It has been a busy few days on the Meadows. On the afternoon of Sunday 14 June our ecologist Martin Hammond led a small, damp group of people around the Copse Meadow and Reservoir Basin examining some of the deadfall traps and ponds that he is currently surveying as part of an invertebrate survey, part-funded by Biffa, and a PSYM survey funded by the Freshwater Habitats Trust. A couple of the rare Necklace Ground Beetles were found, along with some of the great variety of life occupying the ponds. Unfortunately due to the weather he was unable to demonstrate sweep netting and other tools of the entomologist.

On Tuesday 16 June we had two events. One was hosting a pond dip at the Pond for the Lord Mayors Own (York) Beaver troop, when they got to see and handle the Tansy Beetle, along with catching a large number of pond creatures and trying to identify them. At the same time Martin Hammond took a group of people around Clifton Ings and the Meadows detailing the history and agricultural background that make them so special.

Our thanks to both groups for their donations to our work.

The next walk currently planned is on Sunday 19 July at 2 p.m. when Dr Rachel Pateman of Butterfly Conservation will be doing a guided walk on the subject of butterflies and their habitats.