4
NATURE NOTES from Ken Hill
Earthworms are key organisms in the environment, but little is known about the distribution
of thedifferent species, changes in national status or impact and rate of spread of new
species or of new predators, such as New Zealand and Australian flat-worms. Urban areas
are particularly interesting for recently established species, but rural places and urban
fringes may reveal the greatest threats to long established species.
The Department of Biology at Padova University has developed the Lombri Cd-Rom to help
identitfy earthworms from Italy and adult features for 85 species are included together
with photos or drawings of 32 species, many of which also occur in central and northern
Europe.
For those interested and with the facilities available to use such programmes, contact
should be made with Dr. Maurizio G. Paoletti or Dr. Carlo Gradenigro, Dipartimento di
Biologia, via Trieste 75, Universita di Padova, 35100 Padova, Italy.
Concern regarding the Water vole is led by the Environment Agency, in the UK Biodiversity
Action Plan. All the surveys to pin-point Water voles are passed to the agency, including
the wildlife trusts' Water vole watch project.
The project uses an informative illustrated leaflet with an attached questionnaire aimed to
involve younger members of the wildlife trusts movement. The form gives a tick-list for
the information needed by scientists.
Urban fringe areas are supposed to be particularly fruitful for searches.
For copies of the Water vole watch leaflet, contact Water Volewatch, Wildlife Watch, The
Green, Witham Park, Waterside South, Lincoln LN5 7JR.
Aberdeen City Council and Scottish Natural Heritage commissioned a survey on the
location of Badgers in their area, in order to take the needs of this shy mammal into
consideration when preparing new developments.
Householders are warned to think long and hard before feeding Badgers. They are very
much creatures of habit, and problems often develop if the food supply suddenly stops, if
their benefactor suddenly moves away or goes on holiday, for example. The Badgerswill
turn up at the usual time expecting food, if none is provided, they will go into a frenzy
searching for some. The search can involve digging up lawns looking for earthworms -
regarded as a nuisance by most householders.
Scottish N atural Heritage advises that there is no reason why Badgers should require extra
food from people.
The above notes were gleaned from Urban Wildlife News Volume 14 No..?, dated
August 1997, and published by English Nature, Northminster House, Peterborough.
Engineering work on the Fowles Brook in Stoke-on-Trent, has badly damaged a colony of Water
voles. Although their presence was common knowledge, it had not been reported to the Biological
Records Centre, so there was no official knowledge to ring alarm bells. A survey by the Staffordshire
Wildlife Trust backed by the Environment Agency, identified the site as one of the most important in the
county, but it arrived too late.
This case reinforces the importance of systematic surveys like this, and of information being passed to
the local Biological Records Centre and Field Club County Recorders.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 24, February 1998