Roman Road flora and fauna - 26th July

A good number of Plantwatchers (including our two Associate Membrers) attended our survey of the Little Abington stretch of the Roman Road in warm sunshine on 26th July.
Although we identified only two flower species not recorded here before (Phleum pratense ssp bertolonii, a chalk-loving variant of the familiar grass Timothy, and Red Bartsia) we can be reasonably pleased with the state of the flora on this part of the Road. Typical chalk plants in bloom included Hedge & Lady's Bedstraw, Hedge Parsley, Burnet Saxifrage, Wild Carrot & Parsnip, Wild Basil, Mignonette & Weld, Common & Greater Knapweed, Restharrow, Small & Field Scabious, Musk (Nodding) Thistle, Yellow, Birdsfoot & Hop Trefoil, St John's Wort and Dark Mullein. There is one large Catmint near Worsted Lodge and several patches of Red Bartsia thereabouts. Dropwort, Rockrose & Goatsbeard were also seen, though past flowering. It is particularly good that there is plenty of Wild Basil, ranked as 'rare' here in a professional survey only a decade or so ago.
Butterflies and other flying insects were present but hardly abundant. Phil's finds included a number of Essex Skippers, a Soldier Beetle and a specially fine Bush Cricket.

Patrick Daunt

River Survey - 25th July

A small group surveyed a new stretch of the river near Abington Hall. Access to the river was tricky except in a shady area, where we found plenty of Freshwater Shrimps and a few Leeches but little else.

River wildlife survey - 10th July 2008

This evening we sampled at a couple of sites in Sluice Wood and found some insect larvae we'd not seen before.

Southern Hawker dragonfly

Here are 2 of the pictures from our pond yesterday. They show 2 stages of the dragonfly's metamorphosis from nymph to dragonfly proper. The remains of the nymph, or exuvia, can be seen in both pictures.

Derek Turnidge