Bumblebees in Birch Grove Wood 2015/16

Bumblebee Walk in Birch Grove Wood 2015/16

For the last two years, 2015/16 we have been monitoring the bumblebee population around the meadow and in the lower part of Birch Grove Wood. This survey method is set up be the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and the data is collated nationally.

Walking the same route every month we record how many and which species of bumblebees are present. Sometimes identifying bumblebees is not straightforward but with a bit of practice the main ones and be recognised by their colouring and banding on the thorax.

Here are some numbers for the last two years:

Some statistics to evaluate the numbers:

	2015	2016	Totals	Expected F	x2	0.01	0.05
Common Carder	40	14	54	27	6.26	Significant	Not Significant
Buff Tail	6	11	17	8.5	0.74	Not Significant	Not Significant
Early	1	2	3	1.5	0.17	Not Significant	Not Significant
Red Tail	10	45	55	27.5	11.14	Significant	Significant
Garden	8	3	11	5.5	1.14	Not Significant	Not Significant
Tree	3	4	7	3.5	0.07	Not Significant	Not Significant
Honey	25	25	50	25	0.00	Not Significant	Not Significant
Unidentified	19	22	41	20.5	0.11	Not Significant	Not Significant
SUM	112	126	238	119	0.41	Not Significant	Not Significant

The difference in total numbers observed are only significantly different at a both levels of significance for the Red Tail bumblebee for those two years. There were significantly more Red Tails counted in 2016. Common Carders numbers are also significantly different at a higher level of significance.

There was no significant difference in total numbers of bumblebees observed, although in 2016 there were very no counts of any bumblebees in April and May.

After a wet start to 2017, the bumblebee queens were observed in the Gardens in the middle of March. Time to start up the bee walk again.

Help us spot early signs of Chalaria Ash dieback

To all walkers, runners, cyclist, dog walkers, sun bathers

 and anyone who loves trees and woods

Help us spot Chalaria dieback on Ash trees

Ash tree leaf

The county botanist, Julian Woodman, confirmed what we have been suspecting for some time: Chalaria dieback of ash has spread to the west of the Vale of Glamorgan and westerly winds are likely to carry the spores of Chalaria towards Barry and Porthkerry Park.

What causes Ash Dieback

Ash dieback is caused by the fungal infection of, H. fraxineus, which is mainly spread by wind.. The fungal spores settle on the ash tree leaves and can cause symptoms within about 2 months. The main time for the infection to spread is June to October, the first symptoms such as blackening of the leaves, can be seen in the spring following the infection.

Signs of dieback on the Ash tree:

                                                         

Chalaria fungal growth on twig
(google images)

                              Winter: diamond shaped lesions on the branches                                                           
  Spring/Summer: blackening of twigs and leaves, dieback of crown of tree
Autumn: small fungal bodies on twigs and leaves fallen off the tree

Diamond-shaped lesion on Ash tree
(google images)

Healthy and diseased leaf of Ash tree
 (photo: Imperial College London)

black bud of Ash tree

How to recognise and Ash tree?

See the leaf shape in the above pictures: pinnate leaf with oval shaped leaflets. In winter the distinctive large black buds can be seen at the tips of the twigs. Ash are very prolific seed – producers and there are usually plenty of seedlings near established Ash trees.

What will happen to an infected Ash tree?

Once an Ash tree is infected, it cannot recover from the infection. Young trees (under 10 years old) are likely to die within ten years of being infected. Ash trees between 10 to 40 years old are likely to die, if they are also infected by honey fungus. Older trees, over 40 years old, are likely to survive with the disease present, and are still able to support a wide variety of wildlife.

If Chalaria dieback of Ash is suspected, the rangers, park staff or local wildlife group will take records and report it to Natural Wales (E: treehealth@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk ). There decisions will be taken, if trees need to be removed to prevent further spread.

References:

Observatree (monitoring tree health) – Poster of Ash tree affected by chalaria

http://www.observatree.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Chalara-Dieback-of-Ash-poster.pdf

Forestry Commission

Name a tree: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/treenametrail

Notify suspected Chalaria info: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara#Reporting suspected cases

DEFRA

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20141024151438/http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/plants/plantHealth/pestsDiseases/chalaraInfo.cfm

OPAL Soil Surveys in Porthkerry Park, January 2016

OPAL Earthworm and Soil Survey with Porthkerry Park Wildlife Groups, 16 and 24 January 2016

The Soil and Earthworm Survey is suitable for winter as long as the ground is not frozen.

I organised a survey for the Childrens's Wildlife Group on the 16 January and on that day, of course, there was quite a heavy frost. Undeterred, we found a good patch for a pit on the slope that leads to the main meadow. The slope roughly faces south, any frost had melted by the time we dug the pit. The children were great at going through the soil sample and found altogether 25 earthworms: 20 immature ones, 4 Lobworms and 1 Rosy-tipped Worm. It was lovely to see them being so careful with the worms and really looking after them. We were also treated to the mustard-mixing dance. The children practiced a bit of their observation skills – even male pores were spotted-, reading, recording and taking care of living beings. It was worth getting wet and muddy for.

A week later on the 24 January, the Porthkerry Wildlife Group completed a transect survey of three pits across the meadow. Although it had rained a lot in the last few weeks, the ground was not flooded on the day and the temperatures had been considerably milder.

We dug three pits covering the

1) the slope with trees

2) the wildflower meadow (which has been going for about two summers)

3) the amenity grass (heavily walked on by members of the public)

I was hoping to get

- a first impression which sort of earthworms were present

- any differences in the worm numbers in the three different areas

- any differences in soil in the three areas

Getting started on the first soil sample

The main meadow had historically been used to graze cattle, and is now used as amenity grassland. The area on the amenity grass were our pit was, is well used by members of the public.

The wildflower area was established about two years ago. Yellow Rattle had been included and it had flowered well in the last summer.

The slope leading from the road to the meadow has old, well established trees, e.g. oak and ash, but with enough space for wildflowers to grow between them. The Lesser Celendines had started to flower in considerable numbers in the last few weeks.

Here is a summary of the results:

Soil Survey

	Location	Roots	Rubbish	Pencil test	pH	Texture	Smell	Colour	Fizz test
Slope/ Trees	lots	no	easy	moist	5	Clay	fresh	dark brown	yes
Wild flower	lots	no	easy	moist	6	Silty Clay	fresh	light brown	yes
Amenity	lots	no	easy	moist	5.5	Silty Clay Loam	fresh	medium brown	yes

Earthworms Identification

Earth worms	Immature	Green	Black-headed	Lob	Chestnut	Little Tree	Rosy-tipped	Grey	Blue-Grey	Totals for mature worms
Slope/ Trees	6	1						6		8
Wild flower	29	2						1	1	4
Amenity	9		3	5	3	1	2			13
Totals	44	3	3	5	3	1	2	7	1

Grand Total: 69, Total Mature: 25

Award for tidiest square hole goes
goes to Huw and Steven

The soil in the wildflower and the amenity area was gritter than on the slope.

No deep-burrowing earthworms emerged in any of the pits, after the application of mustard water. The ground was quite waterlogged as we had had a lot of rain and some flooding in the last few weeks. The deep-burying worms, the Black-headed and the Lobworms were found in the top layer and might have moved there as response to the water-logging.

The most immature worms were found in the wildflower area and the most mature worms were found in the amenity area. In the amenity area, the greatest variety of mature earthworms were found.

It would be nice to do some more earthworm surveys in the summer to see if the number of earthworms changes in any way. It would also be interesting to monitor if and how the earthworm numbers and varieties might change in the wildflower and the amenity area over the next years.