Life In The Willow Carr

Dont be too hasty to undermine the value of Willow Scrub. The Early Flowering Willows provide an ample and urgent supply of food in Spring that begin,  many of our important Food Chains that translate all the way up to your migrant returns such as the chiff Chaff. With the reserve in danger of becoming over used these areas give wildlife an opportunity to  retreat.  Upward of 450 species have been recorded in association with Willow in many diverse forms  here is a small selection from our Records  It is important as it stabilises riverbanks and gives cover to birds, otters and other water-associated animals. It increases the diversity of flora and fauna (biodiversity). Willow and alder support more varieties of insect than any other tree apart from oak, and the roots give shelter to fish. The abundance of insect life also provides food for fish.or amphibia.

Today Fri 11th April , First Generation Commas and Peacocks where seen feeding and flying. the Comma in Particular  on Willow. Orange Tips are also evident on the corridors of Brassicacae ( Flowers in the Cabbage Family) around the River and Carr boundaries .  The dwindling melancholy song of Willow Warbler was also noted and the call of the Chiff Chaff unmistakeable

The Willow Warbler

In one particular area good Numbers of Andrena clarkella where seen feeding on the day and a week previous. Amongst the tufted mosses and leaf litter a Nomadic Bees where also present , - a specific parasitic relationship being present.. Amongst the Bryophytes ( Mosses) om damp conditions around the Spagnum Hoverflies utilise the leaf detritus and standing water , noted where Eristalis tenax , E. Pertinax and Syrphus spp. The grasses and carr floor contained also large numbers of Lycosid Spider and Red Ant where also noted

These Carrs also are low lying in relation to the river water table and the old fly ash / gravel excavations and therefore hold damp and shady conditions on hot arid days , many people associate our Newts with Ponds but these amphibia can spend a lot of time in suitable terrestrial habitat like the Tag Cut Base and Damp Carrs

The Common Frog Rana temporaria and Newts avail of the humidity layer retained by over vegetation on the hot exposed days whem they occurr at Cromwell

In the reserve Grey Willow give some rise to very special circumstances which encourage two particularly important plants which have a relationship , with fungi specific to Grey Willow. Of course that is before you enumerate the Lichens , bryophytes and other overlooked plants and animals

Shrews and small animals are also found. Because in the habitat management compartments these Carrs have reached succession does not in the least mean they are any less productive in their  ecology or contribution to all of the habitat Mosaics in general .

2299 Mouse Moth Amphipyra tragopoginis

This is the Caterpillar (June 2014)  of the Mouse Moth whose larvae may feed or depend on Willow. The caterpillars feed on a variety of herbaceous plants, including the flowers, as well as trees such as sallow(Salix) 

Other Moths include the Willow Beauty 

Insects On Willow

Willow Dependent Moths

Willow Beauty Moth
Willow Aphid

Hoverflies ( Various On willow pollen
Eristalis tenax
Eristalis pertinax

Other

Bryophytes - Mosses & Liverworts

These simple plants with shallow roots and limitted vascular system reliant on the damp humid conditions in the ground layers provided by moisture retention and shade

Carr Trees can accomodate interesting scarce bryophytes and should not be felled. In addition care should be taken not to defoliate too  many trees around them so that the important bryophytes which like humid conditions are then exposed to too much unaccustomed sun and thus heat and drying-out. The leafy liverworts will be particularly sensitive to lack of humidity.


Crescent Cup Liverwort
Thyme leaved Harts Tongue Moss
Swan Necked Thyme Moss
Rough Leaved Feather Moss
Common Feather Moss
Spagnhum Spp

Lichens
Xanthoria parietus

Fungi & Micro Fungi

Birch Woodwart - Hypoxylon multiforme
Candlesnuff Fungus - Xylaria hypoxylon 


Here is a list of NOTABLE INVERTEBRATE SPECIES associated with the habitat of WET WOODLAND

The Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus

Description

The palmate newt is a small species, males reaching only about 8.5 cm and females 9.5 cm. The base colour of both sexes is olive-green or brown, and a dark mask-like line runs across the head through the eyes; males and some females have a dark spotting on their backs.

Sometimes confused with the Smooth Newt, the palmate does not have the spotted throat of the smooth newt, but both sexes have yellow or pale-orange bellies that can show some spotting.

The male has webbed hind feet and a low, smooth crest along the back that continues into a slightly higher crest on the tail, ending in a thread-like tip during the breeding season of April - May. Males can also have enlarged cloacal regions when close to breeding due to the spermatophores exerting pressure on the cloacal tissue. The crest and filament become less obvious and may disappear at other times when they become terrestrial. Males also have marked dorsolateral ridges, giving them a rather square cross-section. Females grow to 10 cm (4 in) and males to 8.5 cm (3.3 in). During the breeding season, they are active during the day, as well as night, but outside this period, activity is restricted to rainy or humid nights.

All of our newts are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, prohibiting trade in any of the three species. Declines have been observed in all three species, probably a result of the loss of many ponds across the UK

Habitat

All of our newts leave hibernation in February or March, returning to ponds for breeding. Weedy ponds without fish are favoured. Weeds provide refuge for newts as well as providing egg-laying locations - on the undersides of leaves. The distribution of palmate newts seems to be influenced by a preference for shallow, soft water pools on acid soils. For palmate newts and great crested newts it is also important to have undisturbed terrestrial habitat around the ponds, providing refuge and good feeding sites. Common newts seem less concerned by the quality of the surrounding habitat.

Common newts are the most terrestrial of the three species, often being found far from water during the summer, when the breeding season is over. Palmate newts also spend much of the summer in terrestrial habitats. Great crested newts spend most of their time around ponds, although a lot of this will be spent on the surrounding land rather than in the water. Outside of the breeding season all three newt species are nocturnal, taking refuge in damp environments such as burrows, compost heaps or under stones during the day. These are also prime hibernation sites for the winter months.

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .

VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load

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Coelotes atropos - A Sheet Lace Weaver

A new Find for the Reserve

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .

VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load

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Moth Night 7 th September 2013

Thank you to everyone who atended the Moth Night on 7th September 2013 and in Particular Andy Cockroft , Brian and Robin for giveing up their Saturaday pm . A cold night following rain meant there was relatively few moths flyng

The general theme where the Rustic Moths below Autumnal Rustic and Black Rustic

- Particularly active where centipedes and millipedes and inspecting the leaf canopy by torchlight revealed a suprising number of finds such as Ladybird Pupae 14 Spot , Spiders and other invertebrates . Newts where also seen

A number of questions where asked about moths

Why Do they Fly to Light ?

Phototaxis is an organism's automatic movement toward or away from light.Cockroaches are an example of a negatively phototactic organism.You've probably noticed how they scurry back into dark corners. Moths are Positively Phottactic There is no definitive answer or combination of factors but some theories areA moth's up-down orientation might depend in part on the brightness of the sky relative to the ground.Moth Trapping also attracts Caddis Flies which look very similar to Moths

Are they attracted to anything else ?

Yes fruit odours or juices in the form of "wine ropes"

What Kind of Light was the Trap ?

Moths are more sensitive to some wavelengths of light -- ultraviolet, for example -- than they are to others. A white light will attract more moths than a yellow light. Yellow is a wavelength moths don't respond to. The MVL or Mercury Vapour Light emits a high proportion of UV or White Light it is worth noting that not all species are equally attracted to light and, with some, there is even a difference in attraction between the sexes too.

Do they stop Flying ?

In the main Moths can fly throughout the year but like all insects their movement is driven by Temperture , However The Winter moth and December Moth flies through the Winter and even has its own anti freezeeze to make this happen

What do they eat ?

What is more important is what do the caterpillars eat. Moths will avail of many nectar sources at hand from flowers but are very specific and like Butterflies many of the Caterpillar host plants have to be just right as the Mothsability to assimilate the host plant is geared to it

How do they see in the Dark ?

You might think a problem when breeding but moths have the ability to detect and follow chemicals called pheromones that females produce thereby making searching for a mate easier in the dark

Why study Moths ?

Because of the wide variety of species in Britain they are 2500 aprox Moths and their specificity to particular plants they are good Indicator Species of the state of the environment and ecology and reflect changes or problems in it if habitats are lost

 2117 Autumnal Rustic Eugnorisma glareosa

2232 Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra

Taken earlier in August at Rodley LNR

464 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella