☞ Apart from images embedded within the news items dated 3rd and 26th August, all other pictures appear at the foot of the page – they and many more can be viewed on our Spring (broadly March to May) or Summer (June to August) webpages.
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New records
26th Aug 2015 by jools
Both Laurie Forsyth and new SFPT recorder Jerry Bowdrey have been finding new records for our reserves. At Fromus, Jerry sent us this (all photos kindly provided by Jerry):
Notable and interesting Invertebrates recorded at the Fromus Reserve 2015
by Jerry Bowdrey
Odonata dragonflies
Sympetrum sanguineum Ruddy Darter (Notable b)
Both ponds and river
Orthoptera grasshoppers and crickets
Tetrix subulata Slender groundhopper (Local)
river bank
A relative of the grasshoppers and crickets associated with damp areas
Psyllidae psyllids
Cacopsylla visci on Mistletoe growing on Field Maple
One of several species of invertebrate associated with this host plant .It is hoped some of the others might be found later in the year. Scarce
Livia junci
induces tassel galls on Juncus spp. Found by the circular pond on J.articulatus Jointed Rush. Uncommon in Suffolk *
Homoptera : Delphacidae plant hoppers
Euconomelus Lepidus (Local)
A planthopper associated with Eleocharis palustris by circular pond
Heteroptera plant bugs
Dictyla convergens a Lace bug (Local)
Pond near entrance on Water-Forget-Me-Not Myosotis scorpioides.
Diptera : Cecidomyiidae gall midges
Placochela nigripes galled flowers of Elder Sambucus nigra *
not often seen, found by western gate on FP
Coleoptera : Cerambycidae
Agapanthia villosovirescens (Local)*
An impressive and attractive longhorn beetle (shown above right) that has become more widespread in recent years -associated with Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) by R.Fromus nr entrance
Hymenoptera :Chalcidae Chalcid wasps
Chalcis sepsis (prov.Notable a)
on emergent vegetation by the circular pond
This curious chalcid wasp with enlarged red, hind femora is a parasitoid of the aquatic larvae of soldier flies and is accorded provisional Na status (Nationally notable A). It is usually associated with coastal grazing marsh e.g.beside the Thames and in Norfolk and Somerset.
And from Orchid Glade, Laurie sent this (with his photos):
Two photos attached of species new to O.G. reserve records 25.8.2015
The colourful leaf is an alder leaf attacked by the fungus Taphrina tosquinetii (no English name) confirmed by Jerry Bowdrey.
The plant (above right) is blue fleabane Erigeron acer. The petals never open wider than shown in the photo. despite the name, it is only distantly related to the yellow common fleabane.
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New interest at Orchid Glade
17th Aug 2015 by jools
Orchid Glade gets its name from the June flowering orchids, but it comes into its own in August when the sea of yellow fleabane flowers and produces food for butterflies. Laurie Forsyth reports on new plant and butterfly findings in the Seasonal Diary.
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Haymaking
15th Aug 2015 by jools
Laurie Forsyth has been to our Fromus reserve to report after haymaking: you can read all about it in the Seasonal Diary. On 22nd July, the Lowestoft Field Club undertook a plant survey and found some new records, which you can find on the Species Lists page.
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3rd Aug 2015 by jools



Open Day on Sunday 2nd August saw wonderful sunshine at Orchid Glade, bringing out the insects to feed on the wonderful flora there: red bartsia, fleabane, cornmint, St. John’s Wort, knapweed, bird’s foot trefoil, marsh woundwort, agrimony and common centaury are the stars of the site. The team joined in with the “Big Butterfly Count” and saw a good variety of butterflies – the peacock just loves the fleabane but numerous gatekeepers were flitting about with a comma, brimstone, common blue and even a purple hairstreak!
The ringlets were looking rather sorry for themselves with ragged wings, there were numerous large whites and even a few skippers:
Images are courtesy of our very own John Rainer – who also has the credit of seeing the hairstreak. Orchid Glade was also visited by a hare and some fallow deer with blue damselflies, ruddy darters and a migrant hawker zooming about the pond.
August 1st was Open Day at the Fromus site and the Guardians enjoyed the sunshine:
[MISSING IMAGE: Guardians-on-Open-Day [enjoying the sun]]
But, before all of this, the inimitable Laurie Forsyth prepared a glorious July report for the Fromus site which you can read – illustrated with his own photos which he kindly allows us to reproduce here – in the seasonal diary.
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Orchid Glade in July
24th Jul 2015 by jools
Orchid Glade is blooming and you can read all about it in Laurie Forsyth’s July Report in the Seasonal Diary. If you want to see it for yourself, come along to our open day on August 2nd for a sea of yellow flowers attracting hundreds of butterflies.
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June at Fromus
29th Jun 2015 by jools
We have two reports from June in the Seasonal Diary. It’s been a cold June, but the orchids made it back, and the grass species are diverse, presaging some delicious hay!
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Orchids in Orchid Glade
12th Jun 2015 by jools
They’re back! The wonderful spread of southern marsh orchids and common twayblade are showing well at Orchid Glade.
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The orchids are coming! ……
29th May 2015 by jools
We bring you our May report from Orchid Glade in the Seasonal Diary, by Laurie Forsyth. This year, not only the southern marsh orchid leaves are out, but the common twayblade seems to have recovered, showing lots of leaves. This presages well for our Orchid Glade Open Day on June 6th.
On June 7th our Fromus Valley Reserve is also open for visitors, with its own fine showing of orchids, although nowhere near so numerous as in the Glade.
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Ne’er cast a clout ……
23rd May 2015 by jools
The reserves are springing into life in May: greening up and growing apace. If you want to see them for yourself, the weekend of 6th and 7th June sees the orchids in full flower at both reserves – it’s Orchid Glade on Saturday morning and Fromus Valley on Sunday afternoon.
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Spring has sprung! (once more)
16th Apr 2015 by jools
With thanks to all those who visited Jools' photography exhibition in Saxmundham over Easter weekend, and our recent open day. Our recording co-ordinators are very pleased to send this report from the open day, confirming that the great-crested newts found at our Fromus reserve last year have laid eggs in both ponds:
ROUND/FLIGHT POND
Common frogs: five adults and about 15 spawn clumps
Great crested newt: one female, one juvenile and many eggs
Smooth newt: one female and eggs
POND NEAR ENTRANCE GATE
Common frog: two spawn clumps
Great crested newt: eggs
Additionally, to whet your appetite for our next open day on 6th June at Orchid Glade, Laurie Forsyth has sent in his April report from there. You can read it in the Seasonal Diary.