In late June, DVS members were again invited to join Wild About Datchet, this time for a butterfly and dragonfly survey of The Willowfields and Land at Mill Place, with Brian and Liz Crathorne from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. For photographs of our visit, please see the Gallery section.
There were 11 butterfly and 7 dragonfly species recorded. Various factors influence the numbers recorded; for example, different species may be present at different times of the year, but this is a good number for a relatively small site.
The habitat of largely dense shrubland with broad sunny open areas is good for a wide range of species. Brian advised that some cutting back of the shrub growth will be needed during the winter months to ensure that the grassy areas are not invaded by the scrub.
We hope that the results of these surveys might help inform future decisions made by Datchet Parish Council about how best to manage the trees and scrub in that area.
Many thanks to Wild About Datchet for inviting us along. See www.WildAboutDatchet.com
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