Scarce Chaser

A rather exhausting day surveying the Whitewater Valley CWS, a limestone stream with areas of dense and tangled willow carr, treacherous peaty seepages and stands of planted poplar, which creaked very ominously in the strong and gusty wind. The presence of many fallen trees wasn't very re-assuring.

But we found plenty of species of interest including a small stand of Marsh Valerian which hadn't been recorded from the site for many years. Pete also found a Withy Weevil (see extra) a very cryptic species with spiky scales, that is easily overlooked as an old bird dropping. This used to be a pest of osier beds, and still is in some parts of Europe, but it is now very local in the UK. The Scarce Chaser was altogether more handsome, but doesn't really belong in the site, and is probably a wanderer from the River Nene.