(Photo: Hans Hillewaert)

Also known as a ‘miller’s thumb’ this small and rather oddly shaped fish is found in the rivers of the Stour Catchment, particularly in chalk streams and other fast flowing, stony rivers. It lives on the river bed, feeding on the larvae of caddisflies and other invertebrates. It can be seen feeding at dawn and dusk and shelters under stones on the stream bed at other times. It spawns between February and June, the male then dutifully guarding the eggs laid in pits or under stones. It is one of many fish species that enhancements to river habitats carried out by KSCP will benefit.