Wildlife December 2011

[Anthony Darby]

On my walks with Heidi this tree usually has a magpie in it. Today there were three.

[Lesley Cox]

I could send you some eggs if a female hatches tonight or tomorrow?

I think our winter may not agree with them Anthony. But if you were to send them, what would I need to do with them? Our gums are all E. nitens. Not sure if local DoC would be happy either!

[Lesley Cox]

On my walks with Heidi this tree usually has a magpie in it. Today there were three.

Isn't there a saying about magpies? One for something, two for something else, three for... four for....?

Sorry, not much help there.

A young Maori man once told me that magpies sitting on the electric wires always meant it was going to rain. I questioned this and he assured me that it had always been so, for hundred of years. didn't seem to so the ingonguity of this statement. Having said that, when I DO see maggies on the wires, it very frequently is raining or is about to.

[rob krejzl]

Anthony,

Probably yet another portent of the animal kingdom's great love and immense respect for the Dear Leader (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/8977961/Magpies-mourn-Kim-Jong-il-in-North-Korea.html).


Or maybe not.

[Anthony Darby]

I could send you some eggs if a female hatches tonight or tomorrow?

I think our winter may not agree with them Anthony. But if you were to send them, what would I need to do with them? Our gums are all E. nitens. Not sure if local DoC would be happy either!

Will investigate the species of gum here. The moths are said to be common from Nelson northwards, but are found further south. DoC shouldn't have a problem as they don't eat native trees. I am keeping them on paper kitchen towel in either ice cream tubs or carry out boxes. No need to have any air holes as the boxes aren't air tight. I change the leaves every other day or so. I take some pics. http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/satu/eucaly.html

[Anthony Darby]

On my walks with Heidi this tree usually has a magpie in it. Today there were three.

Isn't there a saying about magpies? One for something, two for something else, three for... four for....?

One for sorrow; two for joy; three for a girl; four for a boy; five for silver; six for gold; seven for a secret never to be told. There are more verses, but I can't remember them. ITV had a TV programme to rival Blue Peter that was called Magpie, complete with the rhyme set to music.

[ranunculus]

... Eight for nuisance; Nine for pest; Ten for heaven; Hell for the rest!   

[Anthony Darby]

Here is a list of plants the emperor gum moth (Opodiphthera eucalypti) caterpillars are known to eat.
Betula pendula
Eucalyptus species:
Eucalyptus blakelyi
Eucalyptus botryoides
Eucalyptus bridgesiana
Eucalyptus cinerea
Eucalyptus eugenioides
Eucalyptus fastigata
Eucalyptus globulus
Eucalyptus gunnii
Eucalyptus leucoxylon
Eucalyptus macarthurii
Eucalyptus macrorhyncha
Eucalyptus maculosa
Eucalyptus maidenii
Eucalyptus melliodora
Eucalyptus nitens
Eucalyptus obliqua
Eucalyptus paniculata
Eucalyptus pauciflora
Eucalyptus regnans
Eucalyptus saligna
Eucalyptus viminalis
Geijera salicifolia
Liquidambar
Lophostemon confertus.......
Olea paniculata
Pinus radiata
Podocarpus spinulosus
Populus
Schinus molle
Tristaniopsis laurina

[Hoy]

Do they tolerate cold and wet weather? I have some Populus and Birch trees I want defoliated

[Lesley Cox]

We have Pinus radiata in quantity here too Anthony. I think I should give these a miss as the Pinus is a commercial crop here as it is through NZ. I can think of one NZ Forumist who would throw a fit if he thought I was introducing a known defoliator to the region. If it finds its way dowm here naturally I guess that's different. We have the Monarch butterfly but it is always killed off in the colder winters and take a couple or three years to work its way south again from the Nelson area.

[Anthony Darby]

If they could survive Lesley they would already be there. These moths are nowhere common enough, even in the North Island to be a problem and the list shows what they will eat, not what they are found on. They are eucalyptus eaters and although they will eat other plants on the list, it is if given no choice. I once reared Actias luna from the USA on Larix decidua thinking they were a totally different moth. Larch isn't even listed as a possible foodplant as they feed on birch, walnut and sweet gum.

[Anthony Darby]

Here's a scan from January's Sky magazine. The butterflies, I assume, represent summer in New Zealand, but there's something wrong with them................!

[Anthony Darby]

The "Eastern Courier", one of our free papers, has an article about the New Zealand dotterel (Charadrius obscurus), which is becoming increasingly rare due to trampling, hedgehogs and cats. There was a link to this video:

[Lesley Cox]

Some years ago in the Cass river bed in Canterbury, I found a nest with four brown, beautifully spotted eggs, in the gravel of the bed. I was so lucky not to step on them they were so superbly camouflaged. I did a quick photo then walked away. A minute or two later a banded dotterel came by and settled on the nest. This must have been 30 years ago. I can't find the photo now to get it scanned for posting.

[Anthony Darby]

The gum moth caterpillars certainly grow fast. Here they are earlier today!