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1st: Ladybirds (plus spot the odd one out) We had a bit of an influx of ladybirds yesterday. Around 50 or 60 landed on our windows and doors to enjoy the warm sunshine on the south facing side of our house. And every single one was a Harlequin!! We didn't realise how varied their colouring and patterns could be - the key identifier, is the white patterning on the heads The harlequin ladybird first arrived in the UK from Asia in 2004, and is now one of the most common ladybirds in the country. It is larger than most of our native species and is a voracious predator - as well as eating aphids, it also eats other ladybirds' eggs and larvae. It also has multiple broods so can make quite a dent in our native species populations. As with a lot of invasive species, humans played a role by introducing it into America and then Europe, to deal with aphid problems. It was only a matter of time before it hit UK shores. We see very few native ladybirds on our land and to date, only two species, the 7 and the 14 spots. Recent research suggests that the impact of the Harlequinn on our native ladybirds may not be as bad as feared, BUT the picture isn't yet totally clear. Thanks to Jo Everitt for finding these articles: RHS and NHM And our odd one out: the caterpillar of the rather fabulous Poplar Hawk Month - one of our favourites. 
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2nd: Meadow Pipts The land is full of meadow pipits just now - we see up to 50/ 60 at once sometimes. They congregate on the wires, flock in the grass grass, fly up to the spalings and the hedgerows. It's obviously been a good year for them and autumn/ winter is the time of year hwne they do get together in large flocks. Photo of individual bird taken in February!!    |