Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Anthony Darby on October 06, 2011, 06:49:06 AM

Title: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 06, 2011, 06:49:06 AM
My garden was visited by this wee cicada today. Perhaps a snoring cicada (Kikihia cutora)?
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: arillady on October 06, 2011, 09:58:22 AM
These butterflies were in abundance with the lavender bushes when I visited a lavender farm on Saturday. This one was in my car so I brought it home. Did not realise the extra critter was on the leaf when I photographed it.
I think Margaret was trying to photograph the butterflies - with difficulty.
Any idea of name?
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: daveyp1970 on October 06, 2011, 10:23:46 AM
These butterflies were in abundance with the lavender bushes when I visited a lavender farm on Saturday. This one was in my car so I brought it home. Did not realise the extra critter was on the leaf when I photographed it.
I think Margaret was trying to photograph the butterflies - with difficulty.
Any idea of name?
Pat at first i thought wow an Australian skipper of sorts but something tells me it might be a moth,Anthony should know.What ever it is its stunning.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 06, 2011, 07:48:42 PM
I agree. A day flying moth.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: arillady on October 06, 2011, 10:02:33 PM
Well they were pretty colourful moths.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fermi de Sousa on October 07, 2011, 03:58:09 AM
Looks to me to be the Grapevine moth( Phalaenoides glycinae ) - an agicultural pest but pretty when it's flying about.
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: arillady on October 07, 2011, 11:54:24 AM
Oh dear and this is in the grapegrowing Barossa Valley!!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 07, 2011, 09:53:01 PM
Judging by its colours and pattern it is distasteful to predators.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: daveyp1970 on October 07, 2011, 10:32:38 PM
My garden was visited by this wee cicada today. Perhaps a snoring cicada (Kikihia cutora)?
How small are they Anthony i have only ever seen quite large ones.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 07, 2011, 11:00:44 PM
My garden was visited by this wee cicada today. Perhaps a snoring cicada (Kikihia cutora)?
How small are they Anthony i have only ever seen quite large ones.
About 2 cm long. We have several species of cicada here. This one is found all year, but most of the rest are later in the year.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: PDJ on October 08, 2011, 10:25:05 PM
Just back from a nice couple of weeks in St. Ives Cornwall.  Here are a few of the locals.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: PDJ on October 08, 2011, 10:29:28 PM
A few more
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Peter Maguire on October 08, 2011, 11:39:35 PM
Nice pictures Paul, I especially liked the wheatear.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Natalia on October 10, 2011, 02:19:35 PM
In a completely unexpected place came across a beaver dam. :o
Beavers could not take photos, but they heard slapping its tail on the water - beaver pond was very large. :)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hoy on October 10, 2011, 03:08:17 PM
I have seen live beavers once or twice although their dwellings are rather common even along some of the roads where I use to drive.
This morning a flock of black grouse cocks (and maybe a few hens) (Tetrao tetrix) paid us a visit. They sat in the birches eating buds when the sun rose above the morning mist. Picture take through the window as they are easily frightened.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 11, 2011, 09:43:06 AM
Pat, incredible image of flowering lavender!

Paul, so many interesting birds! How did you steal up to them so closely?

Trond, lucky you saw and photographed that rare and wary bird!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 11, 2011, 09:44:09 AM
Ladybird at the Acer pseudosieboldianum leaf.

(http://cs10623.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/131906072/y_cd2668f9.jpg)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hoy on October 11, 2011, 10:12:34 AM
Nice leaf, Olga. Did the ladybird fly? (We call it "Hen of Mary" in Norwegian).
The day I pictured the black grouses I also saw fresh footprints of a lynx in the snow. It had followed a hare. No picture of the lynx though!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 11, 2011, 11:25:33 AM
Wow I haven't ever seen lynx or it's footprints! It wold be very interesting and exciting to meet and shoot the animal.

Yes that ladybird flew away. I found it in wet grass and moved to the leaf. Sometimes it opened wings to make them dry. And than it flew.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on October 11, 2011, 12:57:56 PM
I remember how close you got to the Elk, Olga, so we will be expecting Lynx photos soon.... perhaps if you go visit Trond!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 11, 2011, 04:12:55 PM
Maggi I'd rather meet a herd of elks than one lynx...
But it's a good occasion to visit Trond!  :)

By the way we call ladybird God's cow.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: ArnoldT on October 11, 2011, 04:14:11 PM
We call they Ladybugs.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 11, 2011, 04:36:03 PM
Arnold, it is poses.  :)

My thoughts about animals tracking out reminded me journal of russian scientist and photographer Igor Shpilenok. For some years he's been living at Kamchatka. He photographed many animals (especially bears) and tell about nature live. I'm afraid his journal is only in russian and you can not feel his simple wisdom and respectful love to all leaving things. But you can enjoy his images!
He is a winner of one of photo contests, as I remember.
http://shpilenok.livejournal.com/
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hoy on October 11, 2011, 04:40:41 PM
Wow I haven't ever seen lynx or it's footprints! It wold be very interesting and exciting to meet and shoot the animal.

Yes that ladybird flew away. I found it in wet grass and moved to the leaf. Sometimes it opened wings to make them dry. And than it flew.
I remember how close you got to the Elk, Olga, so we will be expecting Lynx photos soon.... perhaps if you go visit Trond!
We should be very lucky to meet a lynx! They are very wary animals - and nocturnal (I am not).
Today we spotted a few willow grouses and a lot of other birds. Fourlegged animals are not easy to spot when you come trampling in the snow. However we saw tracks of elks, foxes, hares, weasels and rodents (lemmings maybe). We even spotted some moths!

I would rather meet a pack of wolves than one supesized ladybug!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hoy on October 11, 2011, 04:43:30 PM
Arnold, it is poses.  :)

My thoughts about animals tracking out reminded me journal of russian scientist and photographer Igor Shpilenok. For some years he's been living at Kamchatka. He photographed many animals (especially bears) and tell about nature live. I'm afraid his journal is only in russian and you can not feel his simple wisdom and respectful love to all leaving things. But you can enjoy his images!
He is a winner of one of photo contests, as I remember.
http://shpilenok.livejournal.com/

Do I remember right - a Russian photographer and scientist who lived in Kamtchatca was killed by a bear the other summer?
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 11, 2011, 04:46:31 PM
Do I remember right - a Russian photographer and scientist who lived in Kamtchatca was killed by a bear the other summer?

That was another one.  :) Shpilenok is still alive.  :) He moved to Briansk area. And the latest post at his journal is dated by 10.10.2011.  :)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hoy on October 11, 2011, 05:16:42 PM
Do I remember right - a Russian photographer and scientist who lived in Kamtchatca was killed by a bear the other summer?

That was another one.  :) Shpilenok is still alive.  :) He moved to Briansk area. And the latest post at his journal is dated by 10.10.2011.  :)
OK, so it is a lot of them there - understandable! I would like to take a trip there myself ;)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 11, 2011, 06:32:05 PM
OK, so it is a lot of them there - understandable! I would like to take a trip there myself ;)
To be eaten by a bear?  :)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hoy on October 11, 2011, 06:42:30 PM
OK, so it is a lot of them there - understandable! I would like to take a trip there myself ;)
To be eaten by a bear?  :)
That had been a life-long experience!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: David Nicholson on October 11, 2011, 09:31:03 PM
OK, so it is a lot of them there - understandable! I would like to take a trip there myself ;)
To be eaten by a bear?  :)
That had been a life-long experience!

A final life-long experience :P
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: ArnoldT on October 11, 2011, 11:02:20 PM
Olga, what beautiful images.  I went back and look at a couple of previous ones as well.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 11, 2011, 11:22:40 PM
We call they Ladybugs.
We use to watch these little beetles climb up our fingers and recite the rhyme:
"Ladybird, ladybird fly away home,
Your house is on fire and your children are gone", by which time they usually flew off.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 12, 2011, 06:50:16 AM
Anthony, thats wonderful! We do the same but the song is another:
"God's cow, God's cow,
Fly to the sky,
Bring us a bread,
White and black,
Not burnt!"
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 12, 2011, 06:52:31 AM
I would like to take a trip there myself ;)

Seriously I would like too. It's an incredible place.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 12, 2011, 06:59:38 AM
Arnold, I found his journal in english.
http://wildlife-photo-russia.blogspot.com/
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: ArnoldT on October 12, 2011, 11:53:41 AM
Olga:

Thanks, I found a couple of sites where is pictures are posted.

wonderful images.

Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hoy on October 13, 2011, 08:31:28 AM
I would like to take a trip there myself ;)

Seriously I would like too. It's an incredible place.

Olga, can't you arrange for an expedition 8)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fredg on October 14, 2011, 03:17:15 PM
This young lady is a new one to me.
Shorter legged, except for the front pair, than the usual Harvestman (Harvestperson?) I normally encounter.

The body markings were a surprise.
She's cute   ;)

Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on October 14, 2011, 03:26:06 PM
Crikey Fred, if you find HER cute then you'd better never meet me face to face... the excitement would be too much for you!  :o ::) ;D
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: ranunculus on October 14, 2011, 04:35:57 PM
Crikey Fred, if you find HER cute then you'd better never meet me face to face... the excitement would be too much for you!  :o ::) ;D

It ALWAYS is for me, Maggi. x
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fredg on October 14, 2011, 06:37:18 PM
Crikey Fred, if you find HER cute then you'd better never meet me face to face... the excitement would be too much for you!  :o ::) ;D

Wow Maggi, do you have body markings too? :P


Edit :- I believe she's an Oligolophus tridens
(The harvestperson not Maggi)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on October 14, 2011, 07:10:33 PM
Oh! It's the body markings you find cute? I  thought it was the knobbly bits and the short legs...... :-X
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Paddy Tobin on October 14, 2011, 07:25:46 PM
Anthony, thats wonderful! We do the same but the song is another:
"God's cow, God's cow,
Fly to the sky,
Bring us a bread,
White and black,
Not burnt!"

Olga, it is interesting that you call the ladybird "God's Cow" as the Irish for the ladybird is "Bóín Dé" which translates as God's little cow.

Paddy
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Peter Maguire on October 14, 2011, 07:31:32 PM
Olga,
Thank you for posting the link to Igor's blog - that's another half hour happily spent in front of the computer screen. :D
I wondered whether he was better-known outside Russia, and scrolling down the English version of the blog I found that he is part of the Wild Wonders of Europe project. If anyone hasn't heard of it, here's the link: http://www.wild-wonders.com/      Set aside a evening for this one  ;)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Roma on October 16, 2011, 09:00:56 PM
Still a few butterflies around when the sun shines.  I saw this Peacock on Friday, a Small Tortoiseshell on Saturday and a Red Admiral today.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Surreylad on October 16, 2011, 09:43:23 PM
That's lovely Roma, i've only seen one of these this year..
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Brian Ellis on October 16, 2011, 10:29:44 PM
Please forgive my ignorance  but has anyone seen this and could they explain why these are actually needed?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8827505/Bridges-too-far-The-500000-bat-crossings.html

What's more to the point, how do they know where the bats will cross?
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: mark smyth on October 16, 2011, 11:04:07 PM
I as a bat man should say I agree but I see bats crossing the road all the time so it is a waste of money. I killed a bat the other week because it crossed the road at the same time.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Brian Ellis on October 17, 2011, 09:41:37 AM
Good to know that batman agrees on the dreadful waste of money.  I thought there was something that I had missed.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: annew on October 17, 2011, 12:42:31 PM
On Saturday, we had an unusual combination of swallows and house martins hunting over the field behind us, while a flock of fieldfares and redwings passed by.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Lesley Cox on October 19, 2011, 08:25:18 PM
Very sad to hear this morning of a man who released many animals from (his private ?) zoo in the States then killed himself. The authorities had to hunt down and shoot the animals for the sake of public safety. They included lions, tigers, bears and others. Good reason NOT to keep such animals in captivity at all.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 20, 2011, 08:22:37 AM
You used to be able to buy lion cubs in Harrods!

Today was sunny, windy and cool (~16oC), but I spotted these young mantids on a potted protea. They are <1 cm long.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Hans A. on October 20, 2011, 08:40:19 AM
Great pics, Anthony!
On the other side of the world they are a bit larger actually. ;)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 20, 2011, 09:00:02 AM
These have only been out of the ootheca (egg batch) for a day or two.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Lesley Cox on October 20, 2011, 09:14:32 PM
Surely even Maggi would find those babies cute. Not so sure about the bigger one though. :-\
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 20, 2011, 09:48:54 PM
This morning I found a springbok survivor. Miomantis caffra (springbok mantis, an African import) is known to survive the winter, and I found this one in the front garden this morning. It's about half the size of the Mantis religiosa that Hans showed.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fredg on October 21, 2011, 06:13:13 PM
This young lady appeared to be searching (hunting prey?) for something on the ground.
The antennae were very active.

I'm thinking Polistes sp. but aren't the antennae too long?

Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 21, 2011, 09:10:47 PM
I think it must be an ichneumon Fred?
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fredg on October 21, 2011, 09:34:22 PM
Very nice pointer Anthony  :D

Now I'm favouring Ichneumon sarcitorius
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 21, 2011, 10:13:12 PM
Looks suspiciously like it Fred. 8)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fredg on October 22, 2011, 03:34:01 PM
One of my old friends I accidentally disturbed while rearranging trays.

Sorry Maggi
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on October 22, 2011, 03:45:31 PM
Holy Moly! I'd rather watch Coronation Street.... could you guys email me in advance when you're going to post pix of these crrepy crawlies so I know to  keep away?  :o :-X :P
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: ranunculus on October 22, 2011, 04:00:58 PM
Holy Moly! I'd rather watch Coronation Street.... could you guys email me in advance when you're going to post pix of these crrepy crawlies so I know to  keep away?  :o :-X :P

... But 'Spider' Nugent left Corrie ages ago, Maggi ... !!!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: mark smyth on October 22, 2011, 06:08:49 PM
I know what I would have happened to the spider  ::)

A few years ago I had a pair of red-faced liocichlas that would almost beg when I had a spider in tweezers. They escaped one day but stayed in the garden for weeks. One morning they didnt come for their mealworms
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya6e5gU5zv8[/youtube]
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 22, 2011, 09:42:59 PM
Holy Moly! I'd rather watch Coronation Street.... could you guys email me in advance when you're going to post pix of these crrepy crawlies so I know to  keep away?  :o :-X :P
Streetwise but not spider wise Maggi? I think the clue might be in the topic heading? Wildlife.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on October 23, 2011, 12:32:23 PM
I have no idea who the Spider TV character is, thank goodness........ but in my book Wildlife should be cute furries, not scary things with too many legs...... :o  ;D

 I don't know.... I'm sure I'm not asking for too much: health for the Westies and the BD ( not necessarily in that order ( ::) ) and enough chocolate to keep me fat..... is that so awful? Do I deserve these creepies appearing without warning??? :-\
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fredg on October 23, 2011, 01:02:08 PM
I but in my book Wildlife should be cute furries,

Look closer.... she is furry :D
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on October 23, 2011, 02:02:15 PM
Nope! She is hairy... it's not the same thing....

Now,  this Canadian Lynx, photo by Art G  (http://flickr.com/photos/44237541@N00)  is furry......
...and, trust me, they never have more than four legs......
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: fredg on October 23, 2011, 02:20:48 PM

Now,  this Canadian Lynx, photo by Art G  (http://flickr.com/photos/44237541@N00)  is furry......
...and, trust me, they never have more than four legs......

Odd.... this one has eight legs  ;D     

( Credit: JEFF LEPORE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)

Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on October 23, 2011, 03:01:56 PM
I give up!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: ranunculus on October 23, 2011, 06:14:21 PM

Now,  this Canadian Lynx, photo by Art G  (http://flickr.com/photos/44237541@N00)  is furry......
...and, trust me, they never have more than four legs......

Odd.... this one has eight legs  ;D     

( Credit: JEFF LEPORE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)

Ah well Maggi ... hare today, gone tomorrow!


Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Lesley Cox on October 23, 2011, 09:05:04 PM
I know the Canadian lynx is a very dangerous animal on occasion, but it really is wonderfully beautiful. Am I right in thinking it is endangered? If so I really hope it survives the depredations of the modern world. (Not that beauty should be the criterion of course. That it or any animanl exists should be enough to ensure its place on earth.)
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 23, 2011, 09:32:08 PM
One of my former pupils went to Canada to work with the lynx. I got some data to back up the classic predator/prey graph used by biologists showing the capture rates of the snow-shoe hare and lynx by trappers of the Hudson's Bay Co. in the early 20th century. I think much of the data were skewed due to fur prices reflecting scarcity, not abundance. Scarcity --> higher price for fur, so more were trapped, therefore the data did not just indicate population size.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Lori S. on October 23, 2011, 10:32:05 PM
I know the Canadian lynx is a very dangerous animal on occasion...
Well, sure, if you happen to be a snowshoe hare  ;)... a statistically inconsequential danger to humans.  I've only ever seen one to date - near the Fort McMurray airport in winter a few years ago.  Stuart saw one while backcountry skiing in the mountains last winter.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Lesley Cox on October 24, 2011, 12:38:13 AM
Well I'm pleased about that Lori, so long as people KNOW it's not dangerous and therefore leave it alone and don't shoot on sight, as often seems to be the case with perceived danger. Shoot first and express regret later. >:(
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 24, 2011, 12:40:34 AM
If it became extinct would it then be the missing lynx?
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Lori S. on October 24, 2011, 02:03:36 AM
If it became extinct would it then be the missing lynx?

;)

Well I'm pleased about that Lori, so long as people KNOW it's not dangerous and therefore leave it alone and don't shoot on sight, as often seems to be the case with perceived danger. Shoot first and express regret later. >:(
Can't guarantee that, unfortunately, Lesley... there are just as many idiots here as anywhere else.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: ranunculus on October 24, 2011, 08:33:37 AM
If it became extinct would it then be the missing lynx?

How purrfect, Anthony!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 24, 2011, 09:14:44 AM
I'd like to give those hunters what fur!
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 24, 2011, 09:26:59 AM
Maggi's purrfectly safe with the following as they don't have more (or fewer) than 4 legs and are not hairy. These are some year old Auckland green geckos (one is yellow) Naultinus elegans I got last week.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Lesley Cox on October 25, 2011, 10:16:51 PM
These are really beautiful Anthony. I'm pleased you're able to keep them and they seem to be enjoying their new home.
Title: Re: Wildlife October 2011
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 25, 2011, 10:40:13 PM
I'd like to see these in the wild and photograph them, but the Naultinus grayi in another cage are virtually invisible on the Coprosma sp. planted in the cage, so spotting them must be a skill! 8)
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal