June Bioblitz 2011.

Our Bioblitz carried out over the weekend of June the 25th and 26th was blessed with good weather which turned out to be very hot on the Sunday.   Base Camp was established in the picnic area.

 The first task was a  Minibeast Hunt at 12.00 noon. To do this we went to what we call Lime Meadow on the right-hand side of the car park.  We used a vacuum sampler, sweep nets and a beating tray to find out about as many invertebrates living in this part of the park.
Our findings included this list of creatures. Meadow Grasshopper.  Roessel’s Bush Cricket.  Three different types of ladybird and ladybird larvae.  Crab spider.  Wolf spider. Orb Web spider.  Harvestman. Numerous different types of small beetle.  Various predatory bugs.  Huge numbers of grass mites. Meadow Brown butterfly.
At 3 p.m. we went on a Wildflower Hunt. People were allowed to pick a small sample of each Wildflower as long as it was not rare. Here are some of our findings.

Here is a list of our findings:-
Bramble
Wall Barley
Dock
Lambs Tongue Plantain
Dandelion
Lesser Bindweed
Cocksfoot Grass
Meadow Barley
Creeping  Thistle
Yarrow
Ribwort Plantain
Creeping Buttercup
Sorrel sp
Ladies Bedstraw
Cat's ear sp
Common Storks bill
Red Clover
Creeping Cinquefoil
 Meadow Buttercup
Quaking Grass
*Oxeye Daisy
 Dwarf Thistle
Bird's foot trefoil
Goatsbeard
Lawn Daisy
Cut leaved Cranesbill
White Clover
Hogweed
Meadow Vetchling
Agrimony
Speedwell
Mouse Ear Chickweed
Black Medick.
At 7 p.m.on Saturday evening we prepared some Longworth  small mammal traps. Each was carefully weighted with some nest material,Harry Hamster Muesli, some casters and mealworms and a slice of apple for moisture.   

And then we came back the following morning to check the catch. We caught Wood Mice, Bank Voles and Common Shrew.

They were all released back alive.

Later on in the morning we went 'pond dipping' in the River Stort backwater. We caught a good variety of freshwater life including Freshwater Shrimp, Water Hoglouse, a variety of water snails, Pea Cockles, Small water beetles, Damselfly nymphs, Mayfly nymphs, Alder Fly Larvae and various otherLarvae and worms.

 The event Finished at 12 o'clock on Sunday and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, We had been blessed with good weather!