Local Wildlife
Here at Rospannel Farm we are fortunate to be surrounded with spectacular scenery and a vast variety of wildlife.
Bernard is particularly fascinated by birds and 'bugs' and we are involved with many wildlife recording projects, including ringing wild birds.
We are actively involved with our local Wildlife Trust, the Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (ERCCIS) and other local biological recording groups.
We have included downloadable files for each taxonomic group which we hope will be of interest. All files are in PDF format. If you are unable to read this these files you may need to download separate Adobe Reader software to your computer.
New species at Rospannel Farm in 2010
Bees
- Hoplitis claviventris
- Osmia rufa male on Forget-me-not flower
- Nomada flava
- Sphecodes geoffrellus
Sawflies
- Zaraea fasciata Honey-suckle sawfly feeding on Pyrocantha blossom
Flies
- Orthonevra splendens Hoverfly
- Platycheirus manicatus Hoverfly
- Platycheirus scutatus Hoverfly
Moths
- Leucoma salicis White Satin Moth
- Bleptina asbolaeas (new to UK, have been seeing it for 7 years, as unidentified.)
- Hyles gallii Bedstraw Hawk Moth
- Platyperigea kadenii Clancy's Rustic
Other bugs, etc.
- Ranatra linearis Water stick insect
- Llyocoris cimicoides Saucer bug
- Sphaerium sp. Fresh-water mussel
Other species seen around Cornwall during the year
Flies
- Dilophus febrilis
- Cheilosia albipila
- Dryomyza flaveola
- Sericomyia lappona
- Melanostoma mellinum
- Tephritis crepidis
- Bombylius canescens
- Platycheirus albimanus
- Isoperia grammatica (A Stonefly)
Bugs etc.
- Phytocoris varipes
- Endomychus coccineus (A beetle)
- Alydus calcaratus
- Ochesia micans (A beetle)
- Lamprotettix nitidulus
- Chrysopa perla (A lacewing)
Many thanks go to K Alexander, P Gainey, F Johns, S Jones, L & H Oakes and others for repoirting and helping to identify the above.
New species for 2009
New species identified at Rospannel Farm in 2009 - PDF 104kb
Birds
Rospannel Farm bird ringing data - PDF format 13kb
We have our own private bird watching hide for our visitors to use and welcome bird-watching enthusiasts.
The hide over-looks a half acre pond where dragonflies and damselflies are also very active in the summer.
We have been involved with a national bird ringing project since 1994 and have ringed over 40 species of birds here including, Firecrest, Linnet, Pied flycatcher, Redstart, Redwing, Reed warbler, Sedge warbler and Spotted flycatcher.
Water Rail being ringed at Rospannel Farm
Butterflies
Rospannel Farm butterfly records - PDF format 13kb
At Rospannel Farm we actively encourage butterflies and moths by planting synoptically.
Moths
Rospannel Farm highlights for 2010 - PDF format 333kb
Rospannel Farm moth records - revised 28th Oct 09 - PDF format 84kb
Bernard is a member of the Cornwall Moth group and we run a moth trap on the farm throughout the year.
As many of the moths are identified and recorded as possible, and the moths are released back, unharmed, into the wild. So far we have recorded over 300 species. Our moth record data can be downloaded as PDF files below.
There are quite a few 'lepidopterists' in west Cornwall and Rospannel Farm often hosts moth mornings for the Cornwall Moth Group and The Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Moth meeting at Rospannel Farm
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Bedstraw Hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Prochoreutis myllerana |
Wax Moth Galleria mellonella |
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Bees wasps and saw flies
Rospannel Farm hymenoptera species - PDF format 24kb
On the 19th. July 2006 I first noticed a Leaf-cutter bee entering a small drainage hole in the side of a large flowerpot with a piece of leaf. From then on I spent many hours noting its journeys to and fro collecting pollen, nectar and pieces of leaf.
It usually did not start work until around noon, by which time the sun had reached the flowerpot, and finished by late afternoon, but worked extremely hard and continuously during the afternoon. If it was late starting because of the weather it worked on a little later.
By the 30th. August 2006 she was exhausted, the weather was bad, and when she was unable to summon enough strength to climb back into the nest, and was obviously going to die, I reluctantly decided to take her to have her identified.
Lots of minute parasitic wasps had been around the entrance of the nest during the Summer, thanks go to S.A.Corbet for identifying these as Pteromalus venustus (listed as P.apum (Retzius in Degeer) in Fitton et al. (1978)).
During the Autumn I constructed a fine mesh cage and placed the flowerpot in it, intending to mark the females as they emerged in the following Summer.
Unfortunately the Summer of 2007 was as you all know, almost non-existent. Two males emerged on two separate days at the beginning of June and were released from the cage. Being used to handling Honeybees it was most noticeable that when being released that they took of without a backward glance, off into the distance, not orienting themselves as to where they had to return to. Obviously, they had no need to return.
These two males were all that emerged, the weather been too bad from then on.
Thanks to David Baldock for identifying M.willughbiella, and many thanks to all who helped steer me in the right direction.
G.B.Hocking
Megachile willughbiella at Rospannel Farm 2006/7
Image of male, taken after emergence
at beginning June 2007
Other Wildlife records from Rospannel Farm
Beetles
Rospannel Farm beetle species - PDF format 24kb
Dragonflies
Rospannel Farm dragonfly species - PDF format 20kb
Flies
Recent fly sightings at Rospannel Farm - updated 14th February 2009
Rospannel Farm fly species - PDF format 16kb - updated 13th January 2009
Grasshoppers
Rospannel Farm grasshoppers - PDF format 24kb
Spiders
Rospannel Farm spider species - PDF format 22kb
Local Nature reserves
Cornwall Wildlife Trust have over 50 nature reserves throughout Cornwall and there are some locally in West Cornwall. Visit the Cornwall Wildlife Trust web site for details of their nature reserves and also their events and activities.
The National Trust also own much of the land and historic places in Cornwall including many of the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB)'s. Visit the Devon and Cornwall section of their web site to find out more.
Chun Quoit on the West Penwith Moors a nature reserve owned by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust