Wildlife June 2011

[Maggi Young]

Alien versus predator...... but aren't they both aliens ( introduced) to NZ ?

[Paul T]

Maggi,

Yes, but one IS a predator!!  It really is a great sequence of photos.    Well done "Jandals".

[Anthony Darby]

Introduced fauna and flora are called exotics, but are regarded as aliens. Hard to imagine NZ Bittercress in the UK as exotic!

[TC]

Whilst washing the windows this morning I came across this tiny Brimstone moth.  It was optimistically waiting for some sunshine and heat to get it started -fat chance !!!
 I had to hold the camera down at my feet and 2 inches from it to take the picture, so it is not sharp.

[Paul T]

Anthony,

According to one of the online dictionaries, Alien applies just fine as well.....

5. Ecology An organism, especially a plant or animal, that occurs in or is naturalized in a region to which it is not native.

And in the photos they really do look a bit like fighting aliens.   

I think that stoat/weasel (sorry, I can't tell them apart... we don't get them here thankfully) is evaluating the cameraman in one of the pics.... working out whether they're next on the menu. 

[David Lyttle]

Steve,

A nice sequence of photos - the bunny does not really stand a chance despite being physically larger. I have a similar set of photos of a stoat killing a rabbit but not as good as yours. The last stoat I saw was in a reserve for yellow-eyed penguins. The volunteer who was showing me around was not thrilled to see it.

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony,

According to one of the online dictionaries, Alien applies just fine as well.....

5. Ecology An organism, especially a plant or animal, that occurs in or is naturalized in a region to which it is not native.

Exotic is the one that would get the marks in the test Paul, abut, as you say, alien describes it perfectly. I remember getting my first US visa in 1983 when I was officially called an alien by the US authorities. I don't think they us that term for non-US citizens any more?

[Anthony Darby]

Steve,

A nice sequence of photos - the bunny does not really stand a chance despite being physically larger. I have a similar set of photos of a stoat killing a rabbit but not as good as yours. The last stoat I saw was in a reserve for yellow-eyed penguins. The volunteer who was showing me around was not thrilled to see it.

The yellow-eyed penguin is the mascot of my son's whanau at Botany Downs Secondary College. They raise funds to help its conservation. I hope the idiots who saw fit to introduce stoats to New Zealand at not resting peacefully"! That and cats!

[Paul T]

I know you didn't mean it, but I read that as you chastising the idiots that introduced the yellow eyes pengiuns which your is raising funds to conserve.

I think that you should add possums to the stoats and cats list, Anthony. So many bird predators introduced to islands that have almost no natural bird predators.   I can only imagine what it must have been like when so many of the wonderful NZ birds were plentiful..... must have been amazing to hear the Kakapo booming away during breeding season.

[Anthony Darby]

Sorry Paul, I meant stoats, not yellow eyed penguins. It was late.

[jandals]

Thanks guys and yes Paul, I did feel like I was on the menu at one point and for once , I was pleased to be wearing boots . The pictures are stills from my video camera so you don't get to hear the harrowing soundtrack . The action happenend right beside the Sealy Tarns ( roughly 1300m altitude ) in the Mount Cook National Park . I suspect the hare had been sunning himself in the tussock when the stoat came along . I have heard that stoats will kill just for fun

[Paul T]

Sorry Paul, I meant stoats, not yellow eyed penguins. It was late.

Anthony,

No need to apologise.... I wasn't meaning you had to.  I realised how you meant it, but it gave me such a chuckle that I had to comment on it.

Yeah, I know.  I have a sick and twisted mind.

[mark smyth]

How to put up swift nest boxes - the wrong way. I had a meeting with the local biodiversity officer, architect and builder. I explained that swifts need a clear way in and out

[mark smyth]

An Ulster cow has learned how to let herself and friends escape
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaD67sj1UfQ[/youtube]

[Armin]

Mark, a very skilled cow


My subject is different: found two quite large sized (~60 mm) of empty cocoons in my raised bed.
One cocoon stuck in the hole (unter a Aubrieta hybrid) and the other cocoon layed on the ground just beside an earth cocoon.
Never saw this before.
Which moth or butterfly could this be?