» |Cyclophora
annulata

The Mocha

NATURE IN AVON

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRISTOL NATURALISTS' SOCIETY, 1994

Proc. Bristol Nat. Soc. pp. 1-84 | 1996

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ISSN 0068-1040

NATURE IN AVON

THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRISTOL
NATURALISTS' SOCIETY

VOLUME 54 (for 1994)

EDITED BY A. F. HOLLOWELL

ASSISTED BY A COMMITTEE

© Bristol Naturalists' Society, 1996

Printed for the Society by Healey’s, Fore St, Ipswich

COUNCIL, 1994

President: Mr D. A. Wilson

Past Presidents:

Miss M.H. Rogers, M.A.

Prof. R.J.G. Savage, B.Sc., Ph.D., F.L.S.

J.F.W. McOmie, M.A., D.Phil., D.Sc.
V. Dennison, B.Sc

R. Bradshaw, M.Sc., Ph.D. J.G. Prince
S.M. Taylor, B.Sc., C.Eng. R.M. Payne, F.R.E.S., F.L.S.
Mrs A.F. Hollowell, M.A., A.M.A. Miss R C. Lee
Prof. D.H. Peregrine, B.A., Ph.D. R.G. Symes, B.Sc., C.Biol., M.I.Biol.,
D. Hamilton, BA, MSc, PhD, F.R.ES.
Vice-Presidents: Dr M. H. Martin Dr H. E. Rose
Hon. Secretary: Mrs S. P. Kelly
Hon. Treasurer: S. M. Taylor
Hon. Membership Secretary: Mrs A. Wookey
Hon. Bulletin Secretary: Mrs G. Symes
Hon. Circulation Secretary: Miss S. Garden
Hon. Editor (Proceedings): Dr P. R. Crowther
Hon. Publicity Secretary: R. J. Barnett
Chairman, Field Committee: Miss M. E. Jervis
Hon. Secretary, Field Committee: Miss R. C. Lee
Hon. Conservation Liaison Officer Miss I. F. Gravestock
Hon. Auditor: T. B. Silcocks
Hon. Librarian: Vacant
Officers of Sections:
Botanical President: AC. Titchen
Hon. Secretary & Treasurer: AG. Smith
Geological President: Dr M. Simms
Hon. Secretary: Dr P. R. Crowther
Hon. Treasurer: V. Dennison
Ornithological President: B.M.J. Gray
Hon. Secretary & Treasurer: R. G. Holmes

Other Members of Council:

G. R. Best

Dr G. Jones
Miss A. Heckels
Dr N. Malcolm

Mrs H. Titchen
D. P. C. Trump
D. A. Wilson

ISSN 0068-1040

VOLUME 54
CONTENTS

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Council, 1994 2
Report of Council, 1994 4
General Meetings, 1994 a “ - . 5
General Field Meetings, 1994 .. x : . - 6
Report of the Geological Section, 1994 7:
Report of the Ornithological Section, 1994 fi
Report of the Botanical Section, 1994 .. n . 8
Library Report, 1994... - 9
Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31 ecemnees 1991 10
Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31 December 1992 12
Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31 December 1994 14

Past Presidents ‘ . - ze . a 16
BRISTOL BIOTA

Avon & District Invertebrate Report, 1994 - 2 17

Instructions to Authors . z 2 2 - 26

Avon Mammal Report, 1994. . 7 . e oN

Bristol Botany in 1994 .. p . . . Z 39
ORIGINAL PAPERS

The rare larger resident moths of the Bristol district, by

R. J. Barnett, M. Evans & A.J. Pym _.. x > 2 47

The Brown's Folly Geological Trail: a geological conserv-

ation project in the Bath area, by F. R. B. Smith : 4 Sf)

The Trilobites of the Bristol District, by R. M. Owens - 65

FRONT COVER by Philippa Burrell: The moth The Mocha Cyclophora annulata
(Schulze) (<2), and its distribution in the Bristol district.

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

REPORT OF COUNCIL, 1994

Membership at 31 December was 563, twelve fewer than in December 1993. At the
Annual General Meeting in January, Mr D. A. Wilson was re-elected President and the
Officers and Members of Council were elected (see list on page 2). Council met nine
times during the year. Mr and Mrs R. G. Symes produced the customary ten issues of
the Bulletin, which reached its 30th birthday in April. Council thanks them for contribut-
ing the substantial amount of work entailed, and also the volunteers who distributed
many copies, saving the Society some £450 in postage during the year.

The Society's Proceedings for 1992 appeared in September, after delays outside the
control of all those concerned. By the end of the year work on the 1993 Proceedings
was well advanced and our Hon. Editor, Dr P. R. Crowther, kindly undertook to over-
see its completion, although he had indicated his intention not to seek re-election in
1995. Council records its appreciation of his great professionalism and the large amount
of time and effort he has devoted in producing several issues over six years. The Avon
Bird Report for 1993 was published in September, with for the first time a front cover in
colour. The Report is produced by the Avon Ornithological Group, a consortium of the
Society and Bristol Ornithological Club. A revised version of the Society's publicity
brochure being needed, Council arranged for its illustration in black and white by wild-
life artist and Society member Greg Poole.

Besides the regular programme of lectures and field visits, several field visits were
devoted to invertebrates and to mammals, as well as some geology working parties,
making a total of 68 events during the year. At the Annual Supper, held in April at a
new venue, St Ursula's School, Miss M. H. Rogers and Miss E. Fleure described their
travels through the varied habitats of Costa Rica. For the general indoor meetings it was
decided to return, after several years, to using lecture theatres at the University, as the
facilities at the Victoria Church Hall were proving inadequate.

A grant was made from the Hector Hockey Memorial Fund towards the cost of an
interpretation board at a geological field site on the Bristol/Bath Railway cycle path.
Council also donated £50 from the Conservation Fund to the Gloucestershire Wildlife
Trust, in support of its education initiative, "Learning for Life". The Conservation Fund
is composed of donations made by members, often as additions to their
annual subscriptions, and Council commends it as a way in which even small sums can
be combined to give effective support to conservation.

Members continued to contribute to numerous natural history projects, including the
work of specialised local groups studying invertebrates and mammals. The Ornithologi-
cal Section has continued long-running local studies and has participated in national
surveys mounted by the British Trust for Ornithology, to which the Society is affiliated.
Also, members have contributed time and expertise to the work of the Severn Estuary
Conservation Group, the adjoining County Wildlife Trusts and English Nature,
forging links which are important to the Society and which demonstrate its continuing
interest in and support for nature conservation.

Council records with regret the deaths during the year of Mrs N. J. Gibbs (see Bristol
Botany in 1994), Miss M. Hunter and Mrs L. J. Thomas.

SYLVIA KELLY, Hon. Secretary.

16 Jan.

10 Feb.

12 Mar.

22 Mar.

8 Oct.
3 Nov.

1 Dec.

5 Mar.

1 Apr.

14 May

25 Jun.

23 Jul.

l'7 Sep.

22 Oct.

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

GENERAL MEETINGS, 1994

Annual General Meeting & Presidential Address - "Scenery and natural
history of eastern Almeria, Spain", by Mr D. A. Wilson.

"The National Trust - a biological survey", by Dr K. Alexander.

Joint meeting with Ornithological Section. "The wildlife of the Arctic", by
Prof. R. Vaughan.

Annual Supper. "Travels through Costa Rica", by Miss M. H. Rogers and
Miss E. Fleure.

"The natural history of Sand Bay", by Mr M. Evans.

"Close-up and macro-photography - the photography of small things", by Mr
V. Marsden.

Sheep and goats in nature conservation", by Dr D. Bullock.

SYLVIA KELLY, Hon. Secretary.

GENERAL FIELD MEETINGS, 1994

Miss S. Garden. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Spring bulbs made a fine show,
especially the 1.6 million crocuses donated by The Readers’ Digest in 1988. All
the glass-houses provided something of interest.

Miss S. McCarthy. Hay-on-Wye. A walk over fields to Hay Common. Good
patches of Toothwort and Yellow Saxi frage but too windy for birds. A visit
was made to the village of Clyro which has connections with Parson Kilvert,
author of the famous diary.

Miss M. Morris. Gwent Wildlife Trust Reserve at Penallt, Monmouthshire, to
see wildflower meadows, some with orchids. Afternoon walk in woods and
fields above the River Wye near Catbrook.

Miss R. Lee. Bredon Hill near Tewkesbury. A walk over the hill from Over-
bury to Elmley Castle, with excellent views from the hilltop. Many flowers
characteristic of limestone were found, including Pyramidal Orchids and some
fine plants of Woolly Thistle.

Dr N. Malcolm and Mr A.G. Smith. Craig-y-Llyn, Rhondda Valley. A very
successful visit, in a heatwave, to two corrie lakes and to the top of the scree
slopes above them. There were many acid-loving plants in the water and at the
edge, including Water Lobelia , Quillwort and Bulbous Rush.

Mr D.Cullen. Studland area. A rewarding walk along the edge of Brands Bay
and then over heathland near Little Sea. Many interesting birds were seen in-
cluding Little Egrets.

Miss M. McCarthy. Forest of Dean. A circular walk from The Dean Heritage
Centre to Blaise Bailey and back, passing some historical features of the For-
est. Afternoon walk round the Soudley Pools, with magnificent autumn col-
ours, then a visit to The Dean Heritage Centre itself.

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

12 Nov. Miss M. Morris. Tewkesbury area. Sixteen members braved a very damp day
to walk by a disused canal, along the River Severn and around Frampton Pools,
for birds, and some late flowers and fungi.

RACHEL C. LEE, Hon. Secretary, Field Committee.

REPORT OF THE GEOLOGICAL SECTION, 1994

At the Annual General Meeting held on 19 January, the President, Dr M. J. Simms, the
Hon. Secretary, Dr P. R. Crowther, the Hon. Field Secretary, Mr S. C. Carpenter and
the Hon. Treasurer, Mr V. D. Dennison were re-elected. The Commitee comprised Dr
M. J. Benton, Mr D. Cope, Mrs M. Poolman and Mr D. Wilson.

The following indoor meetings were held:

19 Jan. Annual General Meeting and Presidential Address, "Geological ramblings in
Gloucestershire, Avon and Somerset", by Dr M. J. Simms.

16 Feb. "The Oxford Clay world", by Dr N. Hollingworth.

16 Mar. "Volcanoes in Space", by Dr P. Gravestock.

19 Oct. "Ice, ash and the deep blue sea", by Mr J. B. Hunt.

15 Nov. "Birds in the fossil record", by Mr P. G. Davis.

14 Dec. Members' Evening.

The following field meetings were held, under the leadership of those shown.
13 Mar. Mesozoic rocks of the Chepstow area. Dr M. J. Simms.

17 Apr. The Frome Valley, Bristol. Mr R. Smith.

10 Jul. Dundry Hill, Bristol. Mr A. Bentley and Mr S. Carpenter.

3 Sep. Wootton Bassett mudsprings. Dr N. Hollingworth.

5 Nov. Geologists' Association Reunion, London. Combined meeting with Bath Geo-
logical Society.

MICHAEL J. SIMMS, Hon. Secretary.

REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL SECTION, 1994

At the Annual General Meeting, held on 4 January 1994 at the Westmorland Hall, Durd-
ham Park, the following were elected: President - Mr A. C. Titchen; Hon. Secretary and
Treasurer - Mr A.G. Smith; Committee - Miss I. F. Gravestock, Mrs C. Kitchen, Mr M.
Kitchen, Dr N. Malcolm, Mr L. Taylor, Mrs H. Titchen and Mrs N. Vaughan Davies.
Miss P. Pockson, who retired after serving the Section since 1989, was warmly thanked
for her work and the support she had given.

The following indoor meetings were held:

4 Jan. Annual General Meeting and Presidential Address, "The flora of Tenerife", by
Mr A. C. Titchen.

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

1 Feb. "Foul play on the bottom" (seaweeds), by Dr R. Fletcher.
9 Mar. "The making of the Wiltshire Flora", by Mr D. Green

20 Oct. "Managing the Avon Gorge SSSI and National Nature Reserve", by Mr A.
Robinson.

3 Nov. Joint General/Botanical Section Meeting. "Close-up and macro-photography -
the photography of small things", by Mr V. Marsden.

28 Dec. "Botany and the land of Israel", by Dr N. Malcolm & Mr A. C. Titchen.
The following field excursions took place under the leadership of those shown. :-
6 Mar. Stogumber and Upper Vexford, Mrs H. Titchen.
13 Mar. Rocky shore at Westward Ho, Mr A. G. Smith.
20 Apr. Botany and current projects at Folly Farm, Miss P. Pockson.
8 Jun. The remnant flora of Worle Hill, Mr M. Evans.
18 Jun. Priddy Pools and Stockhill Forest, Miss P. Pockson.
22 Jun. Churchill Hall arboretum, Bristol University, Mr A. C. Titchen.
9 Jul. Cheddar Cliffs, Dr N. Malcolm.
20 Aug. Rodway Hill, Mr M. & Mrs C. Kitchen. (Marsh St John's Wort rediscovered).
4 Sep. Forde Abbey, Mr A. C. Titchen.
A. G. SMITH, Hon. Secretary

REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SECTION, 1994

At the 70th Annual General Meeting on 12 January, Mr T. G. Evans was elected as
President in succession to Mr B. M. J. Gray, and the Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr
R. G. L. Holmes was re-elected. Mrs J. Fowles and Mr and Mrs J. Prince were elected
to the Committee and Mr P.J. Chadwick and Mrs P. M. Woodbridge retired from the
Committee.

The following indoor meetings were held:

12 Jan. Annual General Meeting and a video presentation: "Endangered Species and
Habitats".

11 Feb. "The Birds of Florida and Texas", by Mr M. Sainsbury.

12 Mar. Joint General/Ornithological Section meeting. "The wildlife of the Arctic", by
Prof. R. Vaughan.

12 Oct. "The Wildlife of the Northumbrian Coast", by Miss W. Dickson.
11 Nov. "Some Birds of Sri Lanka", by Mr P. J. Chadwick.
7 Dec. "The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust", by Mr D. Paynter.

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The following 18 field meetings were held, under the leadership of those shown:
15 Jan. Slimbridge, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. Mr D. Paynter.
19 Feb. Exe Estuary and Dawlish Warren. Dr H. E. Rose.

13 Mar. Brean Down / Axe Estuary. Mr B. M. J. Gray.

24 Apr. Sand Point. Mr P. J. Chadwick.6

5 May Snuff Mills. Mr R:L. Bland.

8 May Nagshead, Forest of Dean. Mr T. G. Evans.

18 May Inglestone Common. Mr R. G. L.Holmes.

21 May North Stoke, near Bath. Mr B. M. J. Gray.

2 Jun. Blaise Woods. Mr J. Tully.

15 Jun. Leigh Woods. Mr A. Robinson.

23 Jun. Eastwood Farm, Brislington, Bristol. Mr B. M. J. Gray.
11 Sep. Hinkley and Durleigh Reservoir. Mr P. J. Chadwick.

15 Oct. Chew Valley Lake. Mr R. Curber.

20 Nov. Greater Westhay and Catcott Lows. Mr R. G. L. Holmes.
26 Dec. Clevedon Sea Wall. Dr H. E. Rose.

28 Dec. Exe Estuary and Dawlish Warren.Mr B.M.J. Gray

During the year, members took part in national surveys including the Roosting Gulls
Survey, the Birds of Estuaries Survey, Duck Counts and the Heronry Census. For the
new BTO Breeding Birds Survey, recording was carried out in 65 one-km squares.
Fieldwork also included our Overwintering Warblers Survey, Song Thrush, Buntings
and Woodland Birds Surveys and the long-running Birds in Garden Survey. Numerous
nest record cards were completed for the B. T. O.

RICHARD HOLMES, Hon. Secretary.

LIBRARY REPORT, 1994

Mr R. G. Symes was elected as Library Committee Chairman for 1994. Mr S. G. Tho-
mas, a regular user of the Library, was welcomed as a new Committee Member.
Committee members staffed the Library at the opening times advertised in the Bulletin;
from November Ist, the opening time on Wednesdays was extended to 1 hour, from
12.30 to 1.30 pm:

Although usage of the Library decreased during the year, 211 visits were made by 26
members who borrowed 133 items.

Five books were purchased, and 31 donated books were accepted into the library stock
together with 13 reports and reprints and over 100 issues of journals. For these dona-
tions we are indebted to the University of Bristol and Dr L. C. Frost, Mr P. J. M.

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Nethercott, Mr R. G. Symes, Mr D. A. Wilson, Prof. A. J. Willis, and the estate of the
late Dr Mary Green.. Special name plates are added to books given to the collection by
members. Most books and journals received as gifts are retained in the Library but for
various reasons some are sold and the proceeds used for the benefit of the Library.
Thirty-one journals were purchased on subscription, 50 were received as exchanges, and
5 were free or gifts. No binding was done, it having become extremely expensive.

The Committee met four times, and three working parties were organised. Work was
aimed at further reorganising and labelling the shelving, and seeking to reduce holdings
of items which are little used or of minor local interest in order to create space for the
collection to continue growing. Amongst disposals a short run of early journals was
given to Manchester City Library, which was delighted to receive them. An aluminium
ladder was purchased to improve access to the higher shelves.

The Society wishes to thank Mrs Hilary McGowan, Divisional Director (Museums and
Heritage), Leisure Services, Bristol City Council for the continued use of the Library
room and for the assistance given to members during the year by Museum staff.

The Committee is pleased to commend to members the improvements which have been
achieved in the Library, and looks forward to a busy year with members taking advan-
tage of the extended opening hours on Wednesdays. Any suggestions for improvements
to the Library are always welcomed by the Committee.

R. G. SYMES, Chairman, Library Committee

THE SOCIETY'S ACCOUNTS FOR 1991 AND 1992

In preparing the Accounts for 1989 for the printer, some editorial changes were made
from the versions prepared by the then treasurer, Mr P. J. M. Nethercott and audited by
Mr T. B. Silcocks. The software then used to prepare the copy for the printer was un-
able to cope with the Accounts, so these were prepared separately using spread- sheet
software. It was still necessary to delete as many words as possible and to arrange one
below another items that were originally in one line. The same procedures were used in
1990, 1991 and 1992, new figures being placed in the same spreadsheet design.

Inadvertently the 1991 version appeared with the wrong signing date as, by an over-
sight, the spreadsheet's "today's date" facility had been turned on. Also, a note about the
Hector Hockey Fund, which had appeared in former years, was deleted from the Ac-
counts for 1991 and 1992 yet still appeared in the printed version as it had not been
deleted from the spreadsheet. Mr Nethercott tells us that neither he nor Mr Silcocks saw
proofs of the printed Accounts for 1991 and 1992, so these mistakes were not detected
before printing. We apologise for this omission, which probably occurred in the rush to
meet printing deadlines, and also for the errors in the printed versions.

At Mr Nethercott's request we reprint on the following four pages the Accounts for
1991 and 1992 exactly as they were originally prepared, which is possible with the mod-
ern software now in use. We are glad to do this, especially in view of his long service as
treasurer. It is emphasised that though some details were omitted all the totals as origi-
nally printed were correct, and that the editorial changes made in 1991 and 1992 were
the same as those made, and approved, in 1989 and 1990.

A. F. Hollowell, Honorary Editor, 1995-96.

GENERAL & SECTIONAL PROCEEDINGS

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15

PAST PRESIDENTS

WILLIAM SANDERS 1862
HENRY E. FRIPP 1876
GEORGE FORSTER BURDER 1880
JOHN BEDDOE 1883
Professor WILLIAM RAMSAY 1884
Rev. THOMAS HINCKS 1887
Professor C. LLOYD MORGAN 1890
Professor ADOLPH LEIPNER 1893
Professor SYDNEY YOUNG 1894
S. H. SWAYNE 1897
Professor C. LLOYD MORGAN 1899
ARTHUR B. PROWSE 1901
C. K. RUDGE 1904
JAMES W. WHITE 1907
G. MUNRO SMITH 1910
Miss I. M. ROPER 1913
G. C. GRIFFITHS 1917
ERNEST (later Sir Ernest) COOK 1919
H. WOMERSLEY 1922
Professor O. V. DARBISHIRE 1924
JAMES RAFTER 1927
A. L.. FLEMMING 1930
J. W. TUTCHER 1930
F. S. WALLIS 1933
Professor O. V. DARBISHIRE 1934
G. E. J. McMURTRIE 1935
Professor MACGREGOR SKENE 1938
H. TETLEY 1942
Sir LEWIS L. FERNOR 1945
F. W. EVENS 1948
H. H. DAVIS 1950
Professor W. F. WHITTARD 1952
J. H. SAVORY 1954
R. BASSINDALE 1956
Miss M. H. ROGERS 1958
FE. COLES. PHILLIPS 1960
H. H. DAVIS 1962
R. J. G. SAVAGE 1963
A. F . DEVONSHIRE 1965
F. R. STERNE 1966
R. BRADSHAW 1968
S. M. TAYLOR 1970
Mrs A. F. HOLLOWELL 1972
D. H. PEREGRINE 1974
D. HAMILTON 1976
J. F. W. McOMIE 1978
J. W. COWIE 1980
J..G. PRINCE 1982
V. D. DENNISON 1983
R. M. PAYNE 1985
T. E. THOMPSON 1987
Miss R. C. LEE 1989
R. G. SYMES 1991

16

Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society (1994), 54: 17-25.

AVON & DISTRICT INVERTEBRATE
REPORT, 1994

Compiled by R.J. BARNETT
City Museum and Art Gallery, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RL

INTRODUCTION

In the summer of 1994, four field meetings, particularly aimed at invertebrate recording,
were organised by members of the Society, . The intention was to test the feasibility of
re-forming the Entomological Section following its demise at the beginning of the
decade. Attendance was not sufficient to enable plans for the re-formation of the
section to go ahead immediately; more support was hoped for in 1995. The meetings
were as follows.

Site Date Leader
Weston Big Wood & Middle Hill Common 4 June Bill Dixon
Dolebury Warren 18 June Justin Evans
Goblin Combe 17 July Justin Evans
Leigh Woods 13 August Tony Smith

Invertebrate recording organised from outside the Society continued in a number of
areas and often included substantial contributions from B.N.S. members. The Avon
Butterfly Project continued to gather information from across the county as did the
Bristol & District Moth Group, and the Mollusc Atlas Project, organised by the
Somerset Invertebrate Group. Other cross Avon/Somerset work was carried out
regularly by the West Mendip Invertebrate Group and by Ted and Dave Levy, hoverfly
experts from Yeovil. On the Avon Levels, the Gordano Valley Invertebrate Group
added further to the species lists for the National Nature Reserve. Of the latter work,
Simon Randolph and Jeff Holmes' transect survey work on Odonata revealed
interesting correlations between rhyne management and dragonfly abundance.

Taken together, these various groups and schemes reflect more activity aimed at gath-
ering knowledge of invertebrates in the region than has been seen for a long time.

There were no major surprises with regard to our resident butterfly fauna during 1994.
The Small Blue came under close scrutiny at Worle Hill near Weston-super-Mare. Ken
Poole recorded the butterfly at this site from 1937 into the mid-1980's and Frank
Bowson confirmed its continued existence during 1994. Martin Evans and Phil
Tollerton worked on conserving this site and other threatened colonies close-by. At
Dolebury Warren, the Small Blue was the subject of an in-depth study of the ecology of
the butterfly by Jerry Board. This should considerably contribute to conservation meas-
ures on this site.

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

Elsewhere, there was the usual sprinkling of Large Tortoiseshell sightings attributed to
captive-bred, released stock. This year they were augmented by a number of Swallow-
tail butterflies whose origin is known to be artificial. The introduced colony of the
Glanville Fritillary had another good year. Rupert Higgins recorded a Queen of Spain
Fritillary at a time which coincided with other insect immigrations and so this could
have been a genuine visitor. Clouded Yellow sightings were sporadic at this time.

The Moth Group failed to find the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk at Shapwick and the
Light Orange Underwing at Wetmoor, but the latter's absence was probably due to the
weather on the day. Night-time meetings were more successful and members attended a
nationally organised event at Tintern in the Wye Valley and recorded its three speciali-
ties : the Scarce Hook-tip, Pauper Pug and Salebriopsis albicilla. A Dormouse, visiting
a light-trap, was an added bonus. Migrant moths had a good year with records of
Humming-bird Hawk-moths and the Vestal, but in greatest numbers was the
Rush-veneer.

Bristol's rarest moth, the Silky Wave was the subject of a confidential report commis-
sioned by English Nature, the Countryside Council for Wales and Butterfly Conserva-
tion, during 1994. The report aimed to assess the current status of the moth in the
British Isles and make recommendations to ensure its continued survival.

The most significant event concerning Odonata during 1994 was the discovery of a new
species for Avon, the Keeled Skimmer. The appearance of a single Yellow-winged
Darter was an added bonus, since it is a rare migrant to our shores.

Occasional ladybird swarms appeared and the media also picked up on continental
wasps Dolichovespula media and D. saxonica, and also on the possible threat to earth-
worms by the introduced New Zealand Flat-worm. Despite numerous claims, no sub-
stantiated reports of the latter were received from the region.

As usual, I am extremely grateful to John Weeks for the weather synopsis included in
this report and also to Robert Cropper for his summary of the Orthoptera. Robert con-
tinues to work on an 'Atlas of Orthoptera and allied Insects in Somerset'. My thanks to
all who have taken the time to identify invertebrates and then submit the records to the
Society, the Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre (BRERC) and the various
recording schemes and groups. As mentioned in previous years, the records listed rep-
resent a personal and subjective judgement of those of most interest.

Recorders mentioned in the species list: Rick Andrews (RA), Mike Bailey (MB), Ray
Barnett (RJB), Des Bowring (DB), Bristol & District Moth Group (BDMG), Dave
Clark (DC), Robert Cropper (RSC), Dixie Dean (EAD), Bill Dixon (WD), Roger Ed-
mondson (RE), Justin Evans (JE), Martin Evans (ME), Derek Foxwell (DJF), Rupert
Higgins (RH), John Martin (JM), Cyril Mathews (CM), Tony Moulin (TM), Tony Par-
sons (AJP), Ken Poole (KP), Mike Powell (MP), Steve Preddy (SP), Andy Pym (AP),
Simon Randolph (SR), Tony Serjeant (TS), Tony Smith (AGS), Phil Sterling (PS), Pe-
ter Sturgess (PSs), Kurt Vickery (KV), Darrell Watts (DW), Hilary West (HW), West
Mendip Invertebrate Group (WMIG), David Wilson (DW1), Nick Williams (NW), Neil
Woodward (NWo).

Scientific nomenclature follows the checklists of Agassiz (1987), Bradley et al. (1972),
Bradley & Fletcher (1979), Duff (1993), Fitton (1978), Kerney (1976), Marshall &
Haes (1988), Pope (1977), Potts (1964) and Smith (1976).

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

Correction to the 1993 Report: on p.18, ‘Yellow Shell' should read "Yellow Belle’.

WEATHER SYNOPSIS (by John Weeks)

The details refer to a weather station at Yatton. The winter was mild overall, but there
was a little snow, which lay for a day in January and four days in February — a feature
absent in both 1993 and 1992. There was no outstandingly severe frost in either month,
but there was the rarity, for these parts, of a maximum temperature below freezing on
14th February (—1-6°C). March started the spring on an encouraging note, but April re-
versed the trend, with a mean temperature only a fraction of a degree higher than
March's. There were also three days on which snow fell, lying early on the 9th, which
was also the wettest April day in recent records (32:1 mm). April did, however,
produce one day (29th) with a temperature ‘in the seventies’ (max. 23-2°C/74°F). May
could not match this feat — its extreme maximum was only 20-1°C/ 68-3°F on 11th.

TABLE 1. Monthly and Seasonal Trends in climate during 1994

Monthly differences Se asonal differences
Max. 17°C % Rain % Sun Max. T°C % Rain
Dec. '93 0 Ise) 5.08
Jan. '94 +14 7.48 cpap
Feb. 0 8.82 5.61 OLS 9.3
March Oo 8.39 5.61
April —0.4 To? 593
May — 1.6 7.4] 4.44 —0.8 8.66
June 0 2 7,05
July a8 4.81 Fi
Aug. — 0.5 6.14 4.77 +3077 4 49
Sept. —1.5 JZ =
Oct. + 0.5 Tale 7.92

Nov. aro) 5136 2.68 + 1.4 Py

Summer was the season nearest to normal, with some high temperatures at the end of
June (26°7°C on 28th), in early July (27-3° on Ist) and in late July (29-1° on 23rd).
There were only 20 rain days in the three months — 4, 6 and 10 respectively — but these
included the third wettest day of the year when 27-0 mm fell on 6th July.

September continued the wet spell, which went on intermittently through most of the
autumn, the only outstanding features of which were, first, a remarkable spell of no

Ie)

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

measurable rain from 3rd to 17th October, after which 90% of the month's total fell in
the last week, including the year's second wettest day (29 mm on 29th); and second, .
that November's mean temperature was a little higher than October's. December ended
the calendar year warm (+ 1:3°C on average) and very wet (182% of average rain).

With a mean temperature of 11-2°C, 1994 was the third warmest year in the last ten,
following 1990 (11:7°) and 1989 (11-5°). It was also by far the wettest, with a total
rainfall of 1031 mm -— the first for many years to exceed 40 inches (1016 mm). This
total represented 123% of the long-term average. There were 204 rain days, against an
average of about 170 per year.

SPECIES OF NOTE IN 1994

ORTHOPTERA (grasshoppers and crickets) (all records RSC, unless otherwise stated)

Oak Bush-cricket Meconema thalassinum (Deg.) Lascot Hill, Wedmore ST4348, 15
August; a female in a hedgerow — the second record for this 10km square.

Great Green Bush-cricket 7Je/tigonia viridissima L. Near Red Quarr Farm, Chewton
Mendip ST5651, 27 August, at least three singing males in nettles and scrub. First re-
cord for this 10km square.

Slender Ground-hopper 7etrix subulata (L.) Kingston Seymour ST4167, 9 Octo-
ber. Included form bifasciata.

Common Ground-hopper Tetrix undulata (Sowb.) Great Elm ST7448, 15 May;
Worminster Sleight ST5742, 8 October.

Large Marsh Grasshopper Stethophyma grossum (L.) Peat Moors, 20 August (one
adult female, several nymphs) and 11 September (four adult males, one adult female,
several nymphs).

Woodland Grasshopper Omocestus rufipes (Zett.) East Harptree ST5554, August
(SP - confirmed 13 August RSC).

Rufous Grasshopper Gomphocerippus rufus (L.) Dulcote Hill ST5644, 13 August,
large colony in rough field; Worminster Sleight ST5742, 8 October, stridulating in fair
numbers on scrubby slopes.

DERMAPTERA (earwigs) (all records RSC unless otherwise stated)

Lesser Earwig Labia minor (L.) Steep Holm §ST2360, 21 August, one female at
MVTH light (AJP).

Lesne's Earwig Forficula lesnei Finot Dulcote Hill ST5644, 13 August, male on
oak; Milton Hill, Wells ST5346, ST5347 & ST5446, 15 October, large population in
scrub and old quarry.

ODONATA (dragonflies)

White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes (Pallas) River Avon, Freshford
ST7960, 5 June (RSC); River Avon ST7862, ST7863, ST7963, 14 June (DB); River
Avon, Keynsham ST6669, 16 June (RE).

20

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

Red-eyed Damselfly Evythromma najas (Hanse.) Shapwick Heath ST4241, 8 June
(RE); River Avon ST7862, 14 June (DB).

Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens (Fabr.) ST45 (JM).
Yellow-winged Darter Sympetrum flaveolum(L.) Chew Valley Lake ST56 (RA, JM).
HEMIPTERA (true bugs)

Sciocoris cursitans (Fabr.) Loxton Hill ST3655, 1 May, recorded here previously in
1979; Brean Down ST2858 & ST2958, 17 July, recorded here previously in 1978 (all
records RSC).

Zicrona caerulea (L.) Brean Down §ST2859, 15 May, one feeding on caterpillar
(RSC); Walton Common N.R. ST4273, 6 July, one nymph (RJB).

Peritrechus lundi (Gmelin) Loxton Hill ST3655, 1 May (RSC).

Macrodema micropterum (Curt.) Westhay Moor N.R. ST4543, 11 September (RSC).
Nabis ericetorum Sch. Westhay Moor N.R. ST4543, 11 September (RSC).
NEUROPTERA (lacewings)

Osmylus fulvicephalus (Scop.) Lords Wood ST6363, 19 August (RJB).
LEPIDOPTERA (butterflies)

Essex Skipper Zhymelicus lineola (Ochs.) Priddy Pool ST5451, 28 June (RE).

White Admiral Ladoga camilla (L.) Street Heath ST4639, 3 July (RSC); Lords
Wood ST6363, 15 July (RJB).

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene ({[D. & S.]) Cross Plain ST4155, 11
June (KV); Cheddar Gorge ST4754, 18 June (KV); Priddy Pool ST5451, 28 June
(RE).

Queen of Spain Fritillary Argynnis lathonia (L.) Ashlands, Portbury ST57, 22
August (RH).

Marsh Fritillary Eurodryas aurinia (Rott.). Shapwick Heath ST4041, 27 May (RJB,
ME, AHP); Shapwick Heath ST4241, 30 May (RSC).

LEPIDOPTERA (macro-moths)

Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis (Hb.) Cheddar Valley Railway, Yatton
ST4265, timber collected, adult bred out (TM, det. RJB); Slimbridge SO7204 (NWo).

Currant Clearwing Synanthedon tipuliformis (Cl.) Westbury-on-Trym ST5676,
June (DW)).

Satin Lutestring 7etheella fluctuosa (Hb.) Leigh Woods ST5573, 14 June (JM, RH,
AP). ,

Silky Wave /daea dilutaria (Hb.) Avon Gorge, Black Rocks ST5674, 29 June (JM,
P'S):

The Vestal Rhodometra sacraria (L.) Slimbridge, SO7204 (NWo).

21

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

Chalk Carpet Scofopteryx bipunctaria ({D. & S.]) ssp. cretata Prout Draycott
Sleights ST45, 17 July (JM); Tytherington Quarry ST6589, 8 August (NW).

Beech-green Carpet Colostygia olivata ({D. & S.]) Leigh Woods ST5573, 30
August (JM, RH, AP ef a/.).

Marbled Pug Eupithecia irriguata (Hb.) Leigh Woods ST5573, 6 June (JM, RH).

Juniper Pug Eupithecia pusillata ({D. & S.]) pusillata ((D. & S.]) Horfield, Bristol
ST5976 (RH). j

Cypress Pug Eupithecia phoeniceata (Ramb.) Whitchurch ST66, 15 August (RA);
Weston-super-Mare ST3362 (KP); Timsbury ST6758 (CM).

Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi (L.) Whitchurch ST6067, 21 September (DJF).

Humming-bird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum (L.). Crook Peak ST35, 16
June (ME, AGS); Folly Farm ST6060, 30 June (JM); Dolebury Warren ST45, 30 June
(JM); Newton St. Loe ST6964, 30 June, 28 July (DW); Draycott Sleights ST45, 17
July (JM); Nailsea ST47, 7 October (HW); Timsbury ST6558 (MB).

Great Prominent Peridea anceps (Goeze) Wetmoor ST7487, 13 May (PSs).
White Satin Moth Leucoma salicis (L.) Slimbridge, SO07204 (NWo).
Red-necked Footman A/o/mis rubricollis (L.) Priddy ST5550, 1 July (JM, MP).
White-line Dart -uxoa tritici (L.) Weston-super-Mare ST3362 (KP).

Portland Moth Ochropleura praecox (L.) Berrow ST25 (EAD).

Shore Wainscot Mythimna litoralis (Curt.) Berrow §T25, 23 June (EAD).

Svensson's Copper Underwing Amphipyra berbera Rungs ssp. svenssoni Fletcher.
Timsbury ST6758 (MB).

Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera ({D. & S.]) Weston-super-Mare ST36, 17 Sep-
tember (EAD).

Golden Plusia Polychrysia moneta (Fabr.) Timsbury ST6758 (CM); Timsbury ST6558
(MB).

The Blackneck Lygephila pastinum (Treit.) Filton ST6179 (AP).

White-line Snout Schrankia taenialis (Hb.) Sand Bay ST36 (EAD); Leigh Woods
ST5573, 11 July, 27 July (JM, RH, AP ef al).

LEPIDOPTERA (Micro-moths)

Telephila schmidtiellus (Heyd.) Cleaves Wood, Wellow ST7657, 22 July (BDMG).
Sophronia semicostella (Hb.) Walton Common, NR ST4273, 6 July (RJB, AP).

Catoptia falsella ({D. & S.]) Town Quarry, Weston-super-Mare ST3262, 17
September (EAD).

Schoenobius gigantella ({D. & S.]) Yatton ST4365, 13 August (TM).

22

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

Evergestis pallidata (Hufn.) Leigh Woods ST5573, 24 July (RJB).
Sitochroa palealis ({D. & S.]). Timsbury ST6558 (MB).

Mecyna flavalis ((D. & S.]), ssp. flaviculalis Carad. Folly Farm ST6060, 4 August,
first Avon record of this very local moth (JM).

Euzophera cinerosella (Zell.) Portishead ST46 (WD).

Phycitodes maritima (Tengst.) Avonmouth ST5379, 18 July (JE, det. confirmed by
RJB)

COLEOPTERA (beetles)

Carabus granulatus L. Shapwick Heath ST4041, 27 May (RJB)
Hydroglyphus geminus (Fabr.) Catcott Heath ST4041, 27 February (RSC)
Hydroporus discretus Fairmaire Priddy ST5451, 6 February (RSC)
Hydaticus transversalis (Pont.) Brent Knoll ST3351, 19 November (RSC)
Sinodendron cylindricum (L.) Shapwick Heath ST4041, 28 May (RJB)
Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata (L.) Clifton, Bristol ST5773, 15 March (RJB)
Scirtes orbicularis (Panz.) Ford Common, Berrow ST3053, 8 July (RSC)
Cantharis fusca L. Catcott Heath ST4041, 28 May (RSC)

Silis ruficollis (Fabr.). Street Heath ST4639, 3 July (RSC); Westhay Heath ST4141,
ST4142, 9 July (RSC)

Opatrum sabulosum (L.) Brean Down ST2958, 20 March (RSC).
Pseudocistela ceramboides (L.). Ivy Thorn Hill ST4634, 3 July (ME, det. RJB).
Melandrya caraboides (L.) Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (RJB).

Oncomera femorata (Fabr.) Christon Plantation ST3758, 18 April (ME); Folly Farm
ST6060, 22 April (BDMG).

Strangalia quadrifasciata (L.) Westhay Heath ST4142, 9 July (RSC); Shapwick
Heath ST4140, 16 July (RSC).

Musk Beetle Aromia moschata (L.) Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 27 August (DC).
Phytoecia cylindrica (L.). Ashton Court ST5572, 8 June (RJB).

Plateumaris braccata (Scop. Ford Common, Berrow §T3053, 8 July (RSC).
Chrysolina violacea (Mull.) Brean Down ST2958, 15 May (RSC).

Chrysomlea populi L. Shapwick Heath ST4041, 27 May (RJB).

HYMENOPTERA (bees, wasps and ants)

Dolichovespula media (Retz.) Burnham-on-Sea $T3149, 29 July (RSC); Shapwick
Heath ST4140, 21 August (RSC).

Dolichovespula rufa (L.) Priddy ST5450, 18 May, queen (RJB).

23

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

Ectemnius cavifrons (Thom.) Westhay Moor ST4544, 20 August (RSC).
Ectemnius cephalotes (Oliv.) Burnham-on-Sea ST3149, 12 August (RSC).
DIPTERA (flies)

Odontomyia ornata (Meig.) Tealham Moor ST4145, 8 May, several larvae (RSC);
Tealham Moor ST4044, ST4045,ST 4145, 11 June, several adults (RSC)

Odontomyia tigrina (Fabr.) Tealham Moor ST4145, 11 June, plentiful (RSC); Shap-
wick Heath ST4041, 27 May (RJB).

Stratiomys furcata (Fabr.) Tealham Moor ST4045, ST4145, 11 June (RSC).
Asilus crabromformis L. Near Shute Shelve ST4254, 26 September (KV).
Megasyrphus annulipes (Zett.) Bishopston, Bristol ST5875, 30 August (RJB).
Volucella inflata (Fabr.) Avon Gorge, tow path ST5573, 15 June (RJB).
Volucella zonaria (Poda) Redland, Bristol ST5874, 13 July (RJB).

Tropidia scita (Harris) Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (SR).
Criorhina asilica (Fall.) Cheddar Wood ST4455, 2 May (RSC).

Conops quadrifasciata DeG. Berrow Dunes L.N.R. ST2953, 27 August (RSC).
Alophora hemiptera (Fabr.) Shapwick Heath ST4140, 21 August (RSC).
Lipoptena cervi (L.) Meare Heath ST44, 29 October (WMIG).

ISOPODA (woodlice and slaters)

Androniscus dentiger Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (WMIG).
Oniscus acellus Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (WMIG).

Philoscia muscorum Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (WMIG).
Porcellio scaber Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (WMIG).
DIPLOPODA (millipedes)

Cylandroiulus latestriatus Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (WMIG).
Nanagona polydesmoides Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (WMIG).

CHILOPODA (centipedes)

Lithobius forficatus Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST4372, 19 June (WMIG).
MOLLUSCA (slugs and snails)

Abida secale (Drap.) Rodney Stoke Wood N.N.R. ST4951, 14 May (RSC).
Ena montana (Drap.) Rodney Stoke Wood N.N.R. ST4950, 14 May (RSC).

Limax cinereoniger Wolf Outlook Cave, Ebbor Gorge N.N.R. ST5248, 6 November
(RSC).

24

ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT, 1994

Pisidium pulchellum Jenyns Gordano Valley N.N.R. ST437 (TS)

REFERENCES

AGASSIZ, D. J. L. (1987). Addenda and corrigenda to: a recorder's log book or label
list of British butterflies and moths. Colchester, Harley Books.

BRADLEY, J. D. et al. (1972). Kloet & Hincks, a checklist of British insects, Part 2.
Lepidoptera. London, Royal Entomological Society.

BRADLEY, J. D. & FLETCHER, D. S. (1979). A recorder’s log book or label list of
British butterflies and moths. London, Curwen Books.

DUFF, A. (1993). Beetles of Somerset. Somerset Archaeological & Natural History
Society, Taunton.

FITTON, M.G. ef al. (1978). Kloet & Hincks, a checklist of British insects, Part 4.
Hymenoptera (2nd edition, revised). London, Royal Entomological Society.

KERNEY, M. P. (1976). Atlas of the non-marine mollusca of the British Isles. Monks
Wood, Biological Records Centre.

MARSHALL, J. A. & HAES, E. C. M. (1988). Grasshoppers and allied insects of
Great Britain and Ireland. Colchester, Harley Books.

POPE, R. D. (1977). Kloet & Hincks, a checklist of British insects, Part 3. Coleoptera
and Strepsiptera (2nd edition, revised). London, Royal Entomological Society.

POTTS, W. H. (1964). Kloet & Hincks, a checklist of British insects, Part 1. Small
Orders and Hemiptera (2nd edition, revised). London, Royal Entomological Society.

SMITH, K. G. V. (1976). Kloet & Hincks, a checklist of British insects, Part 5. Dip-
tera and Siphonaptera (2nd edition, revised). London, Royal Entomological Society.

25

Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society (1994), 54: 26.

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

1) The editor welcomes original papers on the natural history of Avon and sur-
rounding areas for consideration for publication in the Proceedings. Inexperienced
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ROSS, S. M. & HEATHWAITE, A. L. (1986). West Sedgemoor: its
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26

Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society (1994), 54: 27-37.

AVON MAMMAL REPORT, 1994

Compiled by D. P. C. TRUMP, Avon Mammal Recorder
ADAS, Burghill Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS10 6YW

INTRODUCTION

This is the sixth recent mammal report for Avon. Its intention is to be a
wide-ranging review of studies and records of mammals in and around Avon
during 1994.

REPORTS ON MAMMALS

INSECTIVORA (hedgehogs, moles and shrews)

Hedgehog 9 Erinaceus europaeus. The Mammal Society Hedgehog Road Kill Survey
continued in 1994. Analysis of the results so far is proving somewhat confusing, and
what initially seemed to be a straightforward method of assessing hedgehog populations
nationally is not proving to be quite so useful. The inter-regional differences may be real
but a number of other variables are clouding the issue. The data collected over the last
4 years are currently being re-analysed (P. Morris, personal communication).

Pat Morris reports that hedgehogs recently reported as wandering around during the
winter when they should be in hibernation are not "affected by global warming" but
more mundanely are simply moving to new winter nest sites. His studies published over
20 years ago showed that hedgehogs regularly wake up and move to a new nest. In-
deed, between 1960 and 1992, 6% of recorded hedgehog road casualties happened in
the last 10 weeks of the year (Morris, 1995). [see SMT note on MS]

Mole Talpa europaea. Letters to the Observer in March 1994 suggested some novel
ways of persuading moles to leave gardens. These varied from “telling them kindly but
firmly to go away", to “placing chewing gum in the mole's tunnels so that when the
male eats the gum, thinking that it smells of female moles, it bungs up his insides and
kills him!”

More seriously, a study by David MacDonald and Rob Atkinson of the Oxford Univer-
sity Wildlife Conservation Research Unit investigated the use of the repellent
"Renardine" (bone oil) against moles. Moles were radio-tracked in Oxfordshire pastures
and an urban park before and after the addition of paper pellets soaked in Renardine to
tunnels in each of their home ranges. They stayed out of treated areas for up to
27 days. It took moles an average of 26 days to cross a Renardine-treated border con-
sisting of a 50 cm deep slit dug with a drainage plough (Atkinson and MacDonald
1994). Perhaps this non-lethal method of solving mole problems may be appropriate,
with more development, in home and market garden situations.

oH |

D. P. C. TRUMP

Atkinson ef al. (1994) reported on the results of two questionnaire surveys, conducted
in 1981 and 1992, on the perceived status of the mole as an agricultural pest. Whilst
many farmers (64% in the 1992 survey) considered moles to be pests, the damage at-
tributed to them is slight on the great majority of farms. The most widely cited agricul-
tural problem attributed to moles was spoiling of silage grass, caused by contamination
with the soil bacteria Clostridium and Listeria in mole hills. However, fewer than 1%
of the respondents reported that 10% or more of their silage was seriously affected by
mole activity. The mean cost of moles to the farmer - losses due to mole activity and
costs of control - was £126 for 1992, with a maximum of £800 on one farm.

Methods of mole control discussed included clearance by gassing, shooting, poisoning
with strychnine-baited earthworms and kill-trapping, the latter two being the methods
most commonly used, and indirect control, including removal of mole hills by harrow-
ing and rolling, increasing mower height and treatment of silage with additives that
destroy Clostridium and suppress Listeria.

The unpleasant action of strychnine and the risks to the user and to non-target animals,
the concerns over its misuse, and the questionable humaneness of trap action revealed
by this study all support moves to encourage alternative, indirect methods of mole
control.

CHIROPTERA (bats)

Bat records for Avon in 1994 have been compiled by Dr Gareth Jones of the University
of Bristol, with additional notes from Mark Brookes. Records are from: G Jones (GJ),
P L Duvergé (PLD), Dean A Waters (DAW), Mick Furlong (MF), Kate Barlow
(KEB), Elena de Fanis (EdeF), Mark Brookes (MB).

Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats)

Greater Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum. — First noted back at trad-
itional spring "feeding up" site on 10 April, when an adult male was present. Max-
imum of 13 counted there, 5 May. At the nursery areas near Bristol, maximum counts
in August were 37 at the underground sites, 77 in the converted stable block (PLD,
GJ). Most bats are now breeding in the stable block, with perhaps only a dozen young
born in the underground site. 119 counted in underground sites in south-east Avon
during January. Maximum count from north-west hibernacula was nine.

Lesser Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus hipposideros. 125 counted in underground sites
in south-east Avon in January. Maximum count from north-west hibernacula was 16.
One hibernating in Long Ashton, spring and autumn.

Vespertilionidae (vespertilionid bats)

Whiskered/Brandt's Bat Myotis mystacinus/brandtii. At least five in underground
sites in south-east Avon during January. One in north-west hibernacula, April.

Daubenton's Bat Myotis daubentonii. Tree roost occupied by a small number (usu-
ally 1-3) at Abbot's Pool ST5373 during the spring (GJ). Bridge roost at Avon Farm
Railway Bridge (River Avon) ST6868, up to 10 in area 1 May; up to 10 around East-
ville Lake ST6175, May; up to 5 at Hunstrete Lake ST6462, 29 May (all MB).

Serotine ptesicus serotinus. Maximum count at Blagdon nursery roost was 117 on
25 July (PLD).

28

AVON MAMMAL REPORT, 1993

Leisler's Bat Nyctalus leisleri. Juvenile grounded at Bristol Zoo ST5674, 28 July.
Maximum count from the Clifton roost was 161 on 21 July, this being before any
young would be flying. A very pale individual frequented this roost for the second
successive year, and five bats were radio-tracked from there in August/September.
They fed in a wide variety of habitats, from sites within central Bristol to pasture
around Barrow Gurney. New tree roosts were discovered at Ham Green and in Ashton
Court. Several bats foraged around pasture on the Ashton Court Estate (GJ, DAW,
MF). Single bat in Staple Hill ST6576, 22 June (MB).

Noctule Nyctalus noctula. 27 in tree roost near Eastville Park ST6175, 9 May (PLD),
11 on 23 May (MB). One at railway bridge over River Avon ST6868, 1 May. One at
Abbots Pool ST5373, 24 May. Two in Kingswood ST6573, 25 August. Two in Wills-
bridge valley ST6670, 4 and 8 Sepember. Several overhead in Downend ST6477,
12 June. Two over pond at Stoke Park ST6177, 8 September. (All records MB.)

Long-Eared Bats Plecotus spp. One in north-west hibernacula, April. Two in Stan-
ton Prior Church ST6762, 27 August (MB).

Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus. One flying in daylight during the afternoon,
Clifton, 3 February. Kate E. Barlow continued a study at Bristol University on how
'45 kHz' and '55 kHz' types of pipistrelles partition resources. The two types are almost
certainly sibling species.

45 kHz Male, Clifton, 5 May (GJ). Roosts included 30 at Stoke Bishop, 26 June; 17
at Hambrook, mid-June; and 103 at Priston, 18 July (KEB).

55 kHz c.125 in roost at Midford, 11 July (GJ). Other roosts were 162 at Barrow
Gurney, 17 June and 620 at Ubley, 30 May (KEB). Bats taken into captivity for scien-
tific study, under licence from English Nature, showed evidence of "milk stealing", with
young occasionally found suckling from females which were not their mothers (EdeF).
Research at Bristol University showed how females from one roost could recognise one
another by scent cues alone, and how females were attracted to scents of other females
from their own roost, rather than to scents of females from another roost (EdeF).

Other pipistrelle records from the following | km squares (all MB): ST5373, ST6175,
ST6361, ST6377, ST6477, ST6575, ST6576, ST6762, ST6868, ST6883 and ST7564.

Other Bat News

The Avon Bat Group's bat boxes at Chew Valley and Blagdon Lakes were checked
twice in 1994. A female pipistrelle was found in one of a pair of boxes on a sycamore
tree at Blagdon (ST5159) on 22 May. On 11 September nine pipistrelles, all female,
were found in the other box of the pair and two further pipistrelies (one male,
one female) were found in a box on an ash tree, also at ST5159. These boxes have been
used by bats in previous years, so it would appear that once bats have 'found' a box they
are likely to use it on a regular basis. Bat droppings, probably all pipistrelle, were also
found in four other boxes. Birds continue to use the bat boxes; six blue tit nests,
one great tit nest and one wren nest were found. Two bat boxes were occupied by
wasps! At 11 September 1994 there were 77 boxes at the lakes, in five groups.

The Wiltshire Bat Group recently constructed a bat hibernaculum in a disused railway
tunnel in Marlborough. It is principally used by Natterers Bats but Whiskered, Brandt's,
Daubenton's, Long-eared and a single Barbastelle also use the tunnel, now protected

2y

D. P. C. TRUMP

from interference by purpose-built grilles (British Wildlife, 6 (1), 44).

Dr Gareth Jones and L. Duvergé reported on a three-year radio-tracking study of
Greater Horseshoe Bats from three breeding roosts, one in woodland south of Bristol,
one in a river valley near Bath and one in a wooded valley in Gloucestershire (Duvergé
and Jones, 1994). A total of 67 bats fitted with radio transmitters were followed by
vehicle or on foot. The longest continuous period of tracking was 21 consecutive
nights, the shortest a mere 5 minutes! Typically, bats emerged from the nursery roosts
15-30 minutes after sunset and flew straight to their preferred feeding sites, usually
within 1.5 and 3 km from the roosts. They would feed on average for 1% hours, then
spend 1-3 hours at a convenient night roost before a final feeding session, returning to
the nursery roost 5-30 minutes before sunrise.

The favoured feeding habitats were pastures with cattle (38%), ancient semi-natural
woodland (16%), pastures with stock other than cattle (10%) and meadows grazed by
cattle in the autumn (9%). Lepidoptera and Coleoptera made up 30-45% of the diet,
Diptera (mostly Tipulidae) 10-20% and Hymenoptera (mostly Ichneumonidae) 5-10%.
In the spring a large proportion of the diet (up to 35%) was made up of the Maybug or
Cockchafer Melolontha melolontha. In the early summer, Lepidoptera formed the bulk
(up to 80%) of the diet. As the summer progressed dung beetles of the genus Aphodius
(in particular A. rufipes) were the most frequently taken prey item.

The report ends with a plea for the maintenance and preservation of unimproved pas-
toral habitats with wide thick hedgerows and tree lines as feeding areas for the endan-
gered Greater Horseshoe Bat, together with protection of their roosts and the habitat in
the immediate vicinity.

Of recent concern is the effect of cattle wormers containing Avermectins on the num-
bers of insects emerging from dung. Laurent Duvergé is currently investigating the
possible effects of Avermectins on bat populations in a project funded by the Vincent
Wildlife Trust.

LAGOMORPHA (rabbits and hares)

Brown Hare Lepus europaeus. The report on the National Hare Survey is due to be
published by the Joint Nature Conservancy Council in 1995. Mike Hutchings and Prof.
Stephen Harris of the University of Bristol report that the mid-winter population is
estimated to be 680,000-950,000 animals, much lower than earlier estimates. Hare
populations are now very heavily biased towards arable landscapes, with Cambridge-
shire, Norfolk and Suffolk holding nearly 25% of the total. Hares are now said to be
very infrequent in the South-west; reasons are changes from hay production to silage
grass production, especially the use of faster cutters and more frequent cuts; and
increasing stocking densities - hares avoid livestock. (Hutchings & Harris, 1995.)

Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) has been
confirmed in wild rabbits in Kent and near Exeter in Devon. (Hansard, 26 November
1994, WA p. 624.) A provisional licence for a vaccine against VHD in rabbits was
issued on 17 November 1994 (Hansard, 23 November 1994, WA p. 231).

Nationally, rabbit numbers are estimated at about 30% of pre-myxomatosis levels, that
is about 30 million, and are rising at a rate of 2% per year. In some areas the popula-
tion is back to pre-myxomatosis levels. (Hansard, 6 July 1994, WA_ pp. 239- 40.)

30

AVON MAMMAL REPORT, 1993

RODENTIA (rats, mice and voles)

Common Rat Rattus norvegicus. Richard Bevan (Pest Control Manager, Bristol City
Council) again reported a decline in the number of rat problems with 743 cases re-
ported in the year up to March 1994, cf. 852 in the previous year.

Black Rat Rattus rattus. A report in the Guardian on 16 November said that the
black rat was threatening to recolonise Britain. Port health inspectors from Weymouth
to Lerwick were reporting Russian trawlers infested with rats, many apparently picked
up in the arctic port of Murmansk.

House Mouse Mus domesticus. “Mouse started fire at Stadium", shouted a headline
in the Bristol Evening Post in February. Tens of thousands of pounds of damage
resulted in part of Eastville Stadium, Bristol from a fire thought to be caused by a
mouse gnawing through electricity cables.

A report on the MAFF National Rodent Survey is due to be published in 1995 (Han-
sard, 24 November 1994, WA p. 317). Preliminary results show a general increase in
pest rodent problems throughout the UK, possibly as a result of milder winters, more
fast food litter and demolition work.

Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis. It is estimated that the damage to forests
caused by grey squirrels leads to a loss in excess of £1 million each year. The Forest
Authority is undertaking research into alternative silvicultural systems which may re-
duce the amount of damage (Hansard, 25 April 1994, WA p 74-5). Researchers at
Sheffield University are working on the development of a contraceptive vaccine that
can be placed in food put out in hoppers specially designed for grey squirrels (New
Scientist, 22 October 1994).

Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris. The latest population estimates for red squirrels in
Great Britain are: Scotland, 121,000; Engiand, 30,000; and Wales, 9000. English
Nature's species recovery programme which aims to achieve long-term sustainable
survival of endangered species includes the red squirrel (Hansard, 21 June 1994, WA
p. 103).

English Nature and the Forest Authority are currently involved in a joint red squirrel
recovery project at Thetford Forest in Norfolk. EN are also supporting various initia-
tives throughout the country including the Isle of Wight where there are estimated to be
about 3000 red squirrels (The Times, 19 June 1994).

Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius. The Great Nut Hunt launched by English
Nature in October 1993 proved to be a spectacular success, with 11,000 survey packs
being sent out. Pat Morris and his team at Royal Holloway College examined nearly
10,000 hazel nuts, of which 12% had been nibbled by dormice, confirming their pres-
ence at 295 sites in England and Wales. The top dormouse counties are Devon and
Dorset, followed closely by Sussex, Somerset (south Avon?) and Hampshire. More
than 50% of the nuts had been opened by squirrels, 12% by mice, 10% by voles and
13% unidentified (British Wildlife, 5 (6), p 384-5). David Clarke's survey of dormice
boxes in woodland near Cleeve continued, with regular counts of over 40 dormice in
the 100 boxes. Other species using the dormouse boxes included yellow-necked mice,
wood mice, common shrews and a number of birds. Regular checks were made of the
boxes in the Avon Gorge National Nature Reserve, and a single male dormouse was
found in a nest box (ST5673) in September by David Clarke and Mary Marsh.

3]

D. P. C. TRUMP

The success of a variety of dormouse translocation techniques has been investigated in
ancient oak-ash-lime-hazel woodland on the Mendips in Somerset (Bright &
Morris, 1994). Groups of dormice fitted with radio-transmitters were subject to
four types of release:

(a) ‘Early hard releases’ - wild-caught dormice placed into nest boxes at the release
site on the day of capture (May-June);

(b) ‘Late hard releases' - as (a) except experiment conducted in August-September;

(c) ‘Soft releases' - wild-caught dormice placed into nest boxes in weldmesh
pre-release pens for eight nights with food and water provided, before being
allowed to leave;

(d) ‘'Captive-bred releases' - as (c) except that they involved dormice bred in
captivity.

Early hard releases (May-June) lost significantly more weight than later hard releases, in
line with the suggestion that May-July is a period of food scarcity for dormice and also
with previous findings that translocated animals initially fail to locate food sources or to
utilise sub-optimal food sources.

After soft release, dormice continued to nest at their release point and utilised supple-
mentary food, whereas hard releases often dispersed, ignoring food provided.

After release, captive-bred animals travelled significantly less far, both in total and from
nest boxes each night, than wild-caught animals. This would be likely to reduce their
chances of finding natural food sources and suggests that they would establish more
slowly in novel habitats.

The study shows that soft releases, supplementary feeding and nest boxes would be
needed for successful translocations. Use of supplementary food by soft releases sug-
gests that translocation could be conducted in early summer. Dormice sustained at this
time with supplementary food might then breed in the first year of release, so greatly
increasing the probability of a viable population becoming established.

Water Vole Arvicola terrestris. A survey conducted by the Vincent Wildlife Trust
during 1989-90 and published in April 1993 showed that water voles were found in
only 32% of the 1,044 sites they were known to have inhabited in 1900. Predation by
introduced American mink Mustela vison is said to be the main cause of the decline.
There is some evidence that the decline began before mink were so widespread, and
was a result perhaps of pollution and habitat destruction. On current trends, the predic-
tion is that water voles will eventually disappear from 94% of their former sites
(Strachan & Jeffries, 1993). One of the best sites locally to see water voles is at
theWildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire.

Harvest Mouse Micromys minutus. The only record this year was of a nest with
four young and two adults in tall grass just off the A46 at Tormarton ST7577, found by
Paul Chadwick on 20 August.

SMALL MAMMALS

The Mammal Society Survey of Woodland Small Rodents Mallone & Flowerdew
(1994) reported on the preliminary results of the 1982-87 Mammal Society Survey of

32

AVON MAMMAL REPORT, 1993

Woodland Small Rodents. One of the 13 survey sites was Longwood, a mixed decid
uous-coniferous woodland near Cheddar. The two main species studied were the
woodmouse Apodemus sylvaticus and the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus . Wood-
mice and voles were live-trapped using standard methods every May/June and
September/November from 1982 to1987. Woodmouse numbers were generally higher
in the winter than in the summer, with bank vole numbers fluctuating less regularly.
These seasonal population fluctuations, especially those at Longwood, closely mirror
those for the same species in the hedgerow on the Avon/ Gloucestershire border which
was studied as part of the ADAS/Mammal Society National Survey of Small Mammals
in Farm Hedgerows (Trump, 1991).

In deciduous woodland, mean densities of both bank vole and wood mouse are signifi-
cantly greater in the winter and the following summer after a good seed crop than after
a poor one. It is suggested that populations of each species in deciduous woodland are
synchronised over the country in summer and that wood mice are also synchronised in
winter; highs and lows tend to coincide between different sites. Yields of tree seed vary
significantly from year to year and may be the cause of the synchrony. Weather effects
may also be involved.

The Mammal Society National Field Vole Survey organised by Michael Woods was
launched successfully in 1994, with 11 sites being studied. "Our" site is in the Gordano
Valley National Nature Reserve and our preliminary trapping period in November,
using a grid of 50 Longworth live-capture small mammal traps, resulted in a total of
6 short-tailed field voles Microtus agrestis, 36 bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus,
18 wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus and 5 common shrews Sorex araneus being
caught, then weighed, sexed and marked before being released again. One of the bank
voles, a male, was caught on each of the five trapping sessions! Only two of the other
ten sites reached double figures for field voles (Moat Meadow in Cambridge had 26)
and two other sites yielded no field voles at all. The literature suggests that 20 field
voles in a grid of the size being used in this study (25 pairs of traps on a 5 by 5 grid
with 8 m between trap points) would not be unusual (M.Woods, personal communica-
tion). The survey is planned to continue for a further five years, with trapping sessions
each spring and autumn.

The Mammal Society Owl Pellet Survey launched in 1993 has had a relatively good
response. To date, ten species of small mammal have been found, mainly in barn owl
Tyto alba pellets. Top prey species is the field vole, followed by common shrew, wood
mouse, harvest mouse, pygmy shrew, bank vole, house mouse, water shrew, brown rat
and water vole. The survey continues for a further three years (British Wildlife, 5 (4).

PINNIPEDIA (seals) and CETACEA (whales, dolphins and porpoises)

Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus. John Hutchinson reported seeing a seal (probably a
grey seal) off Littleton Warth ST5991 on 2 June. The Atlas of Mammals in Britain
shows only two previous records of grey seals in the upper reaches of the Severn, in the
10 km squares ST36 (off Weston-super-Mare) and ST57 (central Bristol!). Seals have
been seen off the main beach in Clevedon every year since 1991, usually in October and
November. Ivor Ashford, Clevedon Pier Master, reported seeing one swimming close
to Clevedon Pier on 31 August. Previous sightings have been off Wains Hill and Cleve-
don Pill. In 1991 a young seal was stranded near the Marine Lake and had to be res-
cued by the RSPCA and Coastguard. The seals are thought to be following the salmon

33

D. P. C. TRUMP

heading upstream to their spawning grounds in the upper reaches of the Severn (Bristol
Evening Post, 1 September 1994).

A MAFF News Release on 15 June 1994 reminded people working with seals and small
cetaceans of the need to take proper precautions, and for the general public not to
handle any marine mammals, to prevent any risk of infection. This follows a recent
discovery of previously unrecorded Brucella organisms in seals, dolphins and porpoises
in waters around Scotland.

CARNIVORA (carnivores)

Polecat Mustela putorius. The Polecat Project sponsored by theVincent Wildlife Trust
continues under the direction of Dr Johnny Birks. Any records of polecats in northern
Avon and southern Gloucestershire are of particular interest and value, so that the
return of the polecat can be monitored (J. Birks, personal communication). A coloured
leaflet about the polecat and the current project has been produced by the Vincent
Wildlife Trust.

Otter Lutra lutra. The Taw-Torridge Estuary in Devon, made famous by Tarka the
Otter, is now so polluted that the Ministry of Agriculture has banned the collection of
shellfish there (7he Guardian, 16 November 1994).

Pine Marten Martes martes. A recent survey of 180 km of forest paths in northern
England by Paul Bright and Professor Stephen Harris of the University of Bristol failed
to find any signs of pine martens. It is not known whether any survive in North Wales.
Plans to re-introduce pine martens from their stronghold in Scotland to southern parts
of England, will now have to wait until researchers have identified the cause of their
demise (New Scientist, 2 April 1994).

Fox Vulpes vulpes. Foxes continue to hit the headlines in Bristol. "Urban Foxes are
a Menace" (Bristol Evening Post, 9 November 1994) - a fox caused an estimated
£3,000 damage to a photographic studio, darkroom and storeroom in a garage in
Westbury-on-Trym. "Fox Killing Horror in Park" (Bristol Evening Post, 5 April 1994)
- a man was seen setting his dogs on a fox in Snuff Mills Park, Bristol; the RSPCA are
investigating the case. "Famous Foxes in Danger - disease hits TV favourites" (Bristol
Evening Post, 1994) - an outbreak of sarcoptic mange has hit British foxes. Mange is
caused by a parasitic mite that burrows into the skin. It is thought that rural foxes
brought the disease into the south-west of the city, where it has been present for the
last few years. The disease is treatable but it would be impractical to catch and treat all
the infected animals. Professor Stephen Harris and his colleagues at the University of
Bristol are investigating the practicalities of treating foxes by dosing food put out by
fox-lovers (BBC Wildlife, February 1995).

Piran White and colleagues at the University of Bristol have been studying the interac-
tions between urban foxes belonging to different family groups. They found that foxes
encountered members of their own family group on average twice a day, and that they
encountered ‘foreign’ foxes 0.77 times per day in winter but only between 0.05 and 0.23
times per day from spring to autumn. These findings may lead to changes in the official
policy for controlling foxes in the event of a rabies outbreak. The current policy in-
volves poisoning all foxes within a 19 km radius of the point of an outbreak; this is
based on Canadian estimates of how frequently urban foxes come into contact with
each other. The Canadian study found averages of 0.9 encounters per day between

34

AVON MAMMAL REPORT, 1993

adult foxes from different groups during the winter and 0.6 encounters per day in the
spring and autumn. Since White's averages are lower than the Canadian ones, the
model based on the Canadian data overestimates the speed at which a rabies outbreak
would spread in British urban conditions. This is particularly true in the spring, when
the number of inter-family encounters falls off dramatically. White's figures suggest
that the disease could be controlled within a smaller area (White & Harris, 1994).

Badger Meles meles. Badgers continue to be in the news, whether because they are
being threatened by development - "Hope for Badger Sett in New Land Scheme" (Bris-
tol Evening Post, 25 August), "Badger Family Faces Move on Home Front" (Bristol
Evening Post, 14 March) - or are themselves causing damage to property "Brock the
Badger Undermines an Abbey" - in this instance Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset (Daily
Telegraph, 4 January).

Following a successful appeal in the High Court, the Joint Master of the Beaufort Hunt
was cleared of aiding and abetting the illegal stopping of badger setts (Daily Telegraph,
15 December).

Since the introduction of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, the Agriculture Depart-
ment (MAFF) has been responsible for issuing licences to interfere with badger setts.
In 1993, 236 licences were issued for the purpose of ‘preventing serious damage’, 46 for
‘agricultural or forestry operations’ and 20 for 'maintenance etc. of watercourses or
drainage work’. The corresponding figures for January to September 1994 were 205, 58
and 28 respectively. No licences to interfere with badger setts for the purposes of 'pre-
venting the spread of disease’ or for 'controlling foxes' were issued during the period
January 1993 to September 1994 (Hansard, 26 October 1994, WA p. 624).

Second National Badger Survey — Following the 1985-88 badger survey, a repeat
survey funded by the People's Trust for Endangered Species began in September 1994.
As in the previous study, pre-selected 1 km squares will be surveyed for setts and other
signs of badger activity and the habitat in these squares will be mapped. The field work
will be carried out by volunteers during the winters of 1994/5 and 1995/6 under the
direction of Gavin Wilson and Professor Stephen Harris of the University of Bristol,
who are due to report on their findings at the end of 1996 (Mammal News 99,
Autumn 1994).

Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis TB testing of live badgers was due to begin on
1 November 1994. An estimated 2000 badgers from setts around the country will be
tested over a 5-year period. Any found carrying TB will be destroyed along with all the
others in the sett. A comparison will then be made of the incidence of TB in cattle
around those badger setts with the incidence in herds close to setts where no TB tests
are carried out (Farmers Weekly, 7 October 1994).

MAFF scientists have begun work on a project to vaccinate badgers against TB. It is
likely that a vaccine will not be available for at least 15 years (Farmers Weekly,
17 June 1994).

ARTIODACTYLA

Red Deer Cervus elaphus. The ban on the Quantock Stag Hounds hunting over Som-
erset County Council land at Over Stowey Common was overturned by a High Court
Judge in February 1994. The ruling is likely to affect the 34 other County Councils

35

D. P. C. TRUMP

(including Avon) which have banned hunting on council-owned land (Zhe Times,
10 February 1994).

A three-year study funded by, amongst others, the Exmoor National Park, the League
Against Cruel Sports, the British Field Sports Society, the National Trust and the
RSPCA will examine how best to manage the largest herd of wild deer in England on
Exmoor and the Quantocks. Currently, local stag hounds kill about 100 deer per year,
with farmers and others shooting a further 500 out of an estimated population of 5,350.
Dr Jochem Langbein of the University of Southampton's Deer Management Research
Group is to study the impact of grazing on the ancient oak and holly woodland. Over-
grazing by deer, cattle and sheep is preventing natural woodland regeneration. Up to
60 red deer will be fitted with radio collars, the first time radio tagging has been used in
England to gather information on their movements. (7he Observer, 26 June 1994).

Reeves' Muntjac Mutiacus reevesi. Norma Chapman, Professor Stephen Harris and
Angela Stanford reported on a review of the status of Reeves' Muntjac in Britain
(Chapman ef al., 1994). The section on Avon is reproduced below.

"In Avon, the earliest record was probably in 1959, when a small deer fitting
the description of a Muntjac was seen at Hanham Abbotts (ST6470); it had
undoubtedly been brought to the area. Sightings were made from almost the
same spot (ST6370) in 1989 and nearby at Combe Hay (ST7359) and South
Stoke (ST7460) about 1986 and 1992, respectively. Despite their long history
in the county, their spread has been slow. On the Badminton estate (ST88),
Muntjac were first seen about 1977 but were still uncommon in the early 1990s.
Similarly, in the Marshfield area (ST7972) the first sighting was in 1978, but in
the early 1990s they were still regarded as just becoming established in the area.
A thin scatter of sightings in the 1980s and 1990s were from Bathford
(ST7966), Blagdon (ST5058), Brockley Combe (ST4766), Burrington
(ST4758), Failand (ST5271), Frenchay (ST6477) on the edge of Bristol, Gob-
lin Combe (ST4765), Hinton Charterhouse (ST7758), Mangotsfield (ST6576),
Sopers Wood (ST7467) and Westonbirt Arboretum (ST8590)."

Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus. Only three records for 1994, for ST7775, ST7473
and $T7373, all from Paul Chadwick.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author is grateful to all those who have provided information for the 1994 report
and to all those who sent in records: Gareth Jones and John Hutchinson (University of
Bristol), Paul Chadwick, David Clarke, Mary Marsh, Sarah Townsend (British Trust
for Conservation Volunteers), John Martin and Richard Robertson (The Wildlife Trust
for Bristol, Bath and Avon), Richard Bevan (Bristol County Council Pest Control Serv-
ices), Mark Brookes, Alison Gowers and Roger Symes. Special thanks to Vivienne
Portsmouth for typing the early drafts of the report.

REFERENCES

ATKINSON, R. P. D. & MACDONALD, D. W. (1994). Can repellents function as a
non-lethal method of controlling moles Zalpa europea? Journal of Applied
Ecology, 31, 731-36.

36

AVON MAMMAL REPORT, 1993

ATKINSON, R. P. D., MACDONALD, D. W. & JOHNSON, P. J. (1994). The
status of the European Mole 7Jalpa europea L. as an agricultural pest and its
management. Mammal Review, 24 (2), 73-90.

BRIGHT, P. W. & MORRIS, P. A. (1994). Animal translocation for conservation:
performance of dormice in relation to release methods, origin and season. Journal of
Applied Ecology, 31, 699-708.

CHAPMAN, N., HARRIS, S. & STANFORD, A. (1994). Reeves' Muntjac
Muntiacus reevesi in Britain: their history, spread, habitat selection, and the role of
human intervention in accelerating their dispersal. Mammal Review, 24 (3),
113-160.

DUVERGE, P. L. & JONES, G. (1994). Greater Horseshoe Bats - activity, foraging,
behaviour and habitat use. British Wildlife 6 (2), 69-77.

HUTCHINGS, M. & HARRIS, S. (1995). National Hare Survey. Mammal News,
101, 6.

MALLONE, H. C. & FLOWERDEW, J. R. (1994). Woodland small mammal
population ecology in Britain: a preliminary review of the Mammal Society Survey
of Woodmice Apodemus sylvaticus and Bank Voles Clethrionomys glareolus,
1982-87. Mammal Review, 24 (1), 1-15.

MORRIS, P. (1995). Speedy hedgehogs and media myths. New Scientist, 1960, 44
(14 January 1995).

STRACHAN, R. & JEFFRIES, D. J. (1993). The Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) — in
Britain, 1989-90: its distribution and changing status. The Vincent Wildlife Trust.

TRUMP, D. P. C. (1991). Small Mammals in a Species-rich Hedgerow in Avon.
Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society, 49, 43-54.

WHITE, P. C. L. & HARRIS, S. (1994). Encounters between red foxes (Vulpes
vulpes): implications for territory maintenance, social cohesion and _ dispersal.
Journal of Animal Ecology, 63 (2), 315-27.

3]

38

Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society (1994), 53: 39-46.

BRISTOL BOTANY IN 1994

by A. J. WILLIS
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University, Sheffield, $10 2TN

The year 1994 was overall rather warmer than normal. Although the annual mean
maximum temperature was very slightly below average, the annual mean minimum was
1:3°C higher than usual. February was rather cold but temperatures were above average
in January and March. In the summer months, except for July, mean maximum
temperatures were lower than normal but mean minimum temperatures were higher
throughout. The year ended with a record-breaking mild November, with no ground
frosts at all and night temperatures exceeding the daytime norms; the temperature in
December was also well above average. Rainfall was high in the first five months,
considerably below normal in June and July (these two months had a total of 44 mm
rainfall, sharply contrasting the long-term average of 123 mm), but much above normal
at the end of the year when there was flooding in the Somerset Levels. Total rainfall
for 1994 at Long Ashton, to which meteorological records relate, was 988 mm, some
14% above average. More than 0:2 mm of rain fell per day on 209 days of the year, and
in Bristol the period 18-20 April was recorded as the first three consecutive dry days
since the previous November.

The mild winter led to early flowering. In January He/leborus foetidus was flowering
well on Churchill Batch, H. viridis was in flower in Mendip Lodge Wood, Ruscus
aculeatus at Upper Langford and Ste/laria pallida, Erophila verna and E. glabrescens
on Brean Down. In February Hornungia petraea was starting to flower at
Charterhouse, although there was light snow on the high ground. Both Cyperus fuscus
in the Gordano valley and Himantoglossum hircinum at Berrow did well in 1994. At
the end of the year the exceptionally mild conditions, notably in November, resulted in
many species coming into flower unseasonally in December. These included Trifolium
arvense at Berrow, Caltha palustris on Tealham Moor and Centaurium erythraea on
Brean Down (all records RSC).

As in previous years, reports include new localities for a considerable number of species
and several instances of the continued existence of plants in localities from which they
have not been listed for a long time and were feared lost. A new site for the uncommon
grass Gastridium ventricosum has been found in the Avon Gorge, and for the Deptford
Pink (Dianthus armeria) near Cheddar. A number of hybrids of Rumex have been
reported in a range of sites; these are certainly under-recorded taxa in the past and
probably still so. The list of alien species has been extended; the shrubby perennial
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, a native of China grown as a rock plant, is a new record
for v.c. 6. Of much interest is the report of the Narrow-leaved Bird’s-foot- trefoil
(Lotus glaber) in the Sea Mills area, last recorded in this general vicinity in 1919, and
illustrative of the very long persistence of some species in small numbers in sites, albeit
much changed, where they were formerly abundant. Also of considerable note is the
record of the Yellow Bird’s-nest (Monotropa hypopitys) in the Leigh Woods area, last

39

A. J. WILLIS

reported here in 1945 (Bristol Botany in 1945, p. 73). A remarkable record is of Vicia
bithynica near Powder House Wood, Shirehampton. Although listed from this site in
the middle of the last century, J.W. White (Flora of Bristol, 1912) doubted these
records; this vetch is now reported in substantial quantity here.

Much information is given about the ecology and history of the Mendips, especially of
the eastern parts, by Miss Eunice Overend, in an account entitled ‘The Changing
Ecology of Mendip’ in the Somerset County Council publication Mendip Limestone
Quarrying. A Conflict of Interests, ed. F. Raymond, 1994, pp. 59-66. Many of the
well-known Mendip sites and their notable plants are mentioned here, including the loss
of what is believed to be the last stand of Juniper (Juniperus communis) in Somerset
from a Laverton farm, but the continued existence of the Somerset Skullcap (Scutel-
laria altissima) in a valley near Mells.

Also published in 1994 was a full illustrated account of experimentation in the Avon
Gorge from 1964 to 1967 aimed to establish the effect of the addition of mineral nutri-
ents on the distinctive vegetation of the limestone grassland. The findings are given in
the University of Bristol Avon Gorge Project Report No. 18 entitled ‘The Influence of
Added Mineral Nutrients on the Vegetation of the Avon Gorge’ (36 pp.) by AJW. En-
hancement of the major nutrients (N, P, K) resulted in much increased growth of the
grasses Bromopsis erecta and Festuca ovina; to conserve the rare species, which
appear to depend to a considerable extent on the low fertility and open nature of the
habitat, these characteristics need to be maintained and invasion by woody species
prevented. A shorter account of these studies is given in Vol. 49 of these Proceedings
for 1989 (issued 1991), pp. 55-68.

A loss to the B.N.S. is the long-standing member Mrs N. J. Gibbs of Westbury-on-
Trym, who died in July 1994. Her interests in botany were wide; she found the Early
Spider-orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) new to v.c. 34 near Dursley in 1975 (Bristol Botany
in 1975, pp. 16, 19), and followed its performance for a number of years. This consid-
erable extension to the range of this rarity is noted by M.J. Hutchings in ‘The Popula-
tion Biology of the Early Spider Orchid, Ophrys sphegodes Mill. 1. A demographic
study from 1975 to 1984’ (Journal of Ecology, 1987, 75, 711-727).

Names of contributors associated with several records, or with the determination of
specimens, are abbreviated thus:

JRA Dr J.R. Akeroyd PRG P.R. Green

RAB R.A. Barrett DTH Dr D.T. Holyoak
PJC P.J. Chadwick LH Ms L. Houston
EJC E.J. Clement CK Mrs C. Kitchen
VC Miss V. Copp MARK MAR. Kitchen
CJC C.J. Cornell ACL Dr A.C. Leslie
RSC R.S. Cropper DM Mrs D. Maxwell
GAC Miss G.A. Crouch PJMN P.J.M. Nethercott
IFG Miss I.F. Gravestock EGMN E.G.M. Niblett
PG IP. Green PGR P.G. Rooney

The area covered by this report is essentially that defined by J.W. White for his Flora of
Bristol (1912). The eastern boundary is taken as the old boundary of Wiltshire where it
meets the old boundaries of both Gloucestershire and Somerset. The southern limit is
taken as approximately the course of the River Brue along some of its length. The area

40

BRISTOL BOTANY IN 1994

comprises the northern part of the Watsonian vice-county of North Somerset (v.c. 6)
and the southern part of West Gloucestershire (v.c. 34). In the following records these
parts are designated S and G respectively.

Plant names are in accordance with C. Stace New Flora of the British Isles, 1991.

Cystopteris fragilis (L.) Bernh. Persistent on old walls in wooded valley, Chil-
compton, S, RSC.

Polypodium cambricum L. With P. interjectum Shivas also in the vicinity,
Carboniferous limestone cliffs, Goram’s Chair, Blaise Woods, Bristol, G, LH, conf.
MARK & CK. On rocks on north-facing slope, Tor Hill, Wells, S, ACL, with P.
interjectum.

Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw. _ Thirty specimens, with Ophioglossum vulgatum L. and
Thlaspi caerulescens J.S. & C. Presl, on two humps south of the Tyning’s Farm
swallet, north of Cheddar, S, PRG.

Helleborus viridis L. A flourishing colony on stream bank, North Wootton, S, RSC.

Aconitum napellus L. In brambles in Nether Wood, near Charterhouse, 8S, DM & J.
Maxwell.

Aquilegia vulgaris L. Beside lane, Penpole Quarry, Shirehampton, G, IFG. One
plant and only occasionally seen in earlier recent years, Durdham Down, Bristol, G,
PJMN. No longer ‘still plentiful’ as noted here by J. W. White (1912) Flora of Bristol,
p. 129. A large patch near car park, Hunstrete Lake, S, RSC.

Fumaria muralis Sonder ex Koch One plant in garden, Burnham-on-Sea, S, RSC.

Arabis scabra All. A survey in 1994 in the Avon Gorge gave 3154 plants on the city
side and 1837 on the Leigh Woods side, G & S, LH.

Viola canina L. A good flowering patch in rough grassland above rock outcrop,
Draycott, S, RSC. Also Vulpia bromoides (L.) Gray.

Hypericum androsaemum L. Abundant, lane, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, G, IFG.
H. maculatum Crantz A large patch on road verge, Leighton, S, IPG.

Dianthus armeria L. _ A single plant in Carboniferous limestone pasture near Cheddar
Wood, S, K. Vickery, conf. MARK & CK. Also reported by A. Woodhall.

Cerastium diffusum Pers. (C. atrovirens Bab.) Plentiful in gravel on bridge over
motorway, Biddisham, S, IPG; also with C. semidecandrum L. on largely bare areas on
side of motorway flyover, Highbridge, S, IPG.

C. semidecandrum L. In plenty, roadside verge, Burnham-on-Sea, S, IPG.

Stellaria pallida (Dumort.) Piré In small quantity on edge of pavement, Rooks
Bridge, S, PRG.

Spergularia media (L.) C. Presl ssp. angustata (Clavaud) Greuter & Burdet In
saltmarsh by River Avon, Pill, S, P. Macpherson, det. JRA.

Malva neglecta Wallr. Single plant on soil heap by old railway line, Kingston
Seymour, S, RSC.

4]

A. J. WILLIS

Anthyllis vulneraria L. Kilmersdon, S, RSC.

Lotus glaber Miller (L. tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd.) Towards Sea Mills, G,
PJMN. This record represents a rare and unexpected survival in this area. The plant
was noted by N. Sandwith in the saltmarsh below Shirehampton in Bristol Botany in
1919, p. 135. In 1799 it was reported under L. diffusus as abundant below Cook’s
Folly by Turner and Sowerby. In 1805 it was recorded in The Botanist’s Guide
through England and Wales by D. Turner and L. W. Dillwyn as observed by Sir T. G.
Cullum ‘In the low meadows about a mile beyond the Hot Wells near Bristol’. Sir
Thomas Gery Cullum (1741-1831), a Suffolk medical man and botanist, contributed
records for several counties in the Botanist’s Guide but appears to have been
overlooked in the history of the botany of Bristol. Lotus glaber is also referred to in
Memorials, Journal and Botanical Correspondence of Charles Cardale Babington
(Cambridge, MacMillan and Bowes, 1897); in 1836, in connection with the visit of
the British Association to Bristol, Babington wrote ‘Lingwood and I walked down the
river as far as Sea Mills. We found there Lotus tenuis, Rottboellia incurvata ...’,
PJMN.

Vicia sylvatica L. On side of track at edge of wooded area, Brimscombe, Weare, S,
PRG.

V. sepium L. var. ochroleuca Bast. Sneyd Park, Bristol; G, PJMN. This white-
flowered form, not previously recorded in or near the Avon Gorge, is given by White
(1912) Flora of Bristol, p. 248, under sub-var. Rouy as rare.

V. bithynica (L.) L. About two thousand plants in Carboniferous limestone grassland,
between Powder House Wood and Crabtree Slip Wood, Shirehampton, G, PGR &
T. N. Twiggs. In the Flora of Bristol (1912), p. 247, J. W. White refers to the record
by T. B. Flower in Phytologist I (1841), p. 68, giving this species as plentiful in Powder
House Wood; this report was verified by E. H. Swete in Flora Bristoliensis (1854), p.
24, by inspection in situ by Swete. However, White suspects an error, suggesting that
in 1841 Flower, then ‘a very young botanist’, misidentified the plant and that Swete
would not have detected the error. White also questioned Flower’s records of V.
bithynica for ‘Green Valley’, Clifton Down, and for St. Vincent’s Rocks, regarding
these records to refer to a narrow-leaved form of Lathyrus montanus (L. linifolius),
and suggested that Swete himself in his earlier years misunderstood the plants. The
present record indicates that White’s caution over the Powder House Wood site was
misplaced and gives a striking example of the long persistence of a plant remaining
unnoticed for nearly a century and a half.

Lathyrus sylvestris L. | Avon Gorge, G, PJMN. Long known from the Great Quarry
and survived the engineering works here between 1989 and 1994.

Potentilla argentea L. On new ride in Postlebury Wood, Truddoxhill, north of Witham
Friary, S, CJC & VC. Persistent on slag heaps at Charterhouse, S, RSC.

P. X mixta Nolte ex Reichb. | Churchyard, Marston, S, PRG.
Crataegus laevigata (Poiret) DC. | One bush in field hedge, Oakhill, S, IPG.
Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz Litton Wood, Litton, S, P. White.

Epilobium roseum Schreber _ By side of track, Middleway Wood, East Horrington, S,
IPG; also several plants on roadside, Oakhill, S, PRG.

42

BRISTOL BOTANY IN 1994

Hippuris vulgaris L. Small patch, Hunstrete Lake, S, RSC.

Rumex crispus L. x R. obtusifolius L. (R. x pratensis Mert. & Koch) _ A single plant
in field by road, Litton, S, IPG.

R. obtusifolius L. x R. sanguineus L. (R. x dufftii Hausskn.) | With both parents on
old railway line, Cheddar, S; also a single specimen with both parents on roadside,
Westbury, S, IPG.

R. obtusifolius L. x R. conglomeratus Murray (RK. x abortivus Ruhmer) — With both
parents on old railway line, Cheddar, S, IPG.

R. obtusifolius L. x R. palustris Smith (R. x steinii A. Becker) With both parents on
peat cuttings on Westhay Heath, Catcott Burtle, S, IPG, conf. JRA.

R. sanguineus L. x R. pulcher L. | More than twenty plants, with both parents, in old
grassland at edge of wood, Old Down, near Emborough, S, IPG.

Salix x sericans Tausch ex A. Kerner (S. viminalis L. x S. caprea L.) In roadside
hedge, Pilton, S, PRG.

Monotropa hypopitys L. ssp. hypopitys Towpath, Avon Gorge, Bristol, S, PGR.
The Yellow Bird’s-nest has been rarely recorded in the Leigh Woods area; this appears
to be the first record for the towpath.

Limonium binervosum (G. E. Smith) Salmon _ Recent colonists of a strip of saltmarsh
along the River Parrett, Pawlett, S, RSC.

Primula vulgaris Hudson x P. veris L. (P. x polyantha Miller) A single plant in
hedge, Cleaves Wood, west of Hinton Charterhouse, S, RSC. Also Colchicum
autumnale L.

Origanum vulgare L. var. albiflorum Lej. Below Leigh Woods, Bristol, S, PJMN.
The white-flowered variety 1s little recorded. Annotations by the Sandwiths in their
copy of White’s Flora of Bristol (1912) give this form for under Leigh Woods; slopes
below Sea Walls, Clifton; Cadbury Hill, Yatton; wood border east of Tickenham.
Noted by Miss I. M. Roper (unpublished ‘Notes’) for the Clack Mill,
Westbury-on-Trym.

Campanula latifolia L. The statement in Bristol Botany in 1993, p. 40, that this plant
is ‘rare in the Bristol region’ was intended to refer particularly to its native occurrence
in v.c. 6. A record of this Bellflower as naturalized on the former Backwell Hill House
estate is given in Bristol Botany in 1963, p. 383. Inv.c. 34, records include Hambrook
(Bristol Botany in 1956, p. 183) and Stapleton and Frenchay (Bristol Botany in 1964,
p. 28).

Valerianella carinata Lois. Wall, Stoke Bishop, G, and also Durdham Down, Bristol,
G, IFG.

Senecio viscosus L. Two flowering plants on ballast along quarry railway, Great Elm,
S, RSC.

Cirsium eriophorum (L.) Scop. At least 140 plants on sloping pasture and 30 near
road, Battlefields, G, PJC. Also at Kilmersdon, S, RSC.

Lactuca serriolaL. Catcott Heath, S, and Westhay, S, RSC.

43

A. J. WILLIS

Potamogeton crispus L. In small quantity in sheep dip near road, Priddy, S, DM.

Groenlandia densa (L.) Fourr. In reservoir, Cheddar, S, and plentiful in moat of
Bishop’s Palace, Wells, S, IPG. A good patch, deep water, Priddy Pool, S, RSC.

Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. Persistent in woodland, Great Elm, S, RSC.

Ornithogalum angustifolium Boreau Small patch on road bank, Marshfield, G, PJC.
Scattered clumps on roadside bank, Burnham-on-Sea, S, PRG.

Paris quadrifolia L. Several plants adjoining path, Horrington Bottom, S, RSC.
Juncus foliosus Desf. — Fruiting luxuriantly on bridleway, Mark, S, RSC.

J. acutus L. Increasing, with several small fruiting plants near the original colonist,
Berrow, S, RSC.

Cephalanthera damasonium (Miller) Druce —_ Near path, in shady scrub, South Stoke,
S, RSC.

Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich. | In wood, Thrupe, west of Oakhill, S, CJC. In shady
woodland and at edge of clearing, Great Elm, S, RSC. Also in shade adjoining
Hunstrete Lake, S, RSC.

Ophrys apifera Hudson — Nearly two and a half thousand on south-facing road bank,
and another forty nearby, Aust, G, PJC. Nearly thirty near roundabout, Cold Ashton,
G, PJC. Flowering well at Easton-in-Gordano, but only one seen on the Long Ashton
Bypass and none at Cambridge Batch, S, PJC. Three plants in field near Clevedon Golf
Course, Walton-in-Gordano, S, EGMN. Plentiful on south side of Harter’s Hill,
Coxley, S, PRG.

O. apifera Hudson var. trollii (Hegetschw.) Reichb. f. | A small colony near road and
onto rough ground, Cribbs Causeway, north of Bristol, G, PJC.

Orchis morio L. | One flowering plant, where never seen previously, on roadside bank
which has been mown for thirty years, Bishop Sutton, S, D. Warden. Also three pale
pink flower spikes with hundreds of plants with normal flowers, Villice Parkland, Stoke
Villice, S, D. Warden.

Dactylorchis praetermissa (Druce) Sod At least 140 plants on sloping pasture and
30 near road, Battlefields, G, PJC. Also at Kilmersdon, S, RSC.

Arum italicum Miller Clump on road verge, Brinscombe, Weare, S, PRG.

Eriophorum latifolium Hoppe The highest ever count over many years of 190
fruiting heads, Max Bog, Winscombe, S, RSC.

Carex binervis Smith Many large fruiting plants on ground recently cleared of
conifers, Stock Hill, Priddy, S, RSC. Also C. pilulifera L. in abundance and fruiting.

C. digitata L. _ A substantial population on steep north-facing cliffs adjoining quarry,
Leigh Woods, Bristol, S, LH.

C. acutaL. With C. rostrata Stokes, large stand in field by rhyne, Godney, S, IPG.

Aira caryophyllea L. Plentiful on retaining wall of railway, Corston, S, RSC. Also
Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.

44

BRISTOL BOTANY IN 1994

Gastridium ventricosum (Gouan) Schinz & Thell. In 1993, an estimated thousand
plants, at edge of Gully, over Black Rock Quarry, Avon Gorge, Bristol, G, LH, MARK
& CK. This is a new station in the Gorge for the Nit-grass which is very local as a
native.

ALIENS

Laurus nobilis L. A small, self-sown bush in hedge, Huntspill, S, IPG.

Hirschfeldia incana (L.) Lagr.-Fossat A few plants, edge of Weston Big Wood,
Weston-in-Gordano, S, C. Greenway, conf. T. C. G. Rich.

Erysimum cheiri (L.) Crantz (Cheiranthus cheiri L.) | Rock above River Avon under
Leigh Woods, Bristol, S, PJMN. Known from St. Vincent’s Rocks for a great many
years, where noted by E. H. Swete (1854) Flora Bristoliensis, p. 10; the wallflower is
now well established on the other side of the Avon Gorge near the Suspension Bridge.

Amaranthus retroflexus L. A single plant on roadside verge, Leighton, east of
Cranmore, S, GAC.

Limnanthes douglasii R. Br. | Waste area, Wookey Hole, S, CJC & VC.
Alcea roseaL. In 1993, one plant on roadside verge, Avonmouth, G, DTH.

Melilotus albus Medikus Waste ground by old railway adjoining new road,
Brindham, Glastonbury, S, IPG & DM.

Spiraea x arguta Zabel —Siston Common, G, MARK & CK, det. EJC. This is a first
record for v.c. 34. Herb. MARK.

Potentilla recta L. Single plant on bank of old railway, Wells, S, IPG.
Cotoneaster franchetii Bois — In wood, in rocky area of Tor Hill, Wells, S, ACL.
C. rehderi Pojark. In 1993, one bush on rock ledge, Avon Gorge, G, DTH.

Sorbus decipiens (Bechst.) Irmisch Avon Gorge, G, PJMN. Engineering works in
the Great Quarry area have made it difficult to follow the fate of this species originally
planted near the site of the old tennis courts. The two surviviors of the original planting
have died, but at least seven saplings are growing in the site or on the quarry face.

S. graeca (Spach) Kotschy = Sneyd Park, Bristol, G, PJIMN. In woodland, mainly of
specimen trees, given to the Woodland Trust in 1983 by Benson Bros. (Bristol)
builders, some native trees, including S. forminalis (L.) Crantz, have been planted and
also a few Sorbi which are provisionally named S. graeca. These have flowered and
fruited well but further study is desirable.

Tellima grandiflora (Pursh) Douglas ex Lindley Clump on side of track, North
Wootton, S, PRG; also one clump in strip of trees adjoining road, Chewton Mendip, S,
IPG; Beacon Wood, Beacon Hill, Oakhill, S, D. Green.

Zauschneria californica C. Pres| — This garden relict persists (non-flowering patch) at
Sand Point, Kewstoke, S, RAB, MARK & CK, conf. EJC.

Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell. Conc.) Verdc. In rhyne near Westhay Nature
Reserve, Meare, S, DM.

45

A. J. WILLIS

Persicaria amplexicaulis (D. Don) Ronse Decraene _ Lane, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, G,
IFG.

Alnus incana (L.) Moench Plentiful in boggy wooded area adjoining Wellow Brook,
Ston Easton, S, IPG. The very large Grey Alder trees here were self-seeding freely.

Quercus x pseudosuber Santi (Q. cerris L. x Q. suber L.) In 1993, one sapling of the
Lucombe Oak in hedge at edge of cliff, Avon Gorge, Bristol, G, DTH.

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Bunge A patch about a metre long growing out of
churchyard wall, Wells, S, PRG, conf. D. McClintock. Specimen lodged in British
Museum (Natural History).

Cyclamen hederifolium Aiton A well established small patch in woodland,
Ridgewood, Chipping Sodbury, G, M. J. Trotman.

Nicandra physalodes (L.) Gaertner Three plants on waste ground of farm buildings
adjoining road, Litton, S, IPG.

Lamiastrum galeobdolon (L.) Ehrend. & Polatschek ssp. argentatum (Smejkal) Stace
Roadside, Sneyd Park, Bristol, G, and side of lane, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, G, IFG.

Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E. Walker — A single specimen, with C. canadensis (L.)
Cronq., by house adjoining bridge over River Brue, Burtle, S, IPG.

Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss _ Plentiful in sheep dip near road, Priddy, S, DM.
Muscari botryoides (L.) Miller Waste ground, Shirehampton, Bristol, G, IFG.
Juncus tenuis Willd. | One clump in grassy parking area near Church, Berrow, S, IPG.

Allium roseum L. _ A large flowering patch on south-facing Carboniferous limestone
grassland encompassed by scrub, Worle Hill, Weston-super-Mare, S, MARK & CK.
Found onaB.N. S. meeting led by M. Evans.

A. subhirsutum L. Well established on small area of coastal strip, Sand Bay,
Kewstoke, S, RAB. Confirmed later by MARK & CK on field visit.

Tristagma uniflorum (Lindley) Traub (/pheion uniflorum (Lindley) Raf.) Three
plants by rhyne well away from houses, Shirehampton, Bristol, G, IFG.

Lagurus ovatus L. Car park, Southmead Hospital, Horfield, Bristol, G, MARK &
CK.

Setaria pumila (Poiret) Roemer & Schultes A single plant in gateway near road,
Cheddar, S, IPG & GAC.

Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. Large clump on roadside in village, Croscombe, S,
PRG.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank everyone who has supplied records and helped with these, especially Mr I. P.
Green, Mr M. A. R. Kitchen and Mr P. J. M. Nethercott. I am indebted to Mr D. J.
Lovell at Long Ashton Research Station for meteorological records.

46

Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society (1994), 51: 47-58.

THE RARE LARGER RESIDENT MOTHS
OF THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

by R. J. BARNETT
City Museum & Art Gallery, Bristol BS8 1RL

M. EVANS
Flat 7, 16 Kewstoke Road, Worle, Weston-super-Mare BS22 9JF

and A.J. PYM
109 Conygre Grove,Bristol BS12 7DW

INTRODUCTION

The Bristol & District Moth Group (‘the Group') was set up in 1991 under the umbrella
of the City Museum's Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre (BRERC). Since
then, the Group has been collecting and assimilating data on the district's moth fauna.
The Group has concentrated on the area within the present County of Avon, but it has
also assembled records from beyond the Avon boundary though within the Watsonian
vice-counties of North Somerset (v.c.6) and West Gloucestershire (v.c.34), although
excluding that part of v.c.34 west of the River Severn. Figure 1 shows the recording
area. A major source of such records has been the Bristol Naturalists' Society. The
Group is also grateful to the Somerset Moth Group and to Mr Roger Gaunt, the
Gloucestershire Moth Recorder, for information on the status of species outside the
County of Avon but within the respective vice-counties.

Moth recording is mainly carried out by utilising specialist light-traps, which are both
costly and difficult to transport to the remoter sites. This, together with the relatively
small number of moth enthusiasts, limits recording coverage. Day-flying moths tend to
be under-recorded as enthusiasts concentrate on light-trapping. Nevertheless, from
1980 to 1993 inclusive, 573 species of larger moths (macro-moths) have been recorded
in the 53 ten-km squares contained in the area described. Judged by the records of
species known to be common, such as the Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba,
whose distribution is plotted in Figure 2, the data appeared adequate to allow a prelimi-
nary assessment of the relative status of the larger resident moths within the district.

To facilitate discussion of rarity or commonness within the data, a series of crude
categories was set up, defined according to the number of ten-km squares in which the
species had been observed. These definitions are given in Table 1. Using them, 84
species, or 14% of the total of 573 species represented, are to be considered rare in the
Bristol district. These locally rare species are listed in Appendix.Table Al. Of the
remaining 489 species which are not rare in the district, 23 are nationally uncommon.

47

R. J. BARNETT, M. EVANS & A. J. PYM

TABLE 1. Categories of abundance used, defined according to the number of ten-km
squares in which a species was recorded, out of the 53 squares in the area.

Category No. of ten-km squares with records
Rare 60.2
Local 3 to'5

Frequent — 6 to 7

Abundant 8 or more

a! if 1 T T
GLOUCESTER
1
Ne
ees STROUD
* Slimbridge
0 =|
“
1
TaN
QOL = ~-~Midger Wood a
Wetmoor *(
Sheepcombe Break
8} |
A “\. .Durdham Down
| Gordano BRISTOL,
Valley \~ ey |
TP ; el
Sand Point wha
Goblin Combe ,
° oe s Wood BATH |
6L WESTON-S-MARE
6 Uphill LUE esr _ Cleaves Wood
avering Down °
gown. _~ RADSTOCK
Draycott Sleights ae
5 bd * Priddy Pool
FROME |
WELLS Z
Asham Wood
4b * Shapwick Heath
3L * Great Breachwood

FIGURE 1. The area within which moth distribution has been plotted. This is the record-

ing area of the Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre and comprises Wat-

sonian Vice-county 6 and the portion of Vice-county 34 east of the R Severn. The west to

east lines a and b mark the boundaries of the present County of Avon. The boundary c
between these is the division between vice-counties 34 and 6.

48

RARE MOTHS OF THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

FIGURE 2 Distribution map for the Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua
pronuba, which is common in the district, plotted by ten-km squares;
data from 1980 onwards.

These 23 species are listed in Appendix Table A2. The Appendix tables also give the
national status of each species according to Ball and to Waring (see below).

NATIONAL RARITY DEFINED

For many invertebrate groups, a report produced by the Nature Conservancy Council,
as it then was, provided the first national framework of rarity to be established (Ball,
1986). The report provided lists of species included in the Conservancy's Invertebrate
Site Register as of Red Data Book (RDB) or Nationally Notable (N) status, and has
proved a useful tool at the local as well as the national level. It includes categories for
the larger or macro-moths and provisional listings for the micro-moths.

Since 1986, the status of species within the national categories has been under revision
by Dr Paul Waring, in preparation for a national atlas of rare moths (Waring 1994). In
the light of information gained since 1986, Waring has added two new categories, ‘local’
and ‘common’. Revisions to Waring (1994) have been used in this paper (Waring, per-
sonal communication). The national categories first defined by Ball (1986), and the two
now added by Waring, are defined as follows.

49

R. J. BARNETT, M. EVANS & A. J. PYM

RDB 1 - Endangered.
Species showing rapid decline over last 70 years.
Species now in five or fewer ten-km squares.

RDB2 - Vulnerable.
Species believed likely to move into Endangered category if causal
factors continue to operate.

RDB3 - Rare |
Species with small local or thinly scattered populations, known from 15
or fewer ten-km squares nationally.

RDBK - Believed to be rare but too recently discovered for placing to be certain.
Na Known from between 16 and 30 ten km squares nationally.

Nb Known from between 31 and 100 ten-km squares nationally.

Local Known from 101 - 300 ten-km squares nationally since 1980.

Common Known from over 300 ten-km squares nationally since 1980 (this does

not imply occurrence everywhere in Britain or in all habitats).
SPECIES RARE IN THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

SPECIES WITH RED BOOK STATUS

The BRERC database lists five species with Red Data Book status, as shown in Table
Al of the Appendix. These are the Barberry Carpet, the Silky Wave, the Four-spotted,
the White-spotted Pinion and the Goosefoot Pug.

Barberry Carpet, Pareulype berberata, ({[D. & S.]). A colony discovered in 1983,
outside Avon, but within vice-county 34, was only the second known in the country,
though a third was found later. The larva feeds on the barberry, Berberis vulgaris, an
uncommon plant which is actively discouraged by farmers as it is a secondary host for
the Wheat Rust Fungus, Puccinia graminis.The Gloucestershire discovery was particu-
larly significant as for the first time larvae were found feeding on a cultivated variety of
barberry. The occurrence is fully described in Waring (1991).

Silky Wave, /daea dilutaria (Hb). This was first discovered in Britain in 1851 at
Durdham Down, Bristol and was reported in the Zoologist (Sircom, 1851). Later it was
found on the Great Orme, Caernarvonshire, and these are still the only two confirmed
colonies in the country. Other occasional sightings are probably due to confusion with
the Dwarf Cream Wave, /daea fuscovenosa (Goeze), which has even been referred to
in the past as di/utaria, further adding to the confusion. The Bristol colony is the focus
of a continuing study by some members of the Group. During the 1993 and 1994 sea-
sons, the moth was confirmed at two discrete but small open sites within the Avon
Gorge. Unconfirmed sightings were also made at two other small localities on the
northern slopes of the Gorge.

A study of the Silky Wave on the continent has been made by Ryrholm (1988) with
emphasis on its Scandinavian localities. These, together with its British colonies, are the
most northerly in Europe. Ryrholm has shown that its distribution is restricted to sites

50

RARE MOTHS OF THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

where the local micro-climate provides significantly higher temperatures, year round,
than in the surrounding area. This suggests that the moth occurs in relict populations
surviving from a time when a generally more favourable climate allowed it to occur
more widely. The Bristol population is consistent with this, surviving on tiny patches of
downland on south-facing, well-drained carboniferous limestone. Its continued
existence will depend upon sensitive management to prevent scrub encroachment
reducing further the areas where the larvae can feed on withered leaves of plants such
as the Rock Rose, Helianthemum nummularium (South, 1961). At the same time, some
shrub layer must be available to provide habitat and shelter for the adults. It is
conceivable that other gorges in the district could harbour undiscovered colonies of this
moth.

Four-spotted, 7yfa luctuosa ([D. & S.]). This is recognised as a species which has
always fluctuated in range and abundance. However, its decline in the last forty years
appears to have been exacerbated by the reduction in the open downland on which it
lives and also, perhaps, by climatic factors (Heath & Emmet, 1983). It is currently
known in this region only from Somerset ( Somerset Moth Group, personal communi-
cation) and from just one of the ten km squares shown in Figure 1.

White-spotted Pinion, Cosmia diffinis (L). This has declined nationally as the larva
feeds on mature elm trees, which have themselves declined as a consequence of Dutch
Elm Disease. There are two records from the early 1980s and just one from the late
1980s.

Goosefoot Pug, Eupithecia sinuosaria (Evers). This is the only other moth with an
RDB designation, listed in Table 1 of the Appendix. The first British specimen was
recorded by Mr Brian Slade on 13 June 1992 (Slade & Agassiz, 1992). A second Brit-
ish specimen was recorded in that year in Hertfordshire but the status of the moth
remains unclear.

OTHER LOCAL RARITIES

The remaining species listed in Table 1 of the Appendix are of varied local status, below
Red Data Book level. Some, such as the Cream-bordered Green Pea, arias clorana
(L), and the Marsh Oblique-barred,Hypenodes humidalis Doubl., both of which are
found on the Somerset Levels, are genuinely rare in the district and are restricted to
certain habitats. Others may be common but under-recorded through difficulties of
identification and of recording; thus, the Northern Winter Moth, Operophtera fagata
(Scharf) is not easily differentiated from the Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata, and
also it is on the wing at a time when few recorders are active. Species which are
undoubtedly increasing include the Juniper Carpet, Thera juniperata (L), utilising
cultivated juniper, while amongst those species which are still declining is the
Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, Hemaris fuciformis (L).

NATIONALLY UNCOMMON SPECIES NOT RARE IN THE DISTRICT

The database held by BRERC has been used to list those species which were consid-
ered by Ball as nationally uncommon because they have a restricted national distribution
but which, nevertheless, are not locally rare. The species which fall into this category
are shown in Table A2 of the Appendix.

=|

R. J. BARNETT, M. EVANS & A. J. PYM

The Small Eggar, -riogaster lanestris (Linn), was thought in 1986 to be nationally
vulnerable and to be threatened by hedge cutting and by agricultural sprays, which
destroy the larval webs on hawthorn and blackthorn hedges. Since that time, the activi-
ties of the Bristol and Somerset Moth Groups, in particular, have helped to show that
we have a stronghold for this species in the area south-west of Bristol. Consequently
the national status of this species is likely to be reduced from RDB2 to Nb, and indeed
it is 'common' in our district.

Table A2 of the Appendix shows that the Bristol district contains important popu-
lations of certain woodland species, especially the Mocha, Cyclophora annulata
(Schulze), Blomer's Rivulet, Discoloxia blomeri (Curt), Red-necked Footman,
Atolmis rubricollis (Linn) and Dotted Chestnut, Conistra rubiginea ({ D. & S. ]).
Crucial to their occurrence must be the presence of certain larval food plants such
as Wych Elm for Blomer's Rivulet. The relatively mild and damp climate of the district
is also probably important. Other species listed in Appendix Table 2 indicate the
importance of habitats such as unimproved grassland for the Cistus Forester, Adscita
geryon (Hb), wetlands for the Silky Wainscot,Chilodes maritimus (Tausch) and
coastal habitats for the Sand Dart, Agrotis ripae (Hb).

IN CONCLUSION

The categories here assigned to the Bristol larger moth fauna are still provisional
and will continue to be refined. Obviously, new resident species may be discovered
in the area but combining Tables Al and A2 gives us a list of species of particular
importance in the district. It 1s envisaged that surveying sites for these species
will enable conservation agencies to identify the quality of sites with respect to the
moth fauna of the Bristol district, and to better target and refine techniques of habitat
and species management to conserve biodiversity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the Somerset Moth Group, in particular Mr. Keith Brown and Mr. Kim
Leaver, and also the Gloucestershire Moth Recorder, Mr. Roger Gaunt, for access to
information gathered as part of their recording schemes. We are grateful to all moth
recorders in the region who have submitted data to the Bristol, Somerset and Glouces-
tershire schemes, recorders too numerous to list. Finally we thank Dr Paul Waring for
access to his unpublished revisions of the national status of the larger moths and for
commenting on a draft of this paper.

REFERENCES

BALL, S. G. (1986). Terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates with Red Data Book,
Notable or Habitat Indicator status. Invertebrate Site Register Report No.
66, Nature Conservancy Council, unpublished (CSD report no. 637).

52

RARE MOTHS OF THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

HEATH, J. & EMMET, A. M. (1983). The moths and butterflies of Great Britain and
Ireland. Vol. 10 (Noctuidae part 2 and Agarisitidae). Colchester, Harley Books.

RYRHOLM, N. (1988). An extralimital population in a warm climatic outpost; the case
of the moth /daea dilutaria in Scandinavia. Jnternational Journal of Bio-
meteorology, 32, 205-216.

SLADE, B. E. & AGASSIZ, D. J. L. (1992). Eupithecia sinuosaria (Eversmann)
(Lepidoptera: Geometridae), new to the British Isles. Entomologists' Record &
Journal of Variation, 104, 287-288.

SIRCOM, J. (1851). Note. Zhe Zoologist, 9, 3287-8.

SOUTH, R. (1961). The moths of the British Isles. Vol. Il (Revised edition). London,
Warne.

WARING, P. (1991). Barberry Carpet Moth, Paraleulype berberata D. & S.: the
discovery of a second breeding colony in Britain and other recent records. Ento-
mologists' Record & Journal of Variation, 103, 237-292.

WARING, P.(1994). National Moth Conservation Project News Bulletin 5. Dunstable,
Butterfly Conservation, for Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

APPENDIX

TABLE Al. National status of the larger resident moths recorded as rare in the Bristol dis-
trict, 1980-1993 inclusive. Status levels according to Ball (1986) and Waring (1994) are de-

fined in the text. Species mentioned in the text are in bold type.
Common Name Scientific Name Ball (1986) Waring (1994)
Five-spot Burnet Zygaena trifolii (Esp) -
(chalkland race) ssp. palustrella Ver.
Currant Clearwing Synanthedon tipuliformis (Cl.) Nb

Orange-tailed Clearwing Synanthedon andrenaeformis (Lasp.) Na
Red-tipped Clearwing Synanthedon formicaeformis (Esp) Na
Red-belted Clearwing Synanthedon myopaeformis (Esp.) Na
Red-tipped Clearwing Synanthedon formicaeformis (Esp.) Na

Local
Nb
Nb
Nb
Nb
Nb
Nb
Na
Local
Nb
Nb
Local
Local
Nb

Six-belted Clearwing Bembecia scopigera (Scop) Nb

Grass Eggar Lasiocampa trifolii ({D. & S.]) Na

Poplar Lutestring Tethea or ({D. & S.]) Nb

Satin Lutestring Tetheella fluctuosa (Hb) Nb

Light Orange Underwing Archiearis notha (Hb) Na

False Mocha Cyclophora porata (L) -

Mullein Wave Scopula marginepunctata (Goeze) .

Dotted-border Wave Idaea svivestraria (Hb) Nb

Silky Wave Idaea dilutaria (Hb) RDB3 RDB2
Large Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata (Cl) - Local

[continued

53

July Belle
Royal Mantle

Small Argent & Sable

Devon Carpet
Juniper Carpet
Beech-green Carpet
Barberry Carpet
Argent & Sable
Cloaked Carpet

Northern Winter Moth

Pretty Pinion
Marbled Pug
Pinion-spotted Pug
Marsh Pug
Bleached Pug
Campanula Pug
Shaded Pug
Goose-foot Pug
Ochreous Pug
Pimpinel Pug
Golden-rod Pug
Dentated Pug
Waved Carpet
Drab Looper
Barred Umber
Horse Chestnut

Small Brindled Beauty

Dotted Carpet
Sloe Carpet
Pine Hawk-moth

Broad-bordered Bee

Hawk-moth
Alder Kitten
Great Prominent
Scarce Prominent
Clouded Buff
Water Ermine
Small Black Arches
Portland Moth
Stout Dart
Barred Chestnut
Square-spotted Clay
Beautiful Yellow

Underwing

Bordered Gothic
Beautiful Brocade
Glaucous Shears
Marbled Coronet
Silver Cloud
The Wormwood

Scotopteryx luridata (Hufn)
Catarhoe cuculata (Hufn)
Epirrhoe tristata (L)
Lampropteryx otregiata (Metc)
Thera juniperata (L)
Colostygia olivata ({D. & S.])
Pareulype berberata ({D. & S.])
Rheumaptera hastata (L)
Euphyia biangulata (Haw)
Operophtera fagata (Scharf)
Perizoma blandiata ({D. & S.])
Eupithecia irriguata (Hb)
Eupithecia insigniata (Hb)
Eupithecia pygmaeata (Hb)
Eupithecia expallidata Doubl.
Eupithecia denotata (Hb)
Eupithecia subumbrata ({D & S])
Eupithecia sinuosaria (Evers)
Eupithecia indigata (Hb)
Eupithecia pimpinellata (Hb)
Eupithecia virgaureata Doubl.
Anticollix sparsata (Treit)
Hydrelia sylvata ({D. & S.])
Minoa murinata (Scop)

Plagodis pulveraria (L)
Pachycnemia hippocastanaria (Hb)
Apocheima hispidaria ({D & S])
Alcis jubata (Thumb)

Aleucis distinctata (H.-S.)
Hyloicus pinastri (L)

Hemaris fuciformis (L)

Furcula bicuspis (Borkh)
Peridea anceps (Goeze)
Odontosia carmelita (Esp)
Diacrisia sannio (L)
Spilosoma urticae (Esp)
Meganola strigula ({D. & S.])
Actebia praecox (L)
Spaelotis ravida ({D. & S.])
Diarsia dahlii (Hb)

Xestia rhomboidea (Esp)
Anarta myrtilli (L)

Heliophobus reticulata (Goeze)
Lacanobia contigua ({D. & S.])
Papestra biren (Goeze)
Hadena confusa (Hufn)

Egira conspicillaris (L)
Cucullia absinthii (L)

54

R. J. BARNETT, M. EVANS & A. J. PYM

RDBK

Common
Local
Common.
Nb
Common
Local
RDB1
Nb

Nb

Common

Common

RARE MOTHS OF THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

Brindled Ochre Dasypolia templi (Thunb) Nb Local
Suspected Parastichtis suspecta (Hb) - Local
Light Knot-grass Acronicta menyanthidis (Esp) - Local
Bird's Wing Dipterygia scabriuscula (L) - Local
Angle-striped Sallow Enargia paleacea (Esp) Nb Nb
White-spotted Pinion Cosmia diffinis (L) Nb Na/RDB3
Large Ear Amphipoea lucens (Frey) - Local
Ear Moth Amphipoea oculea (L) - Common
Webb's Wainscot Archanara sparganii (Esp) Nb Nb
Fen Wainscot Arenostola phragmitidis (Hb) - Local
Silver Hook Deltote uncula (Cl) Nb Local
Cream-bordered Earias clorana (L) Nb Nb
Green Pea
Gold Spangle Autographa bractea ({D. & S.]) - Common
Four-spotted Tyta luctuosa ({D. & S.]) RDB2 RDB3, even Na
Beautiful Snout Hypena crassalis (Fabr) Nb Local
Buttoned Snout Hypena rostralis (L) Nb Nb
White-line Snout Schrankia taenialis (Hb) Nb Nb
Pinion-streaked Snout = Schrankia costaestrigalis (Steph) - Local
Marsh Oblique-barred Hypenodes humidalis Doub| Nb Nb
Common Fan-foot Pechipogo strigilata (L) Nb Na

TABLE A2. Nationally uncommon species which are of Local, Frequent or Common

occurrence in the Bristol region, based on records from 1980-1993 inclusive, with their

national status according to Ball (1986) and Waring (1994). Status levels are defined in the
text. Species referred to in the text are in bold type.

Common Name Scientific Name Ball Waring Bristol
The Forester Aadscita statices (Linn) Nb Nb Frequent
Cistus Forester Adscita geryon (Hb) Na Nb Frequent
Small Eggar Eriogaster lanestris (Linn) RDB2 Nb Common
The Mocha Cyclophora annulata (Schulze) Nb Nb Common
Oblique-striped Phibalapteryx virgata (Hufn) Na Nb Local
Chalk Carpet Scotopteryx bipunctaria Nb Nb Frequent
({D. & S.])
Ruddy Carpet Catarhoe rubidata (D.& S.J) | Nb Nb Frequent
Valerian Pug Eupithecia valerianata (Hb) Nb Nb Locai
Blomer's Rivulet Discoloxia blomeri (Curt) Nb Nb Common
Little Thorn Cepphis advenaria (Hb) Nb Nb Local
Grass Wave Percuria strigillaria (Hb) Nb Nb Local
Narrow-bordered Bee Hemaris titvus (Linn) Na Na Local
Hawk Moth
Red-necked Footman Atolmis rubricollis (Linn) Nb Nb Common
Orange Footman Filema sororcula (Hufn) Nb Nb Local
Square-spot Dart FEuxoa obelisca ({D. & S.]) Nb Nb Local
Light Feathered Rustic Agrotis cinerea ({D. & S.]) Nb Nb Frequent

[continued

oe)

R. J. BARNETT, M. EVANS & A. J. PYM

Sand Dart
Lunar Yellow Under-
wing

Agrotis ripae (Hb)
Noctua orbona (Hufn)

Sideridis albicolon (Hb) Nb

Shore Wainscot
Dotted Chestnut
Crescent Striped
Silky Wainscot

Mythimna litoralis (Curt)
Conistra rubiginea ({D. & S.])
Apamea oblonga (Haw)
Chilodes maritimus (Tausch)

56

Nb
Na

Local

Nb

Nb

Nb
Nb/Local

Local
Local
White Colon

Local
Common
Local
Frequent

RARE MOTHS OF THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

PLATE 1. From top: Small Eggar Eviogaster lanestris (L.) (a) larva, (b) imago. Nationally
notable (Nb), “common” in the Bristol district. (c) Sand Dart Agrotis ripae (Hb).
Nationally notable, “local” in the Bristol district. (d) Blomer’s Rivulet Discoloxia blomeri
(Curt.). Nationally notable (Nb), “common” in the Bristol district.

Photographs by Martin Evans.

a7

R. J. BARNETT, M. EVANS & A. J. PYM

PLATE 2. From top: (a) Juniper Carpet Thera juniperata (L.). Nationally “common”,
“rare” in the Bristol district. Silky Wave Idaea dilutaria (Hb.): (b) larva; (c) imago.
Nationally Red Data Book 2, “rare” in the Bristol district. (d) The Mocha Cyclophora
annulata (shulze). Nationally notable (Nb), “common” in the Bristol district.

Photographs by Martin Evans.

58

Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society, 54: 59-66.

THE BROWN'S FOLLY GEOLOGICAL TRAIL:
A GEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION PROJECT
IN THE BATH AREA

by R.B. J. SMITH
45 Oakleigh Gardens, Oldland, Bristol BS15 6RJ

INTRODUCTION

The Brown's Folly Nature Reserve is an area of about 37 hectares (91 acres) on the
hillside overlooking the valley of the River Avon, about a kilometre south east of the
village of Bathford. The reserve belongs to the Avon Wildlife Trust (AWT). Its location
is shown in Figure 1.

The Trust acquired some of the land in 1972 with funds raised by public subscription,
and bought the remainder in 1984, almost trebling the size of the reserve. Extraction of
limestone from the hillside by open quarries and mines, which took place from the 18th
to the early 20th century, has left many exposures of rock. The reserve is now desig-
nated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), both for its biological and for its
geological interest. It takes its name from the prominent tower standing on the hill-top
at the eastern edge of the reserve. The tower was built by a quarry owner, Mr Wade
Brown, and is known locally as 'The Pepper Pot’.

Geological site identification and conservation in the County of Avon received a
considerable impetus in 1980, with the formation of Avon Wildlife Trust's Geological
Conservation Group. The Group visited Brown's Folly for the first time in 1981 to
discuss site conservation. In the same year, the author logged and described one of the
larger rock exposures as his practical project for the Certificate in Science (Geology) of
the University of Bristol. He continued working after the original project had been
completed and published a field guide to the reserve, with a map indicating the location
of 24 exposures and descriptions of nine of them in some detail (Smith, 1986).

GEOLOGY OF THE RESERVE

The SSSI citation for the reserve, issued in 1986, describes the geology as follows:-

'A composite section through the Middle Jurassic Great Oolite and the
lower part of the Forest Marble is exposed on the escarpment beneath Brown's
Folly and to the north towards Bathford. The section is entirely of Upper
Bathonian age, ranging from the Hodsoni Zone up into the lower Discus Zone.
The section exposed consisting of a mixture of limestone and subordinate clays,

59

R. B. J. SMITH

Batheaston

Farleigh

KILOMETRES

FIGURE 1. The location of Brown's Folly Nature Reserve,
owned and managed by the Avon Wildlife Trust.

illustrates the development of the Great Oolite and Upper Rags of the Bath
area. It was for these rock units in the Bath area that William Smith originally
coined the name 'Great Oolite' and after which the 'Bathonian' was named. The
succession is of considerable sedimentological interest. Parts of the succession
are fossiliferous; in particular a thin clay, resting on an oyster-encrusted
hardground at the top of the Upper Rags, which has yielded elements of the
Bradfordian fauna including Digonella, Apiocrinus and rhynchonellids. The
section is of major importance in the context of the British Bathonian
stratigraphy.'

TABLE 1. Jurassic rock formations of Brown's Folly - composite
section through hillside, from Green & Donovan (1969).

Stratum Thickness, m
Forest Marble Tagke:
Great Oolite :
Upper Rags 6.84
Bath Oolite 6.53
Twinhoe beds 4.05
Combe Down Oolite 5.28

60

BROWN’S FOLLY GEOLOGICAL TRAIL

Green and Donovan (1969) included Brown's Folly in their investigation of the Great
Oolite of the Bath area and this is the most complete account of the geology of the
reserve available. Table 1 summarizes the composite section through the hill-side which
they recorded. In a more recent work on the Bathonian strata of the Bath and Frome
area, Penn and Wyatt (1979) have included the Upper Rags in the Forest Marble.

RUE

"
i}
‘,
'
—S

FIGURE 2. Elements of Bradfordian fauna visible at several sites along the trail, reproduced
from the trail guide (Smith 1989). Left, a crinoid Apiocrinus sp., x /2, showing the parts
usually found as fossils; bottom right, the brachiopod Digonella digona, * 1.

SELECTION OF TRAIL SITES

The sites chosen were spread through the whole range of rock units available so as to
show, as far as possible, the junctions between the various units. Eventually thirteen
sites were selected from the 24 already located, using the follong criteria:

° the amount of conservation required; many exposures were very orgrown and
hard to locate;

¢ the nature of the conservation required, and the need for it to be friendly to the
other interests on the reserve;

¢ the feasibility of making the chosen sites safe for visitors;

¢ the presence of features important for students of geology, such as an oyster-

encrusted surface, which might also interest the general visitor.

61

R. B. J. SMITH

The sites vary from isolated rock faces produced by open quarrying, and blocked mine
entrances with a rock face above, to faces resulting from the collapse of the overlying
strata into mines, illustrating the various methods of stone extraction involved. The
rocks of Brown's Folly have fossiliferous bands, and screes have formed at some sites
so that visitors may easily collect geological samples, which should help to stimulate
their interest. Figure 3 shows the chosen sites in relation to the geology of the reserve.

Examples of features selected for inclusion are a channel in Forest Marble, shown in
a large exposure, which is probably one of the best in the area (site 4); a patch reef,
showing the reef's development, although the face is very weathered (site 7); complex
cross-bedding of an isolated block of rock (site 9); the entrance to a mine which
penetrated the hill for only about 30 m and was presumably stopped because it reached
rock which was unsuitable for use as building stone (site 10) and large blocks of
Combe Down Oolite which have slipped on the underlying Fuller's Earth to make a
striking feature (site 11).

SITE CLEARANCE

Many of the exposures were very overgrown and it was clear that a considerable
amount of clearance would be needed. Early in 1986 the author joined the AWT's
Reserve Management Committee, so ensuring the co-ordination of geological work
with other conservation activities. After discussions with Antony Merritt, then AWT's
Conservation Officer, about possible sources of labour for geological conservation
work, some site cleaning was done during 1986 and 1987 by AWT and by British Trust
for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) working parties.

In late 1987 the author approached the Geologists’ Association with regard to financial
support for site clearance, and once agreement had been obtained AWT submitted a
detailed proposal. Early in 1988 a grant of £540 was made, the site work to be
supervised by the author and by another member of the Bath Geological Society whilst
AWT was to administer the financial aspects. This grant allowed the number of BTCV
working parties to be greatly increased, and the clearance work progressed well. Most
of the workers came via the government-funded work experience scheme, and when
this was terminated at the end of 1988 the labour available was much reduced, but
fortunately by then the site clearance work had been completed.

The working parties involved in the clearance were made up of young people having an
interesting mix of backgrounds and included two geology graduates. All were briefed
on the project before work started, presenting an opportunity to explain the aims of
geological conservation, a concept foreign to most of them. The term 'site' was used to
refer to the locations to be cleared, and in each case covered not only the rock face but
also the surrounding area and the means of access. In clearing sites, the aim was to
ensure that the site was accessible and the exposed rock was easily visible.

Few of the sites could have been reached by rock-moving equipment. In any case,
machinery would have caused damage to the paths and surrounding areas and its use
would have been strongly opposed by all concerned with the reserve. This was borne
out by the outcry which arose over the construction of a road to remove timber, after
all the geological site work had been completed.

62

BROWN’S FOLLY GEOLOGICAL TRAIL

THE ROCKS OF BROWN’S FOLLY

Rock ae

Rocks seen at each Site

brown

shelly
FOREST hard
MARBLE limestone

clay and

brown
shelly
limestone

white
oolite

Roof Bed
very hard

white

BATH
OOLITE

variable
marly to
hard
limestone

TWINHOE
BEDS

COMBE
DOWN
OOLITE

shelly
oolite

FIGURE 3. ‘The approximate ranges of rock units visible at each trail site.
Site 9 is omitted as the rock exposed is probably not in its original position.
Diagram adapted from Trail Guide (Smith, 1989).

63

R. B. J. SMITH

A large part of the work consisted of removing low ground cover, such as bushes and
small hawthorn trees. Trees up to 150 mm (6 inches) in diameter were removed with
hand-saws. They were then cut up and burned under controlled conditions at times
when there would be no disturbance to nesting birds. Most sites that could be cleared
with hand tools took a working party of five members a day to complete. Trees too big
to be cut by hand were dealt with by specialist chain-saw teams. Tree stumps were
treated with an approved chemical to prevent regrowth, although this was not always
effective. The removal of trees around exposures led to drier, more open conditions
and somewhat cleaner rock faces. In many cases, a more interesting selection of plants
grew up. The felling of trees was by far the most contentious aspect of site clearance,
and objections were often expressed by volunteer workers, frequently resulting in
interesting discussions.

All the rock faces on the reserve are weathered and no serious efforts have yet been
made to clean those at the sites, although the use of algicides was considered, together
with the possibility of cutting faces with a power saw or using a chisel on them.

Once cleared, the sites required some form of marking. Simple painted wooden posts
were already in use for the nature trail on the reserve and after discussion, it was
decided to use the same method for marking the gological sites. Where possible, a tree
or a tree-stump was painted with a blue band to mark a site. Many of the first set of
marker-posts disappeared but it was not clear whether this was due to vandalism or was
done by people who objected to the new posts. The use of bigger posts driven well
down seems to have overcome the problem.

THE TRAIL GUIDE

A guide to the cleared sites was an essential requirement of the project, and in 1986 its
possible form was discussed. One suggestion was to include references to the geology
of the reserve in a revised issue of the existing guide to the flora, fauna and features of
general interest. The author of that work had left the AWT and the revision was likely
to be long delayed, so it was decided to produce a separate geological guide, which was
to meet the following criteria:

¢ it should enable visitors to locate sites as easily as possible;

° it should provide interest and information not only for the general visitor but
also for the visitor with a developed interest in geology;

¢ it should be cheap to produce so that it could be sold at an attractive price,
even though a relatively short print run was expected.

The guide, Zhe Rocks of Brown's Folly, was produced in 1989 by a member of the Bath
Geological Society; it consisted of five folded A4 sheets, giving 20 pages of text and
figures. Two of the illustrations used (slightly amended) are shown as Figures 2 and 3
of the present paper. It was originally sold at only a little above production cost.

64

BROWN’S FOLLY GEOLOGICAL TRAIL

TRAIL SITE MAINTENANCE

The Brown's Folly Geological Trail has a strong association with the Bath Geological
Society (BGS) through the present author and his colleagues. Parties of BGS members
have been responsible for maintaining sites along the trail. Biannual visits by a working
party supplemented by more frequent visits by one or two members has been sufficient
not only to maintain the trail but also to increase the number of sites available and
improve access to them. The ‘adoption’ of particular sites by groups or even by
individuals is a very effective way of maintaining sites, though not always easy to
arrange. Routine maintenance consists of little more than the removal of brambles and
of new shoots from trees; the latter, despite the use of an approved stump-killing agent,
are not always easy to control. With four people in the working party the task rarely
takes more than half an hour per site, which can be reduced if a strimmer is available
and site conditions allow it to be used.

The severe storms of 1989 caused very little damage to sites although a considerable
number of trees on the reserve were blown down. There had been a reluctance, on
conservation grounds, to the felling of some trees which were subsequently blown
down during the storms. These then had to be cut up and taken away;. in some cases
the result was an increased area of rock on display, or easier access. Truly, 'T'ts an ill
wind ...'.

CONCLUSION

The Brown's Folly Geological Conservation Project has made available thirteen sites on
the reserve, which display its geology and to some extent, the methods of stone
extraction which were carried out there. A guide to the sites has been produced to
enable visitors to appreciate the geology of the reserve and hopefully to encourage a
wider interest in the geology of the area. The crucial role of continuing site
maintenance, following the original cleaning, must be stressed. It is essential if the
considerable effort and expense of the original cleaning is not to be wasted. This may
seem self-evident but there are many sites in the County of Avon which are becoming
lost or are now of little use because of failure to keep up the maintenance.

It has been difficult to gauge the use of the trail by visitors to the reserve, or their
interest in it; many may not even be aware of it since there are no descriptive boards
along the trail and the guide is not available at the reserve. This is the case too with
many other geological trails. Two local women's organisations have been taken round
the trail as part of their programme of walks, and both showed considerable interest. A
school whose geology teacher is a member of the BGS is, as far as the author knows,
the only one to use the trail for teaching purposes.

Brown's Folly is an example of an area where the geological interest and the much more
popularly widespread interest in the flora and fauna can be combined to heighten the
‘nature consciousness’ of the general public and where the ‘geologically unaware’ can be
alerted to the considerable influence that geology has on their surroundings. Should
geological trails be only for those whose chief interest is geology or is there a need to
cover much wider interests?

65

R. B. J. SMITH

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This paper records the work of many people and the author is indebted to all those who
have helped him in this project. Particular thanks are due to George Hibberd who has
given much help at the sites and to Elizabeth Devon for her work on the trail guide and
for arranging for the word processing of this manuscript. I am grateful to Dr Peter
Crowther for his invitation to prepare this paper and for his advice and assistance.

REFERENCES

GREEN, G. W. & DONOVAN, D. T. (1969). The Great Oolite of the Bath Area.
Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, 30, 1-63.

PENN, I. W. & WYATT, R. J. (1969) The Stratigraphy and Correlation of the
Bathonian strata in the Bath-Frome area. Jnstitute of Geological Sciences
Report, 78/22.

SMITH, R. B. J. (1986). Brown's Folly - A short field guide. Journal of the Bath
Geological Society, March 1986, pp14-18.

SMITH, R. B. J. (1989). The rocks of Brown's Folly - a geological guide to Brown's
Folly Nature reserve. Bath, Bath Geological Society. (Second edition, 1992.)

66

Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society (1994), 54: 67-84

THE TRILOBITES OF THE BRISTOL DISTRICT

by R.M. OWENS

Department of Geology, National Museums & Galleries of Wales,
Cardiff CF1 3NP

ABSTRACT

Trilobites are known from rocks of Ordovician, Silurian and Carboniferous
age in the area around Bristol. This account reviews these occurrences,
based on published literature and museum collections, and considers aspects
of their biostratigraphy and distribution. Selected species are figured.

INTRODUCTION

In the area around Bristol a wide diversity of rocks of different ages crop
out, containing numerous groups of fossils. Vertebrates and ammonites from
the Mesozoic, and plants from the Coal Measures are particularly well
known. Trilobites are much less so, because they are only locally abundant
and tend to be fragmentary and easily overlooked. Yet a fair number have
been found, including representatives of most of the major orders now
recognised. They have been recorded from Ordovician and Silurian rocks of
the Tortworth and Tites Point inliers, from the Silurian of the East Mendips
inlier and from the Carboniferous Limestone of the Avon Gorge, Mendip
Hills and adjacent areas. The earliest published records of trilobites from
this general area are those of Weaver (1824) from the Silurian of the
Tortworth district, which was also the source of specimens described and
figured by Murchison (1839) and by Salter (1849, 1864). Only one
Carboniferous trilobite species from this district, from Vallis Vale, Frome,
was figured in Woodward's (1884) monograph. In the present century, early
Ordovician (Tremadoc) trilobites were discovered near Berkeley in 1932
(Smith 1933), and additional Silurian taxa have been described and figured
by Curtis (1958, with further references), Owens (1973) and Thomas (1978,
1981), and Carboniferous taxa by Goldring (1958) and Hahn & Hahn
(1973). Many species, particularly in the Carboniferous, await taxonomic
and stratigraphical evaluation, although work is in progress on many of
these. Wenlock taxa will be described in Thomas' Palaeontographical
Society monograph, and Carboniferous species in that of Owens. The
opportunity is taken here to figure a range of taxa from the Bristol district,
including material not previously illustrated.

67

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

Alluvium
= Mesozoic

Millstone Grit and
Coal Measures

| Carboniferous Limestone

Old Red Sandstone
BE siturian |
= Ordovician

4 miles

FIGURE 1. Generalised geological map of the Bristol district (from various sources).
ORDOVICIAN

In March 1932, Stanley Smith of the University of Bristol collected a series
of fossils from soft grey shales, then thought to be of Silurian age, from an
old shaft sunk for coal in the eighteenth century at Breadstone House, near
Berkeley. They proved immediately that these rocks were, instead, of
Tremadoc age, because they included trilobites identical or similar to those
long known from rocks of this age in North Wales; the Breadstone fossils
were described by Stubblefield (jn Smith,1933). At this time Tremadoc
rocks were included in the Cambrian System, particularly by British
geologists, but now it has been agreed internationally that they comprise the

68

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

earliest series of the succeeding Ordovician. However, many earlier
accounts, including Smith's, describe the Breadstone trilobites as being of
‘Cambrian’ age.

The Tremadoc rocks in the Tortworth inlier comprise argillaceous
Breadstone Shales overlain by the Micklewood Beds (shales with flaggy
sandstone beds), and the succession has been described in detail by Curtis
(1968). Unfortunately permanent outcrops are few, for the area is low-lying
agricultural land, and most of our records have had to depend upon
temporary exposures. Indeed, after Smith's collections from the Breadstone
shaft, the only substantial additions were by Dr M.L.K. Curtis (formerly
Curator of Geology at Bristol City Museum) and T.R. Fry in 1971 and 1972

from temporary water pipe trenches in the vicinity of Breadstone and
Halmore. These have contributed trilobites new to the area and, in one case,
new to science.

The Breadstone Shales include the Rhabdinopora [Dictyonema]
flabelliformis and Adelograptus [Clonograptus] tenellus biozones
(Stubblefield in Smith 1933; Curtis 1968), and their trilobite fauna is in
general like that of the Tynllan Beds at Penmorfa, in the Tremadog district,
North Wales. The olenid Beltella depressa (Salter in Murchison, 1859) is
particularly common; it was redescribed by Fortey & Owens (1991a) on the
basis of well-preserved specimens from Tortworth and from the Clarenville
Formation of eastern Newfoundland, and its enrol- ment was _ further
discussed and described by Whittington (1996, in press); of wide
distribution, this species is restricted to the Lower Tremadoc.

By contrast another olenid, a new species of Parabolinella, has not been
found outside the Tortworth inlier. It is characterised by a remarkable,
strongly inflated preglabellar area, a feature not encountered in any other
olenid, or indeed in any other Parabolinella species. This, and other 'bubble
headed’ trilobites are currently being described by R.A. Fortey and the
author; the functional significance of this structure is not known.

The nileid Platypeltoides croftii (Callaway, 1877), which has been found
outside Tortworth in the Shineton Shales (late Tremadoc, Shumardia
(Conophrys) salopiensis Biozone) in Shropshire and in the early Tremadoc
(A. tenellus biozone) in the Carmarthen district (Owens ef a/. 1982), is a
long-ranging species. A large asaphid was described from the Breadstone
shaft by Stubblefield (jn Smith 1933) as Niobella homfrayi smithi, a
subspecies distinguished from N. homfrayi (Salter, 1866), which occurs in
the Lower Tremadoc of North Wales, by its more elongated glabella,
broader and more clearly defined cephalic border and more strongly
divergent preocular facial sutures. Taken together, these features are here
considered to be sufficiently distinctive to be of specific value, and are
shared by some specimens from the Tynllan Beds at Penmorfa in the
collections of the National Museum of Wales (eg NMW 23.196 Gla,b,
70.13G.103-104, 86.26G.393-394) which were identified as smithi by P.H.
Whitworth, S. Jusypiw and the author. Here it occurs apparently in the same
beds (but possibly not at precisely the same horizon) as N. homfrayi, which
has subparallel preocular facial sutures. Both N. smithi and N. homfrayi are

69

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

restricted to the Lower Tremadoc. Occurring in smaller numbers in the
Breadstone Shales are a shumardiid, an agnostid (Micragnostus calvus
(Lake, 1906)), and a cheirurid (Anacheirurus sp.). The last-named may be
conspecific with A. frederici (Salter, 1864) which occurs in the Tynllan
Beds and at higher horizons in North Wales (see Whittard 1967).

Few trilobites have been recorded from the Micklewood Beds, and Curtis
(1968, pl. 9A,B) figured a cranidium and incomplete pygidium respectively
as Peltura olenoides (Salter, 1866) and Angelina sedgwickii Salter in
Murchison, 1859. These species are restricted to the Upper Tremadoc, and
for this reason Curtis ascribed the Micklewood Beds to this division. Fortey
& Owens (1991b, p.441), having re-examined these specimens identified
them as Beltella depressa and a generically indeterminate remopleuridid. In
containing B. depressa, the trilobite fauna of both the Micklewood Beds and
Breadstone Shales is of Lower Tremadoc age, and there is no evidence of
Upper Tremadoc (Fortey & Owens 1991b, p.441), and its characteristic
species such as Shumardia (Conophrys) salopiensis (Callaway, 1877),
Parabolinella triarthrus (Callaway, 1877) and Asaphellus homfrayi (Salter,
1866) have not been recorded from Gloucestershire. The Tortworth fauna
differs slightly in composition from others of approximately the same age;
for example, the Tynllan Beds have B. depressa and N. smithi in common,
but Psilocephalinella innotata (Salter, 1866), common in N. Wales, is
absent. And at Cwm Crymlyn, Carmarthen (Owens eft al. 1982),
Platypeltoides croftii is accompanied by Macropyge chermi and
Dichelepyge phylax, which have not been found at Tortworth. These
differences might be due to slight differences in age, or in facies.

PLATE 1 Ordovician trilobites from the Tortworth inlier.

All from Tremadoc Series, Cressagian Stage, Breadstone Shales. A, B, E-H from old
shaft in orchard of Breadstone House, Breadstone; C, D, I from temporary trench
192m W 32°S of Crawless Old Barn, SSW of Breadstone.

A, B: Niobella smithi (Stubblefield in Smith, 1933); A, holotype, complete exo-skeleton, BGS GSM
51529, x1.5; B, paratype, cranidium, BGS GSM 51530, x2 (figured Stubblefield in Smith 1933, pl. 34,
figs 4 and 3). C, D: Parabolinella sp. nov.; C, cephalon and thorax, BRSMG Cb4807b, x1; D, cra-
nidium, BRSMG Cc2133, x 1.5. E, F: Micragnostus calvus (Lake, 1906); E, cephalon, BGS GSM
51524, x5; F, pygidium, BGS GSM 51524, x5 (figured Stubblefield in Smith 1933, pl. 34, figs 7 and
8). G, H: Beltella depressa (Salter in Murchison, 1859); G, axial shield, BGS GSM 51528, x 1%
(figured Stubblefield in Smith 1933, pl. 34, fig. 9); H, librigena, BGS GSM 51532, x2. I: Platypeltoi-
des croftii (Callaway, 1877), complete exoskeleton with disarticulated thorax, BRSMG Cc2158, x2.5.

70

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

tines ng.

7]

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

Tortworth East Mendips

PRIDOLi
Leintwardine Fm.
Bringewood Fm.
? ?

Moon's Hill
Volcanics

WENLOCK; LUDLOW

SILURIAN (part)

Upper Trap

DOVERY
part

Breadstone Shales

Cressagian

FIGURE 2. Ordovician and Silurian stratigraphy of the Tortworth inlier, and Silurian
stratigraphy of the East Mendips inlier. Abbreviations for Silurian stages: T, Telychian;
S, Sheinwoodian; H, Homerian; G, Gorstian; L, Ludfordian.

SILURIAN

In the southern part of the Tortworth inlier, Upper Llandovery and Wenlock
rocks are exposed; the succession was described fully by Curtis (1972). In
its northerly extension at Tites Point, rocks of Ludlow age crop out (Cave
& White, 1971). The small East Mendips inlier contains only Wenlock
strata, of which Hancock (1982) presented a _ detailed descrip-
tion.Trilobites have been reported from the entire succession, although
many of those from the Wenlock await modern taxonomic analysis.

The Upper Llandovery Damery Beds and basal Tortworth Beds (including
the Palaeocyclus Band), both of Telychian age, contain a rich shelly fauna
dominated by brachiopods. The FEocoelia, Pentameroides and
Costistricklandia brachiopod communities indicate an upwardly deep- ening
sequence in the Damery Beds, whilst the farther offshore Clorinda
community may be present in the Tortworth Beds (Curtis 1972). Trilobites,
which were described by Curtis (1958), are fairly numerous, with
Dalmanites weaveri (Salter, 1849) and Encrinurus onniensis Whittard, 1938
the commonest.These species range throughout the succession, along with
smaller numbers of Calymene replicata Shirley, 1936, and all have also been
found in the late Llandovery of Shropshire. An undescribed species of
Warburgella, resembling W. baltica Alberti, 1964 and Acernaspis cf.
orestes (Billings, 1860) have been recorded rarely from the Damery Beds,
and the former, also found in the Palaeocyclus Band, may be conspecific
with W. sp.1 of Owens (1973) from the Venusbank and Minsterley

a

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

formations in Shropshire. Single specimens each of a lichid, referred by
Curtis (1958) to Arctinurus and a large proetid, described by him as Proetus
asaphoides, have been found in the basal Tortworth Beds at Cullimore's
Quarry, Charfield. The latter was placed with question by Owens (1973) in
Crassiproetus, a Devonian genus, but it shows closer similarity to species of
Thebanaspis Litke, 1990, which occur in the Llandovery of Illinois and
Ohio, and especially 7. channahonensis (Weller, 1907) (see Litke 1990 pl.
10, figs 67-72).

The trilobite fauna of the Brinkmarsh Beds of the Torthworth inlier is like
that of the Coalbrookdale and Much Wenlock Limestone formations of the
Welsh Borderland in comprising such species as Proetus concinnus
(Dalman, 1827), Calymene cf. blumenbachii (Brongniart, 1817),
Dalmanites myops (Konig, 1825) an Eophacops (recorded by Whittard &
Smith (1944, p.71) as 'Phacops stokesi cf. uskensis Reed, 1917'), and
Acaste downingiae (Murchison, 1839), most of which range apparently
through much of the succession. These belong to the shallow water
Proetus-Warburgella association of Thomas (1980).

A thickness of 16m of siltstonés and fine sandstones at the top of the
Brinkmarsh Beds, exposed in the Buckover section (see Curtis 1972, p.21)
has yielded a particularly distinctive fauna, with A. cf. downingiae
(Murchison, 1839), A. cf. inflata (Salter, 1864) (see Shergold 1966, pp.191,
194), Trimerus sp. and Dalmanites myops (Konig, 1825), together with
brachiopods including Salopina conservatrix (McLearn, 1924) and
numerous bivalves. Acaste, Trimerus and S. conservatrix occur together in a
similar facies (Ton Siltstone Formation) at Usk (Bassett 1972, p.41;
Thomas 1980, p.447; Barclay & White in Barclay 1989, p.7) and in
Pembrokeshire (Gray Sandstone Group - see Walmsley & Bassett 1976,
p.204). This Acaste-Trimerus-Salopina association has been interpreted as
shallow water and close inshore, and appears to recur at different horizons
throughout much of the Wenlock Series in South Wales and in the southern
Welsh Borderland. The question as to whether the 7rimerus and Acaste
species are the same at the various localities remains to be resolved, and it
is possible that the trilobite species are not as long-ranging as Salopina
conservatrix.

In the eastern Mendip Hills, the Silurian inlier forms a narrow belt in the
core of the Beacon Hill Pericline. Igneous rocks were identified here during
the nineteenth century (see Curtis 1955 for summary), and around the turn
of the century S. H. Reynolds discovered Silurian fossils in tuffs at
Sunnyhill Quarry, and nearby at Tadhill Farm (Reynolds 1907). These were
identified as being of Llandovery age, and soon afterwards Wenlock fossils
were discovered in sandy mudstones exposed along the line of a new mineral
railway (Reynolds 1912). More recent research on the fossils, especially the
brachiopods (see Ziegler ef a/. 1968, p.765; Bassett 1974, p.765) and my
own on new collections of trilobites in the 1960s and 1970s, together with
those of Reynolds), suggests that all are of Wenlock age. This was
confirmed by Hancock (1982), who demon- strated that the succession as
previously conceived was inverted, so that strata with 'Llandovery' fossils
were shown to overly those containing Wenlock forms.

13

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

The sandy Wenlock mudstones are now known to be the oldest rocks of the
inlier, and were exposed to the south of Moon's Hill Quarry and yielded a
rich fauna of trilobites, brachiopods and ostracods. The presence of the
brachiopod Eocoelia angelini (Lindstrom, 1861) establishes an early
Wenlock (riccartonenesis Biozone) age, and Hancock (1982) suggested that
they were deposited on a deep shelf. The association of trilobites with
Dalmanites caudatus (Briinnich, 1781), D. myops (Konig, 1825),
Encrinurus punctatus (Wahlenberg, 1818), Eophacops cf. musheni (Salter,
1864), Proetus latifrons (M'Coy, 1846), Dudleyaspis cf. quinquespinosa
(Morris, 1854) and a Cyphoproetus species is broadly consistent with such
an environmental interpretation. Overlying the intervening extrusive
andesites, the fossiliferous tuffs that were attributed originally a Llandovery
age have yielded a fauna interpreted by Hancock as occupying a shallow
inshore environment. It contains abundant specimens of the trilobite Acaste
cf. downinigae (Murchison, 1839), associated with the brachiopod Salopina
conservatrix (McLearn, 1924) and clearly represents another example of
this assoc- iaton, even though it lacks 7rimerus which is associated with
these species elsewhere (see above). The Salopina community succeeds the
Eocoelia community in Wenlock brachiopod faunas (Walmsley & Bassett
1976, pp.204, 207) and establishes a probable post-riccartonensis Biozone
age (probably within the Sheinwoodian Stage) for the tuffs.

PLATE 2 Silurian trilobites from the Tortworth inlier.

A-C, E-I, K from Llandovery Series, Telychian Stage (A-C, E, I, K from Damery
Beds, F-H from basal Tortworth Beds); D, J, L from Wenlock Series, Brinkmarsh
Beds.

A-C: almanites weaveri (Salter, 1849), vicinity of Damery Bridge; A, B, cephalon, latex cast from ex-
ternal mould, dorsal and lateral views, BGS GSM 90033b, x2.5 (figured Curtis 1958, pl. 29, figs 7a-b);
C, pygidium, latex cast from external mould, BRSUG 12302a, x2 (figured Curtis 1972, pl. 2L). D:
Eophacops sp., incomplete cephalon, Lower Shaft, Sturt Bridge, Wickwar, BRSUG 12481, x2.5. E, F:
Warburgella aff. baltica Alberti, 1963, internal moulds; E, cranidium, Damery, BRSUG 12269a, x5;
F, pygidium, stream section near Daniels Wood, BRSMG Cd3799, x6. G: Arctinurus sp., incomplete
cranidium, Cullimore's Quarry, Charfield, BRSUG 12271, x4. H: Thebanaspis? asaphoides (Curtis,
1958), incomplete axial shield, Cullimore's Quarry, Charfield, BGS GSb4687, x1 (figured Curtis 1958,
pl. 29, fig. 2 and Owens 1973, pl. 7, fig. 7). I: Encrinurus onniensis Whittard, 1938, complete speci-
men, internal mould, railway cutting, Charfield, BRSMG Cb3656, x3. J: Trimerus sp., cranidium, la-
tex cast from external mould, Buckover cutting on A38, BRSMG Cb4804, x 2.5. K: Calymene
replicata Shirley, 1936, pygidium, internal mould, Ironmill Grove, Damery, BGS GSM 90030, x1.5
(figured Curtis 1958, pl. 29, fig. 1). L: Acaste downingiae (Murchison, 1839), cranidium, internal
mould, Buckover cutting on A38, BRSMG Cd3801a, x4.

74

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

Strata of Ludlow age, cropping out at Tites Point, have yielded only a small number of
trilobites (Cave & White 1971, pp. 244, 263; Curtis 1972, pp.32, 33); the generic
composition (Da/lmanites, Calymene, Proetus) is similar to that of the Wenlock Series,
and the species that occur are the same as those in the Ludlow Series from the Welsh
Borderland to the north.

CARBONIFEROUS

Compared with those from the Ordovician and Silurian, comparatively little is known
of the Carboniferous trilobites of the Bristol district, and descriptions to date are
limited to those of the lower Tournaisian (Goldring 1958) and from a restricted part of
the mid Viséan (Woodward, 1884; Hahn & Hahn 1973; Tilsley 1988). Additional taxa
are mentioned in faunal lists, commonly as 'Phillipsia’ and 'Griffithides’, generic
names which now have a far more restricted definition than previously. All belong to
the family Phillipsiidae.

Low in the Tournaisian, in Lower Limestone Shale (K,) Piltonia fryi Goldring, 1958
occurs, joined higher in the succession (K,) by Moschoglosis decorata Goldring, 1958.
Both species have been reported from the Avon Gorge, and Portishead, and the latter
also from Westbury-on-Trym. Goldring (1958) also identified Piltonia fryi from coe-
val strata in Belgium, together with the subspecies Moschoglossis decorata brevi-
cauda Goldring, 1958. Hahn et al. (1987) however, assigned the Belgian specimens of
the former to a different species; the latter is restricted to the Hastarian Stage, in Tn2b
and Tn2c.

Phillipsia ornata Portlock, 1843 enters towards the top of the Lower Limestone
Shales (high in K,, see Goldring 1958, pp.231, 232), and ranges throughout the Black

PLATE 3 Silurian trilobites from the East Mendips inlier

A, B, H-O from shale of early Wenlock age, underlying andesites, south of Moon's
Hill Quarry; A,L from vicinity of Hancock (1982) loc. 24;B, H-J, M, N from Rey-
nolds (1912) loc. 92; K, O from Reynolds (1912) loc. 104. C-G from fossiliferous
tuffs overlying andesites, field near eastern corner of Walltyning Plantation, c.300m
SSW of Tadhill Farm (see Reynolds 1907; Hancock 1982).

A,B: Eophacops cf. musheni (Salter, 1864); A, NMW 78.57G.145a, cephalon and thorax, internal
mould, x3; B, BRSUG 12591, pygidium, internal mould, x4. C-G: Acaste cf. downingiae (Mur-
chison, 1839); all internal moulds except G, latex cast from external mould; C, D, F, cephala, NUW
71.6G.120, x3, BRSMG Cd3802, x4, BRSMG Cd3803, x4; E, cephalon with attached thoracic seg-
ments, BRSUG 12579-1, x5; G, pygidium, BGS Zs442, x3. H, I: Dalmanites caudatus (Brinnich,
1781), internal moulds; H, incomplete cephalon, NMW 71.6G.112a, x1.5; I, pygidium, NMW
71.6G.111, x1.5. J, K: Proetus latifrons (M'Coy, 1846), latex casts from external moulds; J, cranid-
ium with parts of five thoracic segments, NMW 71.6G.495b, x5 (counterpart figured Owens 1973, pl.
2, fig. 2); K, pygidium, BRSUG 26219, x4. L: Cyphoproetus sp. nov, latex cast from external
mould, NMW 78.57G.144b, x8. M, N: Encrinurus punctatus (Wahlenberg, 1818), pygidia, internal
mould and latex cast from external mould; M, NMW 71.6G.108, x2; N, NMW 71.6G.109, x3. O:
Dudleyaspis cf. quinquespinosa (Morris, 1854), latex cast of external mould of incomplete cephalon,
BRSUG 12552, x6.

76

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

i
‘

V7

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

Central and
Western
Mendips

Eastern
Mendips

Upper
Cromhall

Sandstone Hotwells

Limestone
Hotwells

~ Limestone

VISEAN

Clifton Down Clifton Down
Limestone Limestone

D Limestone

Oolite

Op)
=
O
fom
Lu
LL
ZZ
O
co
ac
<x
O

Black Rock | Black Rock
Limestone

Black Rock Limestone
Limestone

Lower Limestone | Lower Limestone | Lower Limestone
Shales Shales Shales

FIGURE 3. Major lithostratigraphical divisions of the Carboniferous Limestone
in the Avon Gorge, eastern Mendip Hills and central and western Mendip Hills.

TOURNAISIAN
Courceyan

Rock Limestone; it has been reported from numerous localities in these horizons includ-
ing the Avon Gorge, Little Ulverstone, under the Severn Bridge (as Phillipsia scabra
by Whittard 1949), Clevedon, Burrington Combe and Windsor Hill near Shepton
Mallet. Farther afield it is known at equivalent horizons in South Wales, Ireland, and in
Belgium, with different subspecies recognised from the latter and the southern Urals
(see Osmolska 1970). Therefore this species is an important indicator of mid to later
Tournaisian strata over a wide area. The only other Tournaisian species recorded from
the Bristol district is Cummingella? costabisulca Goldring, 1958, but the precise
horizon is not known; Goldring (1958, pp.240, 241) suggested that it was from the
Lower Limestone Shale.

In the earlier part of the Viséan, trilobites are recorded from the Clifton Down
Limestone. Woodward (1884) described Phillipsia scabra from this formation (S,) in
Vallis Vale, Frome; this species is now included in Linguaphilipsia. Subsequently it
has been widely recognised in the same formation (ranging through S, and S,) at several
other localities. Vaughan (1906, p.114) described in Great Quarry on the right bank of
the Avon, the 'Trilobite Bed', a shale parting in the Clifton Down Limestone, and this
contains numerous pygidia, librigenae and cranidia of L. scabra. Kellaway & Welch
(1993) suggested that this horizon is not laterally persistent, although L. scabra is also
abundant in shaly partings in the Clifton Down Limestone at Whatley Quarry near
Frome, where P.C. Ensom and the author collected numerous specimens in 1978, and it
also occurs in this kind of lithology at Vallis Vale (Bush 1926, and author's collecting).

78

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

Hahn & Hahn (1973) described Linguaphillipsia matthewsi from the Clifton Down
Limestone of Holwell Quarry, Frome, and comparison of their specimens with the type
material of L. scabra shows that the two are conspecific (Tilsley 1988, p.157). These
authors (1982) later described L. matthewsi livesensis from correlatives of the Clifton
Down Limestone in Belgium, but the differences they recognised fall within the range
of variation seen in the much larger sample of L. scabra now available, suggesting that
they belong to this species. From the mid Viséan of the Moscow Basin, Linguaphillip-
sia tulensis (Ivanov in Weber, 1937) (see Osmolska, 1970, pl. 3, figs 7, 9, 11, 14, 18) is
very similar to L. scabra, and it is possibly another synonym. Although L. scabra is lo-
cally abundant in the Clifton Down Limestone, other taxa are scarce. Griffithides hol-
wellensis (Hahn & Hahn, 1973) (placed by these authors in Phillipsia, but assigned by
Riley (1993) to Griffithides) and Cummingella jonesii (Portlock, 1843) have been re-
corded from the Frome district. The latter occurs also in Northern Ireland at the same
horizon.

A different Linguaphillipsia occurs in the lower part of the Hotwells Limestone, and
specimens have been identified by the author in core samples from the Ashton Park
Borehole (Kellaway & Welch 1967) at the British Geological Survey. It is almost iden-
tical with Linguaphillipsia cf. silesiaca (Scupin, 1900) from a similar horizon in Bel-
gium (see Hahn & Hahn, 1982, pl. 1, figs 5-7), and is probably conspecific. The only
other trilobite recorded from the Hotwells Limestone in the Ashton Park Borehole is a
Cummingella, which is distinct from C. jonesii, whilst a Griffithides species (recorded
as Cyphinium ashfellensis Reed, 1943) was recorded from a borehole at Filton (Whit-
tard & Smith, 1943).

At the top of the Hotwells Limestone in the eastern Mendips, Welch (1932) recorded
Phillipsia sp.' from the 'D, subzone’. This trilobite is referable to Paladin, and probably
to P. glaber (Woodward, 1884) which has been found at a similar horizon in the "Black
Lias' on the Gower Peninsula. A conspecific Paladin occurs commonly in the
Phillipsia Band' of Smith (1930), a marine horizon within the Upper Cromhall
Sandstone in the Wick Rocks inlier east of Bristol, from where it was recorded (Smith,
1930, p.347) as Phillipsia eichwaldi. At an approximately equivalent horizon in the
'Tanhouse Beds', Smith (1941, p.336) reported common Phillipsia eichwaldi
mucronata. This occurrence is also referable to Paladin, but in this case a different
species with a mucronate pygidium is represented, possibly P. mucronata itself.
Paladin species occur widely in the later Viséan (see e.g. Osmolska, 1970), and are
potentially important bio- stratigraphically once the various species have been fully
described. In fact trilobites undoubtedly are more important biostratigraphically in the
Carboniferous than has been recognised, as indicated by Riley (1993), and the albeit
limited faunas of the Bristol area demonstrate their potential.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For access to specimens I am grateful to Dr P. R. Crowther and Mr R. Clark, Bristol
City Museum (BRSMG), Dr E. Loeffler, Bristol University Department of Geology
(BRSUG), and Mr S. P. Tunnicliff, British Geological Survey, Keyworth (BGS). Pro-
fessor M.G. Bassett read a draft of the manuscript and made useful comments for its
improvement, and Mrs K. Bryant, Mrs D.G. Evans and Mrs P.J. Knapman at the Na-
tional Museum of Wales are thanked respectively for photography, drafting and typing.

79

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

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ornata Portlock, 1843; M, cranidium, internal mould, Little Ulverstone, Aust Cliff, BRSUG 1476-1a,
x3; N, pygidium, latex cast from external mould, Windsor Hill Quarry, Shepton Mallet, BRSUG
11442, x 2.5. O: Piltonia fryvi Goldring, 1958, holotype pygidium, right bank of Avon Gorge, Bristol,
BGS GSM 86984, x4.

80

BRISTOL TRILOBITES

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the Coralliferous Group and Grey Sandstone Group (Silurian) of Pembrokeshire,
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WEAVER, T. (1824). Geological observations on part of Gloucestershire and Somer-
setshire. 7ransactions of the Geological Society of London (2), 1, 317-68.

WELCH, F. B. A. (1932). On the occurrence of the D,-Subzone in the Mendip area.
Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society, (4), 7, 303-307.

WHITTARD, W. F. (1949). Geology of the Aust-Beachley district, Gloucestershire.
Geological Magazine, 86, 365-376, pls 20-22.

WHITTARD, W. F. (1967). The trilobite Anacheirurus frederici (Salter) from the Tre-
madoc Series of North Wales. Geological Magazine, 104, 284-288, pl. 15.

WHITTARD, W. F. & SMITH, S. (1943). Geology of a recent borehole at Filton,
Gloucestershire. Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society, (4), 9, 434-450,
pi..15.

WHITTARD, W. F. & SMITH, S. (1944). Unrecorded inliers of Silurian rocks, near

Wicwar, Gloucestershire, with notes on the occurrence of a stromatolite. Geologi-
cal Magazine, 81, 65-76.

WHITTINGTON, H. B. (1996, in press). Sphacroidal enrolment and thoracic charac-
ters in Beltella depressa and other olenid trilobites. Palaeontology, 39.

WOODWARD, H. (1884). British Carboniferous trilobites. Part 2. Monograph of the
Palaeontographical Society, 38(182), 39-86, pls 7-10.

ZIEGLER, A. M., COCKS, L. R. M. & McKERROW, W. S. (1968). The Llandovery
transgression of the Welsh Borderland. Palaeontology, 11, 736-782.

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BRISTOL NATURALISTS' SOCIETY
Registered Charity No. 235494

Anyone interested in natural history or geology may
apply to join. The cost for 1996 is £10 for a full
member; £7 if living outside a radius of 32 km from
Bristol city centre; £6 if aged 18 to 21 or £2 if under
18; and £3 for a member of a full member's house-
hold at the same address. For details write to the —
Hon. Membership Secretary, Bristol Naturalists’
Society, c/o City Museum & Art Gallery, Queens
Road, Bristol BS8 1RL. Besides many general indoor
meetings and excursions, others are specially devoted
to geology, plants, birds, mammals and invertebrates.
Members may use the Society's large Library. Many
past Proceedings issues can be bought; details are
available from the Honorary Librarian, Bristol
Naturalists’ Society, at the above address.

Proceedings of the Society, Volume 54, for 1994.

Besides the annual reports on botany, invertebrates
and mammals in the Bristol District, this issue contains
three original papers:

The rare larger moths of the Bristol District, by R.
J. Barnett, M. Evans & A. Pym

The Brown's Folly Geological Trail: a geological
conservation project in the Bath area, by R. B. J.
Smith

The trilobites of the Bristol District, by R. M.
Owens.

The annual Avon Bird Report is published separately
by the Society and Bristol Ornithological Club, whose
members receive copies. Others may be bought from
Dr H. E. Rose, 12 Birbeck Road, Bristol BS9 IBD.

Printed for the Society by Healey's, Fore Street, Ipswich |
ISSN 0068-1040