Wildlife March 2011

[RichardW]

me neither, look like big beasties, Frogs and Toads are currently slowing my mowing down.

had a lovely display from 2 Red Kites today, hoping they set up home here now they've been roosting near the gardens for a week or so.

[Anthony Darby]

I've seen oil beetles in Glen Etive. They are big beasties, and my memory says over an inch, but perhaps not? I would have said March was a bit early for them?

[emma T]

 We always see them here in March (Dorset) They are a bit bigger than an inch. You can help noticing them as they go about their lives on the lawns and rough grass.

[daveyp1970]

WOW Emma they are  incredible,is there an explanation why they are called oil beetles?i would love find them in my garden,fantastic thank you for posting.

[Anthony Darby]

Wow indeed! I suppose things happen much earlier in Dorset? You are lucky to have such a problem. They release an oily fluid which smells when they are disturbed.

[daveyp1970]

Anthony i take it oil beetles are rare in the uk?

[daveyp1970]

Emma have look at this http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1369791/UKs-oil-beetle-Buglife-wants-seek-remaining-species.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
They are rare,as rare as hens teeth,or rocking horse manure.Sorry Anthony did a little research they are incredible beetles there life cycle is incredible,Emma you are so lucky.

[Maggi Young]

http://www.buglife.org.uk/getinvolved/surveys/Oil+Beetle+Hunt/Oil+Beetle+hunt+-+Life+Cycle

I've never seen them either.... and at the size they are it shouldn't be hard to spot them!

[emma T]

Ive always assumed everyone had them. Just of of those insects who turns up this time of year ,bit like may bugs.

Looked up years ago in my bug book to find what they were ,and really didn't think much more about them. Always moved them out of the way of the mower.

We have two work experience lads here at the moment and one of them found one and wanted to know a bi more about them so i googled them and came up with that bug life survey ( which i have filled in and sent off).

We are being extra careful not to run them over now we know they are so rare. I have seen at least 20 in the last 5 days. Mostly the very fat females.

The oil not only smells and (I'm guessing )tastes bad, it is also so caustic, hence the gloves.

They are big buggers 

[Paddy Tobin]

Never saw these beetles, very interesting.

Yesterday, I watched two dippers fishing at Mount Usher Gardens. An uncommon sight.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

Attracting bumblebees to nest

Has anyone had bumblebees nest in the garden? Today I saw that most queens in the garden are collecting pollen which means I have failed again to get a queen bee to nest in my garden. I have two potential nest sites. One is a half buried clay pot on its side with the drainage hole at soil level. The other is a bought bumblebee nest box. Every year I see queens searching for nest sites. Following advice on the internet I have done four things that have failed
1. Catch and imprison a queen in the box for a few days. Each time I unplug the hole they come out and fly away
2. Get a smelly mouse nest from the pet shop and put it inside because "queens love the smell of a mouse. It failed.
3. Make a mouse tunnel using a piece of water pump hose. It doesn't work.
4. Plant flowers in the garden. I have and it doesn't work

[emma T]

Attracting bumblebees to nest

Has anyone had bumblebees nest in the garden? Today I saw that most queens in the garden are collecting pollen which means I have failed again to get a queen bee to nest in my garden. I have two potential nest sites. One is a half buried clay pot on its side with the drainage hole at soil level. The other is a bought bumblebee nest box. Every year I see queens searching for nest sites. Following advice on the internet I have done four things that have failed
1. Catch and imprison a queen in the box for a few days. Each time I unplug the hole they come out and fly away
2. Get a smelly mouse nest from the pet shop and put it inside because "queens love the smell of a mouse. It failed.
3. Make a mouse tunnel using a piece of water pump hose. It doesn't work.
4. Plant flowers in the garden. I have and it doesn't work

The bees here just nest in mouse holes or blue tit nest boxes. I have found them in a ball of moss before now, almost trod on them.

Maybe get more mice ?

[emma T]

Never saw these beetles, very interesting.

Yesterday, I watched two dippers fishing at Mount Usher Gardens. An uncommon sight.

Paddy

We have had dippers on our stretch of the river Allen before now. Wonderful birds to watch. We also have swans,kingfishers, herons,water rails,moorhens, little egrets,ducks,tufted ducks ,teal. plus an otter,trout,grayling. Water voles, Water shrews, stoats, rabbits, hares, fallow deer ( these thankfully stay in the water meadows and don't come into the garden.

We also still have the native white clawed crayfish