Insects
There a wide variety of invertebrates on the Heath, the notable species are:
There a wide variety of invertebrates on the Heath, the notable species are:
- Diving beetles can be found in the pond
- Bees, wasps and ants across the Heath, including mining bees and wasps. You can see evidence of them in summer and autumn by their tiny holes in the dry dusty paths.
- A range of dragonflies and damselflies
- The Minotaur Beetle, again widespread across the Heath. Its name is derived from the maze of tunnels it creates to house its larvae. These large dung beetles (slightly smaller than a stag beetle) are seen from time to time carrying rabbit droppings in their front legs and taking them down the holes which are made to fit the droppings.
- Crickets and grasshoppers (Orthoptera), and in particular Roesel's bush-cricket and the mottled grasshopper
- Butterflies, including the Comma, the Essex Skipper and the Gatekeeper