Reserves and species

Posted by worcestershire
2011-11-01 17:11

Lesser Stitchwort

Scientific Name: 
Stellaria graminea

A perennial wildflower that forms low clumps amongst grasses and bears many small white flowers.

How to identify: 
The flowers have long, narrow white petals alternating with long green sepals. The leaves are un-stalked and narrow. The flowers are much smaller than greater stitchwort and the stalks are smooth. The flower looks like it has ten petals but actually it has only five, which are lobed almost until the base.
Where to find it: 
It grow on neutral and acid soils in open woodland, meadows, grassy heathland, hedge banks and by footpaths and tracks.
How people can help: 

Wildflower meadows are one of the country’s fastest disappearing habitats; about 95% of wildflower meadows have been lost due to agricultural intensification. Wildflower meadows should be maintained by mowing when the seeds have set - remove the cut material to help lower soil fertility so that the wildflowers can thrive without competition from coarse grasses. Summer flowering plants should be mown in spring and then left to flower for the rest of Autumn.
By volunteering with your local Wildlife Trust you'may be able to get directly involved in managing your local wildflower meadows.

Statistics: 
Flower diameter 5-12mm
Conservation status: 
No current designation.
Did you know?: 
The lesser stitchwort flower is only open for three days but new ones are being produced all throughout the summer until the beginning of September.
Seasons: 
Spring
Summer
When to see
Start date: 
May
End date: 
September
Image: 
Lesser stitchwort
Posted by bcnp
2011-10-21 10:46

Arthur's Meadow

A beautiful flower-rich meadow passed by many who zip along on the A14 but noticed by few. The meadow is bordered by old and new hedgerows and the meadow itself has been totally unimproved by ploughs or fertilisers for hundreds of years.

Reserve details
Trust: 
Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire
Trust Website: 
http://www.wildlifebcn.org
Size: 
0.80
Short Description: 
A beautiful flower-rich meadow
Smartphone Description: 
A beautiful flower-rich meadow
Location
Address: 
Due to proximity to the A14, access is limited and often dangerous. Please contact the warden if you would like to visit.
Town: 
Huntingdon
County: 
Cambridgeshire
Grid ref: 
TL 292692
Facilities
Visitor centre: 
No
Shop: 
No shop
Picnic Area: 
No
Disabled toilet: 
No disabled toilet
Baby changing facilities: 
No baby changing facilities
Dogs: 
Dogs must be on lead
Access: 
Permit required
Contact details
Reserve phone number: 
01954 713000
Reserve email address: 
cambridgeshire@wildlifebcn.org
Photos
Photo: 
Flowers at Arthur's Meadow
Admission
Admission fee?: 
No
Location type: 
Wildlife or nature reserve
Posted by worcestershire
2011-09-28 18:16

Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem

Scientific Name: 
Gagea lutea

This golden yellow star-like flower is found growing in woodland on basic soils.  Though rare, it can be very abundant where it does occur.    

How to identify: 
8-25cm tall, arising from a single bulb, with a single basal leaf 15-40mm long by 5-12mm wide with a hooded tip that has 3-5 ridges on the back. The flowers are golden yellow, star-like when fresh and fading to pale yellow.
Where to find it: 
In woodland, on basic soils, from central southern England through to central Scotland. It is abscent from SE and SW England, Wales, N Scotland and Ireland.
How people can help: 

Keep an eye out in early spring for the striking yellow flowers. They can be lost amongst the lesser cellandine and, as a result, this plant is under recorded. If you are lucky enough to find a plant please report it to your local Biological Records Centre and Wildlife Trust.

Statistics: 
8-25cm tall arising from a single bulb
Did you know?: 
Systematic searching for this plant has lead to the discovery of many new colonies of this plant, which is often shy to flower and can easily be confused with bluebell in it's vegetative state. Little is understood of the factors that control flowering and small but dense colonies can persit for years without spread or flower.
Seasons: 
Spring
When to see
Start date: 
March
End date: 
April
Image: 
Yellow Star of Bethlehem
Posted by bbowt
2011-09-20 17:09

Letcombe Valley

Community nature reserve

Reserve details
Trust: 
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
Trust Website: 
http://www.bbowt.org.uk
Size: 
7.50
Short Description: 
A lovely mix of chalk stream, woodland and chalk grassland creates a tranquil haven for wildlife and local people.
Smartphone Description: 
The Letcombe brook is a rare habitat as there are only two chalk streams in the whole of Oxfordshire. Its clear waters are home to some unusual and interesting wildlife including bullhead fish, brook lamprey - a primitive jaw-less fish, brown trout and water vole. Kingfishers hunt across the water, flashing blue as their sharp call pierces the stillness of the valley. Streamside, heron and little egret can be seen prowling the shallows for a tasty fish morsel. At dusk, Daubenton’s bats swoop low across the lake gorging on insects at the water’s surface.
Location
Address: 
2 miles south-west of
Town: 
Wantage
County: 
Oxfordshire
Postcode: 
OX12 9JU
Grid ref: 
SU 378 862
Facilities
Visitor centre: 
No
Shop: 
Shop
Café / Refreshments: 
Yes
Picnic Area: 
No
Opening hours: 
Open at all times
Disabled toilet: 
No disabled toilet
Baby changing facilities: 
No baby changing facilities
Dogs: 
Dogs must be on lead
Parking: 
Yes
Parking info: 
From Wantage take B4507 to Ashbury (Ickleton Road) for approx 0.5 miles; turn left towards Letcombe Regis. In Letcombe Regis, take Main Street past church on left; continue to Bassett Road. Park at the Village Hall or cricket club, both on the west (right) side of Bassett Road as you leave the village. Then walk a few hundred metres past the cemetery; at Blandys Farm (on the right) turn left, walk east to the track between houses, cross the pedestrian bridge to reserve entrance.
Walking information: 
30% surfaced paths; some moderate slopes unsurfaced; steps, kissing gates
Grazing animals: 
Yes
Contact details
Reserve manager: 
Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT)
Reserve phone number: 
01865 775476
Reserve email address: 
info@bbowt.org.uk
Photos
Photo: 
Letcombe Valley
Species: 
Dog-violet
Water Crowfoot
Cowslip
Twayblade
Water Crowfoot
Water Figwort
Water Mint
Holly Blue
Speckled Wood
Brown Trout
Bullhead
Cuckoo
Grey Heron
Kingfisher
Little Egret
Moorhen
Spotted Flycatcher
Swallow
Treecreeper
River Lamprey
Daubenton's bat
Water Vole
Best time to visit
Start: 
March
End: 
August
Admission
Admission fee?: 
No
Admission amount: 
no
Location type: 
Wildlife or nature reserve
Posted by worcestershire
2011-09-01 12:51

Green-winged Orchid

Scientific Name: 
Anacamptis morio (formerly Orchis morio)

This short orchid is a plant of unimproved drier grassland, usually flowering in May or June.

 

 

How to identify: 
The flowers cluster around a single spike, and tend to be pink or purple with three lobes. The name is derived from a hood formed by the sepals above the flower which appear lined with green veins. The leaves are narrow and pointed and do not have spots on them unlike some other common grassland orchids.
Where to find it: 
Old hay meadows and other unimproved grasslands. Grazing animals present during May and June may remove the flower heads making them harder to locate and identify. They are widely distributed throughout England and Wales.
How people can help: 

The UK has lost over 97% of its unimproved hay meadows. The Wildlife Trusts own and manage many such reserves and promote sympathetic management with private landowners and organisations to protect and expand other such sites. By joining your local Wildlife Trust you can help them to continue this work.

Statistics: 
Each seed pod can contain thousands of dust-like seeds.
Did you know?: 
Orchids seeds do not contain enough energy in the form of food reserves to germinate on their own and have to form a partnership with mycorrhizal fungus to grow. The loss of these fungi through cultivation or application of artificial fertilisers and herbicides explains why these orchids are generally only found in unimproved grasslands.
Seasons: 
Spring
Summer
When to see
Start date: 
May
End date: 
June
Image: 
Green-winged orchid
Posted by worcestershire
2011-08-19 15:32

Noble Chafer

Scientific Name: 
Gnorimus nobilis

This larvae of this metallic green beetle live in old decaying fruit trees in traditional orchards where they take up to 3 years to develop into adult beetles.

How to identify: 
Metallic, bronze/green beetle, speckled with white, about 2cm long. They're on the wing for 4-6 weeks from June to August and feed particularly on elders and umbellifers such as hogweed and meadowsweet.
Where to find it: 
In old, traditional orchards with fruit trees aged 50-80 years old. Primarily in Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire with records in the New Forest, Oxfordshire and Kent.
How people can help: 

Old orchards have no legal protection and continue to be removed. The Wildlife Trusts own and manage many old orchards for their invertebrate and grassland species and have undertaken a lot of work to identify and contact owners of suitable orchards to help preserve them. By joining your local Wildlife Trust you can help them to continue this work.

Statistics: 
Adult beetles reach 2cm in length.
Conservation status: 
Noble chafers are a BAP species and are nationally vulnerable.
Did you know?: 
The droppings, known as frass, resemble coffe grounds and can often be extracted from holes in suitable trees with a long handled spoon to confirm their presence.
Seasons: 
Summer
When to see
Start date: 
June
End date: 
August
Image: 
Noble chafer - Harry Green
Posted by worcestershire
2011-08-19 15:24

Land Caddis

Scientific Name: 
Enoicyla pusilla

Of the almost 200 species of caddisfly, the land caddis is the only one that lives on land throughout its whole life cycle.  They're most abundant in woodland leaf litter from Dec-Mar but the adults emerge in late summer and early autumn. 

How to identify: 
Larvae construct a case made mainly of sandy grains and develops through five instars. The females are flightless and much smaller than the males.
Where to find it: 
Amongst woodland leaf litter - oak litter often being the best. Restricted to Worcestershire and neighbouring counties
How people can help: 

The Wildlife Trusts manage many woodland habitats sympathetically for the benefit of all kinds of wildlife. By volunteering for your local Trust you can help too and you'll make new friends and learn new skills along the way.

Statistics: 
Fully developed larval cases are about 8-9mm long and 1.5-2mm diameter
Did you know?: 
The females are thought to excrete pheromones to attract the males. They emerge and mate in late summer/early autumn - living for only a couple of weeks.
Seasons: 
Spring
Summer
When to see
Start date: 
March
End date: 
October
When to see continued: 
Best to look in oak leaf litter between March and June when the larval cases are at their biggest. Adults fly in October
Posted by worcestershire
2011-08-19 15:09

Pied Flycatcher

Scientific Name: 
Ficedula hypoleuca

The pied flycatcher is a small, black and white fly-catching bird.  It is a summer visitor from April and May onwards and breeds mainly in western areas, spending the winter in West Africa. They are birds of mature deciduous woodlands, parks and gardens, with a preference for oak trees.

How to identify: 
Pied flycatchers are slightly smaller than a house sparrow. Males have mostly black upperparts and white underparts with a bold white patch on the folded wing. Females have the same basic patterning but are browner in colour.
Where to find it: 
In woodland, orchards and larger parks and gardens across the UK, especially in western areas.
How people can help: 

The Wildlife Trusts manage many woodland habitats sympathetically for the benefit of all kinds of wildlife, including flycatchers. Careful tree and coppice management and the installation of nest boxes in suitable locations are just some of the ways that their habitat is kept in good condition. By volunteering for your local Trust you can help too and you'll make new friends and learn new skills along the way.

Statistics: 
Length - 13cm Winglength - 21.5-24cm
Conservation status: 
Amber listed because of recent declines
Did you know?: 
Pied flycatchers time their spring migration so that they arrive just in time to feast on recently emerged caterpillars in spring woodlands. European research suggests that climate change may have triggered the decline in Pied Flycatchers by advancing the period of peak food availability, the birds being unable to compensate by breeding early enough in the year.
Seasons: 
Spring
Summer
When to see
Start date: 
April
End date: 
August
Image: 
Pied flycatcher - Pete Walkden
Posted by worcestershire
2011-08-19 14:56

Club-tailed Dragonfly

Scientific Name: 
Gomphus vulgatissimus

The Club-tailed Dragonfly is a medium sized species, on the wing from early May to late June.  This species is elusive as an adult, mostly seen on emergence from its riverine habitat.  Meandering rivers with silty substrates over a rocky bed are favoured by the burrowing larvae.  Adults have a tightly synchronised emergence with dense concentrations being found at favoured sites.  Once emerged, adults quickly move away from the river, to woodland up to 10km away, where they spend most of their time in the canopy of trees. 

How to identify: 
The Club-tailed Dragonfly is unlikely to be confused with any other UK species, with early emergence, separated eyes and distinctly shaped abdomen. Extensive black and yellow markings are visible on both males and females, though the yellow areas on the males develop to green as they mature, apart from two bright yellow spots on abdominal segments 7 and 9.
Where to find it: 
England and Wales - restricted to mature stretches of seven British river systems; Thames, Arun, Wye, Dee, Tywi, Teifi and Severn.
How people can help: 

The Wildlife Trusts manage many riverine and woodland habitats sympathetically for the benefit of all kinds of invertebrate, including the Club-tailed Dragonfly. By volunteering for your local Trust you can help too and you'll make new friends and learn new skills along the way.

Statistics: 
Length: 50mm Wing span: 64mm
Conservation status: 
Nationally notable species with local BAP's in Worcestershire, Shropshire and Cheshire.
Did you know?: 
The larvae live in the silt and mud of riverbeds for 3 - 5 years and have a triangular shaped head; this makes them streamlined and difficult to dislodge, so they are able to withstand high levels of pleasure boat traffic on busy rivers such as the Thames.
Seasons: 
Spring
Summer
When to see
Start date: 
May
End date: 
June
Image: 
Female Club-tailed Dragonfly - Mike Averill
Posted by cheshire
2011-08-19 14:27

Bagmere

Bagmere was taken over by the Trust in 2009. A Site Special of Scientific Interest (SSSI), Bagmere is the bed of a formerly larger mere, which has now almost completely filled with peat. A small area of open water remains, surrounded by particularly rich fen, marshy grassland and carr woodland. It is the last remaining site in Cheshire for the small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly.
 

Reserve details
Trust: 
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Trust Website: 
http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Size: 
10.00
Short Description: 
The last remaining site in Cheshire for the small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly.
Smartphone Description: 
A peat-filled former mere with small areas of water and fen. The last remaining site in Cheshire for the small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly.
Location
Address: 
Bagmere Lane nr Holmes Chapel
Town: 
Congleton
County: 
Cheshire
Postcode: 
CW11 1RU
Grid ref: 
SJ795643
Facilities
Visitor centre: 
No
Shop: 
No shop
Picnic Area: 
No
Disabled toilet: 
No disabled toilet
Baby changing facilities: 
No baby changing facilities
Dogs: 
No
Access: 
No
Access info: 
Sorry, this reserve is not accessible for those with limited mobility.
Walking information: 
Due to the fragile nature of the fenland access is restricted, by permit request only. The reserve can be viewed from the public footpath to the north.
Grazing animals: 
Dexter cattle
Contact details
Reserve manager: 
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Reserve phone number: 
01948 820728
Reserve email address: 
info@cheshirewt.org.uk
Photos
Photo: 
Admission
Admission fee?: 
No
Location type: 
Wildlife or nature reserve