Worthy Macro from Group Member

Here is a selection of Macro Shots from Glynne W (FEET CB Member) many of the creatures featured are found througout the reserve . his macro is worthy of comment for a number of reasons . not just the diffculty in getting close to the subject per se but the fact that Glynne is using an improvised manual lens system and shooting manually no autofocus with his own technique . All in all this work is giving a high end lens a run for its money and producing good results that are more than fit for purpose well done

Plecoptera - Stone Fly

Sawfly - Symphyta probably Selandria serva 

Chrysolina sp A leaf Beetle

Cuckoo Flower -  Key Food for the Orange Tips

Tephritis neesii or 

Lesser / Wood Stitchwort

Cantharis Soldier beetle

Nettle Weevil

Profile View of a Shield Bug Nymph likely P rufipes Forest Shieldbug 

Birds Foot Trefoil Larval Food for the Common Blue

Bilberry

Heather Groundling Imaged elsewhere35.017 BF797

Neofaculta ericetella

                                                    hope you like the mixed bag of images

A selection of Macro

a varied  collection of recent macro images From Glynne W   , FEET Member some of the smaller inverts are between 2-6 mm

Harvestnman From Gordon Jackson

Post From Gordon Jackson FEET Member

 This morning there was a Harvestman on the wall. It was at the perfect height for taking photos. As with other things I've posted recently, I posted this one last year. I didn't know which Harvestman it was. Then I was told I was the 8th person in England to record it.An unexpected and happy surprise for me. Since then, I've had two others on the wall, there seems to be a small, thriving colony of them near our house. It is a Harvestman, Platybunus pintorum.

The species is Pine dependant and really, more common in Scotland, due to having a lot more pine trees than we have. They appear to be becoming more common in England. This is probably due to garden centres importing pines from Scotland.

There is more information about them in my post last year in this blog. I'm posting these photos because they are superior to the first set. A diagnostic of P. pintorum are the white spines on either side of its moth parts. They are much clearer here than in my previous photos. So, entering stage right is your own, your very own Platybunus pintorum.

Harvestman, 

Platybunus pintorum

Showing the white spines

That's all for this post.

Enjoy yourselves,
Gordon

Pirates On The Pond Pirate Wolf Spider - Pirata piraticus AKA Prate Otter Spider

Pirate Wolf Spider - Pirata piraticus AKA Prate Otter Spider Walking on water on one of the ponds at Cromwell in this weks Spring Sunshine

This Spider is usually associated with marshy places and near to water where it hunts along the banks and on the water's surface thanks to water repellent hairs on its legs. it s occurs in a wide variety of wetland habitats such as pond and stream margins, marshes, fens, upland blanket bogs, Sphagnum seeps and reed-beds. In sunny weather this ambush predator can be found in the open, but in cooler weather it conceals itself amongst low vegetation.

Females can be up to 9 mm long, whilst males are about 6 mm. The colour pattern of this spider is quite distinctive with a red-chestnut abdomen with a central mustard coloured cardiac mark and white sides to both the abdomen and carapace.

Update Crowther Bridge May - Early June

The Main Bridge onto the reserve at Crowther Bridge at the Anglers Car Park is due for demolition as a result of barge collision earlier this year during the flood events. Access is planned to be open in the Evening and Week Ends

The Bridge As Was......

Please note that outside such times parking at the Avocet Factory at Brookfoot and walking the Canal Tow path toward elland will be the only effective way to visit.

FEET The Freshwater Environment Ecology Trust have been liasoning on this issue and seek to ensure the Vousoirs (Arch Bricks) , Springers and general architectural impression of the replacement mirrors the Heritage stature of the original constuction particular with regard to the retention of the old Chain marks on the Block Facings . Important educational features for our local schools.

No one has actually seen the councils proposal which needs to be in keeping with the area. The intention is also to remove the pedestrain concrete Bridge when completed although we are not entirley informed of the logic of disposing of the Downstream fail safe. The work is being undertaken on by the canal and River Trust on behalf of the Council who are the owners of the Bridge from government flood relief monies but we will be looking very carefully at the incorporation or proposal of such funding to remove Land Drainage containing Toxix  Landfill Waste front the site which is not the intended use of the funding

FEET are currently raising issues of emergency acess and protocols for the emergency services in the event of fire or ambulance needed on site Members can currently access FEET protocols on their blog Members Site