Discovering Neroche
Wildlife
Birds
| Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) | ||
| Identifying features: | A nightingale is slightly larger than a robin, with a robust, broad-tailed, rather plain brown appearance. Its major distinguishing feature is its voice - a quite unrivalled melodious 'trilling' sound that travels a long distance through woodland - once | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Spring, Summer | |
| Best season to see: | Spring, Summer | |
| Local distribution: | Low | |
| National distribution: | Low | |
| Cultural associations: | The nightingale has a strong association with love and romance in both European and Persian traditions. It's not only been in Berkeley Square that the beautiful trilling of a nightingale has been significant for someone! | |
| Habitat: | 2 | |
| Locality: | Bickenhall | |
| Locality comment: | In this area, nightingales are particularly associated with Thurlbear Wood. | |
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Butterflies
| Duke of Burgundy | ||
| Identifying features: | This small butterfly frequents scrubby grassland and sunny woodland clearings, typically in very low numbers. It is nationally rare, and in the Neroche area there are small populations at Wych Lodge and Quants. It has declined substantially in recent deca | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Spring | |
| Best season to see: | Spring | |
| Local distribution: | Low | |
| National distribution: | Low | |
| Cultural associations: | Most of the other members of the family to which this species belongs are found in South America. It is therefore possible that the species has a very ancient origin, and dates back to when the land masses were connected. | |
| Habitat: | 2 | |
| Locality: | Orchard Portman | |
| Locality comment: | There are small populations of this species at Wych Lodge and Buckland Wood | |
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| Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) | ||
| Identifying features: | The wings of this beautiful butterfly look like a persian carpet, and are more brightly patterned than those of other fritillaries, though the butterfly is quite small. The larvae spin conspicuous webs on the foodplant, Devil's-bit scabious. The Marsh Fr | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Spring, Summer | |
| Best season to see: | Spring | |
| Local distribution: | Low | |
| National distribution: | Low | |
| Cultural associations: | The word 'fritillary' derives from the Latin word for 'chessboard', reflecting the pattern on the wings. | |
| Habitat: | 3 | |
| Locality: | West Buckland | |
| Locality comment: | Marsh fritillary only now occurs with certainty in the Neroche area at Buckland Wood (Quants), though it is also present further south in the Blackdown Hills AONB | |
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| Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) | ||
| Identifying features: | The Wood White is a delicate, slow-flying butterfly usually encountered in sheltered situations, such as woodland rides or scrub edges. The males fly almost continuously in fine weather, patrolling to find a mate, whereas females spend much of their time | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Spring, Summer | |
| Best season to see: | Summer | |
| Local distribution: | Low | |
| National distribution: | Low | |
| Habitat: | 2 | |
| Locality: | Buckland St. Mary, Orchard Portman, Staple Fitzpaine, West Buckland | |
| Locality comment: | The best populations of Wood White are in the Staple Common/Ruttersleigh area, and at Wych Lodge | |
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Flowering plants
| Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) | ||
| Identifying features: | This exotic orchid takes its name from its close resemblance to a bee - this deliberate mimickry is designed to attract male bees to land on the flower, thinking it is a female bee, and in the process pollinate the flower! Bee orchids are rare in the | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Spring, Summer | |
| Best season to see: | Spring, Summer | |
| Local distribution: | Low | |
| National distribution: | Low | |
| Locality: | Orchard Portman, Pitminster, Staple Fitzpaine | |
| Locality comment: | Bee orchids occur at Wych Lodge, in the 'Nursery Field' below Ochard Hill, and also on the 'Green Patch' in Adcombe Wood, Pitminster | |
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| Devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) | ||
| Identifying features: | A striking purple flower in the daisy family, which flowers late in the season, producing long flower stems out of a rosette of strap-like leaves. This is an important foodplant, notably for the Marsh Fritillary butterfly. It is typically associated wit | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Summer | |
| Best season to see: | Summer | |
| Local distribution: | Medium | |
| National distribution: | Medium | |
| Habitat: | 7,3 | |
| Locality: | Churchstanton, Clayhidon, Hemyock, Pitminster, Staple Fitzpaine, Wellington Without, West Buckland | |
| Locality comment: | A good place to easily see this flower is at Wellington Monument - in the grassland around the monument. It is also abundant in springline mire sites like Ringdown, Britty Common and Buckland/Quants | |
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| Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) | ||
| Identifying features: | Sundews are insectivorous plants - their small leaves are covered in fine hairs tipped with a sticky 'honeydew' which traps small insects landing on the plant to drink. The insects are held while the plant exudes enzymes to gradually digest and absorb th | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Summer | |
| Best season to see: | Spring, Summer | |
| Local distribution: | Low | |
| National distribution: | Low | |
| Cultural associations: | The sundew's insect-eating habits link it to exotics like venus fly-traps and pitcher plants, no to to mention the imagined plant horrors of literature, like John Wyndham's Day of the Triffids! | |
| Habitat: | 3 | |
| Locality: | Churchstanton, Clayhidon, Hemyock, Otterford, Staple Fitzpaine | |
| Locality comment: | Sundews are quite rare, but can be found on springline mire sites such as Ashculm Turbary, Britty Common and Yarty Moor. | |
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Mammals
| Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) | ||
| Identifying features: | Dormice are a bright golden colour with a thick furry tail and big black eyes. They are quite small - about 70 mm (2-3") long, with a tail of similar length. Adults weigh around 17 - 20 grams (two £1 coins) in the summer, but can fatten up to 40 grams jus | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Spring, Summer | |
| Best season to see: | Autumn | |
| Local distribution: | Medium | |
| National distribution: | Low | |
| Cultural associations: | Think of the dozy mouse in Alice in Wonderland! | |
| Habitat: | 2 | |
| Locality: | Ashill, Bickenhall, Broadway, Buckland St. Mary, Churchstanton, Corfe, Culmstock, Curland, Hemyock, Orchard Portman, Otterford, Pitminster, Samford Arundel, Clayhidon, Staple Fitzpaine, Stoke St Mary, Thornfalcon, Wellington Without, West Buckland, West Hatch | |
| Locality comment: | Dormouse are not uncommon in the Blackdown Hills - they occur in hedges and woodlands and are not confined to hazel areas | |
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| Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) | ||
| Identifying features: | If you see a bat flying around at twylight, it is most likely to be a pipistrelle. They appear fast and jerky in flight as they dodge about catching insects - they may consume up to 3000 insects in a night. Pipistrelles roost in buildings, and sometim | |
| Breeding / flowering season: |
Autumn | |
| Best season to see: | Spring, Summer, Autumn | |
| Local distribution: | Medium | |
| National distribution: | Medium | |
| Cultural associations: | As well as their 'spooky' associations with churchyards, and with the hero of Gotham City, bats are something many people associate with childhood and growing up, since it is only during our formative years that we can hear their high-pitched squeaks! | |
