Bats, butterflies and moths make Meadow home

New reports confirm the importance of Goldsworth Park’s Meadow, woodland and lake to a growing variety of species. The Meadow (the undeveloped area to the north of the lake) includes a variety of flora – the basis of an ecosystem supporting populations of bats, butterflies and moths which have excited nature enthusiasts.

Natural Goldsworth Park project leader, Bob Challoner, has just received the results of a recent bat survey by Surrey Bat Group. Bob explained: “Over 5,000 calls by bats were recorded by a static detector placed in the woodland for two weeks. Most calls were from common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle bats. Four other bat species were also detected: serotine bat, natterer's bat, noctule bat and Nathusius' pipistrelle bat.

“The Bat Conservation Trust notes this last species is rare in the UK, with an ICUN classification of ‘nearly threatened’.

“The diversity of species is similar to that recorded in the last bat survey in 2018 and confirms the importance of the Meadow, woodland and lake as foraging sites for bats.

“To improve our understanding of the Meadow and woodland biodiversity, this year we are updating plant and wildlife surveys carried out some years ago. We are also seeking for its recognition as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI).”

The Meadow and adjoining woodland are also superb places to spot butterflies and moths, especially if you will be counting butterflies in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count, open until 9 August.

To take part, just count numbers of various butterfly species seen during a 15-minute period on a sunny day. Full details are online at bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org and in a free Big Butterfly Count app for smartphones.

Gerry Smeesters, a local butterfly and moth enthusiast, said: “This year on the North Meadow I have already seen or photographed 16 of the 17 butterfly species listed on the Big Butterfly Count ID chart. The ‘missing’ species is the small tortoiseshell, which this year has again been absent on my outings around the field and woods.”

Gerry added that the small tortoiseshell might visit local gardens. Have you seen one? If you manage to take photos of this rare butterfly anywhere please send them to me at the News & Mail. I will share them with Gerry and also with Butterfly Conservation which is keen to hear where they have been seen.

He continued: “The Big Butterfly Count ID chart shows three day-flying species of moth. Two are present on the meadow now: the Jersey tiger and Silver Y. This year is a bumper year for the latter which rests in long grass, near the ground.”

Gerry has also photographed several butterfly species on the Meadow that aren’t shown on the ID chart, including the purple hairstreak. “This has been common recently: the lack of water brings them down from the tops of the oaks.

“The North Meadow also has three species of skipper: very small, bright orange butterflies often seen taking nectar on yellow ragwort, vetch and creeping thistle, or resting on tall grass.”

I strongly recommend visiting the Natural Goldsworth Park group on Facebook, where Gerry has posted several photos of the Meadow’s butterflies with tips for identifying species.

Gerry has a particular interest in moths. He told me: “Moths play a vital role in the eco system of Goldsworth Park’s Meadow. They support the local bat population as a basic part of the food chain and are important plant pollinators, although overshadowed by bees and butterflies. In 2020 I found two very rare catacola moth species there.

“In summer at dusk moths are attracted to lighting on paths around the Meadow. You can see bats making seemingly impossible manoeuvres to catch them.”

Gerry’s has carried out moth trapping sessions with the Surrey Moth Group which we’ll report here next month.