Wildlife (non-avian)

After a bit of googling,
There have been no official Pine Martin releases although there is a lot of work going on to identify suitable sites in Kent and Sussex.
There is a breeding population in the New Forest and it is thought that the rare sightings in Sussex are from this population.

1 Like

Enjoying a goodly number of stiff G&Ts in the garden this evening with Sam after a day’s gardening, and we were joined by significant numbers of Scarlet Tiger Moths (Callimorpha dominula). Never seen so many anywhere, ever - it seems they are one of the beneficiaries of climate change, and are on the march north-and-east-wards:


Beautiful creatures.

11 Likes

Saw this recently whilst on the Isle of Skye. It came every evening to feed on the bird nuts the house owner put out. It was quite magical to watch it.


15 Likes

Pleased to see the Ragwort I’ve left in various wild patches in the garden has the desired effect…

5 Likes

Look forward to the Cinnabar Moths!

1 Like

I forgot about this thread. A much better place for my crappy snaps of creepy crawlies than the “Actual Photography” thread!

1 Like

Nice. Once they’re established, they seem to keep coming back - most of our ragwort is reduced to stumps by them!

1 Like

I’ve been actively only buying new plants that are pollinator friendly in the garden, keeping large parts un-mowed/wild and trying to encourage natives to thrive.
Two this year have been the Woolly Mullein and the Ragwort (neither in the garden before now), both that appear to be vital species for two specific moths.
There does seem to be an increase in moths and crickets/grasshoppers especially this year! Less butterflies so far but then all our various Buddleias are only just coming into bloom now, for example.

3 Likes

LOVE Mullein moth caterpillars - if you don’t have them yet, you will in due course.

Been an amazing year for grasshoppers here - usually we get rather few, but the garden’s heaving with 'em.

Butterflies have been doing well, too. We didn’t have the customary cold, wet snap in spring, which has clearly helped.

Living in a rural area - especially arable - is a very mixed blessing, the amount of pesticides The Farmings wank out across everything is horrifying, not helped by the spineless cunts in Westminster re-licensing neonics year-after-year :face_with_symbols_on_mouth:

1 Like

That’s been Hel’s plan this summer too. We’ve seen our first ever hummingbird moth this year in the garden, amongst a greater variety of bees and volume of butterflies etc.

Hummingbird moth (stock picture for illustration)

2 Likes


Painted Lady on the dead (apart from the mares tail obviously!) lawn.

3 Likes

Well something ain’t right … I was out on motorbike in south Wales then Herefordshire yesterday 240miles in the end. My visor only needed a quick moist rub when I got home.

Years ago I would have needed to stop several times to clean visor.

While fundamentally true, you will get fewer insects on-the-wing during the hottest, dryest parts of the day when the weather’s like this.

We need to permanently ban neonics - it’s a failed electoral pledge from Labour - who have relicensed every year so far :face_with_symbols_on_mouth: Why the dumb cunts try to suck-up to The Farmings is beyond me, there’s not a man-Jack-or-woman-Jill amongst 'em would vote Labour if they had a gun to their heads!

1 Like

The Mullein Moth Catterpilliars are now gone, surprised both the Woolly Mullein have made it through and started to flower!

1 Like

We saw one, very briefly last week, not even quick enough to get my phone out for a quick snap before it buzzed off!

We saw this little critter on Lundy. First guess was glow worm larva but not sure.

3 Likes

New garden, new deer.

18 Likes

I think it’s an adult female - they’re very different to the males and retain an almost larval bodyplan.

Most cool :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

1 Like

Toronto area Anishinaabe run this project to protect snapping turtles, a highly important creature in their culture. The world exists on the back of a giant turtle

4 Likes

I imagine this is where Terry Pratchett got the idea for the Discworld from