Animals – Page 4 – Wildlife and Ecology, the Wildlife Encyclopaedia

Insects

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2020/jun/10/spiky-hairy-shiny-la-abuzz-with-new-insect-discoveries-in-pictures-aoe Just a link to a UK Guardian photo article.

Slow-worms and the Moths of Harewood Forest

Legless lizards in your garden David Beeson June 2020 Life is amazing. From the Covid-19 virus (merely a stand of genetic material in a coat), through bacteria that can feed off plastic, to the tonnes of a massive whale or giant redwood, the diversity of life on our blue planet is mind-blowing. New forms ofContinue reading “Slow-worms and the Moths of Harewood Forest”

A Secret Pond – Damselfly Hunt

Secret Pond John Solomon 4th June 2020 While David was sampling the historic and exotic delights of Salisbury Plain I was off hunting a puddle. I get all the best gigs, but bear with me! I was on the trail of a conundrum. Rooksbury Lake is one of the most productive sites locally for DamselfliesContinue reading “A Secret Pond – Damselfly Hunt”

A Wet Meadow

Not a water meadow, just a wet meadow. (But, I’ll attach the Water Meadow article at the end) This John’s SECRET MEADOW. The River Test is one of the most beautiful lowland rivers in the world. It is not pristine because it does have fertilizer run-off and the cleaned effluent from sewerage works added. ButContinue reading “A Wet Meadow”

Ladies, you probably will not believe me, but being a male can be hard work.

A Common Blue butterfly David Beeson May 26th … still in isolation from Covid-19. We are familiar with male elephants or giant North-American buffalo fighting to hold prime mating territory. Birds are singing to proclaim both fitness and territory – all to lure the female of the species into their lair. Or is it theContinue reading “Ladies, you probably will not believe me, but being a male can be hard work.”

Of Dukes and Men

John Solomon Harewood Forest, 2 May 2020. A butterfly exploration. I make no apologies for this probably being the shortest blog I’ll ever post. Ileft the house around three o’clock with one target species in mind, driving uppast Walworth Industrial Estate and taking the B3400 towards Whitchurch.Here, driving past the Arbory rest home on theContinue reading “Of Dukes and Men”

Mammal Mapping and Badgers

Mammal mapper David Beeson When I’m out and about I record the mammals that occur in the area. Now, mammals are notoriously difficult to see. Plants are everywhere, butterflies sometimes in their hundreds and aphids coat the garden’s roses … but mammals hide away. But, if we all keep our eyes open you’ll be surprisedContinue reading “Mammal Mapping and Badgers”

Odonata 1

Rooksbury Mill LNR, Andover. Damselfly Exploration, early June. John Solomon Rooksbury Mill Local Nature Reserve is situated south of Andover town centre and adjacent to Watermills Park. It has two lakes which are fed by the River Anton and were created soon after World War II through gravel extraction. The site now encompasses a rangeContinue reading “Odonata 1”

Odonata 2

Rooksbury in August John Solomon August is the month of the Hawkers, the larger insects everyone thinks of when we talk about “Dragonflies”. Around Andover we have five species and all are found, in varying numbers, around all three of our local lakes. Some have emerged earlier in the Summer but, at this time ofContinue reading “Odonata 2”

Mammals

The mammals of local woodlands. David Beeson Although the British Isles has comparatively little mature native woodland, around Andover we have more than our fair share with Harewood, Coldridge and Collingbourne (near Ludgershall), the woodlands around Chute, the Doles Wood complex, Faccombe, Oakhill Wood near Vernham Dean and several other smaller woodlands scattered around. WithContinue reading “Mammals”

Holly leaf-miner

The holly and the Ivy. Wildlife to search out in the winter months. David Beeson Flower arrangers often seek out the evergreen leaves of holly and ivy for their mid-winter displays. Yet, I suggest they look especially closely at the holly leaves they select … for many of them are less than perfect. The leavesContinue reading “Holly leaf-miner”

Butterflies and chalk flora

Figsbury Ring, National Trust Adonis blue butterflies and chalkland flora. Early June. David Beeson Figsbury Ring is a Neolithic and Iron Age archaeological site near Salisbury. It lies to the north of the A30 and reached along a narrow and bumpy chalk track. As the area is elevated it is prone to being windy, soContinue reading “Butterflies and chalk flora”

Harewood Butterflies

Harewood Forest in early July – butterflies John Solomon What a change just over four months makes! Now this ancient woodland is thick with dense foliage and the heavy, humid air thick with the humming and buzzing of insects. Walking through the cool shade of the coppiced hazel to the left the wild gooseberry hasContinue reading “Harewood Butterflies”