Orthoptera

orthoptera is poorly recorded here in the North so I have been out this week searching for them. There were plenty of Dark Bush Crickets, Short winged Coneheads and Speckled Bush Crickets at Waveney Forest today.

Bramble recording

The Genus Rubi Recorded at Barsham TM3990 27/07/2010.
By Alec Bull and Colin A Jacobs.
Series four Discolores.
Rubus ulmifolius Schot. By far the most frequent.
R. armeniacus Focke. Rare. (Bird sown on edge of footpath)
Series Eleven. Glandulosi.
Section B.Corylifolii.
R. hindii. A.L.Bull. Rare.
R. tuberculatus. Babington. Occasional.
R. pruinosus. Arrh. Occasional.
R. conjungens Babbington (Rogers) Rare.
Section C.Caesii.
Rubus caesius. L. Dewberry. Frequent.
Series Two. Rhamnifolii.
Rubus boudiccae. A.L.Bull &E.S.Edees. Next most common species.
Rubus cantabrigiensis. A.L.Bull & A.C.Leslie. Rare
R. babingtonianus. Watson& Newbold. Rare.



This is a photo of R. Boudiccae

Summer Fungi

Considering the dry season I found two Bay Boletes (Boletus badius)under Birch at Belton Common this week.

Also these Sea Hollies were found at Kessingland Beach

Gatekeepers

Found plenty of Gatekeepers on Bramble at Broome Pits and Mettingham Today including plenty of Large Whites which have been migrating westwards this week from the continent.

Chestnut leaf miners in Suffolk and Norfolk

The Horse Chestnut Moth Cameraria ohridella is becoming very prevalant. I visit to Thorpe Abbots Churchyard to see the rare Ilex x altaclerensis Highclere Holly found the Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastaneum leaves were covered in the mines of the larval stage. It does seem more common in the Upper Waveney Valley but sadly it is one moth species that is not welcome. First recorded in 2002 in Wimbledon London it has spread all over the UK.
More details here.

http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/leafminer

Little Owl

Another unsuccessful visit to see the Frog Orchids today produced a nice Little Owl on the access road to the meadow in the Waveney Valley. Yellowhammers and Skylarks were in song despite the area being an arable desert.

Wool Alien Has Become A Pest.

One of the benefits of being in the Wild Flower Society is that Eileen and I vist sites annually to record the more rare plants. On Sunday 4th July we decided to spend the morning at the popular RSPB reserve at Minsmere on the Suffolk coast. Our main reason was to check on the small but troublesome wool alien Acaena novae –zelandia Piri Piri Bur.
It is a small indistinct plant that has these hooks called burs that rely on passing animals to re seed. The staff at the reserve are trying to get rid of it and ask visitors not to brush against the flowers and spread it. I think it should be left alone and just managed so that visiting botanists can at least add it to their diary.

White Orchid

Why do I always assume that a white Common spotted Orchid is a Lesser Butterfly orchid? well my fault is I just look at the plant and cos it is different I assume.
I should read the floras and get down to the nitty gritty before I make a fool of myself which is what I have just done. So the message is dont assume get it right.