7 minute read
Fungi on the farm
Last November we surveyed the fungi at Ash Tree Farm and discovered a phenomenal number of grassland species, including some rarities. On one visit we recorded 13 species of waxcap, which would constitute a site of national signi cance for this type of mushroom. It makes this one of the most diverse waxcap grasslands surveyed in our two counties over the last year.
The most notable species recorded is pink waxcap, often known as the ballerina waxcap because its pink cap ares out and splits like a tutu. This nationally scarce waxcap is classi ed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The UK remains its stronghold with half of all known European sites for this species found here.
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Earthy waxcap and toasted waxcap are also scarce in Leicestershire and Rutland. Finding them at Ash Tree Farm marks only the sixth county record for these species.
ploughs but has avoided disturbance from modern agricultural machinery.
“Ash Tree Farm is inspirational for us,” says Ben. “It’s the catalyst for wider landscape-scale nature recovery in South Leicestershire and will be invaluable in demonstrating to landowners and farmers how much can be achieved by relaxing the way land is managed, to let nature reclaim it.”
Exciting as this is for the Trust, we will be taking a watchful approach to our work at Ash Tree Farm, as Ben explains. “One of the brilliant aspects of Ash Tree Farm is that Michael let nature come back at its own pace, and that’s what we will continue to do. The next few years will be an observational period as we watch, study, record and learn about the wildlife here, and what could be changed to a ract even more. It will be a time for us to get to know the land and its diverse habitats.”
Above: Pink or ballerina waxcap; Right: Both species of earthtongue were found at fungi, but if lots of people walked over these rare grasslands they could be damaged,” says Ben. “We will find ways of showcasing these unusual waxcap and earthtongue fungi so more people can appreciate their beauty.”
Michael’s passion for nature at Ash Tree Farm is infectious. He’s recruited visitors to join the Trust and even encouraged contractors working on the woodland to make donations.
Like waxcaps, earthtongues are an excellent indicator of old, unfertilised grasslands. Earthtongues are uncommon in our counties - just four species have been recorded here. Incredibly, two of the species were found at Ash Tree Farm.
Michael is keen to welcome more people to visit the land here at his family home at Ash Tree Farm by private appointment, and the Trust will continue to facilitate this with care, to make sure we protect the tranquillity that has enabled wildlife to make its home here.
“There’s increased pressure on nature reserves when too many people visit and important fragile habitats can suffer. The site has some extraordinary grassland
“It’s been really inspiring working closely with Michael and his family on the Ash Tree Farm legacy project over the last two years,” says Ben.
“It’s hard to imagine the site as it was 40-odd years ago, with limited areas for wildlife. What we see today is a transformed landscape: rich in flowering plants, fungi, insects, birds and mammals, and a place where you can immerse yourself in nature in an otherwise nature-depleted region of the county. Ash Tree Farm will serve as a legacy for the people of South Leicestershire for generations to come and we are eternally grateful for this generous gi .”
For more information on Ash Tree Farm or to find out how you can leave your own legacy for nature in your will please call 0116 262 9968 or email info@lrwt.org.uk
Lbirch ike so many wild encounters, it came down to timing, research and a li le bit of luck. I knew I was in the right place – patrolling a patch of grass, shrubs and saplings beneath towering birch trees. I knew it was the right season, with the late spring sun warming the morning.
But there she was, a splash of red amongst the green. Hunkered on a leaf, soaking in the sunlight, warming up for her maiden flight. A female hazel pot beetle. She was almost cartoonishly oblong, a caricature of a beetle with her black head tucked beneath her bright red body. I’m not sure if it was her shape, her colour or her rarity that enchanted me, but that encounter will live long in my memory. I’ve enjoyed similarly magical moments with many more beetles, from dazzling jewel beetles to cliff tiger beetles racing across rocks. The sheer number and variety of beetles in the UK is staggering – there are more than 4,000 of them. Wherever you look, however long you search, there will always be a new beetle to discover. They’re even more diverse than The Beatles’ back catalogue and, I think, should be just as celebrated. It’s time for a new Beetlemania!
Tom Hibbert is a naturalist and content officer for The Wildlife Trusts. He’s currently on a quest to track down all of the UK’s tiger beetles.
Ladybird Madonna
If the nation had a favourite beetle, it would probably be a ladybird. They’re familiar, brightly coloured and considered the gardener’s friend, thanks to their appetite for aphids. When you picture a ladybird, it’s likely the 7-spot, with seven black dots decorating its bright red back. But did you know there are almost 50 species to discover in the UK?
Many of them share a similar style, pairing red and black. Others can be orange or yellow. These bright colours are a warning. They let potential predators know that this meal would leave a bad taste in the mouth. This is known as aposematic colouration. Studies have shown that brighter ladybirds tend to be more toxic, with birds less likely to a ack the brighter species as a result.
(relatively) impressive length of 8.5 mm. It’s a conifer yellow beetle, with rectangular black spots that o en dot ladybird can be as li le as 1.3 mm. It’s a black numbers.
The largest ladybird is the eyed ladybird, reaching a (relatively) impressive length of 8.5 mm. It’s a conifer specialist, best looked for on the branches of Scots pine. Whilst many ladybirds are found in trees, there are plenty to be discovered closer to the ground. The 14-spot ladybird stalks aphids across ne les and other low-growing plants. It’s a beautiful, bright yellow beetle, with rectangular black spots that o en fuse together.
Not all ladybirds are large and brightly coloured.
Not all ladybirds are large and brightly coloured. Almost half of our resident species are considered inconspicuous ladybirds. They’re small, subtly marked and much more difficult to find. The aptly named dot ladybird can be as li le as 1.3 mm. It’s a black speck o en found on fruit trees, where it hunts spider mites – helping to control their numbers.
Clockwise from bottom left: bloody nose beetle, 7-spot ladybird, red-headed cardinal beetle, soldier beetle, dock leaf beetle, oak jewel beetle, rosemary beetle, devil’s coach-horse, stag beetle, thick-legged flower beetle, black oil beetle.
Insect enthusiast
Tom Hibbert delves into the best of the beetles.
Let it bee
Imitation is the greatest form of fla ery, but it can also be an excellent survival strategy. Lots of defenceless insects have evolved to look like bees and wasps to fool predators. This is known as Batesian mimicry and there are some brilliant beetles ge ing in on the act.
One of my favourites is the bee beetle. It has black bands across its yellow wing cases, bringing to mind a bee’s bum. The effect is enhanced by a fuzzy ginger back and a habit of trundling across flowers. But as any good cover band knows, it’s not enough to look like your idol, you have to sound like them too. Bee beetles buzz as they fly from flower to flower. Sadly, you’re unlikely to see one away from Wales or the Highlands of Scotland.
Luckily, there’s another mimic found a lot more widely. The wasp beetle lives in woodlands across most of Britain. Yellow bands across its black body give the impression of a wasp. The beetle adds to this effect by moving in a jerky, wasp-like manner. You can o en find wasp beetles resting openly on leaves or fences, trusting their colours to keep them safe.
Did you know?
Rutland Water is home to Europe’s smallest and Britain’s largest beetles. Both are recent discoveries!
Hey jewel
7-spot ladybirds are a familiar sight in parks and gardens.
Beetles benefit from wilder gardens! Download our free guide to bring the best beetles to your patch wtru.st/Beetles striking purple stripes. It’s a recent arrival to the UK
How do you take a beetle and make it be er? You make it shiny! From shining stripes to metallic sheens, there are some gloriously glossy beetles in the UK.
Jewel beetles live up to their name, with some species shimmering emerald or bronze. But, like true precious gems, they’re hard to come by. Their larvae leave characteristic D-shaped holes in the trunks of trees, but it takes a lot of luck to spot an adult. Fortunately, there are plenty of shining beetles that are far more easily found.
For example, rose chafers. These big beetles are hard to miss, visiting flowers on a sunny day. They’re a gorgeous, metallic golden-green, their colours shi ing as the sun catches them. Like many beetles, they are pollinators, fulfilling the same important role as bees and bu erflies. Rose chafers are found throughout southern Britain, sometimes visiting gardens.
Another gli ering garden visitor is the rosemary beetle. Its metallic green back is embellished with striking purple stripes. It’s a recent arrival to the UK but has quickly spread. These beetles are easily found on rosemary and other aromatic plants. They are leaf beetles and share the genus Chrysolina with many equally a ractive species, including the mint leaf beetle and dead-ne le leaf beetle.
Twist and snout
from the bright and beetle and dead-ne le
Let’s shake it up from the bright and bold and explore some of our more bizarre beetles. When it comes to looks, weevils have the best nose in the business – though technically it’s a rostrum with their mouthparts at the end. This long ‘snout’ gives them a comical appearance, which is only enhanced by their large and o en prominent eyes.
One of the longest snouts belongs to the acorn weevil. Females use theirs to bore into an acorn, allowing them to lay an egg inside. The young weevil grows inside the acorn, eventually burrowing out to pupate in the soil. Not all weevils have such a long snout. The scarce fungus weevil’s rostrum is broad and fla ened. It feeds on the fungi known as King Alfred’s cakes, its mo led pa ern providing the perfect camouflage.
Whether they’re strangely shaped, shiny, brightly coloured or masterful mimics, beetles are brilliant. They are pollinators, predators and recyclers, carrying out the vital tasks that help keep wild places balanced. Let’s come together and celebrate these incredible insects.
