By Rhia Mcbain I Feel There Are a Few Things You Should Know Before You Attend These Sessions Though
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Issue 3 September 2007 The newsletter for biological recorders in Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral In this issue: Woodlice in Cheshire Predator and Prey Studies for Halton Schools Rhia McBain’s Introduction to Biological Recording Special feature: This issue has been produced with the support of Enter the NBN Gateway p.6 Cover photograph - Chrysotoxum bicinctum © copyright Jeff Clarke WELCOME to the third ADONIS LADYBIRD IS Biodiversity Rocks!! edition of the The Sentinel. I hope you enjoy the balance of articles in FIRST FOR HALTON rECOrd, Cheshire’s natural history database, is undertaking yet another the latest edition. We need a regular recording project. Following the sucess of supply of contributions and if your the Heritage Lottery Funded “Unlocking interest group has so far not been the Past” and “Halton Bluebell” projects, represented why not write one for rECOrd is turning its attention to recording the next edition. Also required are the geology of Halton. “Bringing Geology small articles of 500 - 800 words and to Life in Halton” is a project aimed at snippets of interest 150 - 200 words. linking aspects of Halton’s biodiversity If you have good quality images with its geodiversity. The project has to help illustrate your text please recently commenced after securing a £45k Adonis Ladybird © Jeff Clarke grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. supply these as a JPEG of TIFF at Five sites are being selected for biological a minimum of 300 dpi and 1600 A guided walk at Pickering’s Pasture LNR during a recent Country Fayre provided an unexpected bonus. Sitting and geological recording, two of which pixels on the longest edge. on top of a Wild Carrot flower head, the diminutive will then gain interpretation boards and Images and articles can be beetle stood out as something out of the ordinary. trail leaflets. The final product will be an emailed direct to the editor at A quick trawl through the literature and on various update of Halton’s Local Geodiversity websites soon confirmed the suspicions that this was Action Plan. rECOrd is now recruiting jeff.clarke@halton .gov.uk something different. The Adonis Ladybird Hippodamia volunteers for a number of aspects Jeff Clarke, Editor variegata is the first known specimen in the Halton area. An interrogation of the reECOrd website revealed at of the project, including the steering total of three records from within Cheshire. The first group, field recorders, researchers and NEWS IN BRIEF record is from Wallasey Sand Dunes in 1994, then two data inputers. If you are interested in from the Alvanley area in 2004. The species is probably receiving more information, or feel you MAMMAL SYMPOSIUM easily overlooked as a variant of Two-spot Ladybird but could help, please contact Tom Hunt at it has a slightly slimmer elongated shape and it was this [email protected] feaure that alerted the finder on this latest occasion. AT CHESTER ZOO or ring 01244 383749. Jeff Clarke– Wildspace Officer The Cheshire Mammal Group will be holding Tom Hunt - Biological Halton Borough Council a one day symposium on British Mammals on Records Officer rECOrd Saturday 1st December at the Lecture Theatre, Chester Zoo, commencing at 9.30 am. The Biodiversity Training Presentations will cover a range of topic of both Project is a 5 year project national and local interest, the morning will funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Field mainly be dedicated to species related topics Studies Council. It aims to such as Water Voles and Bats. The afternoon promote, encourage and session will consist of speakers from the Cheshire enhance biological recording and other local mammal groups who will amongst volunteers in the describe some of the projects currently being Shropshire and wider West undertaken in their region, there will also be Midlands region by the a selection of display material. Refreshments provision of free training and lunch will be provided on the day. in recording techniques and species identification. At the same time, there will be an exhibition This works in two ways, firstly by offering a number of artwork by the well-known wildlife of public events, and artist David Quinn, some of which will be then arranging bespoke events with recording groups, societies and organisations to enable them to used to illustrate the forthcoming book on better target free training at their members. It is likely that around 40 events will be arranged and Cheshire Mammals, due out in 2008. funded by the project during 2007, with similar numbers targeted for each year until the end of 2010. As well as the more easily represented groups, some weight will be given to the areas of natural history For further information contact : that are known to be difficult, or where few recorders exist. There are also monies available to start ValCooper 01925 604503 (home) to train trainers of the future, so that we continue the chances of future involvement of volunteers. or e-mail [email protected] Another aspect of the project is progression. We are aiming to bring in people at the bottom of the skills pyramid and progress them over the 5 years of the project. In doing so we hope it will bring a certain amount of sustainability to what we do, rather than work in a short-term way. I know from Deadline for the submission experience as an entomologist that these things take time and there are no short cuts to these skills. If you want more details of the project, or our courses, please feel free to get in touch or view our website. of articles and images Pete Boardman for the next edition is Biodiversity Training Project Officer December 31st 2007. Tel: 01743 852100 - [email protected] www.field-studies-council.org/biodiversity 2 Woodlice in Cheshire by Steve Gregory 20 species of woodlice have been recorded Armadillidium album. Other species, such as Woodlouse Recording Scheme from Cheshire (there are 39 found in Britain). the False Pill-woodlouse Cylisticus convexus, The woodlouse Recording Scheme (see contact Four species, Trichoniscus pusillus agg., Oniscus thrive on the disturbed conditions found details below) is happy to check identifications asellus, Philoscia muscorum and Porcellio high on sparsely vegetated ‘soft’ sea cliffs. or even identify collected specimens (by prior scaber, are ubiquitous and together with the Many woodlice tend to occupy sites disturbed arrangement). The Scheme is currently collating pill-woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare are the by human activities. Stone walls or rockeries woodlouse records from around Britain and five most frequently encountered species. are good places to look for Porcellio spinicornis it is hoped to publish an updated woodlouse However, the woodlice of Cheshire are relatively and the less common Armadillidium spp., whilst distribution atlas in a few years time. unknown, a fact which which prompted a compost heaps are likely to turn up Porcellionides This is a good opportunity to help improve field trip by experts of British Myriapod and pruinosus or even Porcellio dilatatus or P. laevis. the knowledge of woodlice in Cheshire and to Isopod Group in 2003. This added Armadillidium In ants’ nests the tiny white Ant Woodlouse get your records included in the new atlas. I depressum to the Cheshire list, but it is certain Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi, can be found. would urge anyone who has woodlouse records that other species await discovery, including at Thus, sites such as old churchyards, railway to send them to me as soon as possible and least three coastal species high-lighted below. sidings and disused quarries can support definitely before October 2007. I am happy to accept records in any format but records in an electronic format would save me time that is Woodlice recorded in Cheshire [*or recorded in adjacent counties] better spent on preparing the text! Please don’t Ligia oceanica – Sea Slater miss this chance to get your dots on the map! Androniscus dentiger – Rosy Woodlouse Haplophthalmus danicus – Spurred Ridgeback Haplophthalmus mengii – Menge’s Ridgeback [*Miktoniscus patiencei – White Black-eye] Trichoniscoides saeroeensis – Coastal Red-eye Trichoniscus pusillus agg – Common Pygmy Woodlouse Trichoniscus pygmaeus – Least Pygmy Woodlouse [*Halophiloscia couchi – Pale Shore Woodlouse] Oniscus asellus – Shiny Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum –Striped Woodlouse Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi – Ant Woodlouse [*Armadillidium album – Beach Pill-woodlouse] Armadillidium depressum – Southern Pill-woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare – Common Pill-bug Cylisticus convexus – False Pill-woodlouse Porcellio dilatatus – Round-tailed Woodlouse Porcellio laevis – Glossy Woodlouse Porcellio scaber – Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio spinicornis – Painted Woodlouse Porcellionides cingendus – Western Woodlouse Porcellionides pruinosus – Plum Woodlouse extremely diverse Oniscus asellus © copyright McWilliam Steve Woodlouse habitats woodlouse communities. In terms of both species diversity and species Deciduous woodland, especially in damp Steve Gregory (Scheme Organiser) rarity the coast is the most interesting place to spots and where calcareous soils occur, can Non-Marine Isopod Recording Scheme look. Here the large Sea Slater Ligia oceanica (up be productive for woodlice. Turning logs and e-mail: [email protected] to 30mm) is common on rocky shores, but there is large stones will locate most species, but c/o Northmoor Trust, Hill Farm, Little Wittenham, a great number of smaller species. Some, such as those partly embedded into stream banks nr Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4QZ the pale Trichoniscoides saeroeensis, are as little or damp hollows are better for small elusive tel: 01865 407792 as 2mm in size. Many species occur in the ‘splash Pygmy Woodlice (e.g. Haplophthalmus and zone’ at or just above the zone of accumulated Trichoniscoides spp.). However, non-standard Essential Reading ‘strandline’ debris bordering salt marsh, sand methods could turn up the unexpected. For Harding, P.T. & Sutton, S.L. (1985). Woodlice in dunes, shingle beaches or at the base of cliffs.