The roadside verge along the eastern edge of Copeland Way Ellough was visited in mid May where I found >50 flowering plants of Lathyrus nissolia Grass Vetchling. This plant is rare away from the coast. Also during this visit I found >200 flowering spikes of Dactylorhiza fuchsii Common Spotted Orchid.

On this evidence I contacted Sue Hooton of the Suffolk County Council roadside reserves to request a roadside reserve here.

On Monday 22nd June 2009. My partner Eileen Tink and I systematically surveyed the verge to gather a list of plants that could be measured against the roadside reserve criteria. I hope by writing this report that the list is acceptable for Roadside verge protection.

Vascular Plants.
The D. fuchsii Common Spotted Orchid and L. nissolia Grass vetchling are the main species I suggest need protection. We also found five Ophrys apifera Huds. Bee Orchids.
In places there are large patches of Rubus fruiticosus agg Bramble where nothing but this plant grows but the Orchids are spread along a 500m stretch of verge from the farmers access point southwards to the Beccles market sign. The one metre mowing regime will not affect the orchids as they are growing well away from this area and are mainly found against the soil bank.

Lepidoptera.
During our visit we witnessed a mass emergence of Zygaena filipenulae Six-spot Burnet Moths. Their cocoons were attached to the Arrhenatherum elatius False –Oat Grass the most dominant grass along this verge. Nearby we saw female Tyria jacobae Cinnabar Moths egg laying on Senecio jacobae Ragwort.
Of the Butterflies >50 Maniola jurtina Meadow Browns were seen along with a few Aphantopus hyperantus Ringlets. Nectaring on Centaurea nigra Common Knapweed were a few Ochlodes venatus Large Skippers. On 31st May we found a few Polyommatus icarus Common Blues.

Coleoptera.
Whilst systematically walking the strip of verge we found a pair of the long horn beetle Agapanthea villosoviridescens and several Flower Beetles Oedemera nobilis.
One probably more Sailor Beetles Cantharis rustica were seen.

Mammals
A colony of Sorex araneus Common Shrew was located.

Other Insects.
The Gall of the Cynipid Phanacis hypochoeridis was seen on a few Hypochaeris radicata Cat’s Ear stems causing an elongated swelling.