Insects -
Early Spring
Purple
Hairstreak Butterfly
Looking towrds the top of an old Oak Tree is the best way
to see this small canopy loving butterfly. A pair of
binoculars would be very useful to see them a little
better. Or a visit early in the morning may reveal one a
little lower catching the low morning sun
Top
Spots
We're getting the GeoCache Information so check for updates
regularly
Grasshoppers
Easy to hear, but harder to see, the evening sound of 'Olde
Englande' is very evident around the fens. A late evening
walk in the summer is bound to be serenaded by the
mechanical regularity of the song of this insect's leg
rubbings
Top
Spots
Fen Rivers Way path upstream of the A142 bridge over the
River Ouse (TL 545 793 or N+52 23' 22" E+0 16' 12"), River
Ouse in Ely, close to Fen Rivers Way down stream (North) of
Pocket Park (TL 554 803 or N+52 23' 54" E+0 17' 2") and
Wicken Fen (TL 561 703 or N+52 18' 28" E+0 17' 15")
Mosquitos
King of the undrained fen. The mosquito inhabits the jungle
created as nature reserves such as Wicken Fen expand and
destroy many acres of agricultural farmland, depriving the
intensive fenland food factory of many pounds worth of
profit. Whilst you may enjoy searching for these little
blood suckers, beware as malaria was once endemic across
the fens. Fenmen of old treated the so-called 'fen ague'
with preparations of locally grown opium and cannabis. It
is possible that if the Wicken Vision goes ahead struggling
local landowners may be forced to revert to farming these
traditional crops as witnessed recently in Waterside, Ely
Top
Spots
Just sit on the edge of a fen drain in the early evening,
after a brisk walk, your odour should bring them to you!