Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Duck End Nature Reserve
Late yesterday afternoon, Robin Boot and I had a wander around Duck End Nature Reserve to see what was around. Here are a few of Robin's photos....
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Bedfordshire wood
Carole and I will be moving to Freshwater on the western side of the Isle of Wight in August. With the island famously hosting at least 14 species of Britain’s bats I’m determined to hone my bat detector and identification skills over these intervening months. Last night, I joined four other members of the Bedfordshire Bat Group in a woodland survey which included the erection of two mist nets.
Even before we caught anything, the detectors revealed a good range of species. The Soprano Pipistrelles were the first bats on the wing, and we were able to watch them hawking down the rides. Over the next hour or so we picked up Brown Long-eared, Common Pipistrelle, a Noctule flying over the wood and a probable Brandt’s Bat flying past us. Bob also thought that he may have picked up a distant Barbastelle.
It was an hour or so later that the first of three bats flew into the mist net stretched across the woodland ride.
It’s a male Common Pipistrelle with its dark bandit-mask face. Blowing on the dorsal fur also revealed the dark base to the fur.
On this photo you can just make out the flap of skin behind the calcar (the strip of cartilage running from the inner side of the ankle), called the post-calcarial lobe. It’s a feature that is not present in the Myotis group of bats – Natterer’s, Daubenton’s, Whiskered & Brandt’s, one of which turned up in the net a short while later:
The features pointed straightaway to a female Brandt’s or Whiskered Bat. The way in which it ‘gaped’ is also a common feature of these species. But, in the end, it wasn’t possible to narrow it down more than that. In fact, one person has said that if you get a number of the characteristic features for each of these species in one individual, then you would be correct in your identification 95% of the time. It’s only possible to be 100% sure through DNA analysis! My photo is quite poor, but a better photo showing the upper jaw dentition revealed that the feature called the protocone on premolar 4 is longer than the small premolar 3, an indication pointing towards Brandt’s rather than Whiskered. The heart-shaped nose is a good indicator, too, but we're erring on the side of caution and putting this one down as Brandt's/Whiskered!
A short while before calling it a night we found this bat in the net. It was very lively female and several features indicated that it might well be a Soprano rather than a Common Pipistrelle. It wasn’t obviously one or the other and the only way we were going to confirm it was by listening to its echolocation calls as it flew out of the hand….it turned out to be another Common Pipistrelle!
On the way home we added to our evening’s list of mammals with Red Fox, Chinese Water Deer and Rabbit. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy these special evenings!
Even before we caught anything, the detectors revealed a good range of species. The Soprano Pipistrelles were the first bats on the wing, and we were able to watch them hawking down the rides. Over the next hour or so we picked up Brown Long-eared, Common Pipistrelle, a Noctule flying over the wood and a probable Brandt’s Bat flying past us. Bob also thought that he may have picked up a distant Barbastelle.
It was an hour or so later that the first of three bats flew into the mist net stretched across the woodland ride.
It’s a male Common Pipistrelle with its dark bandit-mask face. Blowing on the dorsal fur also revealed the dark base to the fur.
On this photo you can just make out the flap of skin behind the calcar (the strip of cartilage running from the inner side of the ankle), called the post-calcarial lobe. It’s a feature that is not present in the Myotis group of bats – Natterer’s, Daubenton’s, Whiskered & Brandt’s, one of which turned up in the net a short while later:
The features pointed straightaway to a female Brandt’s or Whiskered Bat. The way in which it ‘gaped’ is also a common feature of these species. But, in the end, it wasn’t possible to narrow it down more than that. In fact, one person has said that if you get a number of the characteristic features for each of these species in one individual, then you would be correct in your identification 95% of the time. It’s only possible to be 100% sure through DNA analysis! My photo is quite poor, but a better photo showing the upper jaw dentition revealed that the feature called the protocone on premolar 4 is longer than the small premolar 3, an indication pointing towards Brandt’s rather than Whiskered. The heart-shaped nose is a good indicator, too, but we're erring on the side of caution and putting this one down as Brandt's/Whiskered!
A short while before calling it a night we found this bat in the net. It was very lively female and several features indicated that it might well be a Soprano rather than a Common Pipistrelle. It wasn’t obviously one or the other and the only way we were going to confirm it was by listening to its echolocation calls as it flew out of the hand….it turned out to be another Common Pipistrelle!On the way home we added to our evening’s list of mammals with Red Fox, Chinese Water Deer and Rabbit. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy these special evenings!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Steppingley Triangle
The accounts of the last few weeks underline how few mammals I have seen during my travels compared to last year. It demonstrates how it often takes a bit of effort to see them.
Arriving back in Bedfordshire at 1.30am this morning after having taken my youngest son back to University in Canterbury, I decided to have a quick drive around the 'Steppingley Triangle' before going home. The results were:
1 Muntjac deer.
1 Red Fox.
2 Hedgehogs.
3 Fallow Deer...
...and loads of Rabbits!
Arriving back in Bedfordshire at 1.30am this morning after having taken my youngest son back to University in Canterbury, I decided to have a quick drive around the 'Steppingley Triangle' before going home. The results were:
1 Muntjac deer.
1 Red Fox.
2 Hedgehogs.
3 Fallow Deer...
...and loads of Rabbits!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Randall's Farm - more hoverflies
Two more hoverflies from Randall's Farm:
Xylota segnis will often be seen sunbathing and running over logs or Bramble leaves. This one is favouring us with a view of the red patches on the tergites which are usually obscured by the folded wings.
Here, you can just make out the spines that are present at the top of the hind femur in the males.
A big black hoverfly with dark wings, especially if it happens to hold them in 'delta-wing' mode (not this one, though), is likely to be Cheilosia variabilis.
Xylota segnis will often be seen sunbathing and running over logs or Bramble leaves. This one is favouring us with a view of the red patches on the tergites which are usually obscured by the folded wings. 
Here, you can just make out the spines that are present at the top of the hind femur in the males.
A big black hoverfly with dark wings, especially if it happens to hold them in 'delta-wing' mode (not this one, though), is likely to be Cheilosia variabilis.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Randall's Farm
A quick walk along the brookside vegetation at Randall's Farm yesterday was very productive.
This Blue-tailed Damselfly is yet another species that has appeared very early this year. I don't know whether any more have been recorded in Bedfordshire or wider afield, yet, but this must be one of the first.
This is the beautiful Brassica Shieldbug (Eurydema oleracea). There were good numbers in the tops of the Garlic Mustard plants. And they're obviously in the mood for love! There are two colour forms which were both present. This is the red-spotted form.
And this is the white-spotted form. I noticed today that all of the breeding pairs were composed of red-spot with red-spot, and white-spot with white-spot. Is this always the case? And, if so, does this indicate that the two forms are on the way to becoming two separate species??
Update: I've just found 2 photos of the different forms mating with one another on the British bug id website here. So that puts paid to that rumour! :) Sheila Brooke sent me this quote from Roger Hawkins' 'Shieldbugs of Surrey': 'the colours are partly but by no means wholly linked to the sex and age of the insect.' He also says that when mating pairs were looked at the red-spotted ones were mostly female and the white-spotted mostly male. Fascinating!
A few years ago I was fortunate in recording the first of these bugs to be found in Bedfordshire. It's Corizus hyoscyami. They were in the process of spreading inland from the coast....and Bedfordshire is about as far from the coast as you can get. This poor photo shows that they are continuing to do well!!
This Blue-tailed Damselfly is yet another species that has appeared very early this year. I don't know whether any more have been recorded in Bedfordshire or wider afield, yet, but this must be one of the first.
This is the beautiful Brassica Shieldbug (Eurydema oleracea). There were good numbers in the tops of the Garlic Mustard plants. And they're obviously in the mood for love! There are two colour forms which were both present. This is the red-spotted form.
And this is the white-spotted form. I noticed today that all of the breeding pairs were composed of red-spot with red-spot, and white-spot with white-spot. Is this always the case? And, if so, does this indicate that the two forms are on the way to becoming two separate species??Update: I've just found 2 photos of the different forms mating with one another on the British bug id website here. So that puts paid to that rumour! :) Sheila Brooke sent me this quote from Roger Hawkins' 'Shieldbugs of Surrey': 'the colours are partly but by no means wholly linked to the sex and age of the insect.' He also says that when mating pairs were looked at the red-spotted ones were mostly female and the white-spotted mostly male. Fascinating!
A few years ago I was fortunate in recording the first of these bugs to be found in Bedfordshire. It's Corizus hyoscyami. They were in the process of spreading inland from the coast....and Bedfordshire is about as far from the coast as you can get. This poor photo shows that they are continuing to do well!!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Home
As the weather hots up, so does the moth season! Here are a few from the trap last night....
Early Grey...I wonder if we will get any eggs on the Honeysuckle in our garden, the caterpillar's foodplant?
Clouded drab....with that deep maroon hue, I don't think that it's drab at all!
I love this moth. It's the Lunar Marbled Brown, 'lunar' referring to the crescent moon shapes on the wing. The caterpillars feed on oak.
And here are two colour variations of the Shuttle-shaped Dart. They are also named after a shape on the wing, in this case the narrow oval shape on the wings which reminded the person who named it of a weaver's shuttle.
Last, but not least, the Cockchafer season has begun. It can be quite scarey examining the moth trap at night when these blighters are around. They are the Kamikaze insects of the night world, setting their sights on the light, and honing in with unerring accuracy. There is a last minute drone before they crash into the trap....or the person standing nearby, which can give you quite a shock!
Early Grey...I wonder if we will get any eggs on the Honeysuckle in our garden, the caterpillar's foodplant?
Clouded drab....with that deep maroon hue, I don't think that it's drab at all!
I love this moth. It's the Lunar Marbled Brown, 'lunar' referring to the crescent moon shapes on the wing. The caterpillars feed on oak.
And here are two colour variations of the Shuttle-shaped Dart. They are also named after a shape on the wing, in this case the narrow oval shape on the wings which reminded the person who named it of a weaver's shuttle.
Last, but not least, the Cockchafer season has begun. It can be quite scarey examining the moth trap at night when these blighters are around. They are the Kamikaze insects of the night world, setting their sights on the light, and honing in with unerring accuracy. There is a last minute drone before they crash into the trap....or the person standing nearby, which can give you quite a shock!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Randall's Farm WLT
A few more photos from yesterday's saunter along the Randall's Farm brook. A Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) flew past me and up into the top of a tree. A short while later I came across a number of Sloe Bugs (Dolycoris baccarum). It's sometimes called the Hairy Shieldbug - you can just see some of the long hairs on the abdomen in this photo.
This tiny Yellow Tail Moth caterpillar has emerged from its winter cocoon and is searching for food. I didn't handle it because the hairs can cause a serious rash!
Finally, a number of Nomada-type bees were flying around, including this species. The beautiful markings look pretty distinct, so I hope someone will be able to help me with the id.
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