CSC Working Party: 9th January 2025

This was the first session of the new year for the volunteers of the Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries working party, fresh from their festive break.

Apart from the ‘usual tidying up’ along the main drag as it were, there was quite a highlight – as recorded by working party member Kevin Walker:

This is a female Dark Bush Cricket photographed by Tracey while it was reading the inscriptions on the memorial wall. I think it got bored or didn’t recognise any of the names because by the time I had got back with my camera, it had gone. Only when it’s mild do they survive in to November. They like the edges of woods where there are bushes, bramble and ivy. Eggs are laid in bark or rotten wood. That’s two species of bush crickets we have found. As I’m now too old to hear them singing, I might ask for a bat detector for Christmas so I can check if they are still around next summer...

Here’s a little more about this creature:

Dark bush-cricket | The Wildlife Trusts

Normally found in the summer – but clearly sheltered spots in the West Country are also ideal:

August – Dark Bush-cricket — Living Levels

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