I've finally sorted out the photos and identified as many species as I can from the mini garden bioblitz last Saturday so back to Day 2 of 30 Days Wild.
I spent in total about 2 hours looking for species on the day and many more hours on identification! Luckily some of the wildflowers, moss and a few other of the more difficult species I have identified before which makes the task a little easier.
Apologies for the quality of some of the images - they were mainly taken in a rush as a brief record and some for id purposes and, as always, many species don't hang around waiting for me to take a picture!
Birds
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes carruleus)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Mammals
Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Amphibians
Common/Smooth Newt (Lissotritus vulgaris)
Wild Flowers
(I have not counted those that we have planted ourselves, for example, all those in the wildflower meadow). All the plants listed have appeared of their own accord.
Wall Speedwell (Veronica arvensis)
Red Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum
Corydalis (Pseudofumaria lutea)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Common Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium fontanum)
Bramble (Rubus Fruiticosus Agg)
Dandelion Tarraxacum officinale)
Broad-leaved Willowherb (Enilobium montanum)
White Clover (Trifolium repens)
Green Alkanet (Penta glottis)
Cat's Ear (Hypochaeris radicola)
Upright Yellow Sorrel (Oxalis stricta)
Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium)
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) - Perhaps this is one I should not have included - they were already in the garden when we moved in 40 years ago and ever since have self-seeded every year in different positions.
Cleavers (Galium aparine)
Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) Another species I wasn't sure whether to include as we have planted it in the wild flower meadow but it does occur in the lawn in the front garden hence my decision!
Smooth Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
Wood Avens (Geum urbanum)
Please let me know if id of this one is wrong - I have been puzzling over this plant for years - it crops up in all the flower borders!
Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Dock (Rumex sp)
Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella - I first discovered this plant in the garden last year and was thrilled to bits. Have no idea at all how it got there!
Trees
(Trees and shrubs are again difficult because since we moved in we have planted many native varieties - the one's listed below though have all appeared of their own accord)
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatarius) with galls on the leaf (see later)
Oak (Quercus species)
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
Common Whitebeam (Sorbus aria)
Ferns
Hart's Tongue (Phylitis scolopendrium)
Moss
Rough-stalked Feather Moss (Brachythecium cutabulum)
Grasses
Couch Grass (Elymus repens)
Wall Barley (Hordeum murinum
A new species for the garden
Smooth-stalked Meadow Grass (Poa pratensis)
Insects
Butterflies
Large WhitePieris brassica)
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
Time for a break and a gingerbread man!
Bees
Common Carder (Bombus pascurum)
White-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lucorum)
Buff-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Forest Cuckoo Bee (Bombus sylvestris) - a new species for the garden
Moths
Common Swift (Hepialis lupulinus)
Bee Moth (Aphoma sociella)
Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)
Mint Moth Pyrausta aurata)
Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis)
Freyer's Pug (Eupithecia intricata)
(New for Garden)
Silver y(Autographa gramma)
Common Marbled Carpet (Dysstrona truncata)
Clouded Bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata)
(New for Garden)
Leaf Mines
Holly Leaf Mine (Phytomyza ilicis)
Common Slender leaf mine on Lilac (Gracillaria syringella)
Galls
Sycamore Gall Mite (Aceria cephalonea)
Spiders
Large House Spider (Tegenaria gigantea)
Green Orb-Weaver Spider (Araniella cucurbitina) - another new species for the garden - note the red spot at end of abdomen.
Garden Spider (Araneus Diadematus)?? I think the 2 photos below show the same species but unfortunately they show the underside. I should really have put these at the end of the post as I am unsure of id. Am trying to find another one to check the upper side to see if it has a cross!
Black Ant (Lasius niger)
Hawthorn Shield Bug ((Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale)
Cuckoo Spit containing nymph of Frog Hopper (Philanenus spumarius)
The Footballer Hover Fly Helophilus pendulus)
Green Bottle Fly (Lucilia sericata)
Caddis Fly (Trichoptera sp) This was in the moth trap and flew off before I could pot it and try and get it down to species level.
Pond Skater (Gerris lacustris)
Common Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)
White-lipped Banded Snail (Capaea hortensis)
I found this rather cute one on the patio.
I am a bit uncertain on this one as I didn't get a decent photo this year but I think it is a Buttercup Pollen Beetle (Meligethes aeneus)
Species to id - any help would be greatly appreciated.
There appears to be some sort of insect attack on beech hedge leaves.
Someone on Twitter kindly suggested this could be a species of Ichneumon Wasp???? It is quite a distinctive insect but I can't find it in any of my books.
I've been advised on Twitter (thanks so much Ian) that the fly below is in the muscid/anthomyiid line and it is not possible to get it to species level without a specimen so have now given up on an id!.
A mine on honeysuckle leaves
This makes around 72 species give or take any mistakes!
If anyone can help with id of the species I can't id or if I have made any mistakes please leave a comment.
Apologies too if there are any spelling mistakes in the scientific names - some I know off by heart but others I have struggled at times to read my own writing!
There were several species I should have seen, for example, robin, common frog and earthworm and sadly no ladybirds not even a Harlequin. I didn't do any pond-dipping or go into the wooded area at the top of the garden to check the trees and shrubs in there and the log pile as I had run out of time!
Many thanks for the help I received on Twitter on id - Mick for grasses, Amanda, Dave and Stewart on moths. Ian and Joan on flies and anyone else who made suggestions.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330
16 comments:
Impressive list there, Caroline. Ichneumons are a very difficult family to id on exterior features alone. Many if not all need to be looked at through a microscope.
Dean Stables - Thanks so much. It is amazing what you can find when you look closely! :) Thanks for the tip re the Ichneumons - I have got a cheap (children's microscope!) but presumably you have to kill the insect first and I just couldn't face doing that especially just to get an id. Plus I haven't got a detailed enough id guide for icheneumons.
I'm the same Caroline. Just happy to get a pic whether it's identifiable or not.
That is a list and a half. A fantastic range of plants and other wildlife.
Dean Stables - Thanks Dean. Same here. Great minds think alike :)
Midmarsh John - Thanks. I've done 3 or 4 bioblitzes now in the garden so know exactly where to look for things like wild flowers. Sadly, my husband had weeded the drive and the patio so things like groundsel were no longer :(
I think that you did really well and your pictures are not bad at all. I have never done a bio blitz in my own back yard but have participated in several with a local environmental reserve. Good job!
You have some amazing and different varieties of plants and insects in your garden, birds and other wildlife too. We have a few newts in the pond and we saw a young squirrel on the fence yesterday, fox cubs too in the garden at 10p.m. last night, we switched off all the lights and just sat and watched them. The gingerbread man was just right for a much needed break from spotting all the things you found:)
David Gascoigne - Thank you. They are good fun to do - I've seen them advertised for local nature reserves - one day I must take part in one.
Rosie - Thank you. I am really envious of your fox cubs - the last ones I watched here were over 30 years ago! although we do about once a year spot a fox.
A brilliant way to spend the day auditing your own wildlife! Love it. Its high time I did such a comprehensive one now that you have inspired me. Cheers Caroline.
Stewart
Stewart - Thanks so much and so nice to think I may have inspired you to do a comprehensive one :) You will get as many moth species as I saw in total! :) Look forward immensely to seeing the results.
Your pics are great. The bioblitz has always been a great idea and you have some awesome diversity in your patch. I especially like your bird list:) But the snail is cool as well. Here in the US, I use a program known as Inaturalist which is similar in idea. You don't just count birds; one ID's it all! All my best! Chris
Chris Rohrer - Thanks so much. Yes I love the idea of bioblitz's - encourages you to explore a small patch really well and it is amazing what you can find. Very best wishes to you Caroline.
John Scurr - Thanks so much John. Herb Bennet is a rather lovely name - I must check some of my older flower books and see what it is called there and thank you for id confirmation.
The additional information from Gerard is fascinating and it is interesting to know it was grown as a pot herb in the 16th century.
Great to look through your list for the garden , sorry a little late, at the time i did not do one but hopefully have a go before the summer is out.
I have been very surprised there was no mention of this years event ! unless i missed it.
Nice selection of moths and insects, as you know I sill have quite a few to ID.
Always nice to see whats going on in your garden.
Amanda xx
Lovely post and photos, the walk along the canal would be a super place for a ride.
Not sure if you ID your yellow flower but it looks like Hedge Mustard to me..
Amanda xx
Amanda Peters
Thanks so much - I haven't been able to find a date for this year's bioblitz either - perhaps they aren't holding one? I always enjoy seeing what other people see in their gardens too.
The canal post comment seems to have published on the wrong post! Not sure why. Thanks for the suggestion re: the yellow flower I will get out my id guides and check!
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