Special Species
PINE LONG-HORNED HOVERFLY
This gorgeous hoverfly, with fiery red hairs that make it look like a burning ember, is only found at one location in Wales – among the tall pine trees of Margam Park.
It was first recorded there in 2019. It’s larvae inhabit water-filled rot holes of conifers and adults can be found basking in the spring sunshine on pine tree trunks.
WOODLAND FUNGI
Woodlands are important habitats for fungi and local conifer forests support a large diversity of these fascinating organisms. More than 130 species of macrofungi have been found in Sitka Spruce forests in NPT and Beech woods, such as those in Briton Ferry Woods and Glyncastle Forest, often contain diverse communities.
BLUE GROUND BEETLE
The Blue Ground Beetle has declined dramatically in Britain over the last 100 years, but it seems to have a stronghold in South Wales. The recent discovery of this striking beetle in Maesmelin Woods and a few other oak woodlands in the Neath Valley is a significant success story for biodiversity in NPT. It seems likely that more populations of this beetle will be discovered in the county.
MARSH FRITILLARY
The Marsh Fritillary butterfly has undergone a significant decline in numbers in Wales and this picture is reflected in the dramatic loss of populations from NPT over the last 50 years. Its favoured habitat in the county is marshy grassland or rhos pasture with Devil's-bit Scabious, which the caterpillars feed on, and plants that provide nectar for flying adults, e.g. Meadow Thistle. Loss of appropriate habitat followed by broken meta-population connectivity have probably played a major role in the decline.
IVY LEAVED BELLFLOWER
Due to the large losses of its native habitats which have occurred in the last 100 years, Ivy-Leaved Bellflower is an endangered species of some concern. In NPT, it is found in a few unimproved marshy grassland and heathland habitats but also in humid banks above streams and ditches in conifer plantations where it is protected from intense grazing. The plight and conservation of this charming species has been ignored in Wales while it has continued to shrink in its abundance due to habitat loss. Populations in NPT require careful consideration and management.
ADDER
The Adder is the only venomous snake in the UK but is not an aggressive species. Adders are mostly found in areas of rough countryside with edge habitats. They are variable in colour but always have a distinctive dark zig-zag down the spine. The best way to find them is to move slowly along the edge of a path through bracken but even then you will need to be very quiet and have a keen eye to spot them. Adders unfortunately still suffer from some persecution in NPT.
© Charles Hipkin
GREATER BURNET
Greater Burnet is a species of mesotrophic grasslands, particularly on flood plains, but it is also found in roadside verges and dune grasslands. It is quite tall and very conspicuous when it is in flower with its almost black, wind-pollinated flowerheads. It is widely distributed in the Neath and upper Tawe Valleys where it is an important indicator of semi-improved, mesotrophic grassland. Its scattered distribution in the upper Neath Valley between Resolven and Glyn Neath suggest that the bottom-lands here were predominantly alluvial grasslands before they were drained and improved for grazing.
ROESEL'S BUSH CRICKET
This attractive cricket is a relatively new addition to the NPT fauna. It was reported by a member of the public in 2019 from the Skewen area. A medium sized cricket they are brown to yellow with a green shade with three pale spots on the thorax and a cream-coloured margin around the sides of the pronotum. Females are identified by their large ovipositor (which looks like a sting but is totally harmless). The males have a very distinct song (striadulation) which is continuous and very high pitched. The species is currently expanding its range from south-east England north and west, possibly due to climate change as they do best in hot summers.
GREATER BUTTERFLY ORCHID
This large, striking orchid is a key indicator of traditionally managed, neutral, mesotrophic grassland in south Wales. It is currently known from only two grassland sites in NPT, both in the northern sector of the county. The number of individuals that appear varies greatly from year to year, which is fairly typical of hay meadow orchids. The flowers emit a heavy scent, particularly at night when they attract the attention of large moths, such as hawkmoths, which feed on the nectar contained in the flower’s deep spur. The survival of this priority species in NPT is completely dependent on the continued management of the grasslands in which it is found as hay meadows.
© Mark Hipkin
© Barry Stewart
© Charles Hipkin
SHRILL CARDER BEE
This very rare bee is only found in a handful of places in the UK with NPT being a stronghold in South Wales.
It’s a bit tricky to identify but with a good look you may see the main features: pale blond in colour, with a dark brown band between the wing bases and a ginger tail. The queens fly very fast creating a high-pitched buzz. The coastal grasslands of NPT are an important area for the species. They favour wildflower habitats such as sand dunes, with plants with long corolla such as Red Bartsia.
LAPWING
Lapwings are a scarce and declining breeding species in the County and are more common on passage and in winter. There have been no recent breeding records in the uplands with breeding sites confined to coastal areas, particularly open mosaic habitats on previously industrialised land, which is often ephemeral. There were a minimum of 8 pairs breeding in the old BP site at Baglan Bay in 2019 and probable breeding at Llandarcy. However, numbers have declined significantly in these sites in recent years. The general decline in lapwing breeding numbers across Wales has been linked to changes in farming policy and practice.
BASIL THYME
A beautiful, small, violet-flowered member of the Sage family that is now very scarce in Britain and considered to be vulnerable in Wales. It is largely a southern species, usually associated with calcareous grassland but it has undergone a significant decline in this habitat in Britain in recent decades as a result of grassland improvements and intensive grazing. It is exclusively coastal in its distribution in NPT where it is a rare species of dune grassland. However, large populations of this species occur in open mosaic habitats on previously industrialised land near Baglan Dunes and these may be the largest populations of this species in Wales. Development of these sites in the future poses a significant challenge to the conservation of this species in NPT and Wales.
© Vaughn Matthews
© Vaughn Matthews
HEDGEHOG
The Hedgehog is well recorded in most of the urban areas of NPT, although many of these records are from road deaths. The perils of crossing roads, along with other pressures such as barriers between gardens and the use of toxic slug pellets are contributing to the decline of this iconic species. A trend for 'tidy', low maintenance gardens is leading to additional habitat loss for the 'gardeners' friend'.
SWIFT
This summer visitor breeds in mainly urban areas in NPT however numbers recorded as confirmed breeders have declined in recent years. This decline is thought to be due in part to a loss of nesting opportunities as buildings are renovated to modern standards. The provision of nest boxes or integral swift bricks in suitable buildings may help to increase available nesting sites.
COMMON TOAD
The Common Toad is another species susceptible to road deaths in NPT, when in spring, they migrate across urban areas in their hundreds to their breeding ponds. The case study below provides an account of how members of the LNP are working to ameliorate this. Although Toads are likely to be well distributed in NPT, they are under- recorded.
OTTER
Increases in the national Otter population in recent decades are viewed by most people as a welcome indicator of the renewed natural health and vigour of our riparian habitats. The widespread occurrence of Otter spraint on riverside rocks and other stone structures reveal the widespread occurrence of Otter on NPT's rivers and canals. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that numbers have decreased in recent years and there are indications of occasional persecution.
SALMON
All the major river systems in NPT have Salmon in them. It is becoming more obvious that Salmon are in crisis throughout the UK as well as Wales with suggested figures of a decline of 70% in 25 years (Atlantic Salmon Trust). Read more in the case study below. The video above shows a salmon migrating through the Green Park Weir fish pass in 2015.
DIPPER
Dippers occur on fast-flowing, unpolluted streams and are seen regularly on most river catchments in the county all year round. In 2019 there were a minimum of 12 confirmed breeding locations in NPT. Current studies of this amber-listed species include a ringing program being conducted on the River Afan and its tributaries, aimed at increasing our knowledge of local breeding success and survival rates over time.
WATER VOLE
Water Voles were not an uncommon feature of wetland and aquatic habitats in NPT 60 years ago, but they have undergone a catastrophic decline in recent decades. Loss of habitat and predation by American Mink have probably played important roles in this. However, a significant Water Vole population has been discovered recently in wetland areas inside upland conifer plantations in the county. Peat bog habitat restoration projects are now incorporating management for water voles and monitoring the populations here. The video above shows a Water Vole caught on camera at Llyn Fach by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
SPHAGNUM
Sphagnum (also known as bog moss or peat moss) is a bryophyte genus which contains a number of species that are characteristic of wet areas including peatlands and flushes. The typical growth form of these important plants consist of branches, called fascicles, which are held in groups along the stem, and an active growing centre, called the capitulum, at the top. Sphagnum can absorb and hold many times its own dry weight in water and is the ecosystem engineer for peatland habitats.
FEN RAFT SPIDER
This is the UK's largest spider and one of the rarest. This striking species reaches up to 23mm in body size and has a distinctive pale stripe along its flanks. These ferocious predators, which are capable of catching and eating stickleback fish, are found at very few sites in the UK, including the Tennant Canal near Jersey Marine. They are usually seen in summer, characteristically basking on floating and emergent vegetation. In some years they occur in relatively large numbers.
©Richard Pryce
©Vaughn Matthews
FERNS
The crags of Craig y Llyn are home to a number of fern species that are scarce or rare in south Wales and of conservation concern. One of them is Wilson’s Filmy-fern, a small plant with thin, translucent fronds that form a mat on shady, vertical rocks. This Atlantic species is confined to humid ravines and north-facing cliffs in south Wales and is only known from Craig y Llyn in NPT. That is also true of Mountain Male-fern, a northern montane species at the southern limit of its British range in Glamorgan. Other ferns worthy of note here are Oak Fern and Beech Fern. These two Boreo-temperate species make attractive displays in the hardy plant communities of Craig y Llyn and have few other locations in the county.
KESTREL
The Kestrel is now Red Listed in Wales following a widespread decline across the country. The reasons for this decline are thought to be related to increased mortality with juvenile birds unable to find sufficient insect food, predation by Goshawks and also poisoning by rodenticides. The Kestrel was once a fairly common breeding resident in NPT, its main habitat being rough grassland, where it preys on voles, and also coastal areas. For many years they bred in the roof of the Fords factory near Jersey Marine (now Bay Studios) and on some inland cliffs but the species has declined dramatically in recent years with few breeding records.
CLUBMOSSES
NPT has 3 species of clubmosses; Alpine, Fir and Stag‘s-horn. They are integral and iconic features of the county’s upland biodiversity. Contrary to their misleading name, they are not mosses at all but vascular plants which are related closely to ferns. In the past, when the high ground of NPT was dominated by moderately-grazed, unimproved moorland and dwarf-shrub heath, Fir and Stag’s-horn Clubmoss species would have been relatively widespread. Today, they are uncommon in the intensively grazed uplands of NPT. Fir Clubmoss is only found on north-facing sandstone ledges and scree and in banks of un-grazed dwarf-shrub heath in conifer plantations. Alpine and Stag’s-horn Clubmoss are confined to these banks of heather and bilberry in plantations. Alpine Clubmoss, which is our rarest clubmoss, occurs at its UK southern limit in NPT. All our clubmoss species are vulnerable and endangered.
SANDERLING
Sanderling are small wading birds that breed in coastal tundra in the High Arctic. In winter they migrate southwards and significant numbers of them spend the winter in Britain, particularly where there are coastal beaches with long sandy shore lines. They rely on the availability of coastlines where they roost and feed on crustaceans, molluscs and marine worms. Recently, wintering numbers of sanderling have declined in the UK where this species is now amber-listed. Nationally important numbers have occurred in Swansea Bay between late summer and spring and they have been a notable feature of undisturbed sections of Crymlyn Burrows until recently. Unfortunately uncontrolled and sustained disturbance of winter populations are having a catastrophic effect on roosting and feeding flocks in NPT.
SEA STOCK
Sea Stock is one of a small number of Mediterranean plants that are found in Wales and has been known from coastal sand dunes in NPT for about 150 years. It is a nationally rare, Section 7 species and a European endemic that is growing at its global northern limit in the coastal sand dunes of NPT. It is found in mobile sand communities and is restricted to and specifically requires this specialised habitat in our area. For reasons that are not understood properly, population sizes of this attractive plant have varied greatly over the decades. Burial in sand after storm events and grazing by rabbits may play a part in this. The enormous population of Sea Stock that occurred on Crymlyn Burrows in the 1980s has dwindled to a handful of individuals in recent years. Larger populations are currently known from the remnant dune systems between Baglan and Morfa Tip.
SMALL BLUE
This is the smallest UK butterfly but can be seen in numbers where it occurs. The upper wing is a dusky colour with a hint of blue and the underwing is a very light brown-blue with obvious black spots, no orange as in the Common Blue. They rely solely on Kidney Vetch for their caterpillar food plant. Small Blues can be found all along the NPT coastal belt and at some inland sites, particularly where there is an abundance of Kidney Vetch.
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Swansea Bay has year-round Harbour Porpoise presence, with annual mother-calf sightings in late summer-autumn. Regular near-shore foraging is also reported along the NPT Coastline. They are much smaller than native dolphin species and more difficult to spot. They do not often leave the water like dolphins but ‘breach’ with their back in a smooth arc. Porpoise have a very short beak making their head look blunt compared to a dolphin.
KESTREL
The Kestrel is now Red Listed in Wales following a widespread decline across the country. The reasons for this decline are thought to be related to increased mortality with juvenile birds unable to find sufficient insect food, predation by Goshawks and also poisoning by rodenticides. The Kestrel was once a fairly common breeding resident in NPT, its main habitat being rough grassland, where it preys on voles, and also coastal areas. For many years they bred in the roof of the Fords factory near Jersey Marine (now Bay Studios) and on some inland cliffs but the species has declined dramatically in recent years with few breeding records.
GREAT CRESTED GREBE
Large numbers of these beautiful birds gather in winter feeding flocks in Swansea Bay where they often occur in 3 separate groups of birds spread across the bay from Blackpill (Swansea) to Aberavon (NPT). Two of these groups are usually located in NPT, one off Crymlyn Burrows and the other off Aberavon Beach. The numbers of wintering birds in these flocks has been counted at regular intervals for over 10 years by local enthusiasts (British Trust for Ornithology, Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) Counts) and it is clear from these records that the bay is a very important winter feeding site with >700 individuals counted in some months. Often, the greater proportion of the bay's grebes occur in waters off NPT and those off Crymlyn Burrows, where numbers >400 have been recorded, appears to be very significant.