Yesterday was gloriously sunny and bright, today it was crap. But a day off isn't to be spent indoors, so I shombled up the hill in my wellies and hit the Sphagnum bog. As bogs tend to be, it was very wet and gloopy. I had a suite of species in mind though, and first up was a targeted search for an aquatic moth...
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| Bog Pondweed exhibiting a suspiciously neat semicircular hole... |
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| On the underside I found the excised section of leaf, neatly folded over..... |
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| Lifting the lid - a caterpillar! An underwater caterpillar! How very bizarre... |
This is a larval Brown China-mark Moth Elophila nymphaeata. I found the adult moths flying about a bogweed-filled ditch last summer, subsequently finding plenty of larval mines, often with the young larva within. But this is the first time I've found the larva in its free-living stage, so I was rather pleased to find one so easily. The trick, of course, was finding a leaf with the diagnostic cut out. After that it was easy.
I spent a bit of time around the deeper channel that bisects the bog, noting several small clumps of frogspawn (Common Frog Rana rana up here) including this clump, rather bizarrely situated above the water level
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| Dangling from a stem well above the water! |
The spawn seemed to be developing alright, but I snapped the dead stem and put them into the water anyway. Plants 'new' for the year included Heath Rush (bright green amongst the browns), Deer-grass (bright orange amongst the greens), a few Pale Butterworts plus a small area of this stuff
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| Fir Clubmoss - I had no idea it grew in bogs! |
I've only ever seen Fir Clubmoss growing at the top of Cairngorm, so to find it in a lowland bog was a bit of a shock! I keyed it through, it definitely is Fir Clubmoss. Turns out it does grow in bogs, as well as on mountaintops and moors, so I've learned something new. It's also previously unrecorded from this tetrad, so Stephen (the local BSBI Recorder) will be pleased.
Naturally, whilst up to my knees in a bog, I collected a few water samples for microscopic inspection once back at 'the lab'. Bit disappointing really, maybe it's a poor time of year for microscopic algae. I photographed a couple of mystery species but only added one to the yearlist. 500 seems a very long way away, right now.
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| No, it's not an airship - this is Netrium interruptum |
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| Tetmemorus granulatus |
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| Pleurotaenium sp - probably P.trabecula |
I definitely need to upgrade my compound microscope. The one I have is alright, but I think it's time to move on to the next stage. I didn't want to spend a fortune on something I wouldn't really use, but I've now found myself spending as much time at the compound as with the stereo microscope, possibly more so, in fact.
Here's a pic I managed through the compound last week, one I'm very pleased with
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| Coxal pores of Geophilus truncorum, a small species of centipede |
If I can take images as sharp as this, but at high magnification, then I'll be happy. The pertinent feature here, by the way, is that each hind coxa has two pore openings. Combined with number of body segments/pairs of legs and overall size, these allowed me to identify the centipede in question as Geophilus truncorum. Pretty common and widespread, yet new to both myself and Skye!
Also pretty common and widespread yet 'new' for me was this little fella, one I've been searching for ever since moving up here
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| Deroceras laeve - the Marsh Slug (at last!!!) |
I'm really surprised it's taken so long to (knowingly) encounter this slug. I've been checking every single dark Deroceras invadens I find and coming away disappointed. Deroceras invadens is very common up here, and variable too. Not many are as dark as Deroceras laeve, but some are. However, invadens shows a pale area around the rim of the breathing pore and the tail is noticeably longer than the mantle. Plus the sole is usually somewhat paler than the body/flanks. Happily, this little bugger ticked all the right boxes (plus has big eyes on chunky tentacles which give it the appearance of a youngster) and so, after many false starts, is now officially on the NG3963 list. Phew!
Hmmm. I've just realised that there's been a distinct lack of music playing whilst I've been writing this post. Hence my mind is blank regarding a track to leave you with. Buggerit, this'll just have to do. Get yer feet a'tappin and your hands a'clappin folks, we're all off to The Rattlin' Bog - enjoy!
Let's just add those to the wishlist ... there. Done. Curiously I also had lifer G.truncorum in my square this year. Glad you're posting some of these desmids. Things are hotting up here with a good small collection in the light trap last night
ReplyDeleteNever being satisfied with one comment ... I was reading about pond flora and specifically diatoms, as one does, and apparently they do very well early in the year while algae need it to warm up a bit. Something to do with the silicon jacket I think, though I don't remember.
ReplyDeleteI've looked at a few samples this year that were positively heaving with diatoms (unfortunately, Meridion circulare is the only one I can ID) but almost entirely lacking in green algae. Apart from some filamentous stuff, which I find very difficult to get my head around. The Sphagnum bog seems particularly rich in green algae in the summer months, wouldn't be at all surprised to add another 20 species without too much effort. I shall show you when you're up in June (though Tim won't be interested, we'll just have to find him some staphylinids, I guess..) Pete will be eyes to the skies for his WT Eagles, all will be good in the world of PSL :)
ReplyDeleteI am (pleased) if a bit belatedly....
ReplyDeleteYour Pale Butterwort is only the second VC104 record earlier than May, the other also being in March (Nick H, 2015). Expanding this to the whole of the British Isles, March is the month with the smallest number of records - just 8 (cf 1763 in July). Thought his might amuse you.
ReplyDelete