Wildlife Blog by Ron Allen 15 December 2024
Dark winter evenings along the garden fence.
Now we have dark evenings, my walk down to the end of the garden to set the wildlife cameras means that I follow our fence by torchlight down to a group of hazel bushes and I have been amazed at the nocturnal wildlife active this winter, even in the very cold and wet.
The fence is row of upright chestnut palings and, somehow, the uprights are chosen by a wide range of nocturnal insects (moths, beetles and bush crickets), Arachnids (spiders and harvestmen), Molluscs (snails and slugs), Myriapods (centipedes and millipedes) and Annelida (earthworms).
Here are pictures of some of the wide range of nocturnal creatures I have found this winter (plus a bright blue fungus).
Moths and other insects.
By far the commonest have been the small Winter Moths. The silvery-winged males fly on to the palings resting with folded wings held out downwind while the wingless females climb the palings to await the males (images 1 and 2); both sexes emitting pheromones to find each other. Chestnut Moths are reddish brown and are found with their wings hugging the palings, both sexes are winged (image 3). I have this winter found just one Red-green Carpet Moth on a fence post (image 4) and a single Mottled Umber on a hazel leaf. Even caterpillars with those of the Brimstone Moth descending on silken threads (image 5).
There have been several beetles on the palings such as this female nocturnal Thick Legged Flower Beetle (image 6), small Ground Beetles and Soldier Beetle larvae. I was surprised to find a wingless Southern Oak Bush-cricket on a hazel stem (image 7).
Several true bugs included the brightly coloured Hawthorn Shield Bug (image 8) and a Capsid Bug.
A surprise were tiny wingless Oak Apple Gall Wasps (image 9) that emerge and climb oak trees to lay their eggs in leaf buds which react to form the oak apple gall. These wasps must have been surprised on reaching the top of the palings that they were not climbing an oak tree.
1. One of many male Winter Moths.
2. Wingless female Winter Moth.
3. Chestnut moth.
4. Red-green carpet moth.
5. Caterpillar of the Brimstone moth descending on silk thread.
6. Female Thick-legged Flower Beetle (only males have thick legs).
7. Female Southern Oak Bush Cricket.
8. Hawthorn Shield Bug.
9. Oak Apple Gall Wasp.
Arachnids.
There have been several spiders including the Buzzing Spider (image 10) and the Stretch Spider (image 11) and several different long-legged harvestman species including the Fork-palped Harvestman (image 12), an Opilio species (image 13) and the strangely named Paroligolophus agrestis (image 14).
Molluscs.
Several snails such as this young Banded Snail (image 15) and slug species climb the palings, presumable to scrape off the green algae they feed on.
Myriapods.
Carnivorous centipedes are common climbing the palings, especially the Brown Centipede (image 16) and, the black Snake Millipede feeding on decaying vegetation. Centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment and millipedes have two pairs.
Annelids.
I have been surprised to find how many Earthworms leave the ground and climb the hazel stems and even the palings on a damp night). I have not a clue as to what species they are.
Fungi
This brilliant blue Cobalt Crust fungi (Terana caerulea) is growing on a dead hazel stem in the hedge at the end of our garden. In daylight the fungus looks rather a dull blue but in LED torchlight it shines out in this brilliant cobalt blue colour (image 17).
10. Buzzing Spider.
11. Stretch Spider on web between palings.
12. Fork-palped Harvestman.
13. Opilio species Harvestman.
14. Paroligolophus Harvestman.
15. Young Cepia species Banded Snail
16. Brown centipede.
