Articles, photographs, real life stories,

web links and events from active

naturalists are welcome additions to

this newsletter. Please send them in.

Stories from 250 words with accom-

panying photographs will take us all on

your journey. Please E-Mail your work

to: newsletter@activenaturalist.org.uk

Phil continues his excellent articles around

and about the Sefton Coast

Hugh Harris visits Risley Moss to study

Mosses and Mycos

Hugh Harris and Tony Carter provide an

insight into slime moulds of the area from

separate perspectives.

Jim Pearson researches the transmission of

parasites and disease from the Honey bee to

the Bumble bee

A guide to Dragonflies of Lancashire and

Merseyside

Bob and Norma take a short walk around a

section of Brockholes Nature Reserve

The National Plant Monitoring Scheme

requests help from volunteer naturalists

Created by and for Volunteer Naturalists. Edited by Bob Jude

Views expressed in this newsletter are those of individual authors.

Inside this issue:

Phil Smith’s Wildlife Notes 2-3

The ‘new’ Shieldbug Project 3

Mosses and Mycos 4-5

Introduction to the Biodiverse

Society

6

The Magic of Slime Moulds 7-8

A Matter of Slime 9

The Transmission of Bee

Parasites

10-12

The Dragonflies of Lancashire

and Merseyside

12

NWFG 13

A First Visit to Brockholes 14-16

National Plant Monitoring

Scheme

17

Events 18-19

Merseyside Nature

Friends of Merseyside BioBank

Feb/March

2015

Issue 24

Breaking News:

Found and recorded by Steve Mcwilliam and posted on MBAN

Facebook page were these Australian flatworms (Kontikia

ventrolineata (Dendy, 1892)) at Calderstones Park, Liverpool,

(18/03/2015).

A small flatworm of approx 2cm in length, black with two pale

grey stripes down either side of the dorsal mid-line with a dark

black stripe between. This species eats small snails and slugs

and was found under sandstone rocks in an Ivy rich area of the

park along with Porcellio scaber.

Naturalists are always welcome at

MBB to freely use the available

equipment and facilities

Sue Marley posted this image of a Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) at Crosby on the MBAN Facebook Page

There were only nine “rain-days” in February, the first fortnight being com-

pletely dry. Although the regional rainfall for the month was measured at 80%

of normal, I suspect that, as usual, the Sefton Coast had far less than that.

My perception of a dry winter was confirmed by water-table data for Ainsdale

National Nature Reserve provided by Dr Derek Clarke of Southampton Universi-

ty. These show that the mid-winter level was the lowest since 1997/98. This

does not augur well for our hard-pressed Natterjack Toads who rely on winter

recharge of the water-table to flood their breeding pools.

As usual, February was a quiet month for wildlife sightings but a visit to Mere

Sands Wood Nature Reserve was rewarded with close views of four superb

Bullfinches on the feeders. At least 16 species of birds and a Brown Rat were

taking advantage of the free handouts!

Signs of spring always raise the spirits after a long winter. My first singing

Skylark was on 20th, while the following day Common Whitlowgrass was

WILDLIFE NOTES FEBRUARY 2015 - Dr Phil Smith

Page 2 Merseyside Nature

blooming abundantly at Marshside. This tiny white-flowered dune annual is

invariably the first to appear. The first Avocets turned up at both Marshside

and Martin Mere on 16th, the latter reporting 44 by the end of the month.

Snowdrops are always easy to find in February, almost all being the com-

mon Galanthus nivalis. Our best site is at Cabin Hill Wood where it puts on a

spectacular show. A small population of the Green Snowdrop (G. worono-

wii) at Hesketh Road,

Marshside, now supports ten large plants with their characteristic broad,

bright-green leaves but the single individual of Greater Snowdrop (G.

elwesii) that I found a few years ago at Kenilworth Road dunes had no flow-

ers. Another non-native in flower at this time of year is the Corsican Helle-

bore; I counted 35 plants at its long-established colony south of Wicks Lake,

Formby. Also here is a large population of Primrose, the first flowers of

which were just showing, while on the bank above was scatter of Siberian

Squill, naturalised here for many years. Several bushes of Siberian Violet-

willow were already producing their remarkably furry catkins.

Management activity on our coastline continues apace in winter and I was

pleased to see that the National Trust has cleared lots of Gorse on Larkhill

Heath, Formby. To tackle the Gorse problem on parts of Freshfield Dune

Heath Nature Reserve, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust organised an experi-

mental burn of half a hectare, supervised by a fire crew from Formby Com-

munity Fire Station who used it as a training exercise.

Reg Yorke drew my attention to a fascinating 200-year-old account of our

area. A voyage around Great Britain by Richard Ayton was published in

eight volumes around 1814. Volume 2 (pp. 97-100) finds our hero roughing it

on a walk from Liverpool to Southport.:

“I now turned from the shore and proceeding for about a mile and a

half inland arrived at the village of Formby, sheltered by a few

stunted and weather-beaten trees, which, in a neighbourhood gen-

erally so bare of wood, were something to boast of. In the morning,

Bullfinch

Corsican Hellebore

Salix acuifolia

WILDLIFE NOTES FEBRUARY 2015 - Dr Phil Smith

Page 3 Merseyside Nature

I returned to the shore over a waste of sand-hills, on a scale of such

grandeur and covering such an extent of ground, that familiarised as I

was with sand, the effect was something novel to me. They extended for

at least a mile in depth; and were thrown into very striking groups, ex-

actly resembling a range of mountains, with all their ridges, peaks and

precipices. Many of them were fully sixty feet in height, rising precipi-

tously on all sides. They were all very thinly sprinkled with the sea-bent,

and exhibited a sense of frightful and irredeemable barrenness…. I did at

length arrive at some bathing machines….. and paused for a rest at

Southport ….. Amidst a waste of sand-hills, there were planted a dozen

houses …. The situation is as disagreeable as possible; a windy day

smothering you with sand and a calm one suffocating you with heat….

When out of doors, there is no quarter; all is open and exposed, without a

tree or a bush to fly to for shade.”

What a difference a couple of centuries make!

Controlled Burning of Gorse

Over the last year or so a number of MBAN members have noted the lack of records for even some common and widespread species of Shieldbug in North Mer-

seyside (Aaron!). This is not just a lack of records at the LRC, but generally, information on Shieldbugs in our area appears to be rather absent.

With this in mind, keen office based volunteer David Mallaburn, has taken on responsibility for creating resources and direct ing a Shieldbug recording project

through the MBAN membership.

The recording project has been developed entirely by volunteers and will be entirely volunteer led. I have kept my nose well out of it! In a way this will be the

first in what we hope might become an increasing amount of MBAN member activity and ownership over the direction of the group and the first of similarly

developed recording projects.

The project will kick off as of 1st April 2015 and we will provide updates via the Newsletter of Shieldbug records submitted to Merseyside BioBank. All records will

also be provided to Tristan Bantock and the national recording scheme. You are welcome to submit your records direct to the scheme but unfortunately we will

not be able to include them in our feedback.

We would also like to encourage the submission of photos with the records for future newsletter articles and to aid in confirming your species identification!

NORTH MERSEYSIDE SHIELDBUG PROJECT - Ben Deed

Parent Shieldbug (Elasmucha grisea) Common Shieldbug (Palomena prasena)

MOSSES & MYCOS - Hugh Harris

Page 4 Merseyside Nature

RISLEY MOSS NATURE RESERVE (LNR, SSSI, SAC) – SJ 664920

On a cold damp Valentine’s morning in February, the newly-formed Warring-

ton Plant Group met at the Visitors’ Centre in Risley Moss. Mark Cozens, Rang-

er led us to the ‘mini-moss’, an area full of Purple Moor-grass Molinia caer-

ulea, Cotton grass Eriophorum angustifolium and Sphagnum moss Sphag-

num fallax.

The variable grass is an indicator species found in most parts of the British

Isles, in wet or damp peaty areas on moorland heaths, commons and in the

fens; usually abundant and dominating large areas, often to the exclusion of

other flowering plants, according to Hubbard.

The moss is characteristic of waterlogged acid areas. These waterlogged and

acidifying conditions caused by bogmoss have pickled dying plants, forming

layers of peat.

At this location Mark explained how he was managing the hydrology of the

Moss and the threat of its drying-out: internal ditches had been dug and

dammed to maintain the water table and seal the Moss from draining away.

Birch trees had been felled and log-piled to reduce water loss through tran-

spiration thereby re-contouring the land and modifying the bog habitat.

Mark then left us with our able Group Leader, Gail Quartly-Bishop who

showed us how to identify the Bryophyta with hand-lens, field-guide and key

(“Mosses and Liverworts of Britain and Ireland”, British Bryological Society).

Mosses and liverworts are generally small low-growing plants susceptible to

desiccation (drying-out) because, unlike vascular plants they do not retain

water, and so are limited to damp or humid environments like the meres,

mosses and bogs of temperate latitudes.

Soon, our baseline taxonomic knowledge and diagnostic skills increased from

the questions; “Is it a moss or liverwort?” and “Is it an acrocarpous or pleu-

rocarpous moss?” as we became more interested and familiar with the ter-

minology. ‘Capsule, seta, leaf, perianth, thallus, rhizoids’, “It’s a new world

and language,” commented one of the group.

Within an hour we had found and keyed a distribution and abundance of five

mosses and one liverwort in our moss-land quadrat.

Acrocarpous Moss Pleurocar-

pous Moss

Sphag-

num

Leafy Liver-

wort

Campylopus flexu-osus Aulacomnium palus-tre Polytrichastrium formosum

Hypnum cu-pressiforme

Sphag-num fallax

Lophocolea heterophylla

Cotton grass Eriophorum angustifolium, in flower, Ben Nevis,

Tim Bekaert, Wiki Commons, Accessed: 24/2/15

After a relaxed lunch in the Reception Area we explored the woodland habitat

behind the Visitor Centre and did not have to walk far along the trail before

discovering a further nine species of moss under decking, on tree trunks,

around ponds, on stone troughs etc. We also added to our anatomical

knowledge as we delved deeper into the structure of the capsules; calyptra,

operculum, annulus, peristome and urn.

The highlight of the day was finding a loose cushion of Thick point Grimmia

Schistidium crassipilum growing on a stone trough outside the Visitor Centre.

After an enjoyable day of identifying and recording in a random sample of

lowland bog in the unique landscape of Risley Moss we ended up with a species

list of 14 mosses and 1 liverwort.

The complete list of 15 species is:

Scientific name Common name

Hypnum cupressiforme Cypress-leaved Plait-Moss

Sphagnum fallax Flat-topped Bog moss

Campylopus flexuosus Rusty Swan-neck Moss

Lophocolea heterophylla Variable-leaved Crestwort

Aulacomnium palustre Bog Groove-moss

Polytrichastrium formosum Bank Haircap

Plagiomnium undulatum Hart’s-tongue Thyme-moss

Atrichum undulatum Common Smoothcap

Kindbergia praelonga Common Feather-moss

Calliergonella cuspidata Pointed Spear-moss

Bryum capillare Capillary Thread-moss

Brachythecium rutabulum Rough-stalked Feather Moss

Ulota crispa/bruschii Crisped Pin-cushion

Schistidium crassipilum Thick point Grimmia

Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus Springy Turf-moss

If this is the model for future field assignments then I shall be accepting

more invitations to the Warrington Plant Group’s monthly meetings.

References:

(“Grasses”, C.E. Hubbard, Penguin 1984. “Features of Mosses and Mere”, FSC,

2012. “Dictionary of Plant Sciences”, ed. Jill Bailey, Penguin 1999)

(“Mosses and Liverworts of Britain and Ireland”, British Bryological Society

(2010))

HH@MBAN

Page 5 Merseyside Nature

MOSSES & MYCOS - Hugh Harris

Fellow field group members

Local Wildlife Sites (LWS's) are wildlife-rich sites selected

for their local nature conservation value. The designation of

LWS’s are non-statutory and their only protection comes

through the local planning system, unlike SSSI designations

which are protected by law. Though LWS’s don’t receive the

same level of protection as statutory designated sites, they

are still hugely important for local nature; providing wildlife

refuges, protecting rare species and habitats and acting as

corridors in ecological networks.

The Biodiverse Society project is funded by Heritage Lottery

Fund & is a partnership project between The Lancashire

Wildlife Trust, Merseyside BioBank, and LERN (Lancashire

Environment Record Network).

The project is aiming to enhance sustainable ecological data

collection on Local Wildlife Sites in both North Merseyside

and Lancashire, by enabling and supporting volunteers, local

naturalists and community groups to monitor and record

wildlife on these sites.

The North Merseyside team consists of project officer; Julia

Simons, and two trainees; Ami Weir and myself, Iain MacKen-

non. We will be conducting wildlife surveys and monitoring

the condition of local wildlife sites, assessing the sites

against the guidelines for which it was designated. We will

also be assisting in community outreach events and sup-

porting Merseyside’s wildlife groups, with the team really

looking forward to meeting and working alongside Mersey-

side’s hard working community of naturalists.

As a trainee, I have had a really enjoyable first 2 months. We

all took part in an induction, which has helped us settle into

the project, and trained us up in skills like outdoor first aid,

and Phase 1 surveys. We also had an enjoyable residential in

Arnside, where we carried out habitat management with The

National Trust and got to meet similar trainees with the

Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

After an extensive induction, the Biodiverse Society team

have been preparing for surveying, undertaking some site

visits in preparation for the ecology season come spring

time.

On a recent visit, records of Giant Hogweed were made at

Otterspool Park, and it is records like this that can actually

be used to recommend site management. Other interesting

wildlife observations on our site preparations include a

close encounter with a Buzzard along Netherley brook, Taw-

ny owls preparing for nesting next to our office at Court Hey

Park, and skeins of Pink Footed Geese flying over Holiday

Moss in Rainford.

The Biodiverse Society is a 3 year project, with the team

surveying around 35 LWS a year. Some of the more well-

known wildlife sites include; Leeds Liverpool canal, Speke

Hall, Halewood Triangle, Formby National Trust, parts of

Sankey Valley Park, and Stadt Moers Country Park.

Our site visits will provide great opportunities for volunteers

to get involved in the project, undertaking various ecological

surveys. Some of our volunteers are currently being trained

for breeding bird, and brown hare surveys, with plenty of

other surveys to get involved with, throughout the year.

If you would like to get involved in the project, have

knowledge of Merseyside’s Local Wildlife Sites or would like

to help add to our survey data, we would love to hear from

you. You can contact the North Merseyside project officer,

Julia Simons, at jsimons@lancswt.org.uk, or come down to

BioBank for an informal chat.

AN INTRODUCTION TO LWS AND THE BIODIVERSE SOCIETY - Iain Mackennon

Page 6 Merseyside Nature

Iain reports on

his first two

months as a

Biodiverse

Society Project

trainee for

North

Merseyside

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae )

Phase 1 with Martin and Jules from LWT

Trainee officers Matt, Ami, Iain and Patrick

A short talk by Bruce Ing, North West Fungus Group at the Risley Moss Centre,

Warrington. February 2015.

Bruce Ing focused his talk on four questions and used his comprehensive col-

lection of slides to illustrate their individual characters and ecological infor-

mation.

What are they? - Protozoans related to amoebae as Bruce said,

“Honorary fungi and can be lovely to look at.”

What do they do? They are definitely NOT decomposers or parasites but

basically consumers (like animals) that ingest food - Bruce de-

scribed them as ‘scavengers’. They eat bacteria (especially) + fungi

and other protozoans. As they do this phosphate is released from

the food eaten

Where do they live? - They are found in the tropics and the temperate

zones. Typically they are found in decaying, moist, and shady places,

such as in the leaf litter on the forest floor. Some are known to live

in aquatic systems. One is a parasite of eelgrass, and there is one

that parasitizes the grass of golf courses.

What use are slime moulds? - improve soil fertility, used in anti-biotics,

medicinal uses, engineering uses, computational uses and playing

the piano!

The features of different forest zones and the growth/feeding characteristics

were described;

corticolous Grows on bark of trees or shrubs

lignicolous Lives on or in wood without bark

fungicolous Grows on other fungus

follicolous Lives on leaves

muscicolous Grows on or among mosses

fimicolous Grows on dung

Certain species were regarded as indicators of climate change e.g. Licea

biforis found in the London Parks.

Some of the more common species that Bruce Ing showed us were:

Ceriatomyxa fruticulosa, Lycogala terrestre, Reticularia Lycoperdon, Arcyria

denudata, Stemonitis fusca, Stemonitopsis typhina, Fuligo septica and Muci-

lago crustacea - all different colours, shapes and sizes.

Myxomycetes (one of three groups of true slime moulds).

Once thought of as bizarre fungi, slime moulds are now recognised as being

entirely unrelated, they are placed in the kingdom Protozoa.

Slime moulds start life as single-celled amoeboid organisms that are free-

living and feed by ingesting mainly bacteria but also fungi.

When feeding conditions are good, and they encounter suitable mating part-

ners they coalesce into a plasmodium stage of interconnecting strands. In

larger slime moulds, these slimy masses often form colourful coatings on

vegetation and fallen timber can be observed in autumn.

Plasmodium

This stage is the creepy stage, the slime mould plasmodium is a mass of

glistening vein-like material that moves slowly across dead leaves or wood at

the rate of as much as an inch per hour, growing and eating. There are no

cell walls in the plasmodium, and its motion is the result of protoplasm

flowing rhythmically through the organism.

Sporangia

When the plasmodium runs out of food (or when light or moisture changes

alter its environment), it converts itself into sporangia--globes or balls

made up of spores. In some kinds of slime moulds, the sporangia have stems;

in others the stem is missing; in still others a large, single sporangium is

developed. How, exactly, the spores are dispersed is unclear but eventually, a

single spore germinates, becomes amoeba-like that may or may not have a

flagellum, hooks up with some other amoeba-like organism and becomes a

zygote, which eventually grows into a plasmodium.

Slime moulds are usually found in soil, lawns, and on the forest floor, com-

monly on deciduous logs. However, in tropical areas they are also common

on inflorescences, fruits and in aerial situations (e.g., in the canopy of trees).

In urban areas, they are found on mulch or even in the leaf mould in gutters,

and also grow in air conditioners, especially when the drain is blocked. One of

the most commonly encountered slime moulds is the yellow Physarum poly-

cephalum, found both in nature in forests in temperate zones, as well as in

classrooms and laboratories.

One of Bruce Ing’s anecdotes that I took away from the talk is about the

North Wales Farmer and his field full of Friesian cows and Dog’s Vomit

THE MAGIC OF SLIME MOULDS - Hugh Harris

Page 7 Merseyside Nature

Arcyria denudate, Larich Rig, Wiki Commons: Accessed March 2015

Slime Mould Fuligo septica whose plasmodial stage is a bright yellow spongy

mass resembling ‘scrambled eggs’.

When asked by the farmer how he could get rid of it, Bruce replied “Wait until

it rains!” The farmer expecting a bio-chemical solution to his cattle-grazing

problem was suitably un-impressed.

It was an impressive talk covering a range of mysterious myxomycetes and I

rank Bruce Ing among the top naturalists whom I wish I’d met sooner.

Acknowledgement: Dr. Irene Ridge, Chair, NWFG. Citation: Kuo, M (2003, Au-

gust) Myxomycetes:

Hugh@MBAN

THE MAGIC OF SLIME MOULDS - Hugh Harris

Page 8 Merseyside Nature

Stemonitopsis typhina, HelenGinger, Wiki Commons: Accessed March 2015

A MATTER OF SLIME - Tony Carter

A contributor to the decomposition of vegetable matter is the Myxomycete.

Known as a Slime Mould this is a misleading description as Myxomycetes are

not moulds and only a few are slimy.

They ‘feed’ on microorganisms found on soil, lawns, litter and wood. They are

single cell organisms but if food is in short supply, they will combine together

to form a structure that can move when they detect a food source. They

engulf bacteria, fungal spores, protozoa etc. When the time is right they are

able to turn into a spore bearing fruit body and the cycle starts again. Be-

cause they produce spores they are often recorded as fungi, which they are

not.

Many are very small but a combined structure can measure in square me-

tres.

Some of the larger ones that can be found locally include Reticularia lycoper-

don or Bark Puffball. This one is from Calderstones Park. Often on dead

Beech trees, the ‘casing’ often breaks to reveal a brown spore mass.

Fuligo septica, commonly known as Dog’s Vomit. One of the largest, the

spores are dispersed by beetles. Very common on many substrates, usually

on wood. This one at Ainsdale.

Following a theme, Mucilago crustacea is known as Dog Sick Slime Mould

(do I detect a lack of imagination?) Common on grass and soil in large patch-

es. Recorded at Sefton Meadows.

Tubifera ferruginosa ( Red Rapberry Slime) was seen at Ainsdale on wood.

Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa or Coral Slime.

The small finger like projections can appear in large masses on fallen trees,

this group at Pennington Flash.

Lycogala epidendron/terrestre (Wolf’s Milk or Toothpaste Slime) is a com-

mon slime mould on wood, seen at Allerton Golf Course. When broken, the

spore mass is either grey or pink, depending on which species it is.

There are hundreds of much smaller species that may only be easily seen if

they form a sizeable group structure. In the adjacent column there are exam-

ples of Stemonitis, Arcyria and Trichia species, all locally sourced.

This Reticularia lycoperdon image in the slime stage was seen on a later

visit to Ainsdale on 6th April 2015.

A MATTER OF SLIME - Tony Carter

Page 9 Merseyside Nature

Tubifera ferruginosa ( Red Rapberry Slime)

Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa or Coral Slime

Lycogala epidendron/terrestre (Wolf’s Milk or Toothpaste

Slime)

Stemonitis

Arcyria

Trichia

Reticularia lycoperdon Ainsdale, 6/4/2015

There are approximately 250 bee species in the UK comprising one species of

honeybee (Apis mellifera), 25 species of bumblebee (Bombus spp. - including 6

species of cuckoo bumblebees) and 225 solitary species.

Until now, Honeybees have been declining largely because of diseases such as

varroa mite, whereas falls in our solitary and social bumblebee populations have

been caused by agricultural intensification and increasing urbanisation over the

past 70 years causing the loss of more than 97% of the UK’s wild flower meadows

thus reducing the foraging and nesting sites for bees. As a result approximately

32% of our UK species have declined with two bumblebee species becoming ex-

tinct and seven listed as priority species on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).

Bees are important pollinators of many wildflowers (80%) and high value agricul-

tural crops (84%) a valuable (and free) activity worth £560 million per year to

our economy.

Different species of solitary, honeybee and bumblebee have differing tongue lengths allowing for pollination of different crops and wildflowers which have

varied corolla lengths. Therefore protection and conservation of all types is vital. Bumblebees are unique in the UK in causing buzz pollination or ‘sonication’

where crops, such as tomatoes, which hold the pollen tightly on their anthers, can be made to release it by a bumblebee landing on the flower and vibrating

its body, causing the anther to shake and shed its pollen.

Although there is no evidence that Albert Einstein ever made the claim shown in Figure 2, it can be of little doubt that declines in our bee populations will

result in widespread damage both to our economy and our environment.

If the bee populations fell to zero, then Aristotle’s dictum “nature abhors a vacuum” might apply with other pollinators stepping in to fill the gaps.

Whether this would occur sufficiently quickly to avert disaster and

whether the organisms replacing the bees would also bring associated

pests and disease are moot points. Therefore, ignoring threats to our

bee populations and hoping for the best is foolhardy.

However, populations of bumblebees face a new threat, according to scientists

reporting in the Journal ‘Nature’ who have found that two disease agents, de-

formed wing virus (DWV) and Nosema ceranae (a fungal parasite, harboured by

honeybees are spilling over into wild bumblebees.

THE TRANSMISSION OF PARASITES FROM HONEY BEES TO BUMBLE BEE SPECIES - Jim Pearson

Page 10 Merseyside Nature

Figure 2: Albert Einstein

Figure 1: Apis mellifera, Photo: Thomas Bresson

Figure 3: "Bumblebee October 2007-3a" by Alvesgaspar - Own work. Licensed

under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bumblebee_October_2007-3a.jpg#/media/

File:Bumblebee_October_2007-3a.jpg

In honeybees, deformed wing virus (DWV), one of the most preva-

lent infections in recent years, causes well-defined disease symp-

toms including shrunken, crumpled wings, decreased body size,

deformed abdomen, leg paralysis, and weakness of the neck mus-

cles, discoloration in adults and impaired learning capabilities,

although the mechanisms are unclear. Some infected adults may

appear normal but have a reduced life span.

The severity of its effects are worsened by the presence of the

varroa mite; although deformed wing virus is also found in colonies

not infected with varroa, it appears commoner and more destruc-

tive where varroa is well established, possibly leading to colony

collapse.

The other disease-causing agent, Nosema ceranae is contributing

to worldwide honey bee colony losses. Originally noted in Apis

cerana, the Asiatic honey bee, it causes nosemosis, the most wide-

spread of the adult honey bee diseases. Nosema invades and de-

stroys cells in the bees gut. Affected bees display unconnected

wings, missing hair, dysentery marked by brown faecal marks in

the comb and death.

Bees get infected by eating contaminated water or honey. Its

spores can persist 2 years in faecal droppings and one year in

honey and bee carcasses. It has now been identified in bumblebee

species in England, with studies indicating it is more virulent in

bumblebees than honeybees.

In 26 sites across Great Britain and the Isle of Man, about 11% of

bumblebees were infected with DWV and 7% were infected with

Nosema ceranae. By comparison, about 35% of honeybees carried

DWV and 9% had the fungus.

Bumblebees do not carry the Varroa mite, but the scientists found

that those infected with DWV had a dramatically shortened lifespan;

Nosema ceranae has also been shown to have an impact on bum-

blebee longevity.

According to Professor Brown, the distribution pattern of the dis-

eases indicates transmission is occurring among these species of bee which are sharing parasite strains.

Although not definite, the most likely explanation is that the honeybees are acting as the source of the virus for the bumblebees. The team says that controlling

disease in honeybee hives is vital to stopping the spread.

Dr David Aston, president of the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA), claims that beekeepers can reduce the impact of pests and diseases on honeybee colo-

nies using biotechnical controls and practices such as apiary hygiene, regular brood comb changes, ensuring the colonies are strong and well-nourished and

the use of authorised treatments although beekeepers need new effective medications and other and that this should be a high priority for action.

Furthermore, researchers want to investigate whether neonicotinoid pesticides are playing a role in problem.

THE TRANSMISSION OF PARASITES FROM HONEY BEES TO BUMBLE BEE SPECIES - Jim Pearson

Page 11 Merseyside Nature

Figure 4: Deformed wing virus in a honeybee 30 May 2013, Author, Xolani90

Figure 5: An adult female of Varroa destructor, a mite parasiting the honeybee - frontal view, on

the head of a bee nymph. 3 October 2010, 22:54, Uploaded by Jacopo Werther, Author, Gilles San

Martin from Namur, Belgium

THE TRANSMISSION OF PARASITES FROM HONEY BEES TO BUMBLE BEE SPECIES - Jim Pearson

Page 12 Merseyside Nature

A recent paper in the ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’ suggested neonicotinoids

are affecting the immune systems of honeybees, making them more susceptible to pathogens

.

References

AHP Disease Manual https://www.spc.int/lrd/ext/Disease_Manual_Final/b454__nosemosis.html

Bee Viruses, Beeologics, Honey Bee Health Summit http://www.beeologics.com/colony-health/bee

-viruses/

Cameron, S. A. et al. Patterns of widespread decline in North American bumble bees. Proc. Natl

Acad. Sci. USA 108, 662–667 (2011)

M.A. Fürst, D.P. McMahon, J.L. Osborne, R.J. Paxton & M.J.F. Brown (20014) Disease associations

between honeybees and bumblebees as a threat to wild pollinators, Nature, Vol. 506, No. 7488

Morelle, Rebecca, (2014) Bumblebees infected with honeybee diseases http://www.bbc.co.uk/

news/science-environment-26242960

The Short-haired bumblebee project, http://www.bumblebeereintroduction.org/the-project/why-

conserve-bumblebees/

Root, A.I. (2012) The ABC and XYZ of bee culture; a cyclopedia of everything pertaining to the care of

the honey-bee bees, hives, honey, implements, honey-plants, etc., p 129-132

Figure 6: Extended data - host bee species and sampling site distri-

butions. The commonest Bombus species is represented by the

colour of the letters, the second most common by the colour of the

dots. M.A. Fürst, D.P. McMahon, J.L. Osborne, R.J. Paxton

An invaluable guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Lancashire and North Merseyside.

This latest guide, produced by the Lancashire & Cheshire Fauna Society and published in 2015, brings

together local expertise and information on all species known to occur in North Merseyside and Lanca-

shire. It provides a superb insight into how populations of Dragonflies in Lancashire and North Mersey-

side have changed over time such as the earlier emergence of many species, changes in abundance and

their current breeding status and considers what factors may be causing these changes.

An in-depth account is provided for each species. This includes distribution, frequency and breeding

status maps, illustrations of flight periods, photos and ecological information as well as notes on any

significant records and findings.

This is the go-to guide for experienced

and budding Dragonfly enthusiasts and

will help you to uncover their hidden

world, gain insight into their ecology

and behaviour and perhaps discover

unknown populations in our region.

Perhaps even contribute to future

publications and the conservation of

dragonflies.

Details on how to get hold of the excellent guide, costing only £10, can be found on the Lancashire

and Cheshire Fauna Society website http://www.lacfs.org.uk/

THE DRAGONFLIES OF LANCASHIRE AND NORTH MERSEYSIDE - Steve White and Philip H. Smith

Libellula quadrimaculata, Green Beach 19 06 13

Foray Programme 2015

Held in association with the British

Mycological Society

Bring strong footwear. Details about terrain and

accessibility of sites can be obtained by contacting

the foray leader.

Most venues have their own website.

Forays are planned so that they can continue into

the afternoon. If you intend to so continue please

bring food and drink.

If travelling a considerable distance to a foray it is

advisable to confirm with the leader that the foray

is taking place, as on extremely rare occasions,

forays have had to be changed at short notice.

Changes will be on the NWFG website.

Beginners are welcome at ALL forays.

Please note that forays are not suitable for

very small children.

DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED.

About the North West Fungus Group

The North West Fungus Group is a regional um-

brella group aiming to promote an interest in fungi

across the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire,

Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cumbria, Flint-

shire & Denbighshire. Benefits of membership

include:-

two newsletters per year.

forays and special events.

help and advice on a range of fungi related

topics.

Membership

Individual membership - £7.50

Family membership - £10.00

Members joining after November 1st will receive

membership for the following year.

Please contact the Membership Secretary

for a membership form.

Officers

Chair: Dr. Irene Ridge,

Smalley’s Farm, Whalley Old Road, Billington

Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9JF

Tel. 01254 247274

Treasurer and Membership Secretary:

Liz Moore,

48 Alan Road, Heaton Moor,

Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 4LE

Tel. 0161-432-9124

Recorder: Tony Carter

NWFG Home Page:

http://fungus.org.uk/nwfg.htm

Sunday 12th April – Freshfield and Ainsdale

NNR, Merseyside. Ken Jordan Memorial

Foray.

Meet 10.30 at Freshfield Station car park

SD291084 (Sheet 108) (L37 7DD). Leave A565

Formby-by-Pass onto B5424 at roundabout

signposted for Formby Point BUT at mini round-

about keep straight on until Freshfield Road then

turn right. (OR go by train).

Leader - Tony Carter (0151-724-4600)

Sunday 17th May - Beacon Hill Country Park,

Upholland, West Lancashire.

Meet at 10.30 in Rangers' car park, Elmers

Green Lane, off Beacon Lane SD505067 (Sheet

108) (WN8 7RU). From M58 Junction 5 exit for

A577 Skelmersdale East, passing south under

the Mway but then turning back north until to you

reach a roundabout signposted to Beacon Park.

Take right up A577 Windmill Road and continue,

turning right then left into Upholland. At wrought

iron clock in town centre, turn sharp left onto Mill

Lane /Beacon Lane. Continue 2 miles to Beacon

Park Golf Centre on left, turning down to car park

continuing left to the far end of this car park and

the Rangers' cabins.

Leader - John Watt (07768 043 461/01695

578843).

Sunday 28th June - Spring Wood, nr Whalley.

Meet 10.30 at Spring Wood Car Park, adjacent to

Visitor Centre / Picnic Area on A671. SD741361

(Sheet103) (BB7 9TD).

Leader – Mike Valentine (07541 240874)

Sunday 19th July - Goyt Valley, Errwood.

Meet at 10.30. From A6 approaching Whaley Bridge

Turn right at the roundabout (Signed Macclesfield

B5470) and go forward A5004 at the TL where

B5470 turns right.

In about 5 miles turn right (Goyt Lane) signposted

Goyt Valley. Cross dam to meet at car park SK

013758 (Sheet 119).

Leader - Norman Bamforth (0161-336-3914).

Sunday 9th August - Clock Face Colliery Coun-

try Park, Bold, St. Helens.

Meet 10.30 at Gorsey Lane Car Park. From Jct 7 of

M62 follow A57 Warrington Rd. After 2 miles turn

left on to A569 Clock Face Road. After 1.5 miles,

(passing back under M’way), turn right into Gorsey

Lane (blue cycling sign Burtonwood). Continue to

entrance on right. SD 535915 (Sheet 108) (WA9

4SN).

Leader – Tom Ferguson (01744 739774 /07743

509671 (m))

Sunday 16th August - Moor Piece NR, Bashall

Eaves.

Meet 10.30 in Bashall Eaves Village Hall car park at

SD696434 (Sheet 103) (BB7 3DA) on right just past

Red Pump Inn before onward journey to the Re-

serve. (Follow signs for Whitewell/Trough of Bow-

land). Terrain is rough and wet.

Leader – Mike Valentine (07541 240874)

THE NORTH WEST FUNGUS GROUP - Tony Carter

Page 13 Merseyside Nature

Sunday 23rd August – BEGINNERS FORAY at

Risley Moss, north Warrington.

Meet 10.30. Access from M62 Jct 11. Continue along

A574 to first island, turn left. Reserve signposted.

Ample parking space. SJ665922 (Sheet 109) (WA3

6QS).

Leader - Irene Ridge (01254-247274. A morning foray

will be followed by an afternoon microscope work-

shop.

Sunday 6th September - Styal Woods, Cheshire.

Nr. M/c Airport.

Meet 10.30, small National Trust car park off road by

Styal Village, 600 yds past the Ship Inn on opposite

side of road. SJ836836 (Sheet 109) (SK9 4JE).

Leader - John Taylor (0161-445-3308)

Sunday 13th September – Roudsea Wood, south

Cumbria.

Meet 10.30 am on the road by the Anglers Arms,

Haverthwaite – we will park there and take full cars

on for the final mile or so to Roudsea as parking

there is limited. Via Newby Bridge A590 west to

Haverthwaite. Take B5278 left, the pub is directly in

front of you. Roudsea woods location SD330827

(Sheet 97) (LA12 8AJ).

Leader – Helen Speed (01539 733959). No dogs.

Sunday 27th September – Rostherne Mere.

Meet 10.30. Take the third turn on the left going

south on the Chester Road (A556) from the

M56 Jct 8. The car park is 200 yards past the

church on the left hand side SJ743833 (Sheet 109)

(WA16 6SB). Or park on the road.

Leader - Tim Rogers (07890949997).

Friday 2nd October to Monday 5th October -

Residential Foray at Keswick Convention Cen-

tre.

Cost inc. meals, for members and for non-

members will be announced later. Booking form in

Newsletter.

Contact Irene Ridge (01254-247274)

Sunday 4th October – BEGINNERS FORAY at

Moore Nature Reserve, Warrington

Meet 10.30. 2 miles south of Warrington on A56

turn north to Moore at traffic lights at Higher

Walton. 1 mile turn right, crossing railway and ship

canal. Go to end of road to reach entrance. Car

park to right of entrance road. SJ578855 (Sheet

108). Leader - Paul Hamlyn (0161-434-1401).

Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th October – Na-

tional Fungus Day.

See website for events

Sunday 18th October – Raven Meols Hills,

Formby

Meet 10.30. From A565 Formby-By-Pass turn

west to Formby at Tesco traffic lights on to

B5195 Altcar Road. Continue to travel west to

Formby Point, past Formby Railway Station to

end of Kirkdale Road (1.8miles). Turn left, past

church to Shorrocks Hill Night Club (L37 2EB)

then right on to Lifeboat Road to car park Bay

One.

Leader – Tony Carter (0151-724-4600)

Sunday 1st November – Turn Slack Clough,

Littleborough.

Meet at 10.30 at Clough. Left off A58 onto White-

lees Road approaching Littleborough from west,

continue along Calderbrook Road turning left at

Clough Road. SD935173 (Sheet 109) (OL15 9JZ).

Leader - Norman Bamforth (0161-336-3914).

THE NORTH WEST FUNGUS GROUP - Tony Carter

Page 14 Merseyside Nature

On 6th March 2015 Norma and I decided to visit Brockholes Nature Reserve for the

first time, attracted by the reports of other volunteers and the possibility of ob-

taining images of Brown Hare and Deer. We arrived at around 11.30 am. at Junc-

tion 31 on the M6.

Close to the entrance we noted cars who owners clearly had not wished to pay

the relatively modest parking fees.

A FIRST VISIT TO BROCKHOLES - Bob Jude

Free to enter, these fees are essential in continuing the work in develop-

ing this Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Conservation site.

At first the view of the site in early March was rather disappointing, main-

ly due to the drab winter colours. The floating village site has been delib-

erately created on a wetland that overlooks a large lake. We wanted to

support the continued development and so ordered lunch at the village

cafeteria. The large windows give panoramic views over the lake and as

we sat down for our meal of fish, chips and mushy peas we were able to

see Coots (Fulica) and Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in the distance and a

seemingly lonely beautiful Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) that gently and se-

renely swam past.

After lunch we called in at the visitor centre and obtained a free map and

asked about Brown Hares and Deer and were told that hares could some-

times be seen in the car park and central areas and deer had often been

seen around the east portion of the site close to the boundary with the

motorway.

Following the map we went in the opposite direction towards the river,

despite not having the advised waterproof footwear and tracked the

wooden paths from the car park up the hill towards the western edge of

the site.

The Lake at Brockholes

The dull early morning had turned to beautifully warm spring sunshine and

clouds had given way to clear blue skies.

Sitting on a bench for a short time was most relaxing but there was no sign of

the river which was invisible among the grassland as the land drops away. As

we walked over the fields dodging boggy ground and shallow puddles, skirting the

trees, there emerged wonderful distant views over the farmland. The Ribble

forms the boundary of the western edge of the reserve where there were sev-

eral anglers along the opposite bank. Far in the distance a working bright red

combined harvester could be heard.

We kept stopping to try for photographs, searching in vain the bare branches of

deciduous trees to find the source of the numerous bird calls. A flock of Canada

Geese (Branta Canadensis) calmly swam undisturbed by young couples walking

hand in hand along the river edge and a Carrion Crow perched on a branch of a

single small tree on the far bank.

A brightly coloured male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) hid in the reeds with

his mate and we watched as two intrepid kayakers traversed the weir before

trekking along the fenced woodland edge back towards the main path.

A path diverges northwards through Red Scar Woods and we stopped to talk

to some keen nature watchers who told us of some excellent photo opportu-

nities.

They were not wrong. One particular section of the woods contained very

large numbers of Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), Great Tits (Parus major),

Treecreepers (Certhiidae), a Nuthatch (Sitta) and Robin (Erithacus rubecu-

la). The birds rummaged among the mosses quite oblivious to our presence

mere yards from the path.

Another nature photographer we met was looking to take pictures of foxes

and after a brief chat he disappeared into the undergrowth.

Page 15 Merseyside Nature

A FIRST VISIT TO BROCKHOLES - Bob Jude

Canada Geese on the Ribble

Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Great tit (Parus major)

Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)

Chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) darted among the tree branches where the

canopy had become less dense. At the far end of the wood we rejoined the

main path and decided to avoid the north east edge of the site due to the traf-

fic noise.

This was the area we may have found deer but time was pressing and the

unpleasant traffic noise disturbs the calm serenity of the site so we traversed

our way back towards the car park.

A short distance in front of us, a Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), that we had

earlier seen high in the sky, hovered searching for prey just a few metres

from the ground.

Arriving back in the car park just as the light was fading we were disappointed

in our failure to see all the reported mammal life but were happy to have

viewed the wonderful bird life and resolved to return in the early summer

when meadow flowers would be in bloom adorning the fields and pastures of

this excellent site attracting a variety of insect species, migrant birds and

extraordinary wildlife.

There are specific guided walks and though we like to independently wander

it would be good to see those hidden places and charms we missed on our

first visit. This is a visit I would thoroughly recommend to naturalists even

in late winter/early spring.

A FIRST VISIT TO BROCKHOLES - Bob Jude

Page 16 Merseyside Nature

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

South East across the lake through cafe window

Kayaking on the Ribble

Looking west to farmland across the river Ribble

Treecreeper (Certhiidae) clambering up a trunk at Red Scar Woods

Felicity Harris informed us of the new National

Plant Monitoring Scheme which was launched on

March 1st2015.

The scheme asks for volunteers across the

United Kingdom to visit a kilometre square

local to them and record the plants they find

there in several different plots.

The scheme will enable the exploration of how

plants in different habitats are responding to

changes in the environment.

It may be that there are people who would like to be

involved in this government backed scheme which is

being delivered by a partnership comprising Botani-

cal Society of Britain and Ireland; Centre for Ecolo-

gy; Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Plant-

life.

What support will volunteers get?

All volunteers registering for a square

on www.npms.org.uk will receive a survey pack

(survey guidance; species list; species guidebook)

All volunteers will be able to access telephone

and email support provided by the volunteer

coordinator

All volunteers will be able to access free train-

ing courses

Additional information

Squares have been randomly selected across

the UK and it will be possible to see if there is a

square in your area from the 1st of March by

visiting the website above.

Volunteers are asked to record up to 30 plant

species in any one square or linear plot as long

as it fits into 1 of the 28 NPMS habitats

Volunteers are asked to survey between 3-5

plots within their kilometre square

Volunteers are required to carry out the sur-

vey of their plots 2 times per year

Volunteers may be individuals or small groups

How can you help?

The project can be followed on Twitter

twitter @thenpms and retweet us as we launch

on March 1st and send out tweets throughout

the week.

We do hope that people will be inspired to take

part.

Felicity Harris

Head of Outreach

Direct Dial: 01722 342740

Mobile: 07753 495971

Felicity.Harris@plantlife.org.uk

NATIONAL PLANT MONITORING SCHEME: Information Courtesy Felicity Harris

Page 17 Merseyside Nature

Events are run throughout the year by

Liverpool Museum.

These include Mammal Trapping at Knowsley Park and

other venues.

Please contact Tony.Parker@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk for

details and to book places. Museum collections are open to

amateur naturalists and volunteers (by appointment)

Other activity events

Knowsley: www.knowsley.gov.uk/things-to-see-and-do/

events.aspx

Liverpool Parks: liverpool.gov.uk/leisure-parks-and-

events

Wildlife Trust: www.lancswt.org.uk/what-s-on

Court Hey Park: www.courtheypark.co.uk

National Wildflower Centre: www.nwc.org.uk/events

North West Fungus Group

There are forays and special events,

with help and advice on a range of

fungi related topics.

NWFG Home Page: http://

www.fungus.org.uk/nwfg.htm

Liverpool Botanical Society

www.liverpoolbotanicalsociety.co.uk

Merseyside Naturalist Association

The MNA organize informal nature events in-

cluding field trips, talks and practical sessions

Visit www.mnapage.info for the programme of

events

Merseyside & West Lancashire Bat Group

The group runs events and training throughout the year

check the group website, twitter or Facebook.

Facebook links require membership of

Facebook

Some links may additionally require permission which

can be obtained by contacting the group over Facebook

as a pre-requisite. These links are increasingly becom-

ing a major contact point for rapidly expanding natu-

ralist groups and volunteers. Interested then link to:

Merseyside BioBank

www.facebook.com/MerseysideBioBank

MBAN

www.facebook.com/groups/ActiveNaturalists/

UK Hoverflies

www.facebook.com/groups/609272232450940/

WeBS

www.facebook.com/pages/Mersey-Estuary-WeBS

Lancashire Lepidoptera

https://www.facebook.com/

groups/119829941488294/

British Wildlife Photography

https://www.facebook.com/

groups/415160405188412/

Lancashire Mammal Group https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lancashire-

Mammal-Group/169476803103866?

BTO Garden Birdwatch

https://www.facebook.com/gardenbirdwatch

RSPB

https://www.facebook.com/RSPBLoveNature

British Spider ID

https://www.facebook.com/

groups/829354860449271/

British Mycological Society (BMS)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/18843741618/

Conopids

https://www.facebook.com/groups/british.conopids/

EVENTS SUMMARY

Page 18 Merseyside Nature

Interested in arranging one

yourself next year?

For advice contact

ben.deed@merseysidebiobank.org.uk

HELP! BIRDERS STILL NEEDED

The Mersey Estuary is one of

Britain’s best wetlands. We know

this because each month we count

the waterfowl as part of the

national Wetland Bird Survey

(WeBS).

However, we need ‘new blood’

volunteers. You don’t need to be

an experienced wildfowl counter,

though you should be able to

identify common waders and

wildfowl. If you think you can help

then please email Dermot Smith at

dermot.smith71@gmail.com or

phone 07505 418832 for further

details.

For more information plus recent

reports and photos visit the

Mersey Estuary WeBS page on

Facebook

Booking is essential for these events

Call 01519342964

Walks last around 2.5-3 hours and require

good footwear. The walk may include small

hills and undulations. It would also be advisa-

ble to wear appropriate clothing for the day.

Heritage & Health Walks

“Discover the heritage along with coastline with a

series of walks. Part of the Sefton Coast Land-

scape Partnership scheme”

“The walks will take you through a variety of

habitats including woodlands, sand dunes and

beach walks”

Other Events

Why not visit Facebook page SeftonCoast?

RSPB Tel: 01704 226190

Thursday 9 April

Wildlife Home Event at Marshside

Sunday 19 April

Big Tide Bird Walk at Marshside

Lancashire Wildlife Trust Events

Biodiverse Society Project Volunteer Recruit-

ment Event

Sat, 21/02/2015 - 11:00am - 2:00pm - The Wildlife

Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Mer-

seyside

Venue: Berkeley Drive

Find out all about our exciting new Biodiversity

project and have a chat with the Project Team.

More event info

Friends of MSW Talk - Wigan Flashes

Wed, 15/04/2015 - 7:30pm - 9:00pm - The Wildlife

Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Mer-

seyside

Venue: Mere Sands Wood nature reserve

Join us for the Friends of Mere Sands Wood's

monthly event, which is a talk about the iconic Wig-

an Flashes.

More event info

Friends of MSW - Dawn Chorus

Sat, 09/05/2015 - 4:00am - 7:00am - The Wildlife

Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Mer-

seyside

Venue: Mere Sands Wood nature reserve

Join us for the Friends of Mere Sands Wood's

monthly event, which is a Dawn Chorus walk around

the reserve.

More event info

Bird Watching and Beyond Course

Detailed Description

Part Time Course £225

Includes monthly seminar and field trip

One Wednesday every month “Edge Hill University

are offering a part-time course which involves a

mixture of field excursions and a taught pro-

gramme. On one Wednesday of every month there

will be a seminar at Edge Hill University, Ormskirk

in the BioSciences building (at 7.00 pm).

These Wednesday sessions will be followed by a full-

day field excursion on either the following Saturday

or Sunday. These field trips will focus on bird

identification and will initially take advantage of the

many varied local sites. Trips further afield will be

used to extend your experience. The taught pro-

gramme will involve informal seminars that will

deal with the principles which underpin birdwatch-

ing.

This will cover the biological topics relevant to

birds including bird anatomy and physiology, gen-

eral ecology and population dynamics, migration,

the principles of census techniques, conservation

etc. In addition to reinforcing your existing

knowledge, this course should also help you to take

your birdwatching further.”

SUMMARY of EVENTS PROGRAMME of 2015 at SEFTON COAST PARTNERSHIP www.seftoncoast.org.uk

Page 19 Merseyside Nature