Recording Ladybirds in 2022: a Few Highlights

For me, ladybirds have been a real theme of 2022. Fresh from twelve months of ladybird recording, here’s a quick round-up of this year’s highlights.

Heather Ladybird

This is the one that really made me stop and think, and the ladybird which helped launch a year’s worth of frantic recording. Chatting with local recorder, Chris Barlow, back in early 2022, we noticed that records of Heather Ladybird were few and far between in Northumberland. Rather bizarre really given the wealth of heather-clad sites in our area. Indeed, the last accepted record of Heather Ladybird was one near Rothbury back in the 1980s.

Feeling somewhat inspired, back in March, I set out to Rothbury to explore an area of suitable habitat on the slopes above the town. Checking overwintering sites among more mature, rank Heather plants, it wasn’t long before several ladybirds were discovered. Success!

Future visits to Rothbury have yielded Heather Ladybirds in several squares while others have found it at several other local sites. Definitely a case of under-recorded, as opposed to genuinely rare.

Heaher Ladybird (Chilocorus bipustulatus) near Rothbury, Norhumberland

Water Ladybird

Water Ladybird is a species that thanks to NHSN’s North East Ladybird Spot, started appearing at more and more local sites during 2021. Not because it was colonising these sites, but because more people began looking for it. I certainly found it at a surprising number of locations towards the back end of the year.

Continuing the search in 2022, I’ve encountered this species at several new sites locally, including a rather bizarre record on salt marsh at Holywell Dene. Small ponds, riversides, and ditches, they don’t seem all that picky and with a bit of practice, are quite easy to find among the stems of Bulrush and Common Reed.

The map for Water Ladybird has changed remarkably in Northumberland this year thanks to the hard work of citizen scientists. I’d call that a success story…

Water Ladybird (Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata) have been a real flavour of 2022

Cream-streaked Ladybird

Another local success story now, and back in early 2022, I was delighted to find what appeared to be the first Cream-streaked Ladybird for Tyneside and wider South Northumberland. A relatively new UK ladybird, this species is spreading and had already been recorded further North in Scotland. Really, a sighting here was somewhat overdue.

Found on a gravestone is Jesmond Old Cemetery – that place again – it was actually quite tricky to pick this ladybird out from the similarly sized and far more numerous Harlequins in the area. One spot in line one as opposed to two, I must remember that.

Since this encounter, local naturalists have found Cream-streaked Ladybird at several more sites within Newcastle. It is yet to be spotted further afield but must be there somewhere.

Cream-streaked Ladybird (Harmonia quadripunctata) in Jesmond, Newcastle

Hieroglyphic Ladybird

Probably the biggest surprise of 2022 came in the form of my first-ever encounter with a Hieroglyphic Ladybird. Having looked for this species unsuccessfully several times in the uplands, it came as quite a shock to find the melanistic individual below during a guided walk on the coast at Newbiggin. Definitely a “what are the chances of that” sort of moment and one made all the more entertaining by the colour form in question. Surely the black sort must be far scarcer? At least you’d think…

Striped Ladybird

Until last year, Striped Ladybird was perhaps my most sought-after British insect. When I finally encountered it at Havannah Nature Reserve in late 2021, after months of trying and plenty of tree bashing, I was chuffed. Elated even.

Fast forward to the end of 2022 and this species seems to be cropping up everywhere. Not just in larger areas of coniferous woodland but within isolated pines in car parks, cemeteries, and even those growing by the side of the busy A1. Heck, I even found one sitting on a fence post behind my local Sainsbury’s here in Heaton. All of this leads me to suspect that they are a little more widespread than the maps suggest…

Striped Ladybird (Myzia oblongoguttata) on a fence post behind my local Sainsbury’s

Coccidula scutellata

A rather pleasant surprise now and while leading a walk for a group of visitors at NHSN’s Gosforth Nature Reserve this autumn, a brief pitstop to look for Water Ladybird turned up a whopping great surprise in the form of Coccidula scutellata. Recorded only once before in Northumberland and never in VC67, this was one species I thought had to turn up eventually but still, it was a surprise to find it at what is just about the most ‘ladybirded’ site in the North East.

As far as inconspicuous ladybirds go, this one is also quite the beauty…

Coccidula scutellata at Gosforth Nature Reserve, Newcastle

Rhyzobius chrysomeloides

Perhaps the ladybird discovery of the year now and looking at the maps for Rhyzobius chrysomeloides, you would be forgiven for thinking they are found exclusively in more Southerly counties. Indeed, until this year, the most Northerly record of this species came from the Lancaster area. You can imagine my surprise then when several of these lovely little ladybirds fell out of a planted Dwarf Mountain Pine at Silverlink Biodiversity Park back in April. A very nice record indeed but as I shared more on this at the time, I’ll stop there.

Rhyzobius chrysomeloides at Silverlink, North Tyneside

All the lovely people

Whether heading out with my partner, friends or attendees at several events, courses, and trips, ladybird hunting this year has been a wonderfully collective affair. As someone who spends most of their time recording alone (such is the way of the naturalist) it has been lovely to share some of the discoveries above with others and to share knowledge and a few laughs in a host of lovely locations. The below photos are just a few of those taken this year – a big thank you to everyone who came along in 2022.

Ladybird recording with collegues from NHSN
Matt poised and waiting to find 11-spot Ladybird
A ladybird course in Jesmond
Ladybird recording at Newbiggin
More recently, attendees at a ladybird recording session at Havannah Nature Reserve

Exciting things to come

Despite my main interest lying in plants, it seems my love of ladybirds isn’t going away any time soon. I’m not entirely sure what it is about them I like so much but finding, recording, and above all else, enjoying them has become more than a favourite pastime. For this reason, over the next year, you’ll see me offering lots more ladybird-themed events, walks, and courses with NHSN. I hope some of you may consider coming along.

I am delighted (and a little terrified) to now also volunteer my time as a County Recorder for the fabulous UK Ladybird Survey – the national scheme monitoring our ladybirds. If you share sightings via iRecord, you’ll find me there verifying finds from Durham and Northumberland and getting very excited at all of your spotty discoveries.

Identifying Dead-nettles

Get started identifying dead-nettles with a brand-new crib suitable for beginner botanists.

Well, our first beginner’s crib to urban ragworts seemed to go down well. Thank you for the kind comments all! Spurred on by your feedback, this week I’ve created another looking a second accessible plant family, and one just as common in our towns and cities.

I have also almost finished a festive entry on Snowdrops and hope to have a crib to small-flowered fleabanes ready soon too. Until then, let’s get started…

Identifying dead-nettles

Colourful and conspicuous, dead-nettles are some of our most familiar wildflowers. Well, at least the 1-2 species commonly spotted in flowerbeds and overgrown gardens, that is. Some dead-nettles, particularly the small red ones, can look surprisingly alike and I wanted our next crib to take a closer look at these lovely little weeds.

Please note, as ever, this focuses on the species likely to be encountered in North East England, as opposed to rarer ones. It includes:

  • Red Dead-nettle
  • Cut-leaved Dead-nettle
  • Henbit Dead-nettle
  • Spotted Dead-nettle
  • White Dead-nettle
  • Both Yellow Archangels
Download the crib

Identifying Ragworts and Groundsels

Get started identifying ragworts and groundsels with a brand-new crib sheet suitable for beginners.

Find keys boring? You’re not alone. While those of us who spend our days obsessively searching for plants quite like them, for most people, they don’t cut the mustard. Indeed, they can be particularly offputting to beginners.

It is for this reason that I wanted to start a new series on this blog – Common’s Cribs, a full series of which will eventually appear here. Hopefully colourful and straightforward, these simple guides include only the species people are likely to encounter during their daily lives, hopefully making the process of identifying a plant easier.

Identifying Ragworts

Yellow, conspicuous, and with an unnecessarily negative reputation, ragworts (and their cousins, the groundsels) are an obvious bunch in our towns and cities. Growing in pavement cracks, as well as weedy areas, they can all look fairly yellow and similar at first but look closer and the differences become clearer.

Download the crib

Weekend Botany at Walker

This weekend provided a nice opportunity for our new local botany group to visit Walker Riverside. Here’s what we encountered.

Botany (and wildlife recording in general) can often be a solitary affair. For many of us, I suspect, myself included, that suits us just fine. At least most of the time. Sometimes, however, it is nice to do things as a group. Not least only for the company but also for the support and increased brainpower that comes with combining noggins!

It is for the reasons listed above that a few friends and I wanted to get the ball rolling on a new informal group for botanists North of the Tyne. Both to make things a little more social and support one another and to ensure that we’re working with local experts to capture important plant records. I am pleased to say that this weekend, this came to fruition with our merry band meeting for the first time at Walker Riverside in Newcastle.

As you’ll see from the photos below, we had a jolly good day and learned a lot. A big thank you to those who came along! Now, what about the plants?

A lesson in Speedwell ID
Scrutinising some Black Spleenwort
Oh no, a St. John’s Wort
Obligatory group shot
St. Peter’s Marina
Photographing Clustered Bellflower

Walker is a very diverse site I have written about several times. What never fails to surprise here is the tendency for it to throw up new and unusual discoveries, several of which were made during our visit. Atlantic Ivy (Hedera hibernica) was a particularly interesting one and nice to compare with some nearby Common Ivy (Hedera helix) and Persian Ivy (Hedera colchica). Megs Rogers, VCR for South Northumberland, also came up trumps with a candidate for Small Gorse (Ulex minor) and last month’s county first Balkan Spurge (Euphorbia oblongata) was also admired. The latter ID may well change now someone more knowledgeable than I has taken a look…

A suspicious ‘small’ Gorse
Balkan Spurge (Euphorbia oblongata)
Atlantic Ivy (Hedera hibernica)
Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata)
Cut-leaved Dead-nettle (Lamium hybridum)
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)

As a group, we also noted several other interesting plants between St. Peter’s Basin and Walker Riverside Park. Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata) was still in bloom, as was Cut-leaved Dead-nettle (Lamium hybridum) and Green Field-speedwell (Veronica agrestis). Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) was a nice find on the cycleway, and rare locally, and it was nice to note Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acer) still clinging on. A few other finds are mentioned alongside some excellent photography in Ho-Yin Wong’s tweet below.

Ladybirds: A Short Talk and a New Course

With the arrival of winter, now seemed like a good time to look back on a year’s worth of ladybirds and look forward to a new course in 2023.

A New Short Talk

Golly. For someone who shies away from talks of any kind (and don’t even get me started on crowds), Zoom has been a bit of a godsend this year. Rounding off a year’s worth of ladybird recording, this week I recorded the first installment of a two-part series for NHSN looking at my 2022 ladybird year list.

Now, with plenty of fascinating (and quite exciting) species observed this year, I thought it would be nice to recap these in the order they were discovered. Doing so, hopefully, providing a feel for what can be encountered in the North East and importantly, when. Hopefully, the end result isn’t too cringe-worthy but I’ll let you be the judge of that.

I’ll be repeating the ladybird year list in 2023, of course, and look forward to sharing many more finds on this blog.

A New ‘Course’ too!

If you thought an online talk was out of my comfort zone, try a four-week course! Well, I say course in the loosest sense as the upcoming series of events I have planned for NHSN is more of a crash field course than anything. Still, I’m quite excited about this – the plan is to lead four trips to various corners of the North East looking for ladybirds. Lots of them actually, the aim being to see as many of our resident species as possible in a small timeframe. A mini year list, if you will!

This series of walks will see us explore different survey techniques, from sweep-netting and tree tapping to spot of heather-bashing too, and should be good fun. There is a charge but it isn’t a huge one and if you like ladybirds, it might be for you.

Perhaps I’ll see a few of you there but if not, and a course on ladybirds isn’t for you, there’ll be many events on the NHSN website.

Find out more
Pine Ladybirds (Exochomus quadripustulatus)

NBN Award for Wildlife Recording

This week, I was both surprised and delighted to receive the NBN Newcomer Award for Wildlife Recording.

Now, it isn’t often I post about myself on this blog but on this occasion, you’ll have to forgive me. Following yesterday’s announcement, I can now say that I was thrilled (and more than a little surprised) this week to receive the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Newcomer Award for Wildlife Recording. A slightly daunting prospect given some of the incredible past winners but one I am sincerely grateful for.

Wildlife recording for me isn’t just about box-ticking, lists and spreadsheets, though I enjoy those too! Instead, it is a valuable way to give back to nature by creating valuable data that can (and is) used to protect it. Equally, it is about encouraging and supporting others to do the same and getting more people out and about encountering wildlife.

On a more personal and perhaps a little self-centred level (I think that’s allowed here), recording also provides a focus to my weekend walks and an excuse to spend every spare minute rummaging around in a host of great places. What’s not to like? Whether we’re talking plants, ladybirds or something else, occasionally, you also make the odd interesting discovery too which does help keep you motivated but doesn’t matter all too much in the grand scheme of things.

While I can think of far more deserving citizen scientists out there, I am truly grateful to NBN for the award, and to those who supported and encouraged me over the years. Not least, colleagues at NHSN and BSBI and the plethora of local naturalists I have the pleasure to meet with regularly.

I would also like to thank anyone who has stuck with this blog since its creation in 2011 – it has changed a fair bit, but the feedback received here has also been constantly encouraging!

Bee Orchids (Ophrys apifera) in urban Newcastle

Getting Started with Aphid Identification

Having never tried my hand at aphid identification, this Summer proved quite a steep learning curve!

No, I haven’t gone mad. Spending a lot of time looking at both plants and ladybirds, it is inevitable that you’re going to encounter your fair share of aphids too. This year, while rummaging in pine trees, shrubbery and weedy verges, I have certainly seen a good number. Of course, this has meant trying to identify a few of the little green blighters for myself (okay, relatively few are actually green!).

Now, to say I am that I am a beginner with regard to aphids would be a colossal understatement. I haven’t a clue really but am fairly confident about those shown below. Mostly because they appear to be some of the more obvious aphids out there. How many do you recognise?

Pink Tansy Aphid (Metopeurum fuscoviride) on Tansy

A really nice one to start with and I believe these delightful little pink and grey aphids are Pink Tansy Aphids (Metopeurum fuscoviride). Found (of course) on Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), they have peachy bodies and blackened rear ends. Having found these first at Walker Riverside, I have since recorded them a few times locally. Not that anyone verifies aphids on iRecord – perhaps I am getting a tad niche!

Ragwort Aphid (Aphis jacobaeae) on Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)

A slightly daunting one given that there seem to be only three records of this species on NBN. That said, I think these blackish-looking aphids are Ragwort Aphids (Aphis jacobaeae) on account of their dark green colour and pruinose appearance. They were also found on Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) which helped narrow it down.

Rose Aphid (Macrosiphum rosae) on Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.)

Slightly less of a punt with this one. I think the aphids shown above with their dark kneecaps and feet are Rose Aphid (Macrosiphum rosae). As you can see from the picture, the colour of these critters ranged from lime green to rosy pink. These were recorded on Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.),

Mugwort Aphid (Macrosiphoniella artemisiae) on an ornamental Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Quite an attractive little aphid with a powdered, grey-green body and striking black legs, I think these are Mugwort Aphids (Macrosiphoniella artemisiae). They were found on Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) by a busy roadside close to Gosforth Nature Reserve. As is often the case, having noticed them once, I have now spotted them in several locations – despite there being no verified local records. As far as aphid identification goes, these are fairly nice.

Yarrow Aphid (Macrosiphoniella millefolii) on Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

I do like a species which is (almost) identifiable by foodplant. Strolling through Gosforth Nature Reserve this summer, I was pleased to spot the above aphids crowded on Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). A little googling and it looks like they are the aptly named Yarrow Aphid (Macrosiphoniella millefolii). Slightly less ‘powdery’ than the former species, these have brownish as opposed to black legs.

Black Cherry Aphid (Myzus cerasi)
Myzus cerasi damage to Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)

Spotted not by the aphids themselves, but by the damage caused to my local Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) trees, there is little doubt these are Black Cherry Aphid (Myzus cerasi). They are known to cause the crinkled, deformed leaves shown in the picture above. A shiny, brown to plum-coloured aphid, they are tended by ants which offer protection as they remain concealed with the leaf.

Large Pine Aphid (Cinara pinea) swept from Scots Pine

I like this one. Apparently a favourite food of our conifer specialist ladybirds, this impressive, gold-looking creature is the Large Pine Aphid (Cinara pinea). A great brute of an insect, at least by aphid standards, it was found on Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris). This species appears brown/gold while young before turning grey later on. They’re also dotted in fine black spots just about visible in the above picture.

Dyer’s Broom Aphid (Aphis genistae) on Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum)

If I am not horribly wrong, I am quite excited about this one. Indeed, walking along Scotswood Road a few months past, I was surprised to find a planted Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum) completely covered in frosted-looking aphids. A black aphid covered in a waxy meal, there are currently only three records of Dyer’s Broom Aphid (Aphis genistae) on NBN.

Sycamore Aphid (Drepanosiphum platanoidis) on Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)

Probably the most recognisable aphid, this (I think) is the one known for covering unfortunately parked cars in excrement at the height of summer. Turning over Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) leaves at Prudhoe in the summer, I was pleased to find lots of what I think are Sycamore Aphids (Drepanosiphum platanoidis). The dark cross-bars associated with this species aren’t yet showing in the individual above but I think it was pretty young.

Large Knapweed Aphid (Uroleucon jaceae) on Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)

Probably the one I’m least sure of now but with femora part pale, part dark and given the host plant, I am fairly sure these are Large Knapweed Aphids (Uroleucon jaceae). Not a species recorded frequently at all, it is a reddish/maroon colour with black tubercles and contrasting legs. Interestingly given a surplus of local Knapweed, I have only noted these once.

Botanical Highlights from Newcastle this week

A quick round up of this week’s outings in Newcastle with visits to multiple urban sites across the city.

City Centre

A trip into the very heart of Newcastle last weekend proved far more exciting than anticipated with over 140 species recorded. Starting out at St. Andrew’s Church and a highlight here was Wood Sedge (Carex sylvatica) – not a species commonly encountered in the city – while Guernsey Fleabane (Erigeron sumatrensis) was a good local record. The nearby historic city walls held Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) and a potter along the roadsides fringing Westgate Road an interesting mix of Hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), Hedge Bedstraw (Galium mollugo) and Weld (Reseda luteola).

Stopping at a very active development site close to St. James’ Park, I was delighted to stumble across a thriving brownfield mix of Ribbed (Melilotus officinalis) and White Melilot (Melilotus albus), Viper’s-bugloss (Echium vulgare) and Canadian Fleabane (Erigeron canadensis) typical of disturbed ground.

A quick poke about the pond margins at Leazes Park proved interesting with a new plant for me in Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), an introduction from North America, plenty of Gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus) and what is likely Fool’s-watercress (Helosciadium nodiflorum). Nearby on Claremont Road, some recent disturbance had allowed Hoary Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana) and Red Goosefoot (Oxybasis rubra) to flourish.

Sticky Groundsel (Senecio viscosus)
Hoary Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana)
Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
Ribbed Melilot (Melilotus officinalis)
White Melilot (Melilotus albus)

Heaton and Cochrane Park

A late afternoon wander up the road from home on Friday revealed not one but two new locations for Water Bent (Polypogon viridis), a new arrival here and a ‘Heaton tick’ in Guernsey Fleabane.

At Henderson Hall, it was nice to stumble across a mature Hop (Humulus lupulus) clambering through the path side shrubs – a nice addition to the ongoing urban flora. Here too, Black Horehound was numerous and interesting escapes were noted in Silver Ragwort (Jacobaea maritima), Pirri-Pirri-Bur (Acaena novae-zelandiae) and Italian Toadflax (Cymbalaria pallida).

Walking home via Coach Lane, a quick gander at what remains of the roadside pond here produced Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica) and the nearby grassland held plenty of Hoary Ragwort (Jacobaea erucifolia). By the roadside, some detective work suggested that a strange Mallow self-seeding in places could be the ornamental hybrid, Malva x clementii.

An unidentified Stonecrop in Heaton cemetery
Silver Ragwort (Jacobaea maritima)
Water Bent (Polypogon viridis)
Tentative Malva x clementii
Canadian Fleabane (Erigeron canadensis)

Newburn Industrial Estate

A rare trip out with company this weekend as Saturday saw a slightly damp trip to Newburn alongside keen local botanist, Ho-Yin Wong. Exploring the vast expanse of brownfield here, it was difficult not to feel somewhat glum knowing it is due to be built on in the near future but nevertheless, much remained to be seen. Starting out in the industrial estate, not one but two patches of Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acris) were noted alongside Broad-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) and Hop. The latter is usually a hard species to come by in Newcastle!

Opting first to explore the enormous area of damp grassland here, interesting sightings included Hoary Ragwort, False Fox-sedge (Carex otrubae) and Glaucous Sedge (Carex flacca). Italian Rye-grass (Lolium multiflorum) was a new species for the Urban Flora and it was nice to note Large Bitter-cress (Cardamine amara) by one of the pools. Nearby, the shelterbelt surprised us with planted Juniper (Juniperus communis) and some more natural False-brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum).

Pottering back along the riverside, it came as a surprise to spot not one but two species of naturalised bellflower: Nettle-leaved (Campanula trachelium) and Peach-leaved (Campanula persicifolia). The Dune Helleborines (Epipactis dunensis) were still visible here too while further up, a poke about the industrial estate ponds yielded Lesser Bulrush (Typha angustifolia).

Italian Rye-grass (Lolium multiflorum)
False-brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum)
Peach-leaved Bellflower (Campanula persicifolia)
Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acris)

Plant of the Week: Blue Fleabane

Entry number #5 in our Plant of the Week series follows the discovery of a local rarity, Blue Fleabane, at three sites in Newcastle this week.

Blue Fleabane, Erigeron acris

Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acris) is a small but beautiful member of the Daisy family, Asteraceae. An annual or biennial species, it flowers from July until September and is widely associated with coastal habitats where it favours well-drained dune habitats. A lover of calcareous conditions, it can also be encountered in dry grassland, on verges and occasionally, as an urban weed.

Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acris) growing in a disused planter in Heaton, Newcastle

Befitting a love of well-draining, often quite desolate conditions, I have encountered this species at three sites locally of late. At the first of these, multiple plants were found growing in long-abandoned planters in my local industrial estate, notably in close proximity to Fern-grass (Catapodium rigidum) and other colonisers typical of such habitats. My second encounter came at Walker Riverside where several plants were found growing in pavement cracks by the Tyne. Finally, two more clumps of fleabane were spotted at Newburn Industrial Estate this morning.

Blue Fleabane is a scarce species in the North East, more numerous in County Durham (VC66) than in more Northerly vice-counties. Here, it is found frequently along the coast but also inland where it inhabits quarries and other dry habitats. In South Northumberland (VC67), it can be seen at several sites near Newcastle with an outlying population at Druridge Bay. It is rarer still in North Northumberland (VC68) where it can be seen at select coastal sites, including Lindisfarne.

What does it look like?

Blue Fleabane is similar in appearance to other small-flowered fleabanes in sporting small, inconspicuous flowers borne in panicles. The individual flowers appear flat-topped with ray florets only slightly longer than the disk florets. These lilac outer rays emerge from a yellow centre and from a distance, making the flower appear somewhat blue in colour. It is this feature which gives it the name, Blue Fleabane.

The general impression of this plant is one of a very short (less than 60cm) and densely hairy plant. The square stems are hairy, as are the phyllaries located behind the flowerhead – a useful feature in separating it from other plants in this family. Similarly, the clasping stem leaves are also hairy on both sides. The margins of these leaves are often untoothed or only slightly toothed, further separating this plant from other fleabanes.

Blue Fleabane is said to relieve tooth-ache and arthritic pains, though the truth of this remains to be determined…

Similar species

Canadian Fleabane (Erigeron canadensis) is a common non-native plant across much of the UK, including in the North East. This species tends to be far larger (but not always) and usually sports much more numerous flowers than Blue Fleabane. These are usually smaller too and lack attractive blue colouration.

Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acris) growing as a pavement plant at Walker

Adventives and Invaders at Walker Riverside

A short round-up of a glorious Saturday morning spent botanising one of my favourite local sites.

It is no secret that I am a big fan of the messy, post-industrial yet incredibly diverse riverside park at Walker. Visiting for a few years now, I’ve already amassed a fairly respectable plant list for the site yet somehow, each visit continues to turn up something new. Things were no different on a visit this weekend with local botanist, Ho-Yin Wong.

Heading first for the marina at St. Peter’s Basin and it wasn’t long before colossal fleabane caught my eye growing in no-mans-land by the side of the road. Up here, Canadian Fleabane (Erigeron canadensis) tends to be the common species, so much so that I often walk past them without checking. That’ll teach me, this one turned out to be Gurnsey Fleabane (Erigeron sumatrensis) identified by its hairy phyllaries.

Guernsey Fleabane (Erigeron sumatrensis)
Guernsey Fleabane (Erigeron sumatrensis) showing downy phillaries

Reaching the basin itself, it was pleasing to see that the various areas of pavement and wasteground here had not been ‘tidied’ as so many places around here often are. Lots more Guernsey Fleabane was found, alongside two more invaders: Russian Vine (Fallopia baldschuanica) and Narrow-leaved Ragwort (Senecio inaequidens).

Rummaging around further, Canadian Fleabane (with glabrous phillaries) was eventually observed, alongside Oxford Ragwort (Senecio squalidus) with its conspicuous black bracts. As for the highlight among the native species, it was nice to catch Small-flowered Crane’s-bill (Geranium pusillum) still in bloom.

Russian-vine (Fallopia baldschuanica)
More Guernsey Fleabane (Erigeron sumatrensis)
Narrow-leaved Ragwort (Senecio inaequidens) seems to be spreading in Newcastle

Making our way down to the track that runs along the North bank of the Tyne, the usual riverside flora remained conspicuous. Here, Black Horehound (Balotta nigra) remained in flower and several self-sown Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) were seen. Much more interesting, however, were two new additions to the ‘Walker list’ in Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) and better still, White-stemmed Bramble (Rubus cockburnianus). The latter a Chinese endemic long known from the riverside here yet annoyingly, one which I have struggled to find, until now.

Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
White-stemmed Bramble (Rubus cockburnianus)
Lovely messy riverbanks…

Moving on to the site of the old tar works and a real hotchpotch of interesting plants appeared in quick succession. Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata) remained in bloom, as did Wild Thyme (Thymus drucei), though sadly, the same could not be said for the Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) which grows here too. The Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) dumped on site last summer also appear to be thriving, much to my surprise, and it was interesting to note Grey Alder (Alnus incana). Slightly further on we also encountered Hoary Ragwort (Jacobaea erucifolia).

Grey Alder (Alnus incana)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Hoary Ragwort (Jacobaea erucifolia)
A fantastic patch of wasteground

Back down by the riverside and it was exciting to record both Hoary Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana) and Flattened Meadow Grass (Poa compressa) – both scarce species locally. As a matter of fact, it was thanks to the aforementioned grass that we chanced upon what would turn out to be the highlight of the day – a great clump of Blue Fleabane (Erigeron acris). More on that one in an upcoming post.

Soon it was head off, though not before a quick excursion along the wooded cycleway further up the bank. Here, Chinese Bramble (Rubus tricolor) was a bit of a curiosity as was what I think is Box-leaved Honeysuckle (Lonicera pileata). Having watched it with frustration for two years now, I was also happy to make some headway with the ‘unusual’ spurge that grows here. Looking closer, it appears this might be Balkan Spurge (Euphorbia oblongata), identification made easier by the presence of fruit on this occasion.

Chinese Bramble (Rubus tricolor)
Box-leaved Honeysuckle (Lonicera pileata)
A tentative Balkan Spurge (Euphorbia oblongata)

An Urban Flora of Newcastle – Mapping Wild Plants in the City

A short introduction to a personal passion project mapping the diverse and fascinating flora of Newcastle

As many of you will know, I have a bit of fondness for Britain’s urban flora. I’m not sure why precisely, but for me, there’s something fascinating about how our plants adapt to artificial ecosystems and how species from all around the world find themselves living side-by-side in our cities. For a good few years now, I’ve been recording urban plants here in Heaton, Newcastle, and truthfully, it never gets boring.

More recently, I have been spreading out from my usual haunts at Heaton and Walker to see what else is lurking out there in the city. The result? A mind-boggling number of plants and an intriguing mix of the common, everyday, scarce and exotic. From Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus), an exotic shrub not recorded growing wild in the city before, to coastal Buck’s-horn Plantain (Plantago coronopus) growing by a salted roadside, there’s been a lot to see. So much, in fact, that in only a few weeks, I have notched up 437 plant species within a few miles of home. All of which goes without mentioning other delights such as Atlantic Ivy (Hedera hibernica) hiding in plain sight in my local cemetery, and new and unusual escapes: Niger (Guizotia abyssinica), Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) and Shrub Ragwort (Brachyglottis x jubar).

Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) growing by a roadside in Jesmond
Niger (Guizotia abyssinica) I do believe
Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) growing on Brownfield at Heaton
Atlantic Ivy (Hedera hibernica) in a local cemetery

A Very Urban Flora

Of course, while pottering around looking at plants for the past few weeks, I have made an effort to record all of the species seen in each 1km square visited. These records will be shared with BSBI, of course, but thinking more on the matter, I’ve decided to go one step further and put pen to paper to create something a little more tangible. The obvious answer? An ‘Urban Flora’ for Newcastle.

Now, after some research online, it appears this isn’t something carried out frequently in the UK, nor is it entirely new. Sure, there’s the fab ‘The Urban Flora of Belfast‘ published in the 1990s but this isn’t all that relevant here. Although other studies might exist, creating a flora covering Newcastle seems a worthwhile exercise nevertheless. Britain (and my part of it) is only set to grow more urban in the future and amateur studies such as this provide a useful reference point against which to measure future change. More so, they’re also good fun!

Matt exploring some brownfield land at Heaton. We did manage one new plant….

Getting to work

So, now that I have broken the news and ensured that I can’t back out, what am I going to do?

Going forward, I’ll be visiting each 1km square within the Newcastle city boundary multiple times in multiple seasons, hopefully capturing an accurate picture of the plants growing there throughout the year. This process, I hope, will provide a semi-accurate picture of plant abundance and diversity across what is a fairly typical city. With the exception of street trees (which will form an appendix), I’ll not be recording anything planted, merely any plant spreading of its own accord in the wild.

Of course, there may be a few exceptions to the aforementioned rule. For sanity’s sake, sprawling groups such as Rubus, Taraxacum and Rosa will be omitted, except for conspicuous species. Chinese Bramble (Rubus tricolor) is a good example here. As ever, recorder bias may also play a part in the final result but I hope to counteract this by attempting to learn some of the more difficult groups (gulp, cotoneasters) or at the very least, consulting with some helpful experts.

Garden Pansy (V. x wittrockiana) growing as a pavement plant
Himalayan Honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa) in Jesmond Dene
Greaer Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) peristing on a roadside
A roadside Borage (Borago officinalis) near Gosforth

This being an urban flora, it wouldn’t make much sense to survey and include Newcastle’s more scenic areas – we are blessed with a good few here and many of these resemble more rural environments. As you’ll see from the rough map below, areas of farmland to the North and West will be excluded, as will nature reserves managed to appear ‘natural’. Sorry Havannah, Big Waters and Gosforth. Resembling more of a rural pasture, the Town Moor will also be excluded. That said, greener but typically urban habitats such as parks, roadsides, roundabouts, playing fields, and the like are all fair game. Hopefully, this will help keep things decidedly urban in nature.

For simplicities sake, I’ll be using a system of 1km squares to survey the city

Even for a relatively small area such as Newcastle, carrying out a project like this will (and rightfully should) take up quite a bit of time. I have given myself three years to achieve good coverage, but it may take longer. After that, I hope that I may be able to get the final product published somewhere, though, of course, that depends on a multitude of factors including money, supportive organisations, and the end product not being entirely rubbish!

Well, that’s that. My aim over the next few years is to create something sound, accurate and of both local and hopefully wider interest. Let work on the Urban Flora of Newcastle commence…

Great sites for ladybirds in the North East

A brief and evolving list of great places to find and record ladybirds in North East England.

While out and about recording ladybirds over the last few years, I’ve found myself spending an increasing amount of time at specific local sites. Owing to a blend of habitat diversity and accessibility, these sites have come up trumps in terms of the sheer diversity of ladybirds present, including many of specialists seldom seen in the local area.

While this list is far from definitive and doubtless, many more sites are yet to be revealed, I hope this page gives a flavour of what could be encountered while visiting these places. I’ll aim to update this page as with more excellent spots for ladybirds in the North East as they come to light. I will also try to add some away from Newcastle in due course.

Havannah Nature Reserve

With a mix of heathland, wetland and both coniferous and broadleaf woodland crammed into a relatively small area, it is little surprise that Havannah Nature Reserve is so diverse. The real highlight here is the conifer specialists with Striped, 18-Spot and Pine Scymnus easy to come by and Eyed Ladybird and Black Scymnus also cropping up.

In addition to those above, the heathland at Havannah is a reliable spot for Adonis’ Ladybird, while the pools on site hold Water Ladybird and Red Marsh Ladybirds. Add to these a plethora of more familiar species including Kidney-spot, Pine and Larch ladybirds and the total species count for the site comes in at an impressive 19 species. As far as sites for ladybirds in the North East go, this has to be one of the best.

Typical ladybird habitat at Havannah
A melanistic Striped Ladybird at Havannah

Gosforth Nature Reserve

NHSN’s Gosforth Nature Reserve is another site sporting a decent mix of woodland, wetland and grassland. While it is far harder work than Havannah, it has nevertheless turned up records of Striped Ladybird, Eyed Ladybird and Pine Scymnus in coniferous areas.

The wetlands hold Spotted Marsh Ladybird, Water Ladybird and Red Marsh ladybirds and the grassland areas have lots of 14-Spot and the occasional Adonis’ Ladybird. Pine Ladybird and Larch Ladybird can also be exceptionally abundant here resulting in a species tally of 17 species so far.

Given the number of pines on site, 18-Spot Ladybird has to be there somewhere…

Water Ladybird a Gosforth Nature Reserve
22-Spot Ladybird at Gosforth Nature Reserve
Spotted Marsh Ladybird a Gosforth Nature Reserve

Prudhoe Spetchells

Prudhoe’s chalk mounds make for an interesting walk whatever the season, though the chalk itself has little bearing on the ladybirds present. Once again, the diversity here stems from a nice mix of grassland, woodland and pools. The highlight across grassland areas here is 24-Spot Ladybird, a scarce species locally, while 18-Spot Ladybird and Pine Scymnus can be found in the pines alongside a host of more common species. Water Ladybird is also present on the nearby pools. Not too bad at 12 species so far but doubtless more to be discovered…

Pine Ladybirds a the Prudhoe Spetchells
24-Spot Ladybird found in nearby grassland

Jesmond Old Cemetery

The first local cemetery to make the list and a great place to visit during the winter months. Here, a fantastic range of ladybirds can be found overwintering on headstones including 10-Spot, Pine and Cream-spot Ladybirds. More interesting perhaps is the presence of a single large pine on site which in 2022 alone yielded sightings of 18-Spot, Adonis, and the locally scarce Cream-streaked Ladybird. A more modest 11 species this time but a great range for an inner city greenspace.

That big old pine tree must also hold Striped and Eyed Ladybird and it will be interesting to see if they pop up in the near future.

Cream-streakeed Ladybird in Jesmond Old Cemetery
Pine Ladybird at Jesmond Old Cemetery
18-Spot Ladybirds overwintering on a headstone

Benton Cemetery

Another cemetery now and like Jesmond, one sporting a fantastic set of isolated conifers. With suitable habitat condensed into a relatively small area, it can be easy to find a host of specialists here and sightings to date include Eyed, Striped, Cream-streaked and 18-Spot Ladybirds, as well as Pine Scymnus. From Larch Ladybird to Orange Ladybird, the common city-dwelling species are also represented here producing a fantastic site list of some 12 species.

Eyed Ladybird at Benton Cemetery
A gahering of Orange and Harlequin Ladybirds

Newburn Riverside

The industrial estate, riverside and nearby brownfield land at Newburn lends itself well to ladybird hunting. With a mix of grassland, ponds and evergreen planting, a good day can reveal a surprising number of ladybirds. This is one of only two sites in Newcastle (so far) where Rhyzobius chrysomeloides has been recorded and the grassland here also holds it’s cousin, Rhyzobius litura. Add to these Water Ladybirds around the pools, conifer specialists such as Striped and Eyed Ladybirds and plenty of common species and there’s an awful lot to see. 13 species and counting!

Rhyzobius litura at Newburn Riverside
Striped ladybird at Newburn Business Park
A view over the brownfield land at Newburn

Plant of the week: Italian Toadflax

Entry number #4 in our Plant of the Week series follows an unexpected find in my local cemetery.

In what is quickly becoming a trend in this little series, this week’s plant is not one native to the UK. No, much like our previous Forked Catchfly, this one has its roots in the Mediterranean and is found naturally in Italy. A far cry from a dreary urban cemetery in Newcastle…

Italian Toadflax, Cymbalaria pallida

Italian Toadflax (Cymbalaria pallida) is a small but striking member of the Figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. This delicate little flower was introduced into cultivation in Britain by 1882 and was known to be growing in the wild by 1924. The first report of a naturalised population comes from Bardsea, Westmorland prior to 1977.

Italian Toadflax growing among the headstones in Jesmond Old Cemetery

The natural habitat of Italian Toadflax is rocky outcrops, shingles, scree and mountainsides. In the UK, it has readily adapted to inhabit man-made structures such as buildings, walls and other rocky places. At Jesmond Old Cemetery, where I encountered it, it was found growing in the cracked foundations of various old graves, as well as among the pavement.

In the North East, records of this plant are scarce but widespread. Here, it has been recorded in several towns and villages across Northumberland and County Durham, likely where it has escaped from cultivation. Only in one area does it appear common and widespread – Teesside where it has been recorded in several squares south of Middlesborough. Nationally, the picture is much the same with infrequent but widespread records and particular aggregations around urban centres.

What does it look like?

Italian Toadflax is superficially similar to the much more abundant Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis), a species many of us encounter on a daily basis. The leaves of the two species are similar in shape being dark green and lobed, although those of Italian Toadflax are hairy. In contrast, those of Ivy-leave Toadflax are glossy and hairless.

The flowers of Italian Toadflax are fairly impressive and while they do resemble those of its common cousin, they are far larger and more prominent. Indeed, this is one of the first things noticed about the plant in the field. Look closer and you’ll see that these flowers are an attractive shade of violet with an extensive yellow patch on the flower lip.

It is worth noting that a white form of this species, Cymbalaria pallida ‘Alba’, also exists. As you would expect, the flowers of this cultivar are white as opposed to purple. This has only been recorded a handful of times as a garden escape.

Italian Toadflax has noticable bigger flowers
Looking closely, you can just make out the hairy leaves

Ladybirds along the Tyne – Elswick, Heaton, Havannah & Prudhoe

From the city car parks and urban cemeteries to chalk mounds at Prudhoe, it has been a fantastic fortnight for ladybird recording.

With little time for trips further afield, walks during the closing days of September have seen me sticking closer to home than usual. That said, it has still been a busy few weeks on the ladybird front. With trips to the glorious Prudhoe Spetchells, local cemeteries and a handful of urban areas, there’s been an awful lot to see.

Starting with 24-Spot Ladybird and once again, this usually scarce ladybird has proven itself exceptionally abundant along the Tyne. Visiting Prudhoe, Matt and I found no fewer than 30 while exploring a small patch of grassland by the sewage works. More interesting still, several were also found high up in a pine tree – an odd location for a primarily terrestrial insect. Elsewhere, 24-Spot Ladybirds have also cropped up of late at Wylam and in the city at Elswick.

24-Spot Ladybird (Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata), Prudhoe, Northumberland
24-Spot Ladybird (Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata), Prudhoe, Northumberland

Seldom numerous, Pine Ladybird is not a species I encounter frequently here outside of the winter months. With this in mind, it was good to find decent numbers while exploring the Spetchells – the majority being swept from immature Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris). Away from Prudhoe, last week, a single Pine Ladybird was also found in the car-park of the Mercedes garage at Scotswood – who says ladybird recorders don’t visit some glamourous locations?

Pine Ladybird (Exochomus quadripustulatus)
Pine Ladybirds (Exochomus quadripustulatus)
Pine Ladybirds (Exochomus quadripustulatus), Prudhoe, Northumberland

Whereas Pine Ladybird is a species I see infrequently, a couple of other ladybirds are far more reliable. I won’t spend much time on 7-Spot Ladybird and 2-Spot Ladybird – both are somewhat omnipresent here – but both were encountered at Prudhoe too, predominately on pine.

7-Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)
7-Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)
2-Spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata) at Prudhoe, Northumberland

Slightly more exciting now and the short walk between Wylam and Prudhoe provided a nice opportunity to explore Moo Pond, a small but productive wetland en route to the Spetchells. With plenty of Bulrush (Typha latifolia) it is usually reliable for Water Ladybird and sure enough, with only a few minutes of searching, the individual below was found tucked away in a leaf-sheath.

Water Ladybird (Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata), Prudhoe, Northumberland

Something a little different now and on the same visit to Prudhoe, it was nice to encounter 18-Spot Ladybird while scrutinising the pines growing on Spetchell three. A scarce conifer specialist, this is one of the species I come by least often. This record looks to be the first for the site but seems somewhat overdue given the wealth of conifers present.

A few days later, it was nice to also three of these ladybirds at the ever-reliable Jesmond Old Cemetery, while this weekend, two more were found at Havannah Nature Reserve.

18-Spot Ladybird (Myrrha octodecimguttata), Jesmond, Newcastle
18-Spot Ladybird (Myrrha octodecimguttata), Havannah Nature Reserve, Newcastle

Taking a quick detour into the world of inconspicuous ladybirds now and as ever, Pine Scymnus remains relatively easy to find locally. The one pictured below was beaten from Scots Pine atop the Prudhoe Spetchells though others were found recently at Gosforth Nature Reserve and Havannah.

Pine Scymnus (Scymnus suturalis), Prudhoe, Northumberland

One of the easier ladybirds to find locally, 22-Spot Ladybirds have been encountered recently at Prudhoe, as well as at Gosforth. Most interesting was a sighting of six ladybirds feeding on a mildew-ridden Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) at Elswick, while a few more were found secreted away in some ornamental Euonymus. I must remember to check planted shrubs too!

22-Spot Ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata), Elswick, Newcastle

Having driven past it many times, our visit to the Western side of Newcastle provided the perfect opportunity to explore some of the roadside grasslands that fringes the busy main road at Scotswood. Planted by the council with an interesting chalky mix, it has always looked fairly promising. After ten minutes of searching, I’d all but given up hope when the beautiful Adonis’ Ladybird below appeared in the net. A real treat.

Searching for ladybirds along Scotswood Road, Newcastle
Adonis’ Ladybird (Hippodamia variegata), Scotswood, Newcastle

Now for the undisputed highlight of the last fortnight’s ladybird searching. Cream-streaked Ladybird remains a scarce species in the North East, though one which is evidently spreading northward. I’ve recorded this species at a few sites locally of late but each time the encounter comes as a surprise. It has been great to catch up with this species twice recently: firstly at Jesmond Old Cemetery, a known haunt, and secondly, in an isolated pine at Scotswood. Surely this is one of the best-looking British ladybirds?

Cream-streaked Ladybird (Harmonia quadripunctata), Scotswood, Newcastle
Cream-streaked Ladybird (Harmonia quadripunctata), Jesmond, Newcastle

Last but not least, something a little closer to home. Continuing a good run of Striped Ladybird encounters and having noticed a few as yet unladybirded pine trees behind my local Sainsbury’s in Heaton, I opted for a quick look a fortnight past. After a little searching, it was exciting to find this handsome individual below at rest on a nearby fence post. A full-fat tick for my little urban patch…