Meeting Reports February 2026
16 members were present to hear the speaker Jim Flanagan, President of the Sorby Natural History Society, delivered a talk entitled “A Bug Miscellany.”
Jim, who is the Hemiptera Recorder for the Sorby, stated that his talk would be about the terrestrial ‘Het’ bugs of South Yorkshire.
He said his talk would cover the morphology, behaviour, strategy, museum collections, and resources. associated with the Heteroptera or True Bugs. Jim , who became the Sorby Hemiptera recorder in 2002, stated that there were 600 plus species in Great Britain, and of these 385 had been recorded in South Yorkshire (c. 60% of the national total). He referenced “True Bugs of the World” published in 1995 that gave a review of Heteropteran biology, morphology, and classification down to the subfamily level.
He went on to cover the structure of terrestrial Het bugs, their life cycle and how they over-wintered as eggs and nymphs, their feeding strategies, wing dimorphism within species and between sexes. Followed by stridulation (the production of low frequency vibrations and sounds), and aposematism (warning signals). Next, he mentioned the trend for bugs movement from coastal areas to inland sites.
After a short break, Jim continued with the rate of new Hemiptera species, and as noted in the South Yorkshire area. The Sorby Record 2011, No. 47, was mentioned as it featured a paper that Jim wrote about new species of Het bug recorded over the previous 14 years (up to 2013 – the 2011 Sorby Record was published in 2013) in South Yorkshire which totalled 36 species. Since 2014 Jim had documented a further 22 species new to South Yorkshire. Last year alone saw 7 new species of Het bug to the ‘county’, including the Psallus helenae and P. anaemicus, these two being species of plant bug (Miridae family) associated with Turkey oak (Quercus cerris) with the first records from Blaxton and Finningley, as well as the seedbugs Metopoplax ditomoides (from Rossington) and Nysius graminicola (from several sites including Hooton Pagnell and Cudworth).
Next, Jim moved on to new bug records in recent years and regular / important sources of records. Moth trapping being a popular method of finding new bugs. Then the talk moved on to discuss oddities that have been discovered in recent years, and instanced one species, the seedbug Orsillus pinacanariensis, that arrived secreted away in a cone of the Canary Island Pine that had been brought back from a holiday in Gran Canaria to Sheffield.
Heteropteran collections in various museums and how they were being curated was covered next , followed by recent literature on the subject, websites and recording schemes available brought the talk to a close. There followed several discussions between members and the speaker, and the audience showed their appreciation of an interesting and informative talk.
Members present included the President (JB), 4 Past-presidents (TH, CAH, LH & NB). Other officials included Programme Secretary (JS) & webmaster (LC). Other members were SM & GB; JN; LB; JB; TH; DR; PS; TP.
Apologies from MP.
Les (Jim Flanagan kindly corrected and improved my report)
13 members and one guest were present to hear Jeff Lunn of The Garganey Trust deliver a talk on the work of the Garganey trust and a detailed overview of one of its sites, Delf, and a brief review of other sites generally.
Jeff stated that the Garganey trust was formed in 1998 and is run by five trustees, all volunteers, Keith Clarkson, David Knight, Jeff Lunn, Andy Barker, Geoff Carr. The aims of the trust is conversation of natural habitats. They now have six site totaling 160 acres of various habitats.
Why Garganey? Jeff explained that the Garganey is a rare breeding bird and it was hoped that it might breed at the trust’s first site, Broomhill Flash, as conditions there were deemed to be ideal. Unfortunately, it has not happened yet, said Jeff.
Then followed a brief resume of all the trust’s sites. Flamborough Head in east Yorkshire (a partnership with Flamborough Bird Observatory). The trust managed 13 acres with a view to restoring a wildflower rich grassland.
Thunderbridge Meadows, 15 acres, botanically rich which supports the rare Wood Cranesbill and has the white-letter hairstreak butterfly and brown trout in the onsite stream.
Denaby Delf, 30 acres, 1000 ft above sea level near Kirklees that is bisected with public footpaths, and an informal circular footpath around the site. Typical stone walls mark the site boundary rather than hedgerows, with a mixture of meadow and heathland forming the site. The two hay-meadows support a diverse flora with hybrid marsh orchids being abundant. Breeding birds of skylark, meadow pipit, burnet moth caterpillars and brown hares being common.
The sloping heathland overlooking Denby Dale has bilberry and heather, with western gorse which flowers in autumn. Ten individual green hairstreak butterflies have been counted on site.
There is a grassland scrub mosaic on the acid soil, but encroaching trees are threatening. Here scattered trees will be encouraged in the open grassland creating a diversity of habitat preferred by butterflies. Also, there are brown hare, yellow hammer which are now retreating from low land to higher grounds, and 2 pair of linnets. Matt grass in the acid habitat, harebells in summer and autumn, and wall brown butterflies. There is also a quarry and woodland habitat where roe deer can be seen.
Managing the site involves maintain the fences and gates, while some professional dog walkers abuse the orchid meadows are a problem. The hay meadows are closed, and cattle are introduced after July. Footpath repairs, steps introduced on the steeper slopes, being appreciated by the local people. Selected thinning of the scrub is ongoing work.
Projects involve the introduction of barn owl boxes, which a kestrel is using. Seven Interpretation boards are scattered around the site. Guided walks all also provided. Financially the trust is supported by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme run by the government on a 5 year agreement. There is also income from farmers grazing animals etc.
At the end of the presentation, a discussion regarding the discovery of a seal colony on the Flamborough coast, after which Colin thanked the speaker for a most interesting talk and the audience showed there appreciation in the usual manner.
Members present LH; TH; ??; DA; IF; JN; G&SB; CAH; LC; JB.
One visitor Jim Flanagan
Apologies from JS.
Les
‘The End of the Line’ a talk by Louise Hill & Colin Howes
A Walk around RSPB Old Moor nature reserve
Leader : Jim Burnett
7 other members being present.
A dull and wretchedly cold, wet and windy day, the fine rain turning to sleet … but a good time was had by all!
Bird feeder Hide
Brown Rat; Grey Squirrels; Magpie; Carrion Crow; Jackdaw; Pheasant; Blackbird; Song Thrush; Dunnock; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Coal Tit; Long-tailed Tit; Lesser Redpolls; Gold Finches; Green Finches; Chaffinch; Reed Bunting ; … (might have been Tree Sparrow).
Family Hide
Magpies; Black-headed Gulls; Lesser Black-backed Gulls; Cormorants; Great crested Grebe; Moorhen; Coots; Mallards; Shovelers; Tufted Ducks; Teal; Wigeon.
Long Hide at end of track.
A Robin joined us in the hide [out of the rain and hoping to share crumbs from our sandwiches); 50+ Black-headed Gulls; Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls; Heron; Cormorants; Little Grebe; Great Crested Grebe; Lapwings; Goosander (Male); Goldeneye (Female); Pochard; Tufted Ducks; Gadwall; Mallard; Shoveler; Teal; Graylag Geese; Canada Geese.
Redwings & Fieldfares in the hedgerows.