J is a keen volunteer on the Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms project, which is working to improve the conservation fortunes of some of the Cairngorms National Park’s rarest species. She has an important role monitoring key sites for species such as the small scabious mining bee, and looking for new sites that might be hiding the other rare invertebrates. J has shared with us some of her experience of working on this project.
Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms: A volunteers experience
Hi!
I'm J, and in another life I rescued and rehabilitated wildlife and was a single-handed head teacher of a tiny village school.
I enjoy learning and Gabby (Rare Invertebrates Project Officer) appeared on the scene with her Rare Invertebrates group last spring. I thought it looked just what I would enjoy - a subject of which I had no knowledge, and the chance to get out and about and perhaps be useful!
That is why, during scorching day in this amazing summer, you could find seven of us crawling around Insh Marshes on hands and knees, through Aspen and Birch scrub and coarse grass, fighting off clegs, and looking for the larvae of the Dark Bordered Beauty moth (Epione vespertaria).
Of course, because this season is so unlike previous years, we couldn’t find any and we suspected that they had pupated earlier than expected.
However, I found a very pretty puss moth caterpillar (Cerura vinula) enjoying the Aspen leaves.
Puss moth caterpillar (Cerura vinula). Credit: J.
After a couple of hot hours we regrouped, determined to return at the end of the month and see some adults; Last year, we were very successful at this site.
Following this survey day, we returned a couple of weeks later to moth trap and look for flying dark bordered beauties. We had a very successful training day and survey day with many males and females making their presence known! During J’s surveys for the project she has had the pleasure of discovering many other interesting natural phenomena besides the rare six.
I spent a very pleasant morning scouring the shingle banks of the Dorback for the Northern silver stiletto fly (Spiriverpa lunulata). The river was very low and so the shingle area stretched farther than usual.
I found dragon, butter, crane and horse flies in abundance. Specifically, I noticed many golden ringed dragonflies, painted ladies, common blue, dark green and small pearl bordered fritillaries and small heath butterflies. I also, found this shiny birch sawfly:
Birch sawfly (Cimbex femoratus). Credit: J.
After working my way downstream from the estate fence to the Drumford, I enjoyed watching the sand martins who still had chicks in the nest holes and observed plenty of wheatears still feeding their young.
J has continued to survey for many species during 2018 including the small scabious mining bee and pine hoverfly and is just one of the many incredible volunteers helping to find and conserve the national park’s many iconic insect species. Stay tuned for updates from more volunteers and the discoveries of the project.
You can find out more about the rare invertebrates project online or by following their Facebook and Twitter pages
I look forward to more blogs of a similar nature. Thank you.