This report provides the results of a terrestrial invertebrate survey which was conducted at the Walsh East Tilbury Quarry. The survey aims to inform Natural England’s proposal to enlarge the Mucking Flats and Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), notified (in part) for its invertebrate interest. The survey area was split into three compartments but due to accessibility only two were surveyed.
Data was collected using the following methods: pitfall trapping, sweep-netting, grubbing/hand searching, sieving litter and suction sampling. Four survey visits were undertaken during May, June and July 2024.
A total of 599 species were recorded, 77 of these had a conservation status, including seven Section 41 Species of Principal Importance and 70 species which are Nationally Rare or Nationally Scarce, therefore the fauna recorded is of high quality. A simple benchmark for any survey is the proportion of the recorded fauna composed of species with Nationally Rare or Nationally Scarce status. Sites where this exceeds 10% indicate exceptional quality. The figure for this site is almost 13% and therefore it can be regarded as approaching national importance on this basis.
The site is particularly important for its rich invertebrate fauna associated with short sward and bare ground, corresponding to the extensive areas of open mosaic habitat (OMH) and dry sparse grassland. In contrast, areas of more established tall grassland and scrub are of comparatively lower importance. Both ephemeral and permanent wetland features in the form of small seasonal ponds and brackish ditches are also important invertebrate habitats.