Just in case you were starting to worry, the authorities didn't arrest me in the end for putting that Oak Processionary moth in the fridge. Thankfully, this meant I could get down to Bookham Common the other morning for the monthly field survey that takes place at this very well documented SSSI.
This month, the focus for the survey was on Grasshoppers and Bush Crickets, a group of insects that I've trodden on plenty of times whilst sweeping through fields in search of moths, but apart from that, haven't really ever given much attention to. By the end of the day, we had managed to biologically blitz our way through a healthy variety of hoppers, including these (although I take no credit for identifying them)...
Roesel's Bush-cricket...
Rufous Grasshopper, identified by the white tipped antennae, apparently...
Dark Bush-cricket...
Speckled Bush-cricket...
The main highlight of the day came when a member of the team started to lift up a large boulder along the side of the footpath (as you do) to reveal a neat female Great-crested Newt hiding under it. I've never seen one before, so it was nice to finally put a face to the animal that seems to have most conservation bodies worried out of their skin at just the mention of this little amphibians name...
We got back to the hut for lunch just in time to help Paul Wheeler (only one of the top moth recorders in Surrey) go through one of the moth traps he had set up in the woodland the previous night. The catch wasn't brilliant, but if its of any interest to anyone, the highlights did include the scarce and elusive Square-spotted Clay, a migrant White-point and some very nice Sharp-angled Carpet.
Square-spotted Clay...
White-point...
Out in the tall grasses, micro moths were easy enough to flush out. The pick of the bunch had to be this Agriphila sellasella, sporting a small ice-cream cone for a nose...
No comments:
Post a Comment