Wildlife July 2010

[fredg]

This should get everyone reaching for the sprays.

[daveyp1970]

Fred there everywhere at the moment.PESKY THINGS

[Graham Catlow]

At the beginning of June, (see the Wildlife June 2010 thread), I showed photos of early bumblebees occupying a nest box in my garden which had been vacated by a robin after she had raised a brood.

A third species now occupies the nest box. It is bumblebee wax moth, (Aphomia sociella), or more correctly the caterpillars of the moth.

Female moths enter bumblebee colonies and lay eggs in the detritus at the base of the nest. These then hatch and the resultant caterpillars slowly eat their way through the comb, the food supplies, and even the young bees themselves. Most nests eventually succumb to attack of this moth and, unfortunately, this is usually lethal to the colony. Although for most, the invasion will be late in the year so that the caterpillars will not finish off the colony until new males and queens have been produced.

So the moths clear up the old nest ready for the robin to start the cycle again next year – I hope.

Graham

Photos:
The nest with the caterpillars in the bee grub vessels.
The nest with a standard camera lens cap for size comparison. You will see how small the bee nest really is, although some of it could already have been eaten away by the caterpillars.
A caterpillar.

[Ragged Robin]

In mid June I was clearing an area under trees and was suddenly surrounded by about 30 bumblebees flying low and realised I had disturbed their nest pulling up roots.  The entrance was under a stone.  Every time I went near in subsequent days the doorkeeper bee came out for a recce and told me to buzz off!  Very exciting to know that a whole community of bumblebees has survived and enjoyed honeysuckle and other nectar rich flowers close by where I watched them each day.  Now I am treading with care as all seems quiet but was interested to see that the bumblebee nest from your garden Graham.

[Olga Bondareva]

Graham 
Thank you, I've never seen bumblebee caterpillars!

Yesterday we met Athene noctua.

[mark smyth]

Very cute!

[arisaema]

Anyone know what this might be? It's munching on an elm.

[Lesley Cox]

A most beautiful little owl, Olga.

[Gail]

Anyone know what this might be? It's munching on an elm.

Larvae of the comma butterfly?  Feeds on nettles, elm and willow.
http://www.whatsthatcaterpillar.co.uk/

[ArnoldT]

Here's a bit of July wildlife.  I put the caterpillar in a jar with some parsley and check it the next day and look what I found.

[Lesley Cox]

Did he prefer flat leaf or curly Arnold? wonder if he'd like a bit of rosemary or thyme as well?

[ArnoldT]

Actually I prefer the flat leaf so that what it got.

[Olga Bondareva]

Centaurea field

[Lesley Cox]

Oh, that is glorious, field and sky reflecting each other.

[Stephenb]

This juvenile robin had got stuck in this bucket in the garden - couldn't quite manage to fly high enough to get out. Luck was on its side today!