Nature Natters (3) – Garden Bees

Nature: natters (3) – Garden Bees

The first bees to visit the garden in early spring are the bumblebees, the queens emerge from hibernation in early spring usually after the first spell of warm weather. Often the Buff-tailed Bumblebee is the first to emerge, this is our largest bee and as its name suggests has a buff coloured tip to the abdomen, the similar White-tailed Bumblebee is smaller and has a white tail, both have two yellow bands on a black body. The Red-tailed Bumblebee is jet black with an orange-red tail and the ginger-haired Common Carder Bee are also common garden visitors. Initially they will visit early flowers for nectar before seeking out a suitable nesting site, they will then begin to collect pollen to feed their offspring.

Bumblebee nests will often attract unwanted visitors in the form of Cuckoo Bumblebees, these have no workers and do not collect pollen, instead relying on the host species to rear their offspring. There are six species which have similar appearance to the species whose nest they take over, although they are less hairy and have a dark tinge to the wings.

The Honey Bee is another spring species, often appearing just after the bumblebees, these are slender bees and less hairy than bumblebees which live in large colonies. They collect both nectar and pollen straight away to replenish the stocks of supplies for the hive, the pollen is often visible on the hind legs of the bee.

Many species of solitary bee visit gardens, unlike bumblebees and honey bees they do not live in colonies although many nest in large numbers in close proximity. The female will construct a small nest often in the soil, in dead wood or even in soft mortar, she will then lay a small number of eggs. The eggs are provided with a supply of nectar and pollen and sealed within the nest, the majority will not hatch until the following year. The majority of solitary bees emerge in spring and are particularly important pollinators of fruit crops. Leaf-cutter Bees are an interesting group of solitary bees, the females of these insects are often responsible for cutting neat semi-circles from the leaves of roses. They will carry the cut section under their body back to the nest where they are used to line the cells in which the eggs are laid.

Solitary bees can be encouraged into the garden by providing suitable nesting sites, both natural and artificial, south or east facing situations work best, especially if there are nectar sources nearby. Holes up to 10mm in diameter can be drilled in logs or other wooden structures to various depths, these will attract a variety of species. Otherwise short lengths of bamboo cane or even drinking straws can be placed in bundles in suitable sites around the garden.

As with bumblebees the nests of solitary bees may be taken over by cuckoo bees which enter the nest where they lay their own eggs. These hatch out before those of the host species, they then feed on the contents of the nest cells prior to emerging. The so-called Nomad Bees are often the most obvious, these are almost hairless bees often with red, yellow and black stripes on the abdomen giving them a wasp-like appearance.

Recent declines in populations of many bee species has seen gardens and allotments become increasingly important as food sources and nest sites for many bee species. As part of the project to produce a distribution atlas of Hymenoptera in the Cheshire region RECORD are looking for volunteers to record visits by a selection of those bee species which regularly gardens or allotments. Details of the species concerned, their identification and recording form are available from the RECORD websitewww.record-lrc.co.uk or by post from the Zoology Department at World Museum, William Brown St, Liverpool, L3 8EN.

You can also send Warrington Nature Conservation a message via our new web sitehttp://www.wncf.co.uk/

Tony Parker – Assistant Curator Vertebrate Zoology

Zoology Department at World Museum

Digital Path Wardens take to Facebook

Digital Path Wardens take to Facebook

 

Path Warden Geoff Settle has just started his annual audit of footpaths within the Parish of Poulton with Fearnhead. His duties, like those of other volunteer Parish Path Wardens are to send regular reports to the Rights of Way lead officer, John Thorp about the condition, accessibility and signage of footpaths across the Borough.

Building on his time as the first Digital Mayor of Warrington and Knowledge Management advisor for Vertex Data Science, Geoff has trialled social media to see what benefits it can bring.

He set up a new Facebook page called the Warrington Rights of Way Forum and posted photographs and comments about six definitive footpaths (i.e. the ones with green signs).

The trial went well and John said at last week’s quarterly meeting of the Rights of Way “This looks like it could be very useful. I could get on the Forum page you’ve set up to view the photos and comments. Thanks for those. I intend to be in the area soon so will walk the paths and consider your requests.”

The obvious benefit is that a picture is worth a thousand words said Geoff and I he found the current paper forms a bit cumbersome.

He continued “I used to deliver simple web sites using Microsoft SharePoint as part of a Knowledge Management Team for clients like United Utilities and Westminster County Council and I am applying the basic principles we developed.

The Facebook is a free resource that path wardens can use to share information, it is easily accessible, paperless and we can quickly alert John by sending a photograph or video of the issue.”

As Chair of Warrington Nature Conservation Forum, we have been using it as an effective tool for many years. We have also added a Twitter account to make the process even better. They are both proving to be very successful and effective tools that have broadened our area of influence and enhanced our ability to communicate with our partners, members and the public.

The only problem Geoff has experienced so far has been when he I decided to start getting fitter. He combined path audits with his passion for running. Unfortunately, two weeks ago, whilst running fast along a footpath he tripped over some concealed branches and fell head first.

He said, “As I flew through the air I knew that it was going to be painful but as I sat on the ground getting some wind back into my lungs I managed to take a selfie to view the damage to my head.”

He has of course posted the selfie on Facebook and recovery is progressing well but don’t make him laugh as his ribs are still a bit tender.

Everyone is encouraged to get out and use the footpaths and post any comments etc on the Facebook site. To access just enter Warrington Rights of Way Facebook into the Facebook search engine or use this link.

https://www.facebook.com/Warrington-Rights-of-Way-Forum-411639655698624/

Geoff Settle 6/8/2017

Orchid protection: an email to the Council

 

Hi Kevin,  (WBC Wildflower expert)

I sent an email to contact on 15/6/2017 about the issues being raised by the WNCF members year on year about the cutting of Bee-Orchids.

We did write a few years ago and a meeting was to be arranged but never took place.

Back in 2014 I remember painting their beauty when there were 50 spikes off Greenall Avenue in a small wood and grassed area not far from Morrisons.

Your department was informed and sent a map but a week later they mowed down. We were told that this was an error on behalf of an inexperienced mower who hadn’t been shown the map we provided.

In a subsequent year when there was a halt to grass cutting a further 100 spikes appeared at the side of the Birchwood expressway by the bridge over the M6 and many people contacted us to describe this rare sight. Alas this has since been mowed and manicured!!

This year I found NONE at Birchwood site and only 5 at Greenall Ave. In addition this area had in fact been churned up as you can see from the attached photo. In the small wood saplings had been cut down and turned into sawdust that has been scattered throughout the thicket.

I’m not sure who maintains this thicket but I’m sure that the action and disturbance was detrimental to the orchids ability to grow.

We realise that some residents do not appreciate wildlife and would rather see our grass verges and small meadows turned into bowling greens only to look at as they drive past but the vast majority of people don’t, at least they wouldn’t if they knew what they were missing. On a related issues this does damage to the environment for the wildlife especially the birds, bees, insects etc.

Have you yet had time to consider our proposals to at least sustain from cutting grass in these areas until the seeds have set and others that can be identified whilst the wild flowers have their moment in the season?

It was only two weeks ago that I saw a very good example of how this is being managed at Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales a village next to my namesake of Settle. The area was simply signed with a brief description of the intent and photos of the wildflowers they hope to protect and why i.e. protect a small meadow of wild flowers and roped off.

Nearer home this happens at Southworth Hall Farm just west of Croft.

Can you comment on our suggestions? We are more than happy to help you to work towards a best practice for wildflowers.

Geoff Settle (Chair WNCF)

The Big Butterfly Count 2017

The Big Butterfly Count

The big butterfly count is a nationwide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment.

Big butterfly count 2017 will take place from Friday 14 July to Sunday 6 August.

Chair of the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum, Geoff Settle said “I have taken part in this survey every year and it is a very important indicator as to the health of our Natural Environment and our members would love it if the Warrington public got involved. It is so easy to do and only takes 15 minutes on a sunny warm day wherever you happen to be at home or on holiday .”

It was launched in 2010 and has rapidly become the world’s biggest survey of butterflies. Over 36,000 people took part in 2016, counting almost 400,000 individual butterflies and day-flying moths across the UK.

Geoff continued “All you have to do is log on to the webite

http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/ 

where you will be able to download a butterfly chart and find out more information, there is even a phone app.

“Yesterday I walked to my local Blackbrook brook and within 15 minutes I had seen 4 beautiful brown/orange commas, 2 large whites and 4 small whites. The day before I only saw one butterfly a Holly Blue and later at the new Spittle Brook bridge a single small white but then it was late in the evening for both sessions.

Comma (Polygonia c-album)
Comma (Polygonia c-album)

“Even if you see no butterflies during your 15 minute spell that in itself is worthwhile recording but with the warm and sunny weather ahead I’m sure that you will see loads.

Geoff says that It’s good fun and a bit like conducting a treasure hunt, that you can do anywhere, but make sure that it is a safe place and well away from any hazards, especially underfoot. You don’t want to be focused on the butterfly working out the species and tripping yourself up as you try and get a closer look.

Geoff Settle July 2017

Development of the old Parkside Colliery site

Plans for the redevelopment of the Parkside Colliery are now beginning to be submitted with consultations currently taking place.  One planning application for requesting EIA Scoping Opinion has been submitted to Warrington Borough Council in line with application for access roads see planning application 2107/30726 at the WBC planning applications Webpage.  For more information check out the documents on the Parkside development website at http://www.thisisparkside.co.uk/

Under the latest news is the dates of the consultation which have unfortunately passed as the last one was today 13/07/17.  However there are downloads of the presentations as PDF’s at http://www.thisisparkside.co.uk/consultation/ with a link to the PDFs via the link from Parkside Regeneration – Exhibition banners  http://www.thisisparkside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Parkside-Exhibition-Banners-website-version-.pdf

Although only some of the actual site is within the boundaries of Warrington Borough Council, it will have a major impact on the wildlife and the environs of Warrington.

Nature Natters June 2017

Here is the full article sent to the Warrington Guardian and published on 29/06/17

Butterfly Beauty

Small tortoiseshell
Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)

We are now at the start of the butterfly season as they wake from hibernation or hatch out of their cocoons as the days get warmer and sunnier. On such a day, recently I saw not just one but two Orange Tip butterflies plus a few whites flying around the newly sculptured Spittle Brook area in Cinnamon Brow. Last week alongside the Blackbrook stream I saw a large clouded yellow, several speckled woods, small whites and a holly blue in the space of 5 minutes. So, plenty of variety and colour is out there already so go and see what’s in your neighbourhood.

The good thing with butterflies is that you don’t have to travel far to see them and they will visit your garden if you sew a variety of wild flowers seeds. This will also help counter the modern-day practice of councils cutting grass at the sides of roads and spraying weed killer which is destroying the insect’s natural habitat. For a chance of seeing a variety of butterfly why not visit Warrington’s Nature Reserves, especially Rixton Clay Pits and Moore Nature Reserve as well as our Parks. Many of these places have information boards that illustrate what you are likely to see there.

You might think they’d be easy to identify and most are but butterflies by their very nature do not stay still for long. You will often find yourself in a game of stealth and chase. Be sneaky and use binoculars, they will get you closer without disturbing them. To help identify what you’ve seen you can use your mobile phone to access the Butterfly Conservation web site. I however favour a pocket book like the Collins Butterfly Guide or a laminated card. You can purchase these at any good book, RSPB or National Trust shop or online vendor.

Try and take your phone or camera with you to record what you see before it flies away. You can then double check when you get home. Don’t forget that the Cheshire Wildlife Trust occasionally run butterfly courses so check their web site for details.

With practice and research, you will become more adept at identifying them and learn about the different types by understanding about size, markings and habitat. Of the three whites, mentioned above the easiest to identify was the Orange Tip with its bright orange edges to its wings and green veins underneath. The other whites were a bit trickier but the Large White is the that flies the highest whilst the Small White remains closer to the ground. The black markings and spots allow you to distinguish between male (one spot) and female (two spots).

The month of May is still a good time to sow wildflower seeds. They will attract the butterflies in the summer to your garden and only cost a few pounds a packet from any garden centre. I have even cultivated a buddleia from a cutting that attracts Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies. This took a couple of years to mature and flower but it was time well spent.

Peacock Butterfly
Peacock (Aglais io)

Finally, we have just launched our new web site  www.wncf.co.uk It is a work in progress but there are links to our partners one of which is www.record-lrc.co.uk where you can record your butterfly sightings and help record the Town’s biodiversity. Any problems or queries use the WNCF web site contact window to send us a message and we will get back to you.

 

Geoff Settle

 

Houghton Green Pumping Station Site Survey June 2017

WNCF members carried out a mini BioBlitz at Houghton Green Pumping Station on Friday evening and into Saturday 16th and 17th June 2017.

Large Skipper
Marsh Orchid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bat survey was undertaken on the 16th June 2017. Four species were recorded with at least 2 each of Noctule and Common Pipistrelle noted and single records of Soprano Pipistrelle along with a brief feeding pass of a Myotis (Whiskered) species of bat. Prior to the start of the bat survey a Barn Owl was noted on the grounds. The walk over survey was carried out on 17th June 2017.

The purpose of the mini bio blitz was to create a base line list of species (Houghton Green pumping station site survey June 2017).This can be added to previously recorded site data as well as providing a starting point for future surveys and comparisons.

Nature Natters April 2017

Here is the full article sent to the Warrington Guardian in April 2017

 

If you are interested in nature or have ever wondered who to contact if you have concerns about threats to wildlife near to where you live, then the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum is a group that can help.

Established in 1992 as part of Agenda 21, which was itself a spin-off from the United Nations Rio Summit on the Environment, the Forum’s aims are to involve local people in decision making on matters affecting the natural environment and assessing Warrington’s natural wealth through surveys and recording.  In addition, our aim is to enable the improvement and management of wildlife habitats in the Borough of Warrington and provide better access to nature alongside our Wildlife partners

It may come as a surprise to some that Warrington has many nature reserves that are of regional and national importance for wildlife such as Risley Moss, Woolston Eyes, Moore Nature Reserve and Rixton Claypits.  These are all Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), with Rixton Claypits and Risley Moss also having a higher, European, designation.  These sites are known to local people who visit, but not to all Warringtonians.  Warrington’s best sites are visited by many people from outside the area, attracted to Woolston Eyes for example as the main breeding site in the U.K. for a very rare grebe.

Forum members have interests in all types of wildlife and are passionate about protecting our natural assets. The Forum has worked closely with Warrington Council for nearly 25 years, providing support and expertise to the Council’s Natural Environment Officer, and contributed greatly to the Nature Conservation Strategy that the Council adopted some years ago.  This worked well until recently, but with cuts to Local Authority budgets the Environment Officer post has been lost along with our web page and the Ranger Service reduced to a fraction of what it once was.  As a result, care of our parks and some of our wildlife sites have suffered, as has scrutiny of planning applications that could have a detrimental effect on our wildlife.  Housing developments and HS2 pose other threats.

The voice of the Forum is therefore more important than ever and we would be pleased to welcome anyone with an interest in wildlife to become a member of the Forum.  You do not have to be an expert and will receive a friendly welcome and hopefully learn more about the great wildlife that shares Warrington with us.  No-one will forget the amazing Starling roost at Woolston Eyes (estimated to be 400,000 birds) a few winters ago, that astonished those who saw it and even attracted a well-known BBC presenter!

If you would like to know more about the Forum please visit the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum website www.wncf.co.uk and to contact us through the page or through our e mail address: wncf@wncf.co.uk, or see our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/Warrington-Nature-Conservation-Forum-110886079024465/ We meet quarterly, almost always with a speaker and we also arrange outdoor meetings at local sites.  We are in the process to developing a new website that will be up and running very soon.

With Spring now almost with us migrant birds are beginning to arrive and closer to home frogs are spawning in ponds.  Already an Osprey has been seen over Warrington and the first Sand Martins and Chiffchaffs are back. Resident birds are singing loudly, a foretaste of what is to come.  The Blackthorn bushes have almost finished flowering, and Coltsfoot, early Dandelions and Crocuses are attracting Bumblebee queens.

 

 

reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why not join us in the Forum, discover the richness and diversity of Warrington’s wildlife, and help contribute to its protection?  For further details please email wncf@wncf.co.uk

 

Brian Martin

Warrington Guardian 11/05/17

Have you seen page 42 (Club & Societies) of the Warrington Guardian today below is a copy for you to read. It’s an account I wrote about Sunday’s RECORD Conference at the Chester Zoo Lecture Theatre. Photos to go with the article can be found below posted on Sunday.

Warrington has a wealth of ecologists who live in the Town and on Sunday 7th May several of them played a big part delivering speeches at the Annual RECORD Conference at Chester Zoo.
Their passion shone through for their specialisms as well as recording data on RODIS (RECORD Online Data Input System) the Cheshire Biodiversity database.

What has Jeff Clarke found?

RECORD is a charity and non-profit making organisation that deals with all data for Cheshire wildlife, Cheshire biodiversity, Cheshire nature, Cheshire habitats, Cheshire wildlife sites and Cheshire geology, geomorphology and geodiversity.

The Chair of RECORD, Tony Parker from Penketh introduced the speakers in turn. Many of them are members of the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum (WNCF) in fact Tony is a past chair.

The opening speaker and author Hugh Warwick gave a very interesting talk on his theory of Linescape:- Remapping and Reconnecting Britain’s Fragmented Wildlife (also the title of his new book).

His theory stems from decades of studying Hedgehogs.
Hugh said, “One way to help reconnect Hedgehog’s journeys is to make holes at the base of garden fences to allow them to get through to neighbouring gardens. The holes reconnect the hedgehog’s linescape.”

The WNCF will look for more ways of re-establishing the linescape in Warrington.

The next topic was about Swift surveys in Chester given by Roger Nutter.

Roger Nutter praising the work of Brian Martin

During his talk, he praised Brian Martin a renown birder from Grappenhall. He said “Brian produced a comprehensive Swift survey across Cheshire back in 1995. We have been using his knowledge and expertise to guide us.

Jane Cullen from Latchford (Warrington Guardian’s 2015 Great and Green Award Winner) spoke about the work of the Wirral and Cheshire Badger Group under the title of the “Data Sett”.

Jane Cullen with Data Sett

The group’s aim is to protect the badger in many ways including a vaccination programme to prevent TB spreading to Cheshire and badgers being culled.

A colourful talk followed about Diptera (the study of flies) by Glenn Roston covering Hoverflies, Soldier flies, Crane flies and many more. He cited the excellent recording work and academic papers of his colleague from Croft, Phil Brighton.

Phil Brighton with a new project for the North West

The last speaker Carl Clee works with Tony Parker at Liverpool World Museum and he described the work that they are doing to produce the first ever on-line “Atlas of Bees, Wasps and Ants of Lancashire and Cheshire.”

Geoff Settle.

New Training Opportunity

Carbon Landscape Trainee Placements

Closing date: Sunday 14th May 2017

Location: Wildlife Trust Wigan Office, Three Sisters Recreation Area, Wigan. WN4 8DD

A great opportunity for anyone who is looking to have a career in environmental conservation.

There are 3 nine month, part time placements available starting in July based in Wigan.

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity

http://www.lancswt.org.uk/jobs/carbon-landscape-trainee-placements