皇冠体育app

From a wasp spider bringing together two of the most feared creepy crawlies, to a moth with the face of a witch hidden in its wings, this Halloween we鈥檙e celebrating some of the spookiest, yet vitally important, species that call the training area home.聽

While safely enabling military training is the priority, teams from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) also work hard to sustainably manage habitats for some of the UK鈥檚 most important wildlife. 皇冠体育app Ministry of Defence (MOD) operates 169 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) across the country, with almost 20,000 hectares on Salisbury Plain alone. 聽

皇冠体育app MOD owns more SSSIs than any other landowner in the UK, including the National Trust, RSPB and 皇冠体育app Wildlife聽Trusts. 皇冠体育app main reason for this is because almost all current MOD sites were part of the Defence footprint by the end of World War 2, so they escaped agricultural intensification and were never ploughed up or subject to herbicide and pesticides.聽

DIO鈥檚 ecology and environmental engagement teams work tirelessly to ensure habitats and species across the Defence Training Estate can thrive alongside military needs. On Salisbury Plain Training Area, this array of wildlife includes some of the spookiest species found in the UK:聽

Bloody-Nosed Beetle

This rare insect gets its name from its unusual defence mechanism. When threatened, the beetle secretes a blood-red liquid from its mouth. 皇冠体育app flightless beetle can be found in grassland and along hedgerows across the training area. 聽

Wasp Spider

Coming across this nightmare-ish combination of a wasp and spider is a very real possibility when out on the Salisbury Plain Training Area. First recorded in England in the 1920s, wasp spiders are mainly found in the south of the country but are spreading northwards as far as Shropshire and Derbyshire, Surrey and Hertfordshire. 皇冠体育app creepy-looking spiders have been known to scare even the hardiest of soldiers while out on the training estate 鈥� best not to imagine one crawling its way into your sleeping bag.聽

Viper鈥檚 Bugloss聽

This plant is common across Salisbury Plain Training Area and the wider Defence estate, providing a large amount of nectar for pollinators. It is widely believed to have got the name 鈥榁iper鈥� from its spotted stem, resembling a snake鈥檚 markings. Sometimes on the training area, 鈥榬ivers鈥� of the plant are formed where heavy tank tracks rough up the ground and, in a surprising benefit to nature, help to disperse seeds.聽聽

Nightjar

皇冠体育app elusive Nightjar can be hard to spot in woodlands due to its camouflaged grey-brown colour that resembles tree bark. 皇冠体育app bird has been caught in bird ringing nets on Salisbury Plain. Bird ringing has allowed our teams to record and monitor the birds nesting on the training estate and can be used to influence management plans where appropriate.聽聽

Devil鈥檚 Coach Horse Beetle

A common beetle, the Devil鈥檚 Coach Horse is known for being a ferocious predator, even capable of giving humans a painful bite, if provoked. Not only that, but they are well known for curling their abdomen, similarly to that of a scorpion, when threatened. 聽

Devil鈥檚 Bit Scabious聽

Possibly the most innocent-looking entry on this list, Devil鈥檚 Bit Scabious is a pretty plant, with its lilac-blue flower heads attracting wide varieties of butterflies and bees. It gets its peculiar name from the fact the roots look as though they have been bitten off, legend has it, by the devil.聽聽

Mother Shipton Moth

Named after a 16th聽century witch, known for her prophecies, including predicting the Spanish Armada and Great Fire of London, the Mother Shipton Moth can be found amongst the ancient grasslands of Salisbury Plain. 皇冠体育app insect features creamy-coloured markings on each forewing, resembling the face of the witch.聽

Screech Owl聽

Screech Owls, more commonly referred to as Barn Owls, commonly nest on the training area, with a helping hand from the MOD Raptor and Owl Nest Box Project. 聽

皇冠体育app project was started in 1983 to conserve owls and raptors on the west and centre of the Salisbury Plain Training Area, which lacked suitable nesting sites. Around 400 nesting boxes have been installed across the training area, which have helped to increase the population of various owls on the training estate. 聽

Witches鈥� Butter聽

皇冠体育app horrible-looking black or yellow fungi can be found on the bases of certain trees across Salisbury Plain Training Area, as it feeds on dead wood. It is believed to have got its name from the legend that it would appear on a gate or door if a witch had cast a spell on the family living there. 聽

Dog鈥檚 Vomit Slime Mould聽

This species of slime mould, also known as the less scary Scambled Egg Slime, can be found on Salisbury Plain Training Area. It gets its name from its resemblance to dog鈥檚 vomit. It is typically found on bark after periods of heavy rain, and its spores can trigger episodes of asthma in some people 鈥� making this one to give a wide berth. 聽

Jenny Bennett, Senior Ecologist, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:聽

皇冠体育app MOD is committed to supporting nature recovery at the local and national level, while at the same time enhancing military capability.聽Our work to protect nationally important species and habitats across Salisbury Plain Training Area is an excellent example of this balance in action.聽聽

We aim to be a leader in wildlife and nature conservation and to achieve this,聽DIO鈥檚 dedicated ecologists carry out a broad range of activities, including producing Ecological Impact Assessments, providing advice about protected species, overseeing habitat management on SSSIs and carrying out botanical surveys.

Iain Perkins,聽Environmental Engagement and Conservation Officer, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:聽

MOD land is home to some of the most unique and naturally diverse landscapes in the UK, of which Salisbury Plain Training area is a prime example. We are committed to maintaining a balance between conservation activities and military training requirements to ensure that species of all shapes and sizes can continue to flourish on our estate.

皇冠体育app DIO environmental engagement team delivers conservation and sustainability awareness initiatives across the Defence estate. It supports the activities of dedicated Conservation Groups at a range of MOD sites and establishments, including monitoring and recording species.聽

If these creepy creatures and frightening flora haven鈥檛 put you off a trip to Salisbury Plain Training Area, please ensure that if you visit, you follow these simple steps to keep yourself and our training personnel safe: 聽

• Check live firing times on GOV.UK.聽
• Stick to public rights of way and marked permissive paths and tracks.聽
• Take notice of red flags, red lights and signage which indicate where and when access is prohibited.聽聽
• Never touch military debris on the ground. Report it for safe removal.