What we found in Cranworth.

On the 19^th of September, our walk at Cranworth started at St Mary’s Church. Located in the middle of the village of Cranworth, St Mary’s is a lovely 14^th century church set within a landscape of open pasture land, woodland fragments and arable fields.

The beginning of the walk started with an opportunity to enter the church just as the sun was setting. On entering the church, we immediately heard a few pipistrelles flying around the darken interior of the building, identified later by our detectors as Common Pipistrelles. We were also able to see the pipistrelles flying around the church, a spectacle that was appreciated by all who attended, in particular the younger members of the group. 

Outside we were also fortunate enough to see a Common Pipistrelle flying erratically around the church roof, its silhouette clear against the bright evening sky.  A larger bat was also observed flying above the roof of the building, which could have been a Serotine bat. 

Walking further into the village, we picked up the calls of  the Common Pipistrelle and the Soprano Pipistrelle, and saw them foraging along the hedgerows and among the oak trees lining the side of the road. We also heard a  Noctule bat from far away. On returning back to St Mary’s we heard a Serotine bat. The Serotine bat is a large bat, generally emerging 20 -25 minutes after sunset, though occasionally can be heard before. Unlike the Noctule bat, another large bat, which flies high above the tree line in a straight line, the Serotine bat has a leisurely flight pattern, flying above roof height and feeding along woodland edges and treelines. On the detector, the Serotine bat call sounds like slow, loud, irregular smacks, unlike the Noctule which emits a loud 'chip chop' sound . Due to the loss of potential habitat in the surrounding countryside, Serotine bats now mainly roost in buildings, particularly older structures with cavity walls and high gable ends.

Serotine Bat © NBSG Charlotte Packman

The moth trap  that evening provided us with some  moths including Setaceous Hebrew Characters, Large Yellow Underwings, a Beaded Chestnut and a few Vine Rustics. We also had two other moths that we were unable to identify in the field. These were a Lunar Underwing and a Centre-barred Sallow. Thank you to everyone who came to the walk. It was an enjoyable experience. ^8^

Beaded Chestnut 
Can be chestnut brown, reddish brown, to greyish
yellow and dark brown in colour. Flies around from September to early
 November. The larvae feeds on herbaceous plants like buttercups,
clovers, chickweeds and hawthorn when it becomes larger. Can be
found in broadleaved woodlands, scrub, hedgerows, grassland,
heathland and gardens

Centre-barred Sallow
A common moth that can be found in broadleaved woodland especially
patches that contain Ash trees. Can also be found in hedgerows, along riverbanks
and in gardens. Flies around from August to September and are drawn to light.

The larvae feeds on the unopened buds and flowers of mature Ash trees. 

Lunar Underwing

Lunar Underwing
Another common but variable moth. Colours rang from light to dark brown,
 to yellowish brown and reddish brown. Has a distinctive row of small
black arrow like spots on the outer edge of the wings, ending with
larger black dashes near the tips of the wings. Flies around from late
August to mid October and is attracted to light. Can be found in grassland,
 parkland and garden habitats. The larvae feeds on grasses including
Annual Meadow Grass and Yorkshire Fog.