John Lerpiniere led a walk which started from the Six Bells at Beenham on the wet morning of Wednesday 17th May. First stop was the wildflower meadow of Adrian and Barbara Stacey, which was yellow with Meadow Buttercups, together with Common Sorrel and a few pink flowers of Ragged Robin. A Grass Rivulet moth was found here. The walk continued through the adjoining Greyfield Wood, whose lease is owned by a large number of villagers, including Adrian and Barbara. Adrian told the group about the on-going management of the wood. Flowers found at the start of the walk round Greyfield Wood included Yellow Archangel, Bush Vetch, Sanicle, Bugle and abundant Bluebells. Also seen were Wood Sedge and the leaves of Betony and Wood-sorrel. A black and orange Sexton Beetle was found next to the carcass of a Blackbird. At the bottom of the wood were about 40 Early-purple Orchids, including some tall specimens. Yellow Pimpernel and Wood Spurge were added to the list of sightings here and a rather ginger-toned Toad was spotted. The walk continued back up through the wood to an enormous and very old multi-stemmed Ash. Red Currant bushes nearby had unripe fruit. Two massive Dryad’s Saddle fungi were growing on a tree by the path. In an open stream valley, Silver-ground Carpet and Common Carpet moths were spotted, then pink globules on a rotting tree stump were identified as the Wolf’s Milk slime mould. Towards the top of the woods, a number of Pignut plants were found. Rainwater flowing down a Sweet Chestnut trunk was forming first bubbles, then blobs of foam. John pointed out the leaves of a Hazel which had been partially cut through and rolled up by the Hazel Leaf Roller beetle. The walk was followed by lunch at the Six Bells.
Pictures by Laurie Haseler