hainaultforest.net | April Journal

April 2024

April Journal

2024

Common Leaf Weevils Phyllobius pyri are usually seen during spring on low vegetation. They are particularly attracted to oak seedlings. Immature females feed for 2-3 weeks before laying eggs in batches directly into the soil among the host roots. A typical female will lay several hundred eggs. The larvae hatch to feed upon roots of various herbaceous plants and grasses.

The Minotaur Beetle Typhaeus typhoeus has a preference for habitats containing short grass growing on dry sandy soils. The male has horns projecting from its pronotum, absent in females. Adults make burrows up to 1.5 metres deep under dung belonging to rabbits, sheep, deer, horses and cattle.

A pale red larva of wood-boring beetle Opilo mollis measuring about 7-8mm long. It feeds on larvae of other beetles. This species is associated with oak, beech and pine. Adults are mainly nocturnal and rarely seen during daytime. They hunt insects on old dry wood or under peeling bark and will also enter galleries in search of larvae and other tiny prey.

Sawfly Aglaostigma aucupariae is one of the first sawflies to appear in spring, flying from March to June. Females deposit eggs in plant stems. The larvae feed on various Bedstraws. This species has a bright orange band across the middle of its abdomen with no white markings on the abdomen. Size: 7-9mm.

The lateral extensions of the Birch Shieldbug's pronotum are not marked with red making it easy to tell apart from the slightly larger Hawthorn Shieldbug. Adults overwinter and emerge in spring to mate. Birch is the main larval foodplant, but sometimes hazel and aspen are used as food sources instead.

Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina is bright green during spring, turning darker as winter approaches. Their nymphs are seen from June until October feeding on a variety of deciduous trees and shrubs.

Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum is covered in long hairs. It is found throughout the year along woodland rides and on hedgerows. This species overwinters as an adult and emerges during spring to mate. Larval foodplants include Blackthorn and other members of the Roasaceae family. Also known as the Sloe Bug.

This is a nymph of Fine Streaked Bugkin Miris striatus. It is a plant bug found throughout Britain and is normally associated with oak and hawthorn. This species is predatory mostly feeding on small insects and their larvae and eggs. Adults usually appear late May or early June.

The Handsome Plant Bug Harpocera thoracica spends most of the year at the egg stage. Larval development lasts only two weeks. The nymphs are covered in dark hairs and the two basal antennal segments are thicker than the other segments.

This is an adult male Handsome Plant Bug Harpocera thoracica. Adults typically appear from May to June and are short-lived, especially the males. The sexes are dimorphic and dissimilar in appearance; females are browner and have wider bodies than the males.

Limonia phragmitidis is a Cranefly that has a grey head, orange thorax and orange abdomen. The wings have three black spots near to the front edge. Limonids normally hold the wings along the back of the body when at rest. They are usually found in shaded locations from April to June.

Early Nomad Bee Nomada leucophthalma flies from March to May visiting flowers for nectar. The dark antennae and legs and flying season help distinguish it from other Nomada species. There is a thick coating of hairs on the middle of the back (mesonotum). It is a parasite of solitary bee Andrena clarkella in whose nests it lays its eggs. This cuckoo bee is found on hedgerows along woodland rides.

Sulphur Bark Moth Esperia sulphurella is a brown moth seen flying in daytime from April to June. It has pale-yellow markings and whitish marks on the antennae. This species has recently undergone a name change and was previously known as the Sulphur Tubic. It feeds on dead wood.

Early Grey Xylocampa areola is one of the earliest moths to emerge in the year flying from March to May. Honeysuckle is its foodplant.

Green Longhorn moths Adela reaumurella are daytime flyers with bronzy or metallic greenish forewings. The males have long, whitish antennae, antennae belonging to females are shorter.

When Green Longhorns are not dancing over hedgerows in the sunshine they rest on trees and other vegetation in large numbers.

April has been a particularly good month to see Brimstone Butterflies this year. They sometimes rest under bramble making them difficult to spot. The caterpillars feed on Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn.

The female Blackcap has a chestnut brown cap allowing it to be distinguished from the male which has a black crown. They belong to the Warbler family and are normally summer visitors from Europe, but now more are staying in Britain over winter. Blackcaps feed on insects and berries.

Towards the end of the month a female Mallard appeared with 13 ducklings on Roe's Well, or a "Baker's dozen" as Mike put it in his email. The term is thought to have started in medieval England when there were strict laws controlling the price of bread. Bakers would throw an extra loaf into orders of a dozen in case the bread was underweight, a crime for which they would get flogged with a whip or stick as punishment.

Greylag Geese parents are very protective and get involved in the care of the offspring. Two youngsters appeared at Hainault Lake on April 4th. Goslings become fully-fledged at 8-9 weeks.

A larger family with ten Greylag goslings appeared later in April.

Cormorants were spotted at Hainault Lake in full breeding plumage during April. At this time of year adults develop white thigh patches and white neck feathers. It is easy to think that the male is the one with the white head, but that may not be the case. Male and females are similar in appearance and any difference may be due to differing stages of moult and one bird acquiring breeding plumage earlier than the other. Bird age may affect when the moult occurs.

A Pied Wagtail searching for food at the edge of the 2nd car park in Foxburrow Road.

Wire fencing has been installed around the scrub area to protect the skylarks and other ground nesting birds. The strength of birdsong in this area has significantly increased this year indicating how worthwhile the effort put in by staff and volunteers is.

This dog enjoyed disturbing the waterfowl for at least twenty minutes. What a shame the dog didn't read the signs it might have prevented the owner on the bank getting a sore throat from his constant calling! Hainault Forest welcomes responsible owners (regrettably not all are) and on Saturday 4th of May 2024 there will be a dog show at Foxburrows buildings. The aim is to raise as much money for the PDSA as possible. Look at Redbridge Vision's website for further details.

The 14-spot Ladybird measures 4-5mm long. It is common in Hainault Forest and is found in a range of habitats, especially on hedgerows along woodland rides. The adults and larvae feed on aphids. There are three yellow species in Britain, this one often has the spots fused together forming an anchor shape across the elytra (wing cases).

Tapered Drone Fly Eristalis pertinax flies from April until October and is a fairly common sight on hedgerows and along woodland rides. The eyes separated by a gap indicates that this a female.

Tapered Drone Flies have pale front legs and there are usually orange markings on tergite 2 which are often brighter in summer specimens.

Epistrophe eligans does not appear to have a common name at present. It is a species mainly seen in spring and can be rather variable regarding the level of the yellow striping on its abdomen. Some specimens, especially males, can be almost totally black, but the overall pattern is normally similar. This Hoverfly has a preference for sunny woodland rides and hedges where it can be found resting on brambles.

As with many other Hoverfly species eyes close together indicate that this is a male.

This Pipiza Hoverfly was basking in the sun on a hedgerow near Sheepwater. Due to similarity in species it can only be recorded to genus from a photograph.

Bronze Sap Hoverfly Ferdinandea cuprea has a brassy coloured abdomen and two dark marks on each wing. It inhabits hedgerows and woodland from March to November where it is sometimes found basking in the sun.

Black legs and dark wing spots enable Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula to be distinguished from the smaller and rarer Small Red Damselfly. Usually found in wetland habitats with still or slow-running waters this is one of the earliest Damselflies to appear in the year.

This Muntjac's skull was discovered in woodland near Wedrell's Plain. Muntjac deer skulls can be identified by their large suborbital pits, the bones that sit beneath the eye sockets. Tusks sticking out indicate a male.

Coltsfoot is a perennial usually found at the edge of Hainault Lake during March and April. After pollination the heads droop, becoming upright again when the white fluffy parachutes (clocks) containing seeds have ripened and are ready to be dispersed on the wind.

Red Dead-nettle Lamium purpureum has dense clusters of reddish-pink flowers in whorls around its square stem. Usually found on disturbed ground and waste spaces. This year large patches are looking particularly pretty.

Herb-robert Geranium robertianum is a low-growing woodland plant that flowers from April to September. It has small, pink, five-petalled flowers and reddish stems. The leaves have deeply divided lobed leaves often tinged with red.

Cuckooflower Cardamine pratensis appears in damp meadows during spring. It has an upright stem, a rosette of leaves at the base. and small, pale pink. four-petalled flowers that appear in clusters at the top of the stem. The plant is also known as Lady's Smock.

Cuckoopint Arum maculatum is a woodland flowering plant that appears during April and May. The plant has many common names which normally have risque meanings. However, it is possible that "Lords and Ladies" is a reference to this plant being used for starching ruffs worn around gentry necks during the 16th century. The roots were once a traditional source of starch used for stiffening clothes. In the Middle Ages, Nuns from Syon Abbey, which stood on the banks of the River Thames at Isleworth, used the roots to produce starch. Starch "made from herbes" was the only starch permitted for use with communion linen.

The Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus has scruffy-looking flowers; petals are often imperfect or missing. The upper stem leaves of this slightly hairy plant are deeply lobed with 3-5 narrow segments. Goldilocks Buttercup often appears during spring along the side of the path that leads from Roe's Well towards Sheepwater.

Sticky Mouse-ear Cerastium glomeratum is a short hairy annual that appears from April until October. The white flowers, measuring 5-8mm across, have petals that are as long as sepals and five styles. The petals are shallowly notched and leaves are oval to elliptical.

Large yellow flowers of Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris often appear at Sheepwater, Roe's Well and Hainault Lodge during April. The plants provide an early source of nectar for insects and the large rounded leaves offer a place for frogs to shelter.

Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys is a low-growing plant producing upright spikes holding bright blue four-petalled flowers with white centres. It has two rows of long white hairs on opposite sites of its stems.

Grape Hyacinth Muscari is a garden plant which spreads easily and can become invasive. They grow in well-drained soils and can be particularly vigorous in sunny locations. Despite the common name this species is not related to hyacinths, but it is now considered to be part of the Asparagaceae family. It is occasionally seen in grassy areas of Hainault Forest, but is not a natural woodland plant.

Ramsons Allium ursinum, also known as Wild Garlic, appears in ancient woodlands during April and May. Most of the year it exists as a bulb underground only emerging in spring to flower. It has rounded clusters of white flowers growing on straight green stems. The narrow oval leaves grow around the base of the stem.

Mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris is a mud loving flowering plant, not to be confused with Horsetails. Found in Sheepwater.

Anemone galls form on fertilised Turkey oak female flowers. They are induced by the sexual generation of gall wasp Neuroterus saliens. Several larvae live in each gall and emerge as adults during summer. The first record of this gall in the UK was during 2004.

Oak Apples are caused by larvae of gall wasp Biorhiza pallida. Eggs laid in oak buds produce spongy apple-like galls. Every 'apple' contains many chambers each enclosing a larva.

Balls appeared under an Oak at Sheepwater. Sue Dunk sent pictures and asked what they were? The clay-like balls, up to 3cm diameter, do not appear to be droppings. They look very man-made! Could they possibly be an experiment with erosion conducted by local school children? Owl pellets have been ruled out because the balls were too heavy and when broken up contained no small mammal bones, feather or beetle parts. Clay pebbles used in hydroponics that help plants thrive? It remains a mystery and sadly the website is unable to reach a final conclusion - although several sources have suggested this may be a joke!

Brian Ecott and Head Ranger Claire Oliverio went to Suffolk to purchase Norfolk Horns (marked in red) for display at Foxburrows Farm. They will go through a period of quarantine before being introduced to the public area.

One of the aims of the Hainault Forest restoration project was to establish an Arts and Crafts centre at Hainault Forest. In the old Smithy skilled artesans create glassware in all shapes and colours using traditional techniques and skills. Seats are placed outside the doors allowing visitors to sit and watch glassblowers at work. This picture shows Sarah heating rods in the furnace.

Glass is found in nature, but the first glass produced by humans dates back about 4,000 years ago. Craftsman from Mesopotamia are generally credited with discovering how to make glass by mixing sand, soda, and lime together.

Items on display in the shop. There is a wide range of items including ornaments, vases, goblets, dragon eggs and paperweights.

Of the many fine paperweights produced by Sarah this one proved to be of special interest. The letter 'K' with crown atop was once the Forest parish mark used on branding irons to mark cattle in Hainault. The inclusion of oak and hornbeam leaves on this design represent two historically important local tree species. During Victorian times the Royal Navy used oak from Hainault Forest to build ships and hornbeam was collected by the Collyers at Colliers Row to make charcoal.

Metal oxides produce different colours. Blue Glass is made by using cobalt salts. Large quantities of blue glass were produced in Bristol during Victorian times. It is held in high esteem and unbeaten in quality. Adding chromium oxide results in green glass and selenium makes pink or red. Copper also produces red. Silver compounds such as silver nitrate produce colours ranging from orange-red to yellow.

Kabir had a display at the first London Recorder's Day during November 2018 at the Natural History Museum when aged 12. His mission to visit every Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in London and make Londoners aware of wildlife on their doorsteps. Kabir has his own website and has appeared on programs including the BBC's Autumnwatch. This was Kabir's first trip to Hainault Forest and he was especially interested in watching skylarks in the recently created scrub area and was able to pick out Black Caps singing in the woodland on Cabin Hill. Redbridge volunteers are likely to recognise Tajinder for her work in Nature Conservation. Former London Wildlife Trust representative Chris and wife Maggie have been working to protect nature for many years.

Ranger John Howe organises volunteer sessions, carries out maintenance in Foxburrows Farm and performs many other tasks. On this particular morning while litter picking, he also checked for damaged fencing around the cattle enclosure and ensured the animals had enough to drink in their water trough. Paths have to be kept accessible and safe and here John is reporting a tree down across the path adjacent to Joan's Glade. The path was cleared later the same day.

Thank you to all contributors.

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