11
ROADSIDE VERGES, A USEFUL HABITAT FOR INVERTEBRATES?
As part of efforts to obtain a reasonable coverage for distribution maps of spiders in
Essex, Ray Ruffell has looked at a number of roadside verge sites, in parts of the county
where there is little remaining natural grassland. Results suggest that roadside verges can
be surprisingly interesting, with the presence of a number of local species including the
interesting harvestman Anelasmocephalus cambridgei, a species usually associated with
chalk habitats but here found in the north east of the county at a number of locations, the
local spider Cicurina cicur, normally found in woodland under logs and dry grassland
habitats, and the nationally notable money spider Centromerus incilium mainly
associated with chalk grassland habitats and sandy grassland in the Breck but seemingly
widespread in Essex.
The most interesting verges are likely to be those that represent remnants of former
natural habitats, and unsympathetic management could easily destroy these valuable areas
e.g. at Heydon, in modern Cambridgeshire but included in the Watsonian county of Essex
there is a length of roadside verge and bank rich in calcicole plants and with an
abundance of cowslips in the spring. Last year a significant length of this had been
destroyed by the apparently pointless removal of the turf and topsoil from a long section
of bank. The widespread use of weedkillers on verges in past decades has greatly reduced
their floral and probably faunal interest and they are vulnerable to other types of
inappropiate management. The overwhelming importance of the motor car means the
constant loss of old verges and habitat to road widening schemes, by-passes, etc. and
pollution from the constant stream of traffic. As some compensation of course we have
the motorway verges which must now represent the largest areas of rough grassland in
the county.
It would be most interesting to know more about the development and value of roadside
verge flora and fauna in the county. A worthwhile study - any offers?
WHATS ON
ESSEX FIELD CLUB
Sun. 22nd Nov. Bird Group. Minsmere, Dunwich Common and Westleton Heath.
Meet
TM 450692 at 10.00 am for a full day's birdwatching. Phone 0277
651890 for details to arrange car sharing. If interested in a full
weekend (staying in the area Saturday night) phone well in advance.
Sat. 12th Dec.
Botany Group. How to collect and identify your Dandelions. Jerry
Heath. Epping Forest Conservation Centre at 2.30 pm.
Sun. 13th Dec.
Bird Group. An Epping Forest Safari. Meet at Conservation Centre
TQ412981 at 10.30 am Phone 081-989 2783 for details.
Thurs. 26th Dec.
Boxing Day Ramble. "Two Churches of Willingale". 4 1/2 miles. Meet
opposite Bell Public House TQ 597072 at 10.30 am. Morning only.
Leaders Maureen and John Tollfree. Phone 0708 42206.