send Details or Pictures of finds for identification click to email RECORDS. Please Note ALL lists and Biological Records are Copyright Protected (C) Colin Duke 1998 - 2018 on behalf of the Freshwater Environment Ecology Trust . they should NOT be used or reproduced without permission

Sunday 31 August 2014

Moths & Bats Saturday 30 th August 2014

Moths and Bats


A successful evening was had on the reserve with 51 adults and children. Robin Dalton Countryside Manager gave an excellent introduction to bats for the youngsters. I am sure I speak for many in Thanking Robin for so unassumingly giving his time into the small hours and helping with the prep work in conjunction with CBWG  in making the event a well attended an interesting evening and Calderdale are fortunate in having such a committed Ranger on the Team . Thanks also goes to local naturalist Andy Cockroft whose expertise is much valued and appreciated . and CBWG who together with FEET (Freshwater Environment ecology Trust ) are the main stakeholder groups furthering various aims and conservation of the reserve

Mothing


Weather  Dry 14 o C  70 % Humidity Dry 30th August 2014  10:00am -  1:15 am  Newt Corner

Mothing began early however one of the main problems with running traps is the main waves of Moths come in from about 10.00 pm onward and therefore dont lend well to open events due the lateness of such events

It is hoped that future event might involve morning sessions where the nights catch may be reviewed and  also more hands on engagement for youngsters via Wine Roping and Sugaring !!

Here are some of the finds that followed throughout the evening . Some early visitors to the trap included a Birch Shieldbug and a number of Caddis flies associated with the nearby water , these can be identified with difficulty but are often easier done from the ornate stone larval cocoons made from fine stone and grit. By far the commonest moth of the evening was the Large Yellow Underwing which arrived in numbers 12 early in the evening . An aproxmate total of 25 species where recorded 

Various Questions Presented

What is the difference between Moths and Butterflies

What Do they Eat 

How do They Navigate 

What Kind of Trap is it

IMAGES TO BE UPLOADED SUBSEQUENTLY


Species Accounts Link to UK Moths for more information

2117 Autumnal Rustic 22251

Orange Sallow



It prefers damp woodland and marshy areas, and the larvae feed on sallow (Salix) and aspen (Populus tremula).
Common White Wave 32529



Common Carpet 17839



A common species in most of Britain, occupying damp woodland, heathland and marshy places. It is quite variable, with the relatively frequent ab. flavescens having the darker markings almost absent.

Sallow 32469

ab. flavescens

Sallow 32475



Flounced Rustic 32415
2176 Antler Moth 10276


A common and remarkably variable species, which is found throughout Britain in a wide range of habitats.There are two broods, flying in May and June, and again from August to October, sometimes later.

Common Marble 32399

Bat Links


Common Pipestrelle ( Pipistrellis pipistrellis )
Daubenton's Bat (Myotis daubentonii).  

For Details of Local  Membership of CB FEET and its benefits please  email

Friday 29 August 2014

Sloe Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum

Sloe Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum

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Sloe Shieldbug 10439

Nymph Stage V Final instar

Sloe Shieldbug 2647


Adult: All year

Length 11-12 mm

Description

Key ID Features include the black and white banded antennae with a distinctive Purple Green Ground Colour and prominement Black and White Connexivum . The bug is covered in long hair which is particularly evident in the Nymph Stage Overwintering as an  adult, the bug emerges in the spring. The winter form darkens to a browner colour there are two specimens shown above

Larvae, have a wide variety of food  plants, particularly those in the Roasaceae. New generation is completed  August onwards.


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Tuesday 26 August 2014

Apolygus spinolae A Capsid Bug - Miridae

Apolygus spinolae A Capsid Bug Miridae

Apolygus spinolae 31986


Apolygus spinolae 31989


Apolygus spinolae 31988xx


Length 5- 6 mm

Phenology Adult: June-September

Description

The Genus Apolygus generally oval pronotom may have dark green marks and overall base colour paler than A. lucorum although this one appears darker than normal

Pale Brown Tibial Spines do not arise from dark basal area

Black tip to cunneus Differientiate Apolygus spinolae from A. lucorum

2nd antennal segment is generally shorter than the width of the base of  pronotum

Host Plants

A varied number of hedgrow plants  creeping thistle, meadowsweet, nettle, bog-myrtle and notably  bramble

Similar Species 

Apolygus lucorum , Lyocoris pabulosa.

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Friday 22 August 2014

2422 Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana

2422 Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana


Green Silver lines 31924

Green Silver lines 31933

Green Silver lines 31913

Wingspan 30-35 mm.

Description   Common in wooded areas over much of England and Wales, less common in Scotland and Ireland.

Phenology   Flight period  June and July, it is often attracted to artificial light.


The short, stocky caterpillar feeds in August, mostly on oak (Quercus) and birch (Betula),and  other deciduous trees
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Thursday 21 August 2014

Recent Good Conservation Input...

Well Done to all those who particpated i recent practical work and engaged in recent measures to improve the reserve in order to protect areas from over use whilst it may seem a big reserve it has come under  more  pressure from increased use . The measure shown will help protect a small area of conservation value.

Thanks to Countryside Services and Volunteers measures like this will keep important features that make Cromwell Bottom a unique place . Sensitive cutting of the meadow to produce a Mosaic Habitat and keeping floristic stands along the Green Corridors and pathways help keep our hedgerows living and healthy and keep the diversity of flora and fauna at Cromwell in a healthy state and what it should be on the Tin a Nature Reserve  -  so a very well done on this project

On a slightly different note I am pleased to report a find of Broad leaved Helleborine Elsewhere on the reserve 

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Visitors To The Reserve

Visitors to the reserve 05/08/2014  include members of the Bradford Botany group to look at the many wild Flowers growing on the footprint of our reserve some of which where instrumental in producing  early lists relating to Lagoon and Meadow  Areas which have since developed

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Saturday 16 August 2014

Tachina fera - A Tachnid fly

Tachina fera  -  A Tachnid fly


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Friday 15 August 2014

Iassus lanio A Leafhopper

Iassus lanio 31930

Iassus lanio 31928

Iassus lanio Leafhopper

Adult:      June to October
Length    6.5-8 mm

ID Points 

The  forewings present  in colour form  from pale brown  to Green   

 vertex, pronotum and scutellum have heavily dark-mottling. 

Vertex is uniformly narrow and rounded 

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Wednesday 13 August 2014

Aphrodes makarovi - A leafhopper

Aphrodes makarovi A leafhopper  TBC

Aphrodes markovi 31626

Adult: June to October

Length 5.5-7.5 mm



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2306 Angle Shades Caterpillar Phlogophora meticulosa

2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa

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Wingspan 45-50 mm.

Description Rests with the wings folded longitudinally, resembling a withered autumn leaf.

The adults generally fly between May and October, in at least two generations, but can be found in any month A common migrant occurring in numbers at coastal localities

Caterpillar  The larvae feed on a variety of herbaceous plants.

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Wednesday 6 August 2014

Green Shieldbug Nymph Palomena prasine

Green Shieldbug Nymph Palomena prasine


Green Shieldbug Nymph Palomena prasina

A late stage Green SB Nymph found throughout the reserve


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NHMSYS0020109266

Long Jawed Orb Weaver Metellina segmentata/mengei

Long Jawed Orb Weaver Metellina segmentata/mengei


Metellina 31718


Metellina 31720

Likely segmentata or possibly mengei

Description M. segmentata may be slightly larger.than mengei


Habitat

Found woods, gardens and wasteland amongst any vegetation or structure where it can build its web
This spider spins orb-shaped (rounded) webs. During the mating season the male moves onto the web of the female.

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0411 Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella

 0411 Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella

Argyresthia goedartella 31783


Argyresthia goedartella 31794


Argyresthia goedartella 31777

Wingspan 10-13 mm.

A Small very brilliant Golden Moth when fresh The typical form with white forewing crossed in the middle by a 'Y' shaped golden-brassy fascia

Larvae 

The larva overwinters in a shoot or hard male catkin of birch (Betula) or alder (Alnus glutinosa).
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Friday 1 August 2014

A Sponge Fly - Sisyra nigra

Sponge Fly - Sisyra nigra

Sisyra nigra 31437


Sisyra nigra 31431

Thanks to Chris Brooks

The Sisyridae, commonly known as spongeflies or spongillaflies, They're active at night or twilight and are tiny, with a wingspan of 1 cm (0.4 in) across at most and sometimes less than half that. Their minute form retains the complicated, lacy wings and giant, sparkling eyes common among Net-winged Insects.Adult spongillaflies are crepuscular (Active at Twilight)  or nocturnal. They are omnivores, sometimes hunting small invertebrates, but mainly scavenging on such animals' carcasses, as well as on pollen and honeydew.


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A Straw Grass Veneer 1304 Agriphila straminella

1304 Grass Veneer Agriphila straminella

Grass Veneer 31663


Wingspan 16-19 mm

Foodplants  Various grasses, especially sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina), where the larvae feed internally on the lower part of the stems.

Flight Period July and August,   a frequent visitor to light



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Hoverfly Eristalis intracarius

Hoverfly  Eristalis intracarius

Eristalis intracarius 31699


Eristalis intracarius 31701


Eristalis intracarius 31702





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