Fordingbridge Conservation Group http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/ 2026-04-17T04:26:51+00:00 http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/ http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/_media/wiki/logo.png text/html 2026-02-23T00:12:59+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/news/2024/0120_hibernating-shield-bugs?rev=1771805579&do=diff [Hawthorn Shield-bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale)] 20 Jan 2024: Hibernating shield bugs There are not many insects to see at this time of year, but a young visitor spotted a Hawthorn Shield-bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) hibernating inside a rolled-up oak leaf. The same day we also found another species of shield-bug which had been disturbed from its hiding place. This one is the Common Green Shield-bug ( text/html 2026-02-23T00:12:26+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/news/2024/0128_spring-bulbs?rev=1771805546&do=diff [Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) in the woodland area alongside Normandy Way] 28 Jan 2024: Spring bulbs It was nice to see snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) in flower in the woodland area alongside Normandy Way. These were originally planted three or four years ago, and are doing well. An adjacent garden has a spectacular display of them. Wild daffodils ( text/html 2026-02-23T00:11:53+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/news/2024/0205_dead-hedge?rev=1771805513&do=diff 05 Feb 2024: Dead hedge At the previous meeting on the 28th January, we coppiced some of the hazel bushes to reduce excess crowding and shading of the woodland floor, to encourage more growth of woodland flowers such as bluebells, wood anemones, celandines, wild arum, etc. Today we used some of the cut hazel branches and twigs to build a text/html 2026-02-23T00:11:27+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/news/2024/0304_spring-colours?rev=1771805487&do=diff [Scarlet Elf-cup] 04 Mar 2024: Spring colours Although we did not have a full working session on 4th March, a couple of us had a look around the site before the rain began. The snowdrops are going to seed but the wild daffodils are making a splendid display, although some unknown culprit has been chewing many of the trumpets. Lungwort ( text/html 2026-02-23T00:11:01+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/news/2024/0408_turning-green?rev=1771805461&do=diff [Germander Speedwell (//Veronica chamaedrys//)] 08 Apr 2024: Turning green Vegetation is growing rapidly around (and in!) Bishop's Pond. Here's a speedwell, probably Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys). And not just the plants are increasingly green. You may remember a News post on text/html 2026-02-23T00:10:39+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/news/2024/0526_flowers-and-insects?rev=1771805439&do=diff 26 May 2024: Flowers and insects The bluebells have all but finished, but the Red Campion is out, along with other species. The following were spotted today, amongst other kinds too numerous to mention. The Pyramidal orchid has not only survived, it is now producing two flower spikes in place of the one last year. text/html 2026-02-23T00:10:18+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) http://www.fordingbridgeconservation.uk/news/2024/0615_insects-and-flowers?rev=1771805418&do=diff 15 Jun 2024: Insects and flowers EctemniusE. lituratus We are continuing to discover and sometimes identify lots of new wildflower and insect species at the Pond. Here is a Digger Wasp (a species of Ectemnius, possibly E. lituratus) spotted by Ian. Digger wasps are solitary wasps which do not make communal nests. At the previous meeting on 3rd June there was a 14-spot ladybird, which I've never seen before. It rejoices in the Latin name of