Field Meeting

Leader: Gerald Gresham Cooke With the exception of a Northern Oak with leaves beginning to change colour to orange and red, the trees on the walk were still green.Gerald Gresham Cooke pointed out the plaque set in the Park wall “Beelzebub Oak” that marked the boundary between the parishes of Petworth and Tillington and was […]

Leader: Andy Swan (HNHS Member) After a very dry early Autumn, 11 members were pleased to see a good range of boletes, including two with bright red stems: Scarletina and Bitter Beech. Also found were several Russula and Cortinarius species and Otidea onotica which has rabbit-ear shaped cups. The species list numbered 48.The find for […]

Leader: Mike Edwards (Entomologist)  Heather and Bell Heather were still in flower and producing nectar for many, very active insects on an extremely hot morning when 11 members met leader Mike Edwards on September 9th. Mike is a professional entomologist, author and an expert on ants, bees and wasps. His identification skills are acute and […]

Leader: Martyn Phillis (HNHS Member and Member of Surrey & Sussex Bat Groups) A bright, mild evening after a damp spell brought out the insects to attract our bats. Thirteen members joined Martyn and a Surrey Bat Group volunteer just before sunset.Bat detectors were distributed amongst the group to enable everyone to hear, and perhaps […]

Leader: Andy Swan (HNHS Member) Three light traps with strong UV output (one Mercury vapour light and two “Backlight” tubes) contained more than 64 species which were identified and then released. The site at Killinghurst has produced many rarities in recent years but on this occasion none was found.Nationally Scarce were: Mocha and Four-spotted Footman […]

Leader: Mike Waite (Living Landscapes Manager Surrey Wildlife Trust) 11 members of our Society visited Hankley Common, hoping to see the Great Fox Spider. Mike had spent two years searching for the spider that was thought to be extinct from the common, his hard work paid off. There were high hopes that one might be […]

Leader: Margaret Hibbard (HNHS Member) *** MEETING CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER *** Hampshire & Isle of Wight Butterfly Conservation manage this flower-rich grassland on chalk downland. Of the 34 butterfly species recorded it is possible that over 20 species will be there in July.  Bring lunch if you wish to stay on into afternoon.

Leader: Katy Ayers (HNHS Member) Although the water level in two ponds was very low an interesting range of species were found.In the more shaded pond there were many Common Newts, large dragonfly larvae, Ramshorn Snails and Pea Mussels.  Hand lenses were used to observe Water Louse and daphnia which had been transferred to white […]

Leader: Vanessa McClure (HNHS Member and Guildford NHS Member) In continuous sunshine the flowers were superb, including swathes of bright pink Sainfoin and Yellow Rattle. Among many other species identified were: Bulbous Buttercup, Salad Burnett, Common Milkwort and Pyramidal Orchid.Vanessa located yellow spikes of Man Orchid, so called because of 4 spurs from each floret […]

Leader: Phil Darley (HNHS member) Thirteen members were not disappointed in the hope of seeing Wood White butterflies, of which at least 15 were flying. Also seen were Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and many Speckled Yellow Moths.As part of Butterfly Conservation’s Wood White Project over 1,000 plug plants needed as food plants by Wood […]