The next winter event

February, Thursday 16th  –  ‘Fungi – mushrooms and toadstools’  –  a talk by Dr Ray Woods of Plantlife.  At CARAD, East Street, Rhayader at 7.30pm. 

All welcome.

Scarlet Caterpillarclub

I found this growing on a rock at Craig Llyn today, and i-spot kindly identified it for me as cordyceps militaris, a mushroom which grows from dead noctuid caterpillars.

Nantmel Tip on sunday

We had a successful time at the old Nantmel Tip site on sunday. Three moth traps and lots of mammal traps were set the eveing before and the group set about emptying these whilst some wandered around sweeping for other species.

The site covers a large area and consists of drier sedge covered expanses, a small choked up pond and a marshy area full of meadowsweet, hogweed and angelica. The site also borders more mature  boggy woodland. The final count for moths was 108, caught in 3 traps – including an Old Lady, Gothic, Beautiful hook-tipped and Double Lobed.

Double lobed

In addition to the larger moths a miniscule orange coloured micro-moth Agonopterix conterminella proved to be a first Radnorshire record. Sorcha managed to catch a few Field voles, Common and Pygmy shrews, many plants were identified and birds included Green woodpecker, Whitethroat, Sedge warbler and Willow Tit. The invertebrate experts found some uncommon bugs including one that remained unidentified on the day and was taken away for analysis. A lovely yellow and black longhorn beetle proved to be a rarely seen Radnorshire specimen.

 

Butterflies and dragonflies were low in number (as seemingly has been the case elsewhere this year?) but we did record Red Admiral, Comma, Meadow Brown, Green veined and small white as well as Brown hawker and Emporer Dragonfly.

A common frog was the lone amphibian.

Farmland walk

Last sundays farmland walk proved a success. The group walked along the old railway from Cwmdeuddwr past Rhayader Tunnel nature reserve to Noyadd farm and then back along the lanes to the start. 35 species of bird including a nice Common Redstart sat next to a Spotted flycatcher on a barbed wire fence. A few day flying moths, only one butterfly (common blue on the tunnel reserve) and a few bee species, particularly on the wild raspberry. A nice patch of Broad leaved helleborine had yet to come into flower in one damp shady green lane. An extensive plant list was made along the route, including Hedge woundwort (below).

A field less ordinary….

The field adjacent to Llanwrthwl church is earmarked for new houses – it has been since the mid-80s. As a result it is generally neglected. The grass is cut late in the season, it does not get covered in nitrogen and has just a few cattle turned on to it every so often. As it is opposite the house, I have rarely entered it until last week when I took a good look around. Its full of flowering plants and grasses and as a result attracts lots of moths, butterflies and other insects. It is probably one of the reasons I get such a variety of moths in the trap.

Common Blue

Heath spotted orchid

 

Ragged Robin

 

Yellow Rattle

 

Great Burnett

Mountain pansy

The fields up near the end of the tarmac below Gamrhiw, Llanwrthwl are cracking habitat. At the moment the grass is fairly short as the climate at 400m above sea level delays its growth. This allows other plants to thrive, particularly if they flower early enough. The fields are full of violets at the moment as well as Field Wood-rush. Soon the milkmaids will appear – these cover the area later. The Mountain Pansy appears a little later and is usually confined to the field banks where the soil is thin and the grass does not thrive. Today the first has appeared – very delicate in such a harsh environment. The short grass is also attractive to birds – there were 17 Wheatear scattered on them this evening – a minimum count, there were probably more. Nearby there were 2 Stonechat, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Redstart, 50 Meadow Pipit and a very pale buzzard. Well worth a visit.

Fence post biodiversity

The ‘damp’ atmosphere in these parts means plants end up growing anywhere – particularly fungi and mosses. Fenceposts, once they have reached a certain age and start breaking down have a biodiversity of their own. The tops of course can’t be reached by sheep either so it gives the plants a chance. Apparently the new tanalised type posts aren’t quite so good.

This one is near Pistillgwyn, Llanwrthwl. The sapling is a birch I think.

Broad leaved helleborine

Whilst balsam bashing on the Wye, just north of Dyffryn farm last week we found a few broad leaved helleborine plants in their favoured damp woodland habitat. Today I found another in a woods in Llanwrthwl. Does anyone else have any records?

White harebells

White harebells

In a field at the end of the tarmac on the Penrhos road (Llanwrthwl), I noticed lots of harebells growing on the field verge. Amongst them were flowering mountain pansies in the same place as they were seen in May. In the corner of the field were a group of several dozen pure white harebells. Has anyone seen any of this form locally – are they common?

Scabious and insects

A walk around Richard and Pams rhos this evening – lots of devils-bit scabious attracting moths, butterflies and grasshoppers.

Devils-bit scabious, The Cwm Llanwrthwl July 2010

 

Sneezewort

 

Green veined white

 

Grasshopper sp. on Scabious