The Tain & District Field Club enjoyed the prospect of beating the forecast rain while searching for wolf spiders along the sandy / gravelly banks of this burn. The forecast proved about right so it was wet weather gear all-round, but the specific target species Arctosa cinerea did not appear. Of course, lack of evidence does not provide evidence of non-existence, so future searches may be worthwhile.
TDFC members, as ever, observed and recorded many species which will add to the known assemblage in our area.
Here is a species list :
| Strathrory spider hunt | 12 September 2015 | |||
| Place | Grid Ref | Species | Name | Habitat |
| Mammals | ||||
| Strathrory forestry track | NH 6708 7746 | Meles meles | Badger | Scat on road edge. Not in pit. |
| Birds | ||||
| Strathrory Bridge | NH 660 776 | Hirundo rustica | Swallow | |
| Strathrory Bridge | NH 660 776 | Troglodytes troglodytes | Wren | |
| Strathrory | NH 67 77 | Anthus pratensis | Meadow Pipit | |
| Amphibians | ||||
| Strathrory forestry track | NH 4523 5802 | Bufo bufo | Common Toad | Crossing road |
| Strathrory forestry track | NH 452 580 | Rana temporaria | Common Frog | |
| Insects | ||||
| Strathrory Bridge | NH 660 776 | Forficula auricularia | Common Earwig | |
| Strathrory | NH 67 77 | Bombus jonellus | Heath Bumblebee | |
| Strathrory forestry track | NH 6707 7745 | Sawfly leaf-miner | Aspen leaves burrows & leaves stuck together | |
| Arachnids | ||||
| Strathrory Bridge | NH 660 776 | Crab spider | Swept from veg by river | |
| Strathrory River ford | NH 674 774 | small Wolf Spider | River gravels obeside ford. | |
| Plants | ||||
| Strathrory forestry track | NH 659 776 | (Equisetum plastre) | Marsh Horsetail | |
| Strathrory forestry track | NH 6707 7745 | Populus tremula | Aspen | Leaf miner & rust fungus |
| River above Strathrory Bridge | NH 659 776 | Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup | River bank |
| River above Strathrory Bridge | NH 659 776 | Succisa pratensis | Devil’s-bit Scabious | |
| Strathrory River ford | NH 67 77 | Succisa pratensis | Devil’s-bit Scabious | |
| Fungi | ||||
| Strathrory forestry track | NH 6707 7745 | Melampsora larici-tremulae? | Aspen rust fungus ? | Aspen leaves |
..
Some photos from the day:
Tags: Strathrory