Beetling About

The noble chafer - a rare beetle whose larvae live in decaying fruit trees - had just emerged from a small hole in a plum tree.  I know them better from our Tiddesley Wood nature reserve but this one was found in an old orchard in the Teme Valley.

If you see one please let us know - and preferably take a picture.  In late June and July they visit hogweed, meadowsweet and elderflowers.

I've just heard of the first sighting in Buckinghamshire since 1914 and we've had two recent records from Tiddesley Wood.  So it could be a good year as hot weather encourages them to fly.

Please get in touch with the Biological Records Centre or me via the main Trust office at Lower Smite Farm if you see any this summer.

Thank you
Harry Green, Tiddesley Wood

On the Humble chase of the Noble Chafer?

I had the great pleasure on Monday of meeting up with Kate Humble and a BBC film crew at Tiddesley Wood. We were filming a piece about noble chafer beetles and old orchards for an Autumnwatch piece this coming Friday night. The BBC's popular programme is encouraging people to get out there and do something.

Our noble chafer is to feature as part of a piece about the importance of old orchards and what can be found in them. Although you won't see a noble chafer flying at this time of year, I introduced Kate to methods of finding evidence of their existence.

In order to find out what happened, you'll have to watch it yourself! It's on tomorrow night (Fri 2nd Oct) at 9pm on BBC2.

Harry, SE Worcs group