Wildlife 2007

[TC]

Carlo was spot on.  The U.K. name is Rose-ringed parakeet. They are reaching plague proportions round the London area and are ousting native birds from their nest sites. With global warming, it won't be too long before they cross the Scottish Border.

[Anthony Darby]

When I lived in Callander, Perthshire in the early 1970s our milkman had a free-flying Ring-necked Parakeet, until it landed on the perch of a tethered Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) belonging to a neighbour.

I note the resident breeding area of the Ring-necked Parakeet 20 years ago was the Home Counties and The Wirral. If it spreads as rapidly as the Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) - which, according to my Grandmothers bird book (c. 1953)  "is spreading rapidly throughout Europe and it is only a matter of time before it reaches the UK" - then it should be an urban resident in most of the UK very soon.

[John Forrest]

Thanks Carlo, Tom and Andrew for your information. I must get my aerial reinforced in preparation for the possible invasion. I wouldn't mind a flock of them flitting about and don't mind the collared doves, which are constant visitors but the wood pigeons clomp about all over plants in pots and snap off summer bedders are less welcome.

[Armin]

Psittacula krameri and its subspecies/hybrids (german name: Halsbandsittich) are well surving in our German climate and populations still spreading along the river Rhine. Strong populations are found in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Wiesbaden and up to Heidelberg. The original birds escaped from the zoo of Cologne. I believe having heared it happend in the sixties of last century. They are easy to dedect- you just have to go to public parks with many old trees. Their prefered breeding and sleeping areal. They are very noisy and fast flyers.

[fermi de Sousa]

This is one of our local butterflies, but I'm not sure if it is an import or a native.
I think we used to call them "painted ladies" but it's different to the one Anthony posted.
cheers
fermi

[Anthony Darby]

Fermi, your butterfly is an Australian native called the Meadow Argus (Junonia villida). Its larvae feed on Plantains, Daisies and Gentians etc. It is related to the American Buckeye (J. coenia). The Australian Painted Lady is virtually identical to the European one (Vanessa (formerly Cynthia) cardui) but is now called Vanessa kershawi.

[Lesley Cox]

And of course Fermi, you can see any number of painted ladies any day, up the length of Collins Street in Melbourne. Elsewhere too.

[Anthony Darby]

That happened to us when we got lost after a night at the opera in Italy last summer. We took a wrong turning and it took us two miles before we found a gap in said strumpets to allow us to turn round. Some were only wearing a smile!

[Lesley Cox]

I'm pleased to see and learn the name of the Meadow Argus. I saw one on dying hosta leaves at Don Schofield's garden. Needless-to-say it kept flitting so I didn't get a photo but that above was definitely IT.

Perhaps they were from the chorus Anthony.What opera had you been to?

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks Anthony.
When we were kids I went butterfly catching with a friend and when he told his mum we were looking for painted ladies she just laughed and said we were too young!
I think I knew the names of most of the butterflies when I was young but the information has been overlaid with plant names since then!
cheers
fermi

[Anthony Darby]

La Bohème at Torre del Lago, an open air theatre built on the edge of a lake north of Pisa and next to Puccini's house. We had stayed for the post-opera first night dinner, which didn't start until half past midnight.

[illingworth]

Our internet speed is back up; it's still slow but fast enough for us to follow this thread with continuing interest.
This insect appeared in the centre of a Peony emodi flower. Crawled all over the stamens and stayed long enough for me to get a photo. It's the first time we have seen one like it. Any guesses as to its identity?

[illingworth]

Since posting the above I have more or less figured the name out as I poked aropund the web.

Is it a Bee Beetle in a family called Trichius ?

[Maggi Young]

I have never seen this bug before, either. The furry fringing is quite other!
I found this, which look very like yours: http://bugguide.net/node/view/21492
Trichiotinus assimilis
Off now to read up about these bugs!

[illingworth]

I think you nailed it Maggi. In looking at the link you sent me to they are hosting a study session in July about 50 miles from here. I'm off to find out more. Thanks Maggi for the help.
-Rob