Woolacombe BioBlitz - not just a fun day out.....

Dr Pip Jollands explained to Coastwise members how such BioBlitz species counts are a vital contribution to ecology.

The Woolacombe BioBlitz, organised by Coastwise with support from the Big Lottery Fund, NT, DWT, MBA and many others, on 7th September last year was a huge success - especially now that the data have been collated and evaluated.

Pip's overall message is that an understanding of the species present in an area is essential to full understanding of the habitat ecology. In the 10Km OS square including Woolacombe 2830 species have been recorded in the National Biodiversity Network.

The BioBlitz recorded 795 in an 8-hour period, of which 190 (an increase of 7%) were previously unrecorded.These records are used by planners, for land management, public engagement, and for research and education.

The majority of the new finds were insects (Hemiptera), but the very dramatic thunderstorms on the night before the BioBlitz probably cut the number of species considerably; for example, on the morning of the 7th, only a couple of moths were found in the moth trap , and only one mammal found in the 14 mammal traps.  

Pip's talk wasn't all numbers and science, and members saw a selection of favourite and new species. Included here are the Chameleon Prawn, Crystal Sea Slug, Dartford Warbler, Long-Spined Sea Scorpio, Red-headed Ladybird (a first for Devon) and South-Claw Hermit Crab (a first for the S.side of the Bristol Channel).