While at Cothill Fen NNR in October 2020 Judy found a large hen-of-the-woods polypore fungus Grifola frondosa growing from a deadwood root at the base of an oak tree. She took away a handful of the fungus and from it reared little fungus gnats Mycetophila cingulum within two weeks. A few weeks later, when she took away more of the fungus (beginning to rot by then), clouds of the tiniest midges - 'Cecidomyiids - to be identified' - emerged from it, and then small brownish craneflies (also yet to be identified) filled the rearing pot. Photos below by Judy
Hen-of-the-woods Fungus gnat Craneflies
2 June 2019: walk at Cothill Fen / Ruskin Reserve NNR led by Judy Webb in celebration of the anniversary of the purchase of the Ruskin Reserve for the Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire (ANHSO), negotiated by G.C. Druce and Professor Poulton in 1902 (ownership was transferred to the National Trust in 1916).
Judy has written a history of the site (August 2020) which is available from the Freshwater HabitatsTrust website
Photo, left, taken by Christopher Hoskin of ANHSO, More of Christopher's photos taken that day are available here.
Photos of orchids in the fen taken by Judy are here.
It was also an opportunity for people to see how the hard work of Natural England and Abingdon Green Gym volunteers has improved the condition of this site. Reed and trees have been pushed back to restore the valuable flowery short fen, benefiting plants such as Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Marsh Valerian and Cotton Grass. Small Red Damselfly is the rather special feature of this reserve. In addition to the wet fen, the walk encompassed the dry Hurst Copse ancient woodland behind the fen.
The reserve’s future is uncertain due to possible routes of the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has produced an excellent guide to walks in this fen area
Judy has written a history of the site (August 2020) which is available from the Freshwater HabitatsTrust website
Photo, left, taken by Christopher Hoskin of ANHSO, More of Christopher's photos taken that day are available here.
Photos of orchids in the fen taken by Judy are here.
It was also an opportunity for people to see how the hard work of Natural England and Abingdon Green Gym volunteers has improved the condition of this site. Reed and trees have been pushed back to restore the valuable flowery short fen, benefiting plants such as Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Marsh Valerian and Cotton Grass. Small Red Damselfly is the rather special feature of this reserve. In addition to the wet fen, the walk encompassed the dry Hurst Copse ancient woodland behind the fen.
The reserve’s future is uncertain due to possible routes of the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has produced an excellent guide to walks in this fen area
2 February 2018
Judy and other volunteers from a new conservation group led by Leo Jennings of Natural England cut back trees and scrub at Cothill Fen SSSI near Abingdon as part of maintenance to stop tall plants taking over the wetland habitat. See article in The Oxford Mail, 3 Feb 2018. Although this was the first time Judy had worked under the aegis of this group, she has been involved with work at Cothill Fen for several years
Photo by Judy Webb of the fen in summer the same year
Judy and other volunteers from a new conservation group led by Leo Jennings of Natural England cut back trees and scrub at Cothill Fen SSSI near Abingdon as part of maintenance to stop tall plants taking over the wetland habitat. See article in The Oxford Mail, 3 Feb 2018. Although this was the first time Judy had worked under the aegis of this group, she has been involved with work at Cothill Fen for several years
Photo by Judy Webb of the fen in summer the same year
Abingdon Green Gym members working at Cothill (National Nature Reserve) on 6 December 2014 - photos by Judy Webb