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Author Topic: Wildlife October 2009  (Read 30473 times)

Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #15 on: October 04, 2009, 07:05:00 PM »
Angie, there are, alas, three different beasties which rejoice in the name 'daddy-long-legs'. The first is the crane fly; the second is the harvestman, which is an arachnid resembling a long legged spider, but with one visible body part; and the daddy-long-legs spider (Pholcus phalangoides). The last spins untidy webs on the ceilings in utility rooms (like ours) or outhouses further south.
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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angie

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #16 on: October 04, 2009, 08:15:02 PM »
Thanks Anthony

Its the crane fly I don't like they always seem to get into the house. Looked up Pholcus Phalangoides, :o its even scarier, I am terrified of garden worms and creepy crawlies, so l am glad I don't have snakes here in Aberdeen.

Angie :)
Angie T.
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Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #17 on: October 04, 2009, 09:33:27 PM »
Thanks Anthony
 l am glad I don't have snakes here in Aberdeen.

Angie :)


They're not that far away Angie. Here's a distribution map of adders in the UK. The green squares are where they have been seen and are still present. The red squares are historical.

Cheers

Anthony
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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Paul T

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #18 on: October 04, 2009, 11:47:57 PM »
Wow, I never would have placed it as a beetle.  Thanks so much for the indentification everyone!!  8)

Angie,

Creepy crawlies aren't so bad.  Daddy Longlegs spiders are everywhere here, but they're harmless.  Now the redbacks, brown snakes, red bellied black snakes etc are more of a concern. Interestingly, I have no problem at all with snakes, but I hate spiders (except daddy longlegs as they can't hurt us).  The big huntsmans are aweful, even though mostly harmless.  They move so quickly. (shudder)

Beetles are cool though, particularly those that mimic wasps.  Very, very, very cool.

Thanks again everyone. 8)
Cheers.

Paul T.
Canberra, Australia.
Min winter temp -8 or -9°C. Max summer temp 40°C. Thankfully, maybe once or twice a year only.

Kees Green

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2009, 12:25:40 AM »
What about cicadas Paul, they are the best insect and signal the start of Summer.
I will post some pics from my trip to Queensland early next year, I can not wait to go-even though it will be 35 degreees and 80-95 % humidity, I can almost here the chorus of the cicadas singing now :)
Kees Green, miniature daffodil and insect enthusiast

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Stephenb

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #20 on: October 05, 2009, 08:51:55 AM »
Stephen are you saying there could be another waxwing eruption?  Here, at least in N Ireland, the berry crop this year is huge

No, no sign of an eruption as yet, but it's early yet. Only a dozen observations in Norway over the last week (see map) with the largest flocks around 20-30 (largest red dots on the map). I'll make sure to tell them where to go though. ;)
Stephen
Malvik, Norway
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Kees Green

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #21 on: October 05, 2009, 10:01:19 AM »
Hi Paul, and Anthony.
I may have been correct that that beetle is a longhorn mimic, we have a similar species in New Zealand called Drototelus elegans.
I could not copy the picture so the following link will take you there, notice it also has the white at the end of abdomen, the is a paper by a friend of mine Tony Harris.
http://www.ento.org.nz/nzentomologist/free_issues/NZEnto06_4_1978/Volume%206-4-406-408.pdf
Kees Green, miniature daffodil and insect enthusiast

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Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #22 on: October 05, 2009, 01:13:19 PM »
Hi Paul, and Anthony.
I may have been correct that that beetle is a longhorn mimic, we have a similar species in New Zealand called Drototelus elegans.
I could not copy the picture so the following link will take you there, notice it also has the white at the end of abdomen, the is a paper by a friend of mine Tony Harris.
http://www.ento.org.nz/nzentomologist/free_issues/NZEnto06_4_1978/Volume%206-4-406-408.pdf

That is brilliant Kees. It adds meat to the bones.

Many thanks.

Anthony.
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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angie

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #23 on: October 05, 2009, 08:23:30 PM »
Hi Anthony & Paul T

Anthony glad to see I don't have any green squares beside me, I have never seen a snake in Scotland, well I tell a lie, I have seen them in pet shops. I wander why they haven't came to the north east area of Scotland ,maybe they have heard its cold here. Thanks for the information, next time I am in the highlands I will look and see if I can see any.

Paul I was cleaning my greenhouse out today and it was full of spiders ( only little ones ) but I had a jacket on with a hood up just in case one fell onto me, I cant imagine what I would do if there was a snake in the corner :o I suppose you would just have to hope it would leave. Post somemore of your creepy crawlies when you have time.

Angie :)
 

Angie T.
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Maggi Young

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #24 on: October 05, 2009, 08:48:06 PM »
You don't have to go too far to find adders, Angela! Not too many grass snakes around here,they are harmless, but there are poisonous adders in most moorland areas... Forest of Birse, for example!
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #25 on: October 05, 2009, 08:54:42 PM »
I'd be surprised to see a grass snake in Scotland, anywhere! There have been rumours, but perhaps in the borders? I have seen them between Dunblane and Kilbryde - maybe three miles as the crow flies, but they don't appear to be on our side?
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution"
http://www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk/Choir/The-Choir.html

Lesley Cox

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #26 on: October 05, 2009, 09:49:11 PM »
Angie there is a ready remedy for fear of creepie crawlies. Your fellow Aberdonian uses it all the time. It's so simple too. Just sit in a darkened room with a large amount of chocolate to hand. The fear goes quite quickly and you soon learn to face what were formerly quite frightful creatures.
Lesley Cox - near Dunedin, lower east coast, South Island of New Zealand - Zone 9

mark smyth

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #27 on: October 06, 2009, 12:09:10 AM »
Some moths fall when they hear a bat coming but a tiger moth can jam echolocation calls
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/mothjam
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Stephenb

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #28 on: October 06, 2009, 09:15:53 AM »
The range of the Adder reaches north of the Arctic circle here in Norway, although mainly in the milder coastal areas. Very local in my area though and I've never seen one myself here.
Stephen
Malvik, Norway
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angie

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Re: Wildlife October 2009
« Reply #29 on: October 06, 2009, 09:31:45 AM »
Hi

Never thought we would have adders so close  :o, next time I am walking the dog I will be treading lighter.

Lesley I will try the large amount of chocolate, :) only to see if it works, now I wonder where I can purchase the largest bar of chocolate.

Don't fear bats as we have a lot here I think the pond attracts them but as for those hairy moths, that's creepy.

Angie :)
Angie T.
....just outside Aberdeen in North East Scotland

 


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