Grangelands, Bucks

Another chalk grassland trapping session at Grangelands and on the adjacent former rifle range with Martin Albertini and Peter Hall on Saturday failed to produce the expected hordes of Large Yellow Underwings which might reasonably have been expected on such a warm night at this time of year (it was still 20 Celsius when we left the site in the early hours of Sunday), but we viewed that as a bonus!  In fact there weren't hordes of any species although Blastobasis adustella, Agriphila tristella, Flame Shoulder, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Square-spot Rustic did appear in reasonable numbers.  It was good to get double-digit counts of Juniper Pug and Square-spotted Clay as well as sightings of Acompsia schmidtiellus, Dichomeris marginella, Ancylis comptana, Chalk Carpet, Beautiful Carpet, Antler, White-point, Rosy Minor, Tree-lichen Beauty & Bulrush Wainscot amongst getting on for 150 species.

Juniper Pug, Grangelands 22nd August

Chalk Carpet, Grangelands 22nd August

Bulrush Wainscot, Grangelands 22nd August

Amongst the other creatures identified was a single example of the Bombardier Beetle Brachinus crepitans.  Perhaps BBOWT ought to consider a health and safety warning to visitors because when threatened this little beast can fire off an explosive mixture of hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone at 100 Celsius!    

Dave Wilton