Pevensey specials

If you don't like spiders look away now - Fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) is a species synonymous with the levels since it is only known to reside at three sites in the UK, of which Pevensey Levels is the main one. They are not easy to find. Dave at White Dyke says he has only seen a handful on his farm,  and I have been putting in extra effort this year to get a picture for the blog! I was, therefore, quite excited to finally get to grips with this beast in the shape of the female pictured left on Down Level yesterday. Water is essential to this species which, along with the commoner Raft spider  (Dolomedes fimbriatus), is one of the largest spiders in Europe. The females carry the egg sac for 3-4 weeks and dip it in the water to keep it cool during hot weather. They are red listed by the IUCN and classified as vulnerable within europe, in the UK they are classified as endangered and are fully protected under schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The legs are clearly very sensitive and can detect movement on the water surface, it is interesting to note that the female pictured has one of her hind legs touching a plant stem as opposed to the water or floating vegetation. More information on raft spiders in the UK is available at the excellent Dolomedes.org.uk.

The spider was found along one of the dykes on Down Level which also held another speciality of the levels in Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia). Named after the shape of the leaves this is a particularly attractive aquatic plant with white flowers which appears in July and August. Other flowering plants this week included Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) and both White (Nymphaea alba) and Yellow (Nuphar lutea) Water Lilies.
Birds remain quiet, relatively speaking, with no real sign of passage activity over the past week. A female Marsh Harrier was quartering Down and Horse-eye on the 1st and residents/ summer visitors seen over the week included Raven, Buzzard, Bullfinch, Stock Dove, Reed Warbler, and Sedge Warbler.
On the mammal front things were also very quiet with only a Mink at New Bridge on the 25th July being of note.
Dragons appear to be having a good year with the resident species appearring in good numbers. Species on the wing that were seen this week included Brown Hawker (Down, Horse-eye, Hankham), Emperor (Down & Horse-eye), Ruddy Darter (Down & Horse-eye), and Red-eyed Damselfly (Hankham).

On the butterfly front the 1st was the best day if for no other reason than I was able to be out for 4 hours in the best weather. At least 6 Wall Browns were having territorial dust ups over White Dyke, also seen were 10 Small White, 8 Small Tortoiseshell, 6 Red Admiral, 4 Gatekeeper, and numerous Meadow Brown. Nearby an early evening walk at Birling Gap and Belle Tout produced numerous Common and Chalkhill Blue, Marbled Whites, a single very worn Dark Green Fritillary, and my first Silver-spotted Skippers of the year. Quite why the last named species spends its life perched on piles of dung and bare earth is beyond me as it doesn't make for the most aesthetically pleasing pictures!
And so to moths and a week which started frenetically and gradually slowed down to a plod. The busiest night by far was the 25th with 133 macro's of 34 species and 44 micro's of 17 species. These included a new macro for the garden in the form of Small Wainscot as well as 7 new macro's for the year - Campion, Dingy Footman, Dusky Thorn, Least Carpet, Oak Hook-tip, Ruby Tiger, and Vapourer. On the same night the micro's included Agriphila straminella,  Argyresthia goedartella, Blastobasis lacticolella, Notocelia roborana, and Udea prunalis. Since the 25th numbers have fallen away dramatically to last nights (1/8) count of 26 macro's of 15 species and 15 micro's of 6 species. There have however been a few interesting records with macro's including Common Wave (29th), Iron Prominent (29th), Lime-speck Pug (1st), Privet Hawkmoth (an extremely worn individual on the 29th), Sharp-angled Peacock (31st), and Yellow Shell (27th). In the same period the micro's included Agriphila selasella (29th), Cydia amplana (a particularly striking immigrant/ resident recorded nightly from the 27th), Cydia splendana (29th), and Yponomeuta malinellus - Apple Ermine (27th).