RAF Leeming Community Primary School

Today we were joined by children from RAF Leeming CPS, who enjoyed a fruitful morning of Pond Dipping and Mini-beast Hunting despite the cloudy start to the day.

Amongst the rotting wood and leaf litter was found a number of Violet ground Beetles (Carabus violaceus). Although a nocturnal hunter of many smaller insect species, you will often come across this large and very fast beetle when turning over stones and logs during the day time.

After turning logs and shaking branches it was time to head out into the long grass of the Moorland to have a go at sweep netting.

It wasn't long before all manner of mini-beasts were caught, from grasshoppers to butterflies and even a couple of day-flying moths. The Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae) is especially fond of Thistles, Knapweeds and Scabious as adults, whereas Common and Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil are the host plant of the caterpillar.

In the afternoon Caitlin (our current Work Experience pupil) was busy renovating the last Water Vole platform, before getting two of the benches painted, ready for them to be put back outside tomorrow.