Dancing cheek to cheek

An ancient piece of wilderness; an outstanding example of a lowland raised bog

If you like big spiders this is the place for you! Here in this gorgeous peat bog lives the great raft spider, a six-inch monster that walks across water in search of prey. This is as ancient a piece of wilderness as you will find in Shropshire, a miraculous relic circled with trees beyond which the modern world gets on with intensive agricultural production     …………..


I had to get up early this morning to be picked up by the Guides of our branch of the Shropshire Wildlife Trust who were taking a party of us on a guided walk around the Wem Moss Nature Reserve here.  It was perfect weather and our Guides gave us a very interesting insight into the history and maintenance of this particular peat bog and its inhabitants ……Three British Species of Sundew moss survives here;  the two grandchildren of a couple on the walk, (Jesse 9 and Sam 11) loved the demonstration of the ‘weeing moss’ (Moss which holds an inordinate amount of water and thus expels it when squeezed.  ‘Weeing Moss’ was found to contain great healing properties and in WWI it was used as dressings on the wounded), and Sam was an expert in locating and capturing baby Raft and other Spiders and bugs in collection containers.


I’ve learnt so much today about Peat Bogs and the plants and wildlife that exist there; One particular plant, the Bog Mytle appears in one of JK’s Harry Potter books:  the lady who looks after the toilets  was called Moaning Myrtle and ….bog?  Another name for the loo!! 

 

We had the Warning! There are adders on the Moss and so it is essential to wear wellingtons or walking boots. It’s rough walking and no place for a picnic!

Didn’t see any Adders but SAW lots of exciting plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, two Lizards, an egg case of a Grass Snake, an enormous Owl pellet, several Caterpillars, two Gatekeepers dancing cheek to cheek??!! (my Blip) and in Extras:  A beautiful Peacock Butterfly, Green-Veined White Butterflies on Mentha Aquatica (Water Mint) the little yellow flower is Tormentil (Potentilla Erecta), and a Raft Spider in a collection tube who I’m afraid ate the other smaller Spider and we HEARD Stonechats and 4 Buzzards which circled and mewed above us.

 

A thoroughly nice way to spend a morning, particularly on this lovely day.  Shattered now and going to catch up on the Olympics.