Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society

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GNS Field Meeting, Splatt Bridge, 17th May 2009

The main focus of this walk was to see a Hairy Dragonfly and hear and/or see a cuckoo. Five GNS members, including a junior, met at 11am after a torrential rainstorm and a short sunny spell. It was cloudy when we set off over Splatt Bridge, Frampton, and travelled southwards along the towpath of the Sharpness - Gloucester Canal. It was too windy for flying insects, but we did see a drinker moth caterpillar, a dark bush-cricket nymph, and heard the lovely sound of birdsong in the bushes - blackcap, sedge warbler, chiffchaff and lesser whitethroat. We passed through the gate to cross the two fields towards Green Lane, and here we had a botany lesson from Juliet who explained the characteristics and differences between three species of buttercup. By the gate into Green Lane, a small copper butterfly and another drinker moth caterpillar were seen. Once in Green Lane we started to look carefully for any signs of the Hairy Dragonfly, but unfortunately all we saw were damselflies – Large Red, Blue-tailed, Common Blue and Azure - sheltering in the vegetation, as well as an alien Harlequin ladybird, a 14-spot joined ladybird, a Cardinal beetle, and Orange Tip and Green-veined white butterflies. As we entered a short way into the WWT 100 Acres, another drinker moth caterpillar was spotted, which Amy is holding in the picture below. We also saw a 19-spot (water) ladybird, a green-coloured leaf beetle, black and red frog-hoppers, and a poisonous plant – Hemlock Water Dropwort. Whilst here the rain that had threatened for most of the walk began to fall and we beat a hasty retreat back to the cars. The highlights of the meeting were a quick glimpse of a grass snake as it disappeared into the vegetation, and walking back along the canal we did hear a cuckoo. It was just a shame that the conditions were not right for us to see a Hairy Dragonfly.

Ingrid Twissell.

News about more surveys

The RSPB is looking for bird surveyors in Gloucestershire to be part of the Volunteer & Farmer Alliance, a project that provides farmers with free bird surveys. If you have the skills to be able to identify many birds by sight and call and would like the opportunity to take part, please contact Felicity Clarke, RSPB South West Regional Office, Keble House, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1NT, 01392 453774, Felicity.Clarke ***at*** RSPB.org.uk.

The Herpetological Conservation Trust has recently announced a national 'stock-take' of the reptiles and amphibians in the UK's gardens. More details here.

The Open University is also interested in your participation, in this case so that you can contribute to evolution research by surveying the Brown-lipped Banded Snail Cepaea nemoralis. There is a lot of information here, including instructional videos on snail surveying.

More Field Trip Sound Files

This time from the Garden Cliff, Westbury-on-Severn on 21 February.

Garden Cliff Part 1. (1.67 MB)

Garden Cliff Part 2. (1.53 MB)

The recordings are from Vernon Harwood's radio show "The Spirit of Gloucestershire" made available by courtesy of Brian Bailey and BBC Radio Gloucestershire - copyright remains with BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

GNS Coach Trip, Sunday 17 May 2009

To Aylesbeare Common RSPB Reserve & Otter Estuary Nature Reserve (Budleigh Salterton)

Leave Cirencester Beeches Car Park at 8.30am

Leave Budleigh Salterton at 4.30pm

The cost will be £22.00 and the closing date for bookings is 26 April 2009 Please confirm your interest to David Scott-Langley on 01285 659631 or david AT scott-langley.freeserve.co.uk
(Please edit email!)
Or sign up at the AGM or the next Cirencester indoor meeting on April 3rd.

We will contact you shortly afterwards to confirm whether or not the trip will go ahead.

Online Recording

Those of you in the county with a keen interest in birds will already know that in addition to the BTO Atlas there is the very successful online recording facility at http://www.universalquestions.com/nature

The recording system has now been extended to embrace the following categories:
Butterflies
Dragonflies and damselflies
Mammals
Orchids

Richard Beal's software provides a straightforward but nevertheless sophisticated way of getting your sightings from your desktop to the county recorders and by using the system you can make a valuable contribution to the GNS ongoing recording effort. After a simple registration procedure you can start recording straightaway and you can return to the web site at any time by simply logging in.

Urban Fox Survey

As from March 2009 The Daily Telegraph is running an urban fox survey with online record entry and a Google map showing the pattern of sightings. This page has all the details. There is also a new earthworm survey for which details are on the links page.

Listen to GNS!

Sample a GNS field trip from the comfort of home and listen to these sound files made by Brian Bailey for BBC Radio Gloucestershire during the 60th Anniversary Leckhampton trip.

Part 1. (1.21 MB)

Part 2. (1.02 MB)

The files include interviews with GNS recorders and give a flavour of this key part of the Society's many activities. The recordings are from Vernon Harwood's radio show "The Spirit of Gloucestershire" made available by courtesy of Brian Bailey and BBC Radio Gloucestershire - copyright remains with BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

GNS Field Trip to Garden Cliff, Westbury-on-Severn, 21 February 2009

The GNS field trip to Garden Cliff at Westbury-on-Severn scheduled for the 21st February took place on a gloriously warm and sunny day which had all the signs of a promising Spring about it. The meeting point at Westbury Village Hall proved to be a good location where cars could be left and the assembled company of 14 members led by Membership Secretary Andrew Bluett walked down Strand Lane to The Strand at the end of the public road on the river bank close to the western end of Garden Cliff.

After clambering down over the river wall onto the “beach” the members were led along the foreshore below the cliff to the eastern end, then up and over the river bank and back via the public footpath along the top of the cliff back to Strand Lane.

Garden Cliff is one manifestation of the mudstone beds that are evident throughout the Severn Valley and exposed at Wainlodes in the north, Garden Cliff, Newnham, Bullo and Box Wood (Awre) in the west, Hock Cliff in the east and Aust Cliffs (adjacent to the Severn Bridge) in the south. Sometimes referred to as Keuper Marls, the mudstone (which is so friable and soft as to barely warrant the title “rock”) was formed in the upper Triassic some 200+ million years ago and marks the boundary with the later Jurassic period. With its stripes of green-grey and red strata, Garden Cliff stands out as a visible landmark in the alluvial plain. Within the strata the stone is visibly globular and breaks down into characteristic near spherical and curved, sharp edged fragments and even in the light winds during the visit, was constantly being wind eroded with small falls of rock occurring most of the time. The beds were formed in arid, semi-desert conditions before being overlaid by brackish and marine water borne sediments of the early Jurassic.

At the eastern end of the cliff the strata dips down so that the overlying beds of shale, sandstone and limestone are visible and within reach. The foreshore at this point is littered with slabs of fossilised beach fragments, the ripples clearly visible and diagnostically marine formed as evidenced by their profile. (The varied strata in the cliff are clearly shown in this picture taken by Ingrid Twissel.)

Within these beds there are fossils of sea shells and marine creatures including fish whose teeth, scales and bones can be found along with Ichthyosaur and Pleisiosaur bones, coprolites (fossilized excrement), Shark’s teeth, and the remains of choristoderes, these being marine, lizard-like creatures which grew to 1m in length. It is also possible to find deposits of Pyrites (Fool’s Gold) with particles from dust size to crystals several millimetres across and in both gold and a copper-red colour, several members collected samples of both.

More detail on Garden Cliff and the other sites in this geological group is available here.

On arrival at the site it was immediately clear that the river level was at its lowest ebb, there were large expanses of sand exposed and covered with hundreds of Gulls of several species, mainly Lesser Black Backed interspersed with Greater Black Backed, Herring, Common and Black Headed Gulls and Crows. Within minutes of walking along the beach Colin Twissel had located the first of seven Smooth Newts (see Colin's picture below) whilst turning over driftwood in search of insects. Much speculative discussion took place as to why these creatures were present in what appears to be an alien environment for them. One specimen could be seen to be accidental, but seven suggests something different. Is this in fact a habitat where they occur naturally? Or are the Newts casualties from washout of watercourses after the flooding and snow melt that have made landfall on the foreshore and taken temporary refuge? The question remains to be answered.

On the cliff face there was evidence of roosting Peregrine and Kestrel in the splashes of “whitewash” littered under several perching points, unfortunately neither bird was present, and 3 Mallards floated offshore.

At the eastern end of the cliff the party spent some time searching for fossils and for Pyrites with some success and with helpful comments on geological and paleontological matters from Dr Mike McEllin, before scaling the river bank and beginning the trek back along the cliff top footpath towards the start point.

In the fields stretching back from the cliff edge flowering Speedwell was located, two Rabbits and Two Hares were seen, there were Buzzards and a flock of up to 30 Reed Buntings frequenting the thorn thicket on the cliff edge and flying out from the bushes to alight and feed in the grass. Dead Elms were scattered along the cliff top, none more than 10 inches in diameter and all victims of Dutch Elm Disease. The first butterfly of the year, a small Tortoiseshell, flew by and a Raven called from somewhere across the river.

Other species noted during the walk were freshwater shrimps (Gammarus) under stones and driftwood, a singing Blackcap at The Strand, a Green Woodpecker and Little Owl calling near Moys Hill Farm and a Cormorant over the river. Footprints of a mammal were found on the foreshore, a round pad with five smaller round toe prints which were possibly Otter and there were a few Snowdrops in full flower on the walk back to the Village Hall.

Altogether a very enjoyable and successful walk with a few surprises and with both river and weather conditions being near perfect it was enjoyed by all present.

Andrew Bluett, 21st February 2009

GNS 60th Anniversary – Re-enactment of the first GNS Field Trip to Leckhampton Hill.

The first field trip by the then newly formed GNS took place in 1948, the rendezvous point being “A Bus Stop” on Leckhampton Hill. No details of the trip were recorded and there is no known anecdotal evidence of where the trip actually took place, or of what was observed. However, it was decided by the committee that a celebratory and commemorative general walk and field trip ought to be undertaken by some of the society’s present members.

The date was set for 13th December 2008, the meeting point being the former Brownstone Quarry at SO 951 179 which is in itself a Local Nature Reserve. The meeting was led by Andrew Bluett, the membership secretary and attended by 10 members, Mike Smart, Juliet Bailey, Colin & Ingrid Twissell, Ken Cservenka, Drs M Astle & M McEllin and their daughters, Alice & Katie McEllin, two of the younger and newer members of the Society. The final member of the party was Brian Bailey, both as a member, and in his capacity as BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s roving reporter on matters of countryside and nature and whose work features in Vernon Harwood’s radio show on Sunday mornings and which celebrates the “Spirit of Gloucestershire”.

The party took a route from the quarry car park to Hill Farm, then roughly north-east across the cultivated land to the intersection of the Cotswold Way which was then followed along the ridge of Charlton Kings Common from which there were magnificent and uninterrupted views to the west and north as far as the Black Mountains and Clee Hill, then roughly south over Hartley Hill to Hartley Farm and back along the minor road to the start point.

Wildlife noted during the walk featured an impressive list of birds (given that it was a very cold, frosty and windy day on an exposed hilltop) including a flock of up to 65 Golden Plover, a similar number of Lapwings, flocks of finches, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, Buzzard & Kestrel, a few Tits and winter Thrushes and a mixed flock of Corvids (all of which were recorded as “Roving Records” for the BTO Atlas project) . Dr Astle discovered a large lump of the local soft Oolitic limestone embedded with a variety of ancient fossilised marine shells, Juliet Bailey identified 19 species of Lichen and noted 5 flowering plants – Gorse, Dandelion, Groundsel, Oilseed Rape and Sherherd’s Purse. Mammals seen included 2 Roe Deer and Rabbits, the local Hares proved elusive.

Hartley Farm is in itself interesting, the farmer, Mr G Powell, is very conservation minded and keeps footpaths open and well marked, rotates a variety of crops, keeps a flock of true Cotswold Sheep (now a rare breed), maintains Badger gates and two large areas of Grass Ley which have been undisturbed for many decades and are therefore wild flower rich. The Roe Deer are regular and reasonably easily seen, game cover for Pheasant shooting interests provides both food and habitat for a variety of birds and other animals. In good years up to 3 pairs of Lapwings breed, usually on the Linseed drilled fields, there are perhaps a dozen pairs of Yellowhammer, resident Kestrel, Buzzard, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and occasional Grasshopper Warbler. Migrating birds pause on the hilltop and farmland including Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Stonechat, Cuckoo and the like.

For those interested in taking a walk anywhere on Leckhampton and Hartley Hills, apart from the above, Charlton Kings Common attracts a variety of wildlife, is reasonably good for Butterflies, is an excellent place for reptiles with both Adders and Lizards easy to find, holds Edible (Roman) Snails and is an excellent viewpoint, whether just taking in the scenery, or for watching passing bird life. The area is interesting for geologists and for industrial archaeologists alike. There are a number of marked footpaths offering a variety of routes – the only limit is the amount of energy one is prepared to expend…!

During the walk, Brian Bailey recorded some material which was later broadcast on BBC Radio Gloucestershire on Sunday 18th January 2009.

To those who took part, thank you for your company, to those unable to join us, I recommend a walk on Leckhampton & Hartley Hills, the area is both fascinating and invigorating, whatever your field of interest.

Andrew Bluett, Membership Secretary.

Letter from the Chair

As I write, we are in the grip of the coldest winter (in this part of Britain, at least) for twenty years, and talk of global warming may seem of less immediacy; nevertheless, even if they cause temporary havoc, these cold snaps are only of short duration out here on the very western rim of the Palearctic, and the bird-watchers among us are well aware that numbers of wintering birds are well down: less than 500 White-fronted Geese and 200 Bewick’s Swans (the two iconic Gloucestershire wildfowl) at Slimbridge so far this winter, against some 3,000 and 500 respectively in the 1980s; while numbers of Wigeon have barely reached 1,000 at Ashleworth and Coombe Hill, where 3,000 used to occur.

All this points to the need for us to keep up the constant task of recording changes as they occur around us, and to enthuse volunteers (especially younger ones) to contribute their information. As noted in my last missive, your Executive Committee has set up a series of monthly field meetings of general interest, at a variety of interesting and attractive spots in the county, with the aim of covering all aspects of natural history in a non-specialist way. The first one took place in December at Leckhampton Local Nature reserve near Cheltenham; the second at Shortwood, the National Trust property near Haresfield Beacon near Stroud (see Juliet Bailey’s report in this issue). I enjoyed both very much (and learnt a good deal aspects of natural history other than birds). Both meetings produced sightings of Roe Deer, and on both we noted not only plants, lichens and invertebrates, but collected records for the national and county Bird Atlas, for which fieldwork will last from 2007 to 2011. On each occasion, we were happy to welcome Brian Bailey who, as well as being for many years one of the stalwarts of GNS, brought along his tape recorder and relayed interviews and comments on BBC Radio Gloucestershire the following Sunday morning. So those of you who couldn’t attend got a flavour of the meeting; as you will see, the next meetings are at Garden Cliff, Westbury on Severn in February, and Coombe Hill in March. Do come in person if you can! And may I also remind you of the Annual General Meeting to be held at Shurdington Social Centre on Thursday 26 March, an opportunity to reflect on the events of our 60th anniversary year, to quiz your Committee about plans for the future, and to catch up with old naturalist friends. One who sadly won’t be with us is the late Peter Duddridge, to whom a tribute appears below.

By the time you read this, spring will be almost upon us, and a whole new recording season imminent. I wish you all, in your different fields, particularly interesting sessions in spring 2009!

With best wishes

Mike Smart

Gloucestershire Moth Discussion Group

If you are interested in the county's moths then a new Yahoo Discussion Group will be of relevance. To get involved follow this link (http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Glosmoths/) to find out more.

Peter Duddridge, 1926-2009

With the recent death of Peter Duddridge, GNS has lost one of its most longstanding and influential members. I first got to know him in the 1970s, just after he had purchased “The Duckeries” (as Ashleworth Ham used to be known), and asked GNS members with knowledge of botany, ornithology and entomology to join the management committee. He later handed ownership of the reserve over to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT), but continued, well into his eighties, to visit the reserve, usually on Saturday mornings, “just to keep an eye on things”. The last time I saw him was at Ashleworth, just before Christmas, when his visit coincided happily with a visit from the GWT permanent warden, Jackie Birch and the wardens of the reserve at Slimbridge, who had come to consult on long term issues. It was good to be able to reassure him that proper attention was being given to the future of the site he had always loved.

But he had been a member of GNS for long before the 1970s and used to take part in field meetings and recording expeditions with other members who are now legendary, like Mrs Sonia Holland. Nor was his interest in Gloucestershire’s natural history limited to the Severn Vale, for he also loved the Cotswolds and presented GWT with the lovely Snows Farm reserve in the Slad Valley with its unimproved Cotswold grassland flora.

Peter always seemed to me to be a quiet, retiring person, so it was a surprise to learn, in the eulogy made by his lifelong friend, Jim Eltham, at his funeral (which I attended on behalf of GNS with another Ashleworth devotee, Les Brown, together with Gordon McGlone of GWT), of a host of other unsuspected passions: “The Cotswold Tape Recording Society”; “Cotswold Roundabout”, a programme for hospitals which was also broadcast on the old BBC Light Programme; interviews with Cliff Richard; bandstand orchestras in Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham; and not forgetting his fascination with the GWR (God’s Wonderful Railway). The full text of this eulogy can be seen on the GNS website. The family has kindly agreed that GNS may have access to any records of Gloucestershire wildlife left in Peter’s papers.

Gloucestershire naturalists will remember a kind, mild-mannered, but, just beneath the surface, passionate man.

Mike Smart

Peter James Duddridge: A friend’s tribute to a true Gloucestershire gentleman

“What if? ………… and on the other hand ………”

Familiar phrases to all who knew Peter but symptomatic of an anxious nature, crippled by worry and doubt, and precipitated by an unhappy time at Cheltenham College; but we are here to celebrate a life full of diverse interests and fascinations.

Well ahead of the current conservation movement, Peter established a collection of nature reserves around the country including Snow’s Farm (Slad Valley) and of course Ashleworth Ham, a particular favourite of his.

With his friend Peter Turner and one or two others, he helped to establish “The Cotswold Tape Recording Society” and produced Cotswold Roundabout which was issued to hospitals where desired, but mainly to the blind and physically handicapped, Peter being the chief editor. Interested folk can “google” Peter Duddridge on their computers for more information. Peter also set up the Lansdown Hockey Club, which he eventually left to others to run. He won the RAC rally in Wales where he was a co-driver.

Peter held a fascination for show business and media people and would conduct interviews with such diverse folk as Cliff Richard, Freddie Grisewood and Mollie Harris who drove for Peter’s father’s firm. These interviews would be heard on the BBC in the 1960s and 1970s. When the influence of the Unions became too strong his recording and interviewing involvement ended. Peter’s work can still be enjoyed today, a lovely and indeed socially historic series is available to all on the “Saydisc” label.

His knowledge and love of music was both catholic and monumental. This had started with a childhood fascination with performances of bandstand orchestras in Cheltenham’s Imperial Gardens. This led to a love of British light music. Eric Coates was an early favourite. This progressed to the classical world. He thought the Beatles could turn a good tune. He introduced me to so much music. Bax’s Tintagel and Strauss’ Alpine Symphony will always remind me of him.

I always thought it a pity that someone so musical and indeed musically self educated should not himself have played an instrument. I think we all might agree, he wouldn’t have had the patience to practise!

With the advent of the camcorder, filming Gloucestershire churches thoroughly absorbed and occupied him, the mammoth results of which reside in the Gloucestershire archives. Anything from his beloved county or of ecclesiastical note will surely be covered in that collection.

Peter’s first and abiding interest was God’s Wonderful Railway (GWR). As a boy, living near St. James’ and Malvern Road Stations he had a lifelong fascination with trains and train movements. Everyone and everything had to be exactly on time and if not, why not?

After Peter’s mother, Eva, died he and his father, Percy, were looked after by a loyal band of helpers. He rarely displayed any gratitude or appreciation. Doreen and her band of ladies (my mother, Dorothy referred to them as his harem!) were a Godsend to Peter and he knew this. He claimed to have lived the life of Riley.

Peter was the most loyal and constant friend to me. His kindness and support at all times will be dreadfully missed. Indeed I’m sure I will never have another friend like him. He drove us all to distraction at times but I loved him and will always miss him.

Peter is now on God’s wonderful railway making that final journey to a heavenly terminus. His train will of course be absolutely on time. When my turn comes to take that same journey I trust Peter will be there to meet me. I’d better not be late!”

GNS Field Meeting, Haresfield Hill, 18 January 2009

Eleven members met for a field meeting of general interest on Haresfield Hill. We walked out across the plateau, admiring the Cotswold landscapes, the sweep of the Severn, including the bridges some 25 miles away, the Forest of Dean on the far shore, and Wales beyond. Descending the scarp, we examined the cliff faces of old quarries and discussed their geology, looked at lichens, saw roe deer, fox and evidence of rabbits. There is an unusual station for the introduced umbellifer Alexanders tight under the cliff. Normally this has a coastal distribution, (though it is also abundant on the roadside near Deerhurst and no doubt other places in the county). A dozen species of birds were recorded, with Bullfinch probably the most notable. Walking back towards the top we came across an area of cowpats where grazing has been reinstated (though stock removed for winter). Here, the coarse Tor-grass (Brachypodium pinnatum) was evident in and among young thorn bushes where it had been protected, with a tight sward elsewhere. We had a very interesting group discussion, on the merits and problems of controlled burning of common land, and whether you would restart it after it had fallen into abeyance for 40 years. The picture below was taken by Brian Bailey.

Juliet Bailey

Volucella zonaria and Volucella inanis: spectacular new additions to Gloucestershire’s hoverfly fauna.

Volucella zonaria and Volucella inanis are nationally notable hoverflies that were unknown in Gloucestershire before 2001. They have since gradually become established here, and are being seen frequently at this time of year.

Volucella zonaria (about 19 mm. in length ) is easily the largest of British hoverflies. Volucella inanis is smaller, but at about 16 mm. is still among the half dozen or so largest British species. Both are good mimics of social wasps, in particular the Hornet (Vespa crabro) – indeed Volucella zonaria is sometimes known as the Hornet Hoverfly. Many hoverflies are good mimics of bees and wasps, their mimicry giving them protection from predators such as birds. However these two Volucella species are associated with wasps in a more direct way: their females lay their eggs in the nests of hornets and other social wasps, and their larvae develop there as scavengers.

Volucella inanis has probably been a native species for centuries, but Volucella zonaria was only found in Britain as an occasional vagrant until the 1940s. Before the current millennium both species were virtually confined to south-eastern and southern England, with the exception of a population of Volucella zonaria in the Bristol area (including sites in Vice County 34 West Gloucestershire, but well south of Gloucestershire’s present day borders). Since then both species have been expanding their range westwards and northwards. The first record for Gloucestershire (as currently defined) of Volucella zonaria was in 2001, but it was only in 2004 that Volucella inanis began to be seen on a regular basis in the county and only in 2007 that Volucella zonaria was seen in numbers. The spread of these two hoverfly species is suspected to be a result of climate change.

Apart from its larger size, the female of Volucella zonaria is easily distinguishable from Volucella inanis by the fact that its thoracic dorsum is predominantly, or sometimes entirely, chestnut coloured; that of Volucella inanis is mainly black with some chestnut at the sides and a small chestnut onion-dome shaped mark at the rear. This distinction makes the female Volucella zonaria look especially hornet-like in its colouring. Difficulty can arise however in separating the males of the two species, as the thoracic dorsum of male Volucella zonaria is black (like both sexes of inanis) rather than chestnut. (As with most hoverflies, the males have the eyes contiguous, while those of the females are separated) The two species can usually be differentiated by looking at tergite 2 (the front-most fully visible segment of the upper surface of the abdomen). In Volucella inanis the yellow markings occupy the greater part of the segment, are almost rectangular in shape, and are always as bright as the yellow areas on the other segments of the abdomen. In the case of Volucella zonaria the equivalent markings are restricted to a smaller area of the front half of tergite 2, their rear edge is curved and they are often darker than the yellow areas of the other tergites, sometimes being almost chestnut-coloured like the thorax of the female.

The most reliable way of distinguishing the two species is to look at sternite 2, the segment of the underside of the abdomen immediately below tergite 2. This can be done in the field by looking at the insect from the side. In Volucella zonaria sternite 2 is always black while in Volucella inanis it is always yellow.

While many scarce hoverflies can only be found in such habitats as ancient woodland or primary wetland, Volucella zonaria and Volucella inanis favour gardens and urban parks. Although they feed on nectar and pollen from a wide range of flowers, Volucella inanis is often at bramble and Volucella zonaria at Buddleia, while both species seem to have a special affinity with the Hebe cultivar “Great Orme”. The peak of their flight season is August.

Recent news suggests that Volucella zonaria, itself a relative newcomer to Britain, may be in danger of eventually losing its status as the country’s largest hoverfly. There have been two reports this year of sightings in the south-west of Milesia crabroniformis, a continental hoverfly, which, as its name implies, is another hornet mimic, and which is even larger, at nearly 25 mm., than Volucella zonaria.

David Iliff

David's pictures below show different views of the 2 species in the following order:

Volucella zonaria male - top left and female - top right

Volucella inanis male - middle left and female - middle right

Volucella zonaria side view - bottom left and Volucella inanis side view - bottom right.

GNS Grants

The Society is pleased to announce that small grants are available to help finance projects concerned with biological recording, education, public awareness and environmental or nature conservation within the county.

The terms and conditions for payment of grants are available here.

A copy of the grant application form is here .

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Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society is the natural history recording organisation for Gloucestershire, UK, recording all of the wildlife in the county. The society is membership based and organises lectures and field meetings.

President: Mrs Anna Jones

Chairman: Mike Smart

Registered Charity No. 252710

Contact the society

Copyright © Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society:  2008. All rights reserved.

If you have any comments on or experience any problems with this page please contact R Homan