On the 14th August, fifteen Field Club members were fortunate enough to both have access to Fort Horsted, Medway and excellent weather. This structure, built in the 1880s, was owned by the MoD until the 1960s, then was neglected, being used for landfill at one point. It is now owned and managed by Avondale Environmental Services. The soil excavated from the main defensive ditch was deposited on banks above, which have developed into a chalk grassland over the last century. A wide variety of pollinators were present including butterflies, hoverflies and bees. Particularly interesting were the Large Scabious Mining Bee, Andrena hattorfiana, and Melitta tricincta, a specialist bee on Red Bartsia

Text and photo courtesy of Simon Springate