The nights are still cold, but the days are getting (marginally!) warmer, as well as longer. These higher temperatures mean that our invertebrate friends are beginning to stir from their winter slumber. For instance, Mark, Lizzie and I have all been very excited to have seen or heard bumble bees in the past few days!
Ichneumon sarcitorius - a parasitic wasp (Photo by Simon Gray)
If things weren't exciting enough already, as I was sitting in the top meadow yesterday minding my own buisness, I noticed a wasp climbing up my leg. But this was no ordinary wasp!! With some acrobatic manoeuvreing, I managed to carry it back to the office buildiings on a book I had with me. After displaying this fine specimen to a crowd of fascinated visitors (which included Mark asnd Lizzie), I identified it as a female Ichneumon sarcitorius. This wasp is part of a large group of mostly parasitoid wasps which lay their eggs inside the larvae of moths and butterflies!! Have you seen any wasps like this before?
Butterbur in the Churnet Valley (Photo by Holly Arnfield)
In the mornings as we are opening up the reserve, some of us have had the pleasure of hearing the whirling "cour-eee" of Curlews, from which they get their common name. Once you hear it it's hard to forget! Lizzie was also lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a tiny goldcrest down in the valley, and a woodcock in the middle of the plantation! Some of the wildflowers which will eventually carpet the woodland floor (making it even more beautiful than it is already!) are still a long way from blooming. Other species have begun to respond to the longer days though, such as Lesser Celendine, Butterbur and Coltsfoot, which are all beginning to flower in the Churnet Valley (where it's also a little bit warmer!).
Satellite Moth (Photo by Simon Gray)
Our moth trap has seen very little action recently due to the harsh temperatures, but this morning we had our first recorded moth of the year! A Satellite moth! When I first opened the trap it was very still, but when I brought it into the warmth of the office, to my excitement it slowly shivered back to life! Have you seen any mini beasts being awoken by the warmer weather?