Migrant Hawker trapped in a spider's web
There were numerous Migrant Hawkers Aeshna mixta at Pickering Park Lake on 14th September. Each sizeable clump of rushes around the edge of the lake had 2-5 males patrolling through the vegetation. Only a few female Migrant Hawkers were spotted including a female which was egg laying in the rushes. One unfortunate female, when flying though the rushes, had become trapped in the web of a Garden Spider Araneus diadematus. This Migrant Hawker was already lifeless when we found it.
Dick Shillaker, 23 September
BSBI New Year Plant Hunt - Gorse was the only plant on top 20 list we failed to find on both occasions.
This male Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis was photographed in East Park, Hull on Sunday 8th September; it is apparently the first verified record of the species in south east Yorkshire and possibly only the second record for the whole county. The finding was not unexpected as the Willow Emerald (commonly found in central and southern Europe) has been spreading northwards with reports this year from Cleethorpes and Alkborough, and with one record from just north of Scarborough. At East Park, I spotted some differences from our 'local' Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa, notably the small pale brown 'cell', pterostigma, on each wing. However, I could not get a clear enough view of the insect and, being such a recent colonist of the UK (first adult reported from Suffolk in 2007), this species was not featured in the field guide I had with me. Closer examination of photographs on the computer revealed clear features of Willow Emerald such as the forward pointing dark spur on the side of the thorax. I would expect more records from East Park as the lake would seem to provide ideal habitat for a species that lays its eggs in branches of trees, especially willows, overhanging water.
On 13 May Mervin Nethercoat of the Beverley Naturalists' Society discovered a single flowering spike of Anacamptis morio growing on Beverley Westwood. In the 19th century this orchid was considered to be very common in pastures throughout East Yorkshire; it is now restricted to only a (small) handful of sites. A very welcome new record!
A shell of Planorbarius corneus found in dredgings from the Barmston Drain near Arram. The specimen was imaged using a desk-top scanner.
Our evening visit to Swine Moor was rewarded with the discovery of two flowering spikes of Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. incarnata discovered independently by Gabrielle Jarvis and Helen Kitson. This is a very scarce plant in East Yorkshire and appears to be the first Beverley record since it was noted by Robert Teesdale in 1800.
Highlight of the field trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park was this Sanitary-ware tree (Lavatera latrinis). Found only within the boundaries of the park, it favours wetter areas close to drains and sewers. It is dioecious, the two sexes being distinguished by examining the ‘seats’ which are more frequently in the raised position in the male. The large flowers are pollinated by flies, attracted by the characteristic scent, which is particularly noticeable in warm weather.
