The wildlife that we survey includes the flora and fauna classifications found within a 15 mile radius of Ellistown including insects, arachnids, wildflowers, mammals, reptiles, grasses, trees, fungi, lichens etc.

Our surveys are undertaken throughout a range of local habitats including woodlands, meadows, ponds, parks, farmland and urban etc. The group also takes part in field day trips to other sites within the UK that have a particular interest.

The surveying of our wildlife can indicate the population density of particular species in a given area as well as indicating a range of plants, invertebrates and other wildlife that the particular species may feed from.

Surveys undertaken at the same time / same site each year, inform the group of population increases and decreases. All our surveyed data is captured onto spreadsheets and logged into our records, creating a nature diary and reference point.

The kit that our group uses to monitor local wildlife populations is quite varied, due to the range of wildlife and the varied habitats that we survey.

To survey wildlife found in our ponds, rivers and lakes we use pond dipping nets with small mesh to capture and contain the smallest invertebrates. We then carefully transfer the contents of our nets into shallow trays containing water to survey the wildlife moving freely in water. We have various containers with magnifying lens that we can then use to observe and aid with identification of individual species.

The surveying of invertebrates found in grassland requires the use of sweep nets that we use to capture the invertebrate communities. We then transfer the contents using our magnified beakers, or for very small invertebrates a pootah which is used much like a vacuum.

Invertebrates found in the tree canopy are surveyed with the use of a beating tray which the user holds whilst beating accessible tree branches to collect invertebrates.

The surveying of our night time moth populations is undertaken with a moth trap which uses a special light to first attract the moths and then captures them over the course of the night. We then survey the traps in the morning to record the local moth population.

At night we also survey for bats using bat detectors which record echo location using various frequencies, dependent on the given bat species.

The surveying of grassland and woodland floor plant community populations is undertaken with a quadrant, which measures areas within a square metre. All wildlife that has been caught with our kit is then carefully released back into the spot in which it was first found.

Our survey work is generally undertaken on Sunday afternoons and is a fun, interesting activity which is undertaken many times from April to September.