On Wednesday 6th July, the HFFS enjoyed an evening guided tour of Sugley Wood adjoining to Gamlingay Wood, given by warden James Bonfield.
It was a balmy night with some cloud cover and a warm breeze, making it reasonably good conditions for insects. We walked through Gamlingay Wood, passing by the pond in Knibbs Glade, where we were lucky to see a rare Silver Washed Fritillary, several moth species and a burying beetle. We then went through the gate into Sugley Wood, which was been created as a new wood around 20 years ago by firstly growing barley on the site to reduce the nutrient content and then scattering the mowings from the rides in Gamlingay Wood onto the site. It was very encouraging that in this short time, the biodiversity had increased significantly. It is now mainly a rich grassland with a small amount of scrub but is likely to become more wooded with time.
In Sugley Wood, we found there was a lot of Yellow Rattle which had appeared naturally. Other typical plants found on the site were Meadow Vetchling, Betony, Red Bartsia, Tufted Vetch and Wild Carrot. Less common, we recorded Wild Anjelica, Meadow Barley, Wild Parsnip, Fairy Flax and Pyramidal Orchid. We were also lucky to be able to record a good list of butterflies on the site – Marbled White, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.
Gamlingay Wood
VC31:
Chicory
Phllonorycter coryli (leaf miner on hazel)
Common Spotted Orchid
VC29:
Small Fan Footed Wave
Knibbs Glade
Chrysoteuchia culmella (a common grass moth)
Green Oak Tortrix (moth)
Ringlets (2x)
Broad Bodied Chaser
Burying Beetle
Silver Washed Fritillary (butterfly)
Betony
Sugley Wood
Yellow Rattle
Meadow Vetchling
Betony
Goatsbeard
Fairy Flax
Knapweed
Marbled White
Pyramidal Orchid
Red Bartsia
Meadow Barley
Wild Anjelica
Tufted Vetch
Agrimony
Wild Carrot
Small Skipper
Essex Skipper
Gatekeeper
Hoary Ragwort
Hedge Bedstraw
Meadow Browns
Wild Parnip
Field Scabious
On exit through Gamlingay Wood:
Hedge Woundwort
Soft Shield Fern – a rare sighting, possibly a new record
Nettle Leaved Bellflower
Wood Sedge
Dead Common Shrew.
