Wildlife 2007

[Armin]

Lesley, usually the Firebugs suck on trees. There is a bigger Acer campestre tree (german: Feldahorn) near my garden. But I saw them occasionally in my rose bed.

The high number (thousands! ) of insects appeared today is unusual.
I'll simply keep an eye on it...

[Maggi Young]

They are sometimes "accused" of being sap-sucking bugs, but in fact they mostly eat seed material, their favoutrite types being Malva and lime tree seeds, and they can be found eating the seeds on weeds like ragwort ,Senecio jacobaea. They do, it seems suck the goodness from the seeds, as opposed to crunching them up,but a bug that has a fairly restricted diet and which  has potential for medical uses is a good bug in my book!
They do look alarming with that colouration, and can, I am told, be mistaken for quite a few other bugs, some of which will be less welcome in the garden.
We like the look of them because of their markings so resembling an Arfican dance mask.... the BD has these items as another of his enthusiasms!

[Maggi Young]

The firebugs are known to emerge in great numbers at this time of year.... it is just that they are so visible, if it happens in your garden you will surely notice!

Pyrrhocoris apterus  Fire Bug

Readily identifiable by its bright red coloring and its characteristic markings, this beautiful insect can be found on many kinds of vegetation. It often swarms on the ground, feeding on fallen seeds, especially in early spring, after hibernation. It has also been known to attack other insects.
Most individual adults are short-winged, though a few long-winged individuals may occur in any population. They occur in woodland margins and clearings, and grassy scrubby places, with bare ground and suitable hibernation sites.

They are widespread in southern and central Europe, but very rare and wholly southern in Britain.

from a bug-site !

[Armin]

Maggi, you are right. But I believe the extraordinary high bug count I saw today compared to years before is due to the mild winter w/o strong frost - simply too many survived. I only hope natural enemies will make the balance again later the year and it will be not necessary mankind to interfer...
I believe in nature...

[Lesley Cox]

Well, if they eat/suck the seeds of the ragwort, I'd just about welcome them. The farmer next to us has whole fields of the damn stuff and does nothing about it with the result that we have hundreds appear every year in the garden. Weeding out is a full time job and we still miss many which have to be spot sprayed as they get bigger.

I believe some kind of a biological control is being trialled here but it will probably take generations before there's any noticeable effect.

[John Forrest]

What fantastic looking bugs. They look just like African tribal shields. I wouldn't mind a few in my garden if they are just seed suckers.

[Armin]

Lesley, the named ragwort is it Senecio jacobaea(german: Jakobskraut)?

This is a typical short lived pioneer plant and toxic for the cattle.
As much you dig the ground as more new seedlings germ the next year!
50000 seeds per plant, can still germ after 20years I read...
Maybe that's why the farme became so lazy...just gave up

It is interesting how this species wanders nearby highways. The seed glues on the rubber of the wheels and is distributed.
Interesting spreading tactics -isnt it?

[Maggi Young]

Very toxic for most animals, Armin. When we kept horses we were always careful to remove any ragwort from the fields or field margins, it astonishes me nowadays to see the weed so widespread and being left to run riot. A situation not helped by the number of "hobby farmers" and relocated whizz kids around whose country knowledge wouldn't cover the head of a pin.

[Armin]

What fantastic looking bugs. They look just like African tribal shields. I wouldn't mind a few in my garden if they are just seed suckers.

John, as long as global warming continues this species wanders norths...

Another example is Xylocopa violacea (german: Blaue Holzbiene).This bee (wood bee?)is largest domestic kind of bee. In Germany it is to be found rarely and only in heat islands. Their actual circulation area lies in south Europe. Due to its special requirements the wood bee in Germany applies as endangered. However it could spread after the summer 2003 again further in Germany. A large problem of the wood bee is the omission of suitable habitats, since ever more frequently dead trees the sense of order of humans fall to the victim.
I'm pleased to present a lucky shot from bof feb2005 on an Crocus ancryencies
Keep your eyes open!

[Lesley Cox]

Yes, that's the ragwort species we have here Armin. I know you're right about toxic to animals, but the sheep and cattle simply ignore it and I assume horses do too as it flourishes nearby in a small paddock where a horse and a pony live. Another farmer nearby also has a lovely small herd of fallow deer and a ragwort problem as well. But he squirts the plants with a spray called "Hitman" which kills them quite literally within 3 or 4 hours. They're all dried up and brown.

I'm not at all surprised that the seeds are viable for 20 years at least.

[Lesley Cox]

The bee is a beauty with that blue colour. Makes a difference from yellow bees on blue crocuses

[Armin]

Very toxic for most animals, Armin. When we kept horses we were always careful to remove any ragwort from the fields or field margins, it astonishes me nowadays to see the weed so widespread and being left to run riot. A situation not helped by the number of "hobby farmers" and relocated whizz kids around whose country knowledge wouldn't cover the head of a pin.

Maggi, it's all of us human beings - intensionally or unintensionally - who influence our environment. Globalisation contributes to that fact exotic species spread rapidly. Sometimes these invasive species become a pest and problem(for us).
But I have a bit different view - nature always finds a new way to survive and change. I think we can learn from it.
Finally, I admit that it is quite shocking for me which low level of knowledge about plants and animals is available to our kids once they get interviewed.
Maybe teaching plans/school lessons should be revised...
brgds

[Armin]

Yes, that's the ragwort species we have here Armin. I know you're right about toxic to animals, but the sheep and cattle simply ignore it and I assume horses do too as it flourishes nearby in a small paddock where a horse and a pony live. Another farmer nearby also has a lovely small herd of fallow deer and a ragwort problem as well. But he squirts the plants with a spray called "Hitman" which kills them quite literally within 3 or 4 hours. They're all dried up and brown.

I'm not at all surprised that the seeds are viable for 20 years at least.

Lesley, my opinion I expressed already. The only "hitman" I know is Bred "The Hitman" Hart - a wrestler but that's a totaly different subject

[Anthony Darby]

The big blue bee is called a 'Carpenter Bee' in English, but, to my knowledge, has not reached the UK.

[Armin]

Anthony, thank you for the translation. You are right, it's a Carpenter Bee.