Mini Beast hunt round Fallin Bing this Friday!

Fallin Bing is a derelict spoil heap from the coal mining industry that was the heart and soul of the village Fallin. Brownfield sites like Fallin Bing are important for a range of wildlife, particularly invertebrates, due to a lack of nutrients in the soil that prevent fast growing plant species becoming dominant and also because of the lack of management at these sites that often creates an open mosaic of habitats such as species rich grassland, bare ground and early successional communities. A mosaic of habitats provides a home for a wide range of species and allows many to complete their life cycles within the same site.



6 spot burnet moths of Vipers Bugloss (c) Andrew Whitehouse

Brownfield sites provide linkages or ‘stepping stones’ between more natural areas of habitat and facilitate the movement and mixing of species in a less favourable urban setting. It has long been recognised that brownfields may have as many associated Red Data Book (RDB) and Nationally Scarce invertebrate species as ancient woodlands. Many features identified at long abandoned industrial sites can no longer be found in the managed and over-farmed wider countryside or even in our over-tidied parks. Loss of natural habitat is causing many species, including bumblebees, beetles, butterflies and reptiles, to become increasingly dependent and reliant on brownfield sites.

Despite their potential to support biodiversity a strong negative public image has been attached to brownfields due to lack of management and a perceived untidiness and they are increasingly threatened by development and landscaping. Fallin Bing is widely used by members of the public for dog walking, cycling and for passing through.  

To highlight the importance of the bing for wildlife, Buglife are running a walk around the bing at Fallin this Friday (26^th April). We will be meeting at the entrance to the bing at the mining museum at 1:30pm and the walk will finish at about 3:30pm. If interested in coming along or for more information please contact Suzanne Bairner on 01786 447504 or at suzanne.bairner@buglife.org.uk