BioBlitz reveals rare plants and scarce dragonfly
A weekend of intensive nature surveys revealed that land managed by Arundel Wetland Centre is home to rare plants and dragonflies. WWT Arundel held a BioBlitz on June 14-16 where groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conducted studies over three days at the wetland reserve in the South Downs National Park.
A botanical survey on Sat 15 June recorded Small Teasel growing on the site a nationally scarce biennial that likes damp woods, ditches and hedgerows. The survey also recorded Meadow Rue, a plant rare to Sussex and found only in the Arun Valley. Bee orchids, marsh orchids and common orchids were all found in abundance.
Paul Stevens, WWT Arundel grounds manager who lead the weekend said: “The highlight for me was photographing a Scarce Chaser dragonfly during the insect survey. It is the first one I have seen in my 5 years at WWT Arundel.”
Friday night’s bat survey found 5 species including Daubenton bats found feeding over the main lake. The lake was recently refilled with water after being dry for 8 weeks during construction of the new Arun Riverlife project on the reserve.
A moth survey found 25 different species onsite, which is less than you would expect in June. “The cool weather this June has likely affected the moths” said Paul Stevens. One moth collected in the trap was a Privet Hawk-moth, the largest moth species in Britain. Ten species of butterfly were recorded at WWT Arundel including common blue and green-veined white.
WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre in Wales also conducted a BioBlitz last weekend along with 23 other zoos across the UK and Ireland.
