Distinguish by ear Roesel's bush-crickets and Meadow Grasshoppers:
Roesel's bush-cricket
Song: a loud, continuous, high buzz like overhead power cables (set bat detector to c. 20kHz).
Meadow Grasshopper
Song: scratchy bursts of chirps (set bat detector to c. 10kHz).
You may also hear Common carder bees, or see their nests in the form of small moss domes.
A third of the way down the path through the Long Meadow, notice the Buddleia
scrub on your right. A number of varieties were planted including various colour var-
iants of Buddleia davidii. Buddleia globosa 'Golden Globe' beside the bench, is a food
plant for a wide variety of bees.
Buddleia (or Buddleja), named after the English botanist Adam Buddle (1662-1715), were planted because of the link with the docks. Cuttings and seeds were widely imported by seamen, and by accident.
Butterflies found here include Speckled wood, Meadow brown, Common blue, and skippers, named for their quick, darting flight. Moths include the striking Six spot burnet. They feed on the purple Field scabious and the white and red clover.
>> At the end of the Long Meadow, turn left and follow the path as it curves. On your right is a chalk pool (fenced off), a place to spot damsel flies and darters. Carry on and you pass through a grassy woodland glade with three pollarded oaks on your right. Take the track to the left, which leads you through the fungi garden with Three cornered leek smelling of onions. Continue on the path, then take a sharp left, which will brings you to a woodland track into Russia Dock Woodland. Turn left to return to the SHED via Globe Pond. Continue on page 7.
>>Alternatively take optional excursion on page 6.