Greater Gwent Biodiversity Action Group Glamorgan Biodiversity Advisory Group Gwent-Glamorgan Recorders’ Newsletter Issue 2 October 2009 Bioblitzed! Welcome to the 2nd Issue SEWBReC’s Biodiversity Despite a relatively small our second Biodiversity of the joint Gwent- Blitz days were a massive turn out of 7 attendees, a Blitz of the year was at Glamorgan Recorder’s success this year, with a combination of botanical and Ebbw Vale Cemetery in total of 66 people taking the Lepidoptera expertise en- conjunction with Blaenau Newsletter. opportunity to join us for one sured a healthy result of 200 Gwent County Borough The majority of people that or more of the four held over species, including 56 which Council. Even though the the summer. A total of 1193 were new to our database. day was a very wet one, a responded to the request in records were collected, with The species list was greatly good number of people the last issue for ideas for a 708 being new species for augmented by a session of turned up to survey this new name for the newsletter our database for the areas tree bashing which revealed small meadow in Ebbw suggested that we stick with surveyed. Below is a table an interesting collection of Vale town. ’Gwent-Glamorgan Record- showing at a glance the creepy crawlies! The event number of records collected also included an evening In 2007, management at ers’ Newsletter’ - as it does Ebbw Vale Cemetery was at each event. moth trapping session, which exactly what is says on the changed on disused areas tin! Number of Number of Number of from intensive cutting to an attendees records new species annual hay cut in late July/ We hope you find it an inter- August with all cuttings Atlantic College 44 446 287 esting read. If you have any being removed to prevent a Ebbw Vale Cemetery 10 304 225 comments or suggestions, build up of nutrients. This part of the site is now a Nant Fawr Meadows 7 200 56 please do not hesitate to get wildflower conservation in contact. Solutia Reserve 19 243 140 area and was where our efforts were focused. Rebecca Davies (Editor) resulted in records for three Just over 300 species were Nant Fawr Meadows UK Biodiversity Action Plan recorded on the day, with priority species: Diarsia rubi Inside this issue: Our first Bio Blitz of 2009 225 being new to our data- was held on a surprisingly (small square-spot), Eclip- base for the cemetery. Biodiversity Blitz Days 1-3 beautiful and sunny day in topera silaceata (small phoe- This is a fantastic outcome May, at Nant Fawr Mead- nix) and Spilosoma lubrici- for the event, thank you to SEWBReC News 4-6 ows, an area of common peda (white ermine). all those who were in- volved! Probably one of the land in the heart of Cardiff, Ebbw Vale Cemetery Bumblebee Habitat Project 8-9 which acts as an important most exciting records was wildlife corridor between Held on the 11th July 2009, that of an adult brown Sustrans Wildlife Champions 10 Roath Park and the wider hawker countryside. Located below which Bee chafer © David Slade Birdlife in the Neddern Valley 11-13 Llanishen and Lisvane Res- was net- ervoirs, this area is adjacent ted be- HoV Lapwing Project 15 to the recently designated fore re- SSSI on the reservoir lease at the end Industrial Melanism 16 banks, allocated due to the range of waxcaps found on of the Seashore Sightings 17 site. Used by locals for a day. variety of recreational activi- Gwent Fungus Group 20 ties, Nant Fawr Meadows is an excellent example of the The Invasion of Harmonia axyridis 21 value of urban wildlife sites, both for the species found North American Aliens 22 there, and for the people who live in the area. Issue 2 Bioblitzed! (...continued) Solutia day in August, this was the Seaweed hunters at Atlantic College most popular of the The third of our Biodiver- © David Slade blitzes, attracting over 40 sity Blitz days was held on attendees, including staff 27th July 2009 at the and pupils from Atlantic Gwent Wildlife Trust Re- College itself. The College serve, Solutia, in conjunc- grounds are not open to tion with GWT and New- public access, so many port County Borough recorders were eager to Council. We were lucky to discover the diversity of experience a dry day, al- species that have colo- though it was extremely nised the majestic envi- windy. rons of St Donat’s castle, Our focus on the day was which include an array of within the boundary of the habitats from woodland to reserve and included all rocky shore to ancient Bay. The most interesting draecia micacea (rosy moth record of the day rustic). came in the form of a leaf Alice Britt & Elaine mine on enchanter’s night- Wright (Biodiversity In- shade, which proved to be formation Assistants, the first Glamorgan record SEWBReC) of Mompha terminella. We also took the opportu- We would like to extend nity to hold a moth trap- a huge thank you to all ping session on the eve- those who attended, it ning prior to the main would not be possible to event. This was a suc- run these events and cess, recording 31 species collect so many records in all, including two spe- without you! Suggestions cies listed in the UK wide for potential biodiversity Adiantum capillus-veneris © Lindsay Bamforth Biodiversity Action Plan blitz sites are always wel- which had not previously come, and we hope to been recorded at this site: hold another successful walled gardens. We were- meadows and reens. A Ennomos fuscantaria series of blitz days next n’t disappointed at the total of 243 records were (dusky thorn) and Hy- summer. collected during the event, range of biodiversity that with 140 of them being was present: an impres- new to our database. A sive 446 species were pretty little surprise on the seen, of which 287 had day was a bee chafer (see not previously been re- picture on page 1), which corded at SEWBReC. posed nicely for our cam- One of the highlights of eras. Another great find the day for many was the was that of the shrill opportunity to see Adian- carder bee which is a Bio- tum capillus-veneris, aka diversity Action Plan spe- maidenhair fern. This spe- cies with few records in cies is listed on the Vale of Gwent. Glamorgan Local Biodiver- Atlantic College sity Action Plan, so its pro- tection is a priority in this We ended our Bio Blitz area. A. capillis-veneris is Evening moth trapping at Atlantic College season with a much antici- present in the walled gar- © David Slade ) pated event at Atlantic dens of the college, and College, based in St Do- one plant was also re- Page 2 nat’s Castle, Llantwit Ma- corded on the sea cliffs to jor. Falling on a rare sunny the east side of St Donat’s Issue 2 October 2009 Mystery Species The following photos were taken at the Biodiversity Blitz Days, but the species remains a mystery… can you help? 1) Photo taken at Ebbw Vale Cemetery © Alice Britt 2) Photo taken in wet meadow at Ebbw Vale Cemetery © Elaine Wright 3) Photo taken on a dead tree at Atlantic College © Elizabeth & Tom Roberts Species Identification Training Days In association with Wales ture as there clearly is a Biodiversity Partnership need and desire for these (WBP) and the National types of events in this area. Museum Wales (NMW), a If you have any sugges- series of species identifica- tions of taxonomic groups tion days were organised you would like to see cov- this year (non-native and ered, please let us know. invasive species, leaf- mining lepidoptera, bum- Thank you to WBP for part blebees, and terrestrial funding the programme of snails & slugs). They have training events; and to the been very successful, in NMW for hosting and pro- fact we could have filled viding the experts for some some of them several of the sessions. Non-Native & Invasive Species Training Day © times over! Rebecca Davies (Senior Page 3 We plan to run more identi- Data & Enquiries Officer, fication courses in the fu- SEWBReC) Issue 2 October 2009 SEWBReC News Despite the general eco- tentially challenging years currently benefiting from money which goes to- nomic gloom of recent ahead. Funding arrange- SEWBReC products and wards funding the work of months, SEWBReC ap- ments also continued with services are Swansea, SEWBReC in mobilising pears to be weathering other partners such as Neath Port Talbot and biological data and sup- the storm rather well, al- Forestry Commission Newport). porting the biological re- though we are being care- Wales, South Wales cording community. SEWBReC’s income from ful not to be complacent Trunk Roads Agency and sales of services to the Adam Rowe (Manager, as the worst may still be Gwent Wildlife Trust. commercial sector for the SEWBReC) yet to come – particularly Service Level Agreements first half of the 2009/10 with regard to public sec- (SLAs) are now in place financial year has been tor budgets in the 2010/11 with eight out of the twelve affected by the recession, financial year. Unitary Authorities in the being approximately 25% As far as 2009/10 is con- region. A new agreement lower than the same pe- cerned, SEWBReC kicked has been signed with riod in 2008/09. Despite off the year with two new Rhondda Cynon Taff this reduction, sales in- three-year partnership County Borough Council, come is still exceeding agreements with the but unfortunately an exist- targets set for the year Countryside Council for ing arrangement with Car- and is 20% ahead of in- Wales (CCW) and Envi- diff City Council came to come from the equivalent ronment Agency Wales.