I was keen to go back again this year to see if I could find another and hopefully get some photos. We walked along the path on top of the bank looking for suitable spots. The vegetation seems to be a lot more lush this year, with masses of bristly ox-tongue near the Ferry, and loads of wild carrot further along.
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| Saltmarshes Felixstowe Ferry |
I had hoped to see a few waders on the mud but apart from a few very distant dunlin and some gulls, the only bird seen was a little egret.
I was starting to think we were going to miss out on interesting finds when I spotted a Roesel's bush-cricket perched on a leaf. These handsome crickets have expanded their range north in the last few years, as have several other similar species.
Eventually we spotted a large spider in a web, it wasn't a wasp spider but I sat down to try to get some pictures and lo and behold there was a wasp spider close by.
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| Wasp spider |
I like this picture. It shows the habitat, with the river and the saltmarsh in the background and if you look carefully you can see a well-wrapped ladybird and also the stabilimentum, the vertical zig-zag pattern, in the web. The purpose of this is not really known but it may help to attract insects.
While sitting watching this spider another Roesel's appeared so I think they must be quite numerous in the area. The wasp spider is also a fairly recent colonist in Suffolk , previously being confined to the south coast.
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| Wasp spider |
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| Roesel's bush-cricket |
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