Entomologists at Cors Geirch © Richard GallonJuly was another busy month for Cofnod events, packed with Recorders’ Days, BioBlitzes and an Identification Course.
On the 4th July we held a Recorders’ Day at Gwydir Castle in the Conwy Valley. After a morning exploring the formal gardens and dodging curious Peacocks, we relocated to a series of meadows across the road. These species-rich grasslands had only been recorded on once before, so it was a real treat to survey here. Amongst the significant finds was a Cricket Bat Spider (Mangora acalypha) new to the Vice-county and a rarely recorded Moss, Bryoerythrophyllum campylocarpum.
Following on with the meadows theme we held a very popular Grass Identification Course at Parc Menai, Bangor on the 9th July. Local Botanist Emily Meilleur led the course and guided us through identification methods and field identification.
On the 11th July, with the heatwave in full swing, we held a BioBlitz at Llyn Mair with the Celtic Rainforest Wales project. Despite the oppressive heat we still managed to generate some useful records on the guided walk, although everybody was starting to wilt by the end of the day.
Our final event in July was to support the Natur am Byth BioBlitz at Cors Geirch. This event attracted lots of experienced entomologists and as a result we managed to see many rare invertebrates including the Black Night-runner beetle (Chlaenius tristis) at its only British site. Charles Aron and Steve Palin had an exceptional night moth trapping and everybody was amazed by the diversity of species found. A rare moth, Crambus silvella, was also recorded on the site for the first time, representing only the second Welsh location for it.
In August we teamed up with the Scouts to bioblitz their Talwrn site. An enjoyable day was had recording in the meadows and fen at this Anglesey location. Many of the recorders who attended this event have arranged to revisit the site – a sure sign of good habitat worthy of more recording attention! The Scouts have set themselves a challenge of recording over 1000 different species on the site, so this BioBlitz has helped towards this goal.
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