Wonderful Webs

Friday, September 18th 2020

A strange sight greeted the staff as they drove along the main access track this morning; the vegetation on the heathland had been cloaked in white. At first it looked like frost.

On closer inspection it was clear that it was the work of thousands of spiders. The early morning mist had left a dew behind which highlighted their webs beautifully. 

Most of them were sheet webs draped over the plants but amongst them were some stunning orb webs too. These webs are primarily associated with the family Araneidae, or orb-weaver spiders.

Nothing had been left undecorated, from the Heather to the fence rails and Juniper trees!

Later in the day another batch of healthy Pillwort (a rare aquatic fern) was received. Elizabeth had grown it at home on her windowsill!

It was soon planted around the shores of Spigot Mere, some of the wetland pools and Plover's Pool where it is already thriving.

A GPS location was recorded for each tray that was planted and this data will be sent to staff at the Freshwater Habitats Trust who monitor Pillwort on national level.

This is what it looks like once it is well established.

Thank you to everyone who has helped out at Foxglove this week. Volunteers have repaired boardwalk, recorded species (moths, mammals and dragonflies), raked hay, strimmed glades, planted Pillwort and painted signs. 

 

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