Lihou BioBlitz

What an incredible day we had at Lihou Headland yesterday!

16th September 2021

UPDATE!

Just received the news that a new species for Lihou Headland and for Guernsey has been confirmed. Thalassisobates littoralis is a tiny millipede species that lives in coastal habitats on sand or shingle, often hidden under seaweed. These were found in the beach pitfall traps.

Thanks to the Pollinator Project for inviting Nick Baker to Guernsey and everyone who helped make this day a success. A special thanks to Sharon Hickman from the Pollinator Project and Becky Ogier of La Société Guernesiaise for organising things. 

Nick Baker hunting for minibeasts in rockpools © Liz Sweet

We started on the beach and rocks searching rockpools for hidden species including 7 different crab species, 4 anemones, Lightbulb sea squirt (Clavelina lepadiformis) and the cutest little marine isopods (crustaceans that include woodlice species).

Lightbulb sea squirt (Clavelina lepadiformis) © Liz Sweet

Back on land the kids helped spot a massive 32 different birds and their eagle eyes found tiny leafhoppers bugs (3mm long), Bishop’s Mitre Shieldbug (Aelia acuminata), spiders, grasshoppers, crickets, butterflies… and so much more.

BioBlitz at Lihou Headland

My personal highlights included finally getting to see the Yellow Head Fly (Tachina grossa) in the wild, Brown Argus Butterfly (Aricia agestis) which was thought extinct in Guernsey and has only recently made a reappearance and a Bee Wolf (Philanthus triangulum).

Not to mention an incredible 85 Scaly Crickets (Pseudomogoplistes vicentae). These crickets are so rare that’s the equivalent of walking down to Lihou Causeway and coming face to face with a herd of African Elephants.

So what did we find?

So far I’ve got 117 species listed and that doesn’t even include plants! Or species we are waiting on an identification… I’ll update you as more information comes in. 

This event would not have been possible without...

This would not have been possible without the incredible volunteers and local experts who gave up their time to help educate local children, including:

Entomologist extraordinaire Andy Marquis, all of the Pollinator Project team, Barry, Andy, Sharon, Louise

Becky and Sarah (Education Conservation Team from La Société), Damian, Francis, Emily and Andy (the Asian Hornet and ACLMS Team), Lesley, Trevor, Julie, Ian (Nature Guernsey), local marine scientist Clare M., States Biodiversity Officer Julia Henney and others.