Our first survey of the year at Paxton is always along the main Heron Trail recording any wildlife (plants in leaf/flower, birds, insects). This is a useful year-to-year comparison. Despite the cold and blustery conditions, the sunny intervals brought out quite a bit of insect life. My favourite was the Simulid midge - minute but amazingly sculptured - it is on a nettle leaf so the stinging hairs give scale!!. We were pleased to see our new bee terrace being used - Andrena bicolor was the commonest bee recorded there.
I had to move a log from my wildflower meadow so I could mow off the extra grass growth before the cowslips show their heads and decided to see what was growing on it. Delighted to find this slime mould fruiting body Pirate Spider Egg Sac (thanks Barry Webb for correction!!) and several species of various crusts and moulds. Lots of slugs, snails, spiders, wood louse and this door-snail species Clausia bidenta - a new species for my garden list.
