GVCG members travelled to Wheaten Fen, near Norwich on 10.08.21. Here Warden Will and his assistant led the group onto the Fen when they were introduced to a variety of damp loving plants and insects including the rare non- photosynthetic Ivy Brown Rape which is attached to Ivy plant roots and the Brown beetle, Galleruca laticolus, which is only found on this site. The site is carefully managed by regular mowing of reeds along the channels, the cuttings added to the paths, to raise the level.. Where the ditches are near agricultural land, there can be nitrate pollution from the fields which encourages duckweed. An afternoon stroll to Wheaten Broad it was found to be rich in fish, and above the water, many dragonflies and butterflies. Will and his assistant were thanked for their very full and interesting descriptions of the Fen and its plants and animals. As a conservative estimate, 30 + different species of plants, 4 species of butterflies and 3 species of dragonflies were identified on the day.
It is estimated that 10,000 species have been identified at Wheatfen.
