4
THE OLD WATER WORKS SITE AT SANDFORD MILL
AN UPDATED LIST OF BRYOPHYTES
Bryophytes (Mosses)
Amblystegium humile
Amblystegium riparium
Amblystegium serpens
* Campylium elodes
* Drepanocladus aduncus
Cratoneuron filicinum
Bryum argenteum var argenteum
Bryum argenteum var lanatum
Bryum bicolor
Bryum capillare
* Bryum caespiticium
Bryum pallescens
Tortula muralis
Tortula intermedia
Tortula ruralis
Tortula latifolia
Brachythecium albicans
Brachythecium rutabulum
Brachythecium mildeanum
* Climacium dendroides
Calliergon cuspidatum
Rhynchostegium confertum
Eurynchium praelongum
Tim Pyner
Eurynchium swartzii
* Eurynchium striatum
Grimmia pulvinata
Schistidium apocarpum
Fontinalis antipyretica
Orthotrichum diaphanum
Orthotrichum cupulatum
Barbula convoluta
Barbula unguiculata
Barbula vinealis
Barbula cylindrica
* Barbula tophacea
Barbula trifaria
Barbula hornschuchiana
* Dicranella varia
* Leptobryum pyriforme
Ceratodon purpureus
Hypnum cupressiforme
Bryophytes (Liverworts)
* Aneura pinguis
* Found in lime-rich areas
A SHOCKING TALE OF ANTS
The Black Ant, Lasius niger, is a frequent pest of houses, usually finding a way into
houses from outside. It is our most common garden ant and is particularly fond of
building nests beneath paving stones which often abut the walls of houses. I have had an
ant problem in my kitchen for some years now, especially during warm weather in the
summer when theyforage for food on work tops. This year 1 noticed that a great many
seemed extremely interested in the plug attached to my electric toaster and I saw much to
and froing of ants into the plug through the gap where wires enter.
At the end of the summer, my toaster packed up and I replaced it. On examination, the
plug was found to be jammed solid with dead ants, all workers, actually numbering 429 in
all. Nowhere in the literature have I read anything about the effects of electrical or
magnetic fields on ants. Something, 1 am sure, was attracting the ants to the plug, could it
be the electric field? I would welcome any comments and similar observations.
R. G. Payne