Nature of Dorset

Lichen (Solenospera candicans)

2012-01-31T20:37:00.001Z

Lichen (Solenospera candicans), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

It is hard to believe this lichen is, truly, a living organism; it looks just like a patch of chalk! It is an abundant lichen on hard calcareous rocks, just like we have here on most of the Dorset coast but nationally it is not common.
It forms these white/grey circular patches with a cracked centre. Often these can grow together to form large, crusty patches covering the entire rock substrate making it look as though it has been smothered in chalk dust.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Hypogymnia physodes)

2012-01-31T20:36:00.001Z

Lichen (Hypogymnia physodes), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This a lichen species that is not affected by pollution at all and can grow just about anywhere, even in parks in cities! It is very common on tree branches and twigs, rocks, walls, even soil.
It can form large, condensed patches of these 'fingery' grey or, sometimes, grey-green lobes or thallus. The underside is much darker being brown at the edges becoming darker still towards the centre.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Lecanora chlarotera)

2012-01-31T20:34:00.001Z

Lichen (Lecanora chlarotera), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

A smooothish, grey background (the thallus) with reddish brown discs (the apothecia) growing on tree bark indicates that this is almost certainly Lecanora chlarotera.
This is a very common lichen across the country with the exception of the south east and the industrial midalnds as it is not able to tollerate polluted environments.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Caloplaca heppiana)

2012-01-31T20:32:00.001Z

Lichen (Caloplaca heppiana), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Lichens are a headache for me when it comes to naming them. I think they are fascinating organisms but have they a structure and accompanying language of their own which I struggle to undertsand! There are several of these orange, crusty ones so I have to use all the powers of deduction I have to try and make an educated assessment of what each is nad, as far as I can tell, this is Caloplaca heppiana.
C. heppiana is very common on calcareous rocks rather than bricks (see Candelariella aurella) and forms even, closely compressed oval shapes with large orange disks in the centre. More orange in colour than Xanthoria periatina which is also very common but more so wood substrates. Telling it apart from Caloplaca saxicola is more difficult but I that seems to grow in to a larger, less even shape.
So, for me, this has to be Cladonia heppiana but do tell me if you think I am wrong!
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Cladonia cervicornis)

2012-01-31T20:31:00.001Z

Lichen (Cladonia cervicornis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Despite first impressions, the Dorset heath, particularly here in the Purbeck area where I live, is not the monotinous monoculture of heather and gorse as it first appears. There are varied habitats within even a fairly small area if you look. In places, where the ground is quite bare, lichens grow readily amongst the mosses and that is where you might find Cladonia cervicornis.

According to the expert, Frank Dobson, in his authorative guide 'Lichens: An Illustrated Guide' which is still the foremost book on lichen and first published in 1979 (my copy dates from 1981!) this is "a common species nationally and is common on acid heaths, stabilised shingle, rocks, etc.". Personally I find that a little ambiguous as those habitats are not common nationally so how can a lichen that thrives in those habitats be common nationally?

Anyway, it is not uncommon here and can be found on the peat soils of the heath; on sunny days the reverse side looking quite silvery in the sun.

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Placynthium nigrum)

2012-01-27T16:18:00.001Z

Lichen (Placynthium nigrum), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I know lichen are an aquired taste and people in general prefer the more exotic flowers such as orchids or the more dramatic animals such as birds and I do try an enthse people with these lower organisms which are all too often over looked but I can find little say in support of Placynthium nigrum!

It is a dull, black crust that grows on hard calcarious substrates and so is very common on walls and tombstones. Apart from being black and crusty there is little else one can add really! Looking at it, it is hard to believe it is actually a living thing, it could just be some sort of powder someone dropped accidentally. However, it is a living organism and if you look at under maginifaction it is more interesting. Why not take a look?

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Lecanora conizaeoides)

2012-01-27T16:16:00.001Z

Lichen (Lecanora conizaeoides), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a lichen we will all have seen but only those with a particular interest will have taken any notice of or given any thought to! Not only is it totally nsignificant to look at it has a very difficult name to say, let alone remember, it is Lecanora conizaeoides.

This does not look like anything other than some boring crusty skin but it is a lichen and is probably our most common lichen at that. Found on tree bark, it is probably most notable on oak trees and there can hardly be an oak tree in Dorset that does not bear some of this lichen on it somewhere. Iy does also occur on walls, racks and even soil.

This was once a very rare species but during the course of the twentieth century it became one of the most common as it is totally impervious to sulphur dioxide and so thrives in polluted areas where it has replaced other lichen that have dwindled.

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Ramalina farinacea)

2012-01-27T16:15:00.001Z

Lichen (Ramalina farinacea), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Ramalina farinacea is one of the most tolerant on lichen species to air polution and, as a result, grows just about anywhere and is one of our more common lichens. In more poluted areas its growth can be stunted but here in Dorset we get lovely 'flowering' specimens, especially near the sea.

This is mainly a wwod-based lichen growing on the bark of trees and shrubs and around Poole Harbour you can see Blackthorn absolutely covered in it; an amazing site. The best place I know is at Swineham Point on tthe Wareham channel.

It does grow on rocks too but much is much less common on the rocky sea shore where it gives way to a couple of its close relatives.

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Cladonia coniocraea)

2012-01-24T20:42:00.001Z

Lichen (Cladonia coniocraea), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Whilst many Cladonia species of lichen produce cups this one, Cladonia coniocraea produces simple tube-like structure from which to release its spores. These tubes often bend over at the tops.
The lichen itself is a similar grey/green scaly fomation like its close cousins fimbriata and pyxidata but this one had a particular preference for rotting wood and is not usually found on soil or amongst moss, other than moss growing on rotting timbers of course!
This is one of the few Cladonia species that is resistant to pollution and often it is the only Cladonia to be found in wooded areas in towns and cities. It is very commo everywhere but easily overlooked.

Lichen (Cladonia fimbriata)

2012-01-24T20:41:00.001Z

Lichen (Cladonia fimbriata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The 'golf tee' shape fruiting bodies are indicative of the Cladonia lichens and various species can be found on Dorset heathland and in woodland. Fimbriata favours rotting tree stumps and bare earth where the crusty foudation of the lichen covers the surface and the 'pegs' shoot up from that.

On fimbriata the stem of the peg is very slender before opening out into the cup, its very close relative, Cladonia pyxidata, has much a much more cone like shape.

Quite common yet usually passed by wothout a second look which is a shame as closer inspoection shows them to be fascinating.

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Cladonia pyxidata)

2012-01-24T20:39:00.001Z

Lichen (Cladonia pyxidata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

When walking on heathland you often find amongst the heathers a patch where grass and moss becomes dominant and, amongst the moss, you may find these small golf tees sticking up.

The 'golf tees' are fairly typical fruiting bodies of the Cladonia genus of lichens and there are a number of species, some more common than others. In drier areas then pyxidata is the most likely to be found. Pyxidata is a common species and is also identifiable by the brown rim to its cups, these are the actual places the spores are produced from.

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Candelariella aurella)

2012-01-22T19:23:00.001Z

Lichen (Candelariella aurella), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Here is a common site on brick buildings and walls as well as on roofing tiles and even roofing felt, Candelariella aurella. This is a mustard coloured lichen that grows outwards in a oval shape, gradually expanding in size as it grows. Once it gets established those dish-shaped discs appear which are the fruiting bodies from which the tiniest of spores are released.

It does no harm to its substrate (or the building in general) but it is tempting to clean it off which is a shame as it is easy to forget it is a living organism that takes years to grow to any size. In any event, it is so successful in its environment you will soon have some more to replace it.

It is very common in the south (and so it is in Dorset) and east of England as it is relatively polution tolerant. There are a couple of other similar species but they are less common on brickwork.

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Lecidella eleaochroma)

2012-01-21T16:33:00.001Z

Lichen (Lecidella eleaochroma), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I always think that this lichen looks like a child has been drawing with a pencil on the bark of the tree (purely as my drawing ability is so poor and it looks my attempt at drawing but would not want anyone to know!). The lichen forms a crust on the bark of a tree and have blackish edges which merge together to form a larger mass giving the impression continuous wiggly lines. In the centre of each distinct area there are black specs, some more pronounced than others.
Pretty common in south western Britain it grows on all kinds of trees and also on fences. It shows up best on the light coloured, smooth bark of willows and Sallow as well as Silver Birch. It is quite common if you take the trouble to look for it!
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Opegrapha atra)

2012-01-21T16:17:00.001Z

Lichen (Opegrapha atra), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Pale, smooth barked trees often have pale grey or greenish patches with little black specs in the middle of them. This is not a bark blemish but a living lichen.
Called Opegrapha atra it is the commonest of the family of six British species and possibly the easiest to identify becuase of these patches that enclose the central speeckled marks. Silver birch and members of the willow family are the favoured host trees for atra but it also, very occassionally, occurs on fence posts too.
Not much to look at perhaps but nice to know what it is when you see it all the same!
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Lichen (Graphis scripta)

2012-01-21T15:53:00.001Z

Lichen (Graphis scripta), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Until I happened to be looking for a lichen I had seen in my reference book and stumbled across something called Graphis scripta I had always assumed that the black marks you often see on Silver Birch bark were just blemishes in the bark itself! How wrong I was.

These black marks or, indeed, a lichen that is common on smooth barked trees but it shows up best against the pale coloured silver birch.

Common across the country, as well as Dorset, it has a close cousin, Graphis elegans, and they are very hard to tell apart but I believe this to be scripta but if you think I am wrong please let me know!

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Fungus (Panaeolus sphinctrinus)

2012-01-18T18:42:00.001Z

Fungus (Panaeolus sphinctrinus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

They may not be everyone's cup of tea but fungi really are an interesting aspect of nature. Fungi serve a vital role in breaking down waste and returning materials to the soil where they can be re-used and this is often wood which it helps rot down but not always. Panaeolus sphinctrinus (no commmon name, sorry!) specialises in recycling animal dung.

It has a distinct life cycle (which it shares with some other fungi species) where it thrives in animal dung helping break it down and returning it to the soil. From the mycelium that are performing this function it produces the fruiting bodies (the cap that we see) and the spores from the cap fall on to the ground amongst the grass. Animals come along grazing and eat the spores along with the grass, the spores pass through the gut and are ejected inside the dung where the fungus starts to break it down! Incredible when you think that once a cow-pat, for example, has been totally broken down by the fungus, the fungus will die because it has nothing left to consume so it is dependant on a new cow-pat being generated to continue its survival through its spores. Without the fungus (and other creatures of course) there would be heaps of dung so the fungus is essential in maintaining an equilibrium. However, it cannot totally rid us of dung as it needs more to survive.

That is the wonder of nature.

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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Candle Snuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon)

2012-01-17T20:06:00.001Z

Candle Snuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I suppose that when we think of fungi we immediately have a picture of the classic mushroom shape, a round cap resting on a short stipe. Many fungi are, indeed, that shape, hence the nick-name of toadstool because they look like a stool and one that is low enough for a toad to sit on! In reality fungi take various forms in terms of their fruiting bodies and this one, commonly known as Candle Snuff, is certainly living proof of that.

It is easy to see why it is called candle-snuff because it does have the appearance of burnt candle wick and, when a few days old, it can be quite powdey too, just like candle snuff.

This is a very common species that can be found all year on dead wood but it is quite small and easily overlooked unless you take time to inspect dead branches and tree stumps that you encounter. It is not edible of course, it is too powdery and not big enough to justify making a meal out of it.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

2012-01-16T07:45:00.001Z

Shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a tough little character! Even in the depths of winter you can find Shepherd's-purse in flower. I have no idea what pollenates it at such a difficult time of year for insects but somehow it must be worth this plant flowering.

Normally a weed of cultivation it thrives in gardens, field edges and areas of disturbed earth but it can also grow where there is minimal soil and can be found in roadside gutters and drains and in other bare, waste places. I have even seen it growing on concrete.

The size of the plant does vary considerably, the harsher the conditions the smaller it is, but in summer and in favoiurable soil it can grow to be quite a strong plant.

It is called Shepherd's-purse because the seeds are heart-shaped and look like little purses and this is one of the easiest ways to identify this species. It is a member of the cabbage family (crucifereae) with tiny flowers but the seed 'purses' are much more visible.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Jew's Ear Fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae)

2012-01-15T18:05:00.001Z

Jew's Ear Fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The scientific name of the this strange fungus is auricula-judae which means "like a Jew's ear". These days however, it seems this description is not politically correct and so I hear it now being referred to as Jelly-ear Fungus instead. The Latin scientific name remains the same.
Whilst most common, like many fungi, in the autumn you can find Jelly-ear all year road growing a various types of soft wood but it has a particular preference for Elder.
Very common and edible too, what's for breakfast?
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Cramp Ball (Daldinia concentrica)

2012-01-14T18:52:00.001Z

Cramp Ball (Daldinia concentrica), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

These black, crusty balls that appear on dead twigs and branches are also commonly known as King Alfred's Cakes. It is not hard to see why but if this what the cakes looked like after Alfred neglected them then I am pretty sure his wife(?) would have been pretty livid!

I have no idea why they are called cramp balls however, medical connection perhaps?

Cramp balls do not really look like a fungus. They don't look like anything else really! Just round and, at first brown, but soon shiny black coloured. If you cut one in half you will find silver coloured concentric rings inside - concentrica.

Common on dead Ash and Beech and so common throughout Dorset. Not edible, I think you might break a few teeth if you tried!
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Earth Fan (Thelephora terrestris)

2012-01-13T16:14:00.001Z

Earth Fan (Thelephora terrestris), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

If you trudge across heathland or through conifer woods in the late summer through to early winter you may well encounter this common fungus, the Earth Fan.

It is easily missed because the 'fans' can look just like dead leaves and in any event always look like a dead fungus! The dull brown withered appearance does give the impression they are past their best!

There are a bit unusual though as they are a bracket type of fungus and one usually associates brackets with dead trees and stumps so to find one growing on the ground and out of earth is not what one expects.

They are not edible but then they look very dry and withered I am sure no one would fancy trying them anyway!
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Common Earth Ball (Scleroderma citrinum)

2012-01-12T12:08:00.001Z

Common Earth Ball (Scleroderma citrinum), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a common autumn fungus found on the Dorset heath where the soil is mossy, peaty and sandy.

At first glance it could be mistaken for the familiar puff ball but, on closer inspection, the surface of the ball is much more scaly, indeed almost ridged. When fresh the appearance is quite light in colour but as it ages it turns a distinct yellow which is probarbly where its scientific name of 'citrinum' comes from, citrus coloured.

The spherical dome acts in a similar way to a puff ball but instead of small funnel at the top for the spores to emerge from the Common Earth Ball splits open to release its spores.

Not edible becuase it only has spores inside, very little flesh.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Devil's Matchsticks Lichen (Cladonia floerkeana)

2012-01-11T08:05:00.001Z

Devil's Matchsticks Lichen (Cladonia floerkeana), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Despite being sensitive to air polution lichens are one of our most diverse and widespread life forms and whilst declining in eastern areas they still strive in the west and here in Dorset there are many of them.

Lichens are specialists. Some species use rocks, walls, roof tiles and gravestones as their substrate, others prefer wood and colonise tree trunks and branches, fence posts and wooden buildings. There is also a family of lichen, the Cladonia species where some members colonise bare ground and this one, Cladonia floerkeana is one of those.

Supposedly common on peaty soils on moors and heaths I have only found it once on the Dorset heath but there is quite a lot of heath in Dorset to look at so I am sure I have often missed it.

This species has thin stems with bright red spore producing tips giving them the appearance of matches, hence the common name of Devil's Matchsticks!
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Tawney Grisette (Amanita fulva)

2012-01-10T18:47:00.001Z

Tawney Grisette (Amanita fulva), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I like it when a fungus has a feature that is just about unmistakable! A fungus can be so difficult to identify without perhaps picking it, smelling it, taking it home and getting a spore print (leaving the cap on white paper over night and seeing the pattern of the spores on the paper in the morning) and examining the spores under a microscope! From just plain appearances it can be very difficult sometimes for the casual enthusiast to identify species that one finds whilst walking in woodland in autumn.

The key to the Tawney Grisette are those white lines running from the edge of the cap inwards towards the more darker colouring in the middle. Once you see that you've got it!

The Tawney Grisette is a common species in mixed woodland in autumn and since first getting to grips with it last autumn I have found it in three coniferous plantations on heath around the Wareham area so I am pretty sure it is widespread throughout the district. Although it is an Amanita (along with the Death Cap and Destroying Angel) it is actually edible if you really want to give it a try! I'll pass if that's OK ...
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Hairy Stereum (Stereum hirsutum)

2012-01-09T19:37:00.001Z

Hairy Stereum (Stereum hirsutum), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

If you look at tree stumps, logs and fallen branches of deciduous trees (as I like to do) you will often find bracket fungi growing on them. In some cases the fungus will have got in to the tree whilst still alive and killed it, in others the fungus colonises the dead wood and has started the rotting process which will eventually see it return to just plain earth. The Hairy Stereum fungus is one of the latter.

Hairy Stereum is very common, indeed one of the most common fungi you will find. Along with Many-zoned Polypore it accounts for something like two-thirds of all bracket fungi specimens you will encounter. It can be told from Many-zoned Polypore, however, by the dustincly yellowish appearance when the bracket is first emerging as a fruiting body. It is a bit harder to tell them appart when they have done their job of releasing spores and have dried up.

I have no idea why it is called 'hairy', the book I have does not describe any obvious 'hairy' feature but then, that is common names for you!

Found all year round, do not bother to try eating it, it is as tough as old boots and best left alone!
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Common Yellow Russula (Russula ochroleuca)

2012-01-08T08:13:00.001Z

Common Yellow Russula (Russula ochroleuca), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Common Yellow Russula is a familar sight on any Dorset woodland floor in Autumn as it grows amongst the leaf litter in both coniferous and deciduous woods. Once I put a name to it I then started to encounter it just about everywhere. Although solitary by nature, rather than gregarious in troops or circles, once you find one you will generally find many others in the same area.

As usual, it seems, the common name is not really helpful because it is not yellow as some fungi are; truly yellow I mean, it is more ochre in colour. However, the ochre colour makes sense of the scientific name of Russula ochorleuca - ochre-leucent!

When the cap first appears it is curved in shape, it gradually flattens out leaving a little dimple in the middle but also revealing the gills around the edges.

My book says it's an edible species but the specimens I have found are usually already in decay and do bot look in least appetising.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Clouded Agaric (Clitocybe nebularis)

2012-01-07T07:59:00.001Z

Clouded Agaric (Clitocybe nebularis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Common names can be so confusing! This is the Clouded Agaric and so you might reasonably think that it is related to the more distinctive red-capped Fly Agaric but no, totally different families. The Fly Agaric is an Amanita whereas the Clouded Agaric is a Clitocybe. Just to add to the confusion, Agaric comes from Agaricus which is the familiy name of fungi we know as edible mushrooms so neither the Fly or Clouded are Agarics at all ...

The Clouded Agaric is pretty common, especially here in Purbeck, as it thrives in both deciduous and coniferous woodland and is quite at home amongst the conifers in and around Wareham Forest. It usually appears in troops, or possibly as a ring. The cap is slightly convex at first and gradually flattens and then becomes concave. The cap is a milky grey in colour, often darker in the centre. The cap can vary in size from a couple of inches in diameter to six inches or even more.

Supposedly edible but apparently it is known to cause gastric upsets so another species left well alone for others to see and enjoy.

Cep (Boletus edulis)

2012-01-06T08:07:00.001Z

Cep (Boletus edulis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Cep is the common name of Boletus edulis but it also has the local name in England of Penny Bun, the cap looking much like a traditional bakers bun!

Cep is common in woodlands during the summer and in to late autumn occurring in both coniferous or broad leaved environments.

In this country we are used to buying varieties of mushrooms in our shop but in continental Europe Cep is much more likely to be seen on sale in markets and shops. It is, however, widely grown in this country for use as a flavouring for soups.
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Find out more about the nature of Dorset at my website www.natureofdorset.co.uk

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)

2012-01-04T20:41:00.001Z

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This must surely be the quintessential toadstool! Even if you have never seen one in the 'wild' you will have seen this fungus in children's books and cartoons; it is, of course, where fairies and other strange things live.

The Fly Agaric is quite unique in appearance being the only really red fungus, especially one with white spots on it. They are not white spots as such, but remnants of the outer casing that existed as the fruiting body emerged from the ground.

This is quite common in the birch woods of Dorset as it has an affinity with birch. You can find it in September and October and possibly even in to November.

The red appearance might imply danger! You might think this deadly poisonous like other members of the amanita family but is not. That said, this is the famous 'magic mushroom' and is hallucinatory and can make you quite sick so it really is best left to the fairies!

Blackening Wax Cap (Hygrocybe nigrescens)

2012-01-04T08:05:00.001Z

Blackening Wax Cap (Hygrocybe nigrescens), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

A conical shaped toadstall emerging from grass displaying a distinctly shining surface to the cap indicates a wax cap or Hygrocybe species.

This one, found up on the Purbeck Ridge in early autumn, is indeed a wax cap. It starts off with this beautiful maroon coloured cap but it quickly ages and becomes black and so has earned itself the common name of the Blackening Wax Cap.

No wax cap is particularly common which always makes finding one a bit special and this one is described in my guide as being 'occassional'. There were only a couple appearing in the rough pasture up on the ridge which would seem to be the ideal sort of place to find them. I have also seen the in Kent, above the white cliffs but that doesn't count in the nature of Dorset!

Supposedly edible but only if picked when newly emerging but surely best left alone to display their early beauty to others?

Meadow Wax Cap (Hygrocybe pratensis)

2012-01-02T22:15:00.001Z

Meadow Wax Cap (Hygrocybe pratensis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

One of the more common wax caps, the Meadow Wax Cap starts with the familiar conical shape that most wax caps start with but it opens up beyond this so that the edges start to turn upwards creating a wavy edge. You can still see the top of the original cone in the centre.

With a lovely soft brown colouring and waxy finish to the top of the cap the Meadow Wax Cap is an attractive fungus and it is, apparently, good to eat too!

Found in the autumn like most fungi, the Meadow Wax Cap is usually in pasture and so lives up to its common name. It's scientific name is pratensis which means 'of pasture'.

Wax Cap Fungus (Hygrocybe spadicea)

2012-01-02T08:11:00.001Z

Wax Cap Fungus (Hygrocybe spadicea), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The wax cap fungi belong to a family called 'Hygrocybe'. In their early stages specimens of this family often start with this distinctive conical shape and the cap is generally shiny giving the familiar name of wax cap.

Wax caps, in general, are not common and this particular species which I found at Durlston this autumn (2011) is decidedly uncommon being found only in pastures on limestone or basalt. Pasture on limestone is exactly what you find on the Dorset coast.

I have no idea whether it is edible but as it is such an attractive toadstool I think it is better left for others to see rather than to pick it for the table, there are plenty of mushrooms in your local supermarket to eat!

Parrot Wax Cap (Hygrocybe psittacina)

2012-01-01T10:44:00.001Z

Parrot Wax Cap (Hygrocybe psittacina), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Amongst fungi enthusiasts I guess wax caps are the inequivalent orchids to botanists and raptors to bird watchers. I have no idea why this is called the Parrot toadstool or wax cap. The bright colour perhaps?

I find fungi in general hard to identify so a distinctive one comes as a bonus. The bright yellow colour and waxy finish to the cap make this quite distinctive although there are a couple of similar close relatives but they seem to be much, much rarer.

The Parrot Wax Cap is not uncommon, described by Roger Phillips as 'occasional', and is found on grassy areas on downs and on heaths which ties in with the two places I found it this year, Hartland Moor (heath) and Durlston (downs).

Apparently an edible toadstool but it a bit unpleasant as it tastes as slimy as it looks.

Web Spider (Araniella cucurbitina)

2011-11-13T19:24:00.001Z

Web Spider (Araniella cucurbitina), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a small species of spider that is common and widespread throughout Britain in summer and through in to the autumn. You can find it on low vegetation such as taller flowers, shrubs and even trees.

There are five species of araniella spiders found in the UK and they are all bright green in colour and have a series of samll apired dots in the abdomen. Of the five Araniella cucurbitina is consider to be the most common and so that is why I have chosen to call this specimen as that species. However, to be really sure one needs to examine a specimen under a microscope and I am not about to do that!

It is a web spinning spider, spinning very fine webs between leaves on bushes and trees.

Dung Beetle (Aphodius fimetarius)

2011-11-13T18:56:00.001Z

Dung Beetle (Aphodius fimetarius), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Scarab or dung beetles perform a vital role in the world, their job is to clear up droppings of various herbivorous animals, especially farm animals. This species, Aphodius fimetarius does not bury the dung but feeds directly on it above ground but they are rarely seen as they are mainly nocturnal, indeed they can be frequently found in moth lght traps.

Quite small and hard to find but very common.

Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis)

2011-11-13T18:32:00.001Z

Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Another one of those moth species that puts paid to the common notion that mpths fly by night, butterflies by day. The Antler moth is frequently seen by day, especially in the warm weather of August (sometimes!), visiting the flowers of thistles, ragwort and other members of the daisy family. It is also active at night as well and can be found by using a moth light trap and also by pasting sugary substances on tree trunks!

It likes open country and where it occurs it can be very common in mid-summer. The obsession with 'ragwort pulling' undoubtedly took its toll on this species but as we now seem to be becoming a bit more realxed about ragwort these days its numbers may well be recovering, time will tell.

Annual Mercury (Mercurialis annua)

2011-11-13T17:50:00.001Z

Annual Mercury (Mercurialis annua), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I am reluctant to use the term 'boring' for any aspect of nature as everything really is special and unique but, in trying to write notes about Annual Mercury boring is about the only word I can come up with!

A fairly non-decript flower to look at, it grows on nutriant rich soils in arable fields, gardens and waste ground in mid to late summer and can eaily be easily overlooked. However, whilst common in south east England it does not appear elsewhere in Britain so in Dorset it is right on the edge of its range and so is quite 'rare'. I used to find it a lot in Hampshire but since moving to Dorset I have seen it, to date, just once. May be it is not so boring after all!

Mining Bee (Andrena thoracica)

2011-11-13T17:26:00.001Z

Mining Bee (Andrena thoracica), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Andrena family of bees are mining bees and as such, nest in holes they excavate in the earth, usually sandy soils that are easy to burrow in to. There are several species, some difficult to tell apart but this one, Andrena thoracica is quite distinctive because it is generally black but with a bright orange/brown thorax.

The Andrena's also have short toungues which limit the sort of flowers they can visit to gather pollen and they can be important pollenatotrs of such flowers whereas bumblebees have long tongues and specialise in tubular flowers.

Andrena's are also amongst the first species of bees to appear in the spring although thorcica comes later. This one was photographed on Wareham Common on a Meadow Thistle in July.

Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria)

2011-11-11T19:28:00.001Z

Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The 'andrena' bees are often known as mining bees as they nest underground, usually in sandy banks and soil; as a result they are quite often seen on the heaths of Dorset where they feed on heather. They are honey bees, collecting pollen from a wide range of flowers, but only the female takes pollen back to her nest to feed the young grubs.

Seen in spring and throughout the summer, Andrena cineraria is best identified by its genrally black body with white hairs, the thorax in particular has a lot of white hairs but these can wear and fade as the summer goes on.

Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystea)

2011-11-11T19:08:00.001Z

Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystea), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a lovely, delicate fungus of shaded woods where it can be quite abundant. It occurs else where but shaded woods, both decidous and coniferous, are the most likely place to find it. It is especially associated with Beech trees.

An autumn species,especially in September and October, it is most easily distinguished by its unique colouring and is probably the only mauve (or lilac) fungus to be found in the United Kingdom.

It is edible but has very little taste or smell so it is probably best left alone to delight others who may pass by later!

Ichneumon Fly (Amblyteles armatorius)

2011-11-11T18:49:00.001Z

Ichneumon Fly (Amblyteles armatorius), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Ichneumon flies are not flies at all, they are more closely related to wasps and bees in the order hymenoptera and that is not hard to believe when you see them, especially this one, Amblyteles armatorius, with its striking yellow and black colouring.

This species is very common in mid-summer, frequently seen on the flowers of umbeliferae (especially Hogweed and Angelica) but you will also find them on thistles and brambles. It is probably the most common of the Ichneumons and can be seen by day in sunshine.

The colours say 'keep away, I'm dangerous' and although harmless to humans having no bite or sting, they are far from harmless to moth caterpillers, especially those of the noctuid family. The ichneumons are parasitic, laying their eggs inside a living caterpiller and the larvae then eats the caterpiller from the inside out! Nature can seem cruel at times and yet it is fascinating too. One can feel sorry for the moth or admire the ichneumon (or may be both?).

Allseed (Radiola linoides)

2011-11-11T18:19:00.001Z

Allseed (Radiola linoides), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

It is not, perhaps, hard to see why this flower is called Allseed, it is nearly all seed! The flowers are very small and soon become seeds.

This is a very inconspicuous and dull plant, not really worth a look to be honest. It grows on damp bare acid sandy soils on heaths and also on paths in open woods.Not uncommon but very 'overlooked' but it can be found frequently on the Dorset heaths.

There is not much else you can say about this plant really.

Longhorn Moth (Adela reaumurella)

2011-11-10T20:43:00.001Z

Longhorn Moth (Adela reaumurella), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a small, day flying moth but with incredible antennae. In the male they are four times as long as the moth's body, the female's are much shorter. You have to wonder how on earth they manage to fly with these long appendages emanating from their head! It is easy to see why they have the coloquial name of 'loghorn' moths.

These moths have a short season and can be seen on bright, sunny days in May when they dance in whirling swarms, usually under the newly emerged leaves of Oak, and sometimes Beech and Hazel. Eggs are laid on the oak and the caterpillars feed on dry fallen leaves.

Not uncommon and on a good day you can encounter swarm after swarm as you walk through decidous woodland.

Adder (Vipera berus)

2011-11-10T19:30:00.001Z

Adder (Vipera berus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I guess if there is one species of British wildlife that will strike fear into people then it has to be the Adder! Not only is it a snake (and many people love to hate snakes), it is a poisonous snake.

Now I am not going to pretend the Adder is harmless creature and I treat them with respect as anyone should, but I don't see reports of people being bitten by them too often and here in the Purbeck area of Dorset the Adder is probably as 'common' as it is anywhere if that were the case we would know about it. If anything, it is dogs that are the most likely 'innoncent' victims of the Adder and I am not even sure that that is at all common either. The reality is that the Adder is a very shy creature and can detect approaching people by the vibrations in the ground and so they generally slide away in to nearby cover at the first hint of danger approaching. Only if accidentally trodden on, or foolishly handled, are they likely to bite.

I said above the Adder is as common here in Purbeck as it is anywhere but the truth is that the Adder is now far from common and seems to be in serious decline. Research shows that as the Adder's natural habitat becomes fragmented by raods and development so populations are forced to interbrede and the gene pool is becoming very weak and the species is dying out. Efforts are underway to try and correct this but it will take time before enough can be captured and relocated in to other collonies before we know if the prograqmme is succesful.

To many, I guess the news of the decline of the Adder will be welcome but it is such a truly beautiful creature with those striking marknigs down its back and dark V on its head that to me the loss of the Adder would be a tragedy. I rarely see them but when I do I never fail to be trilled buy the sight.

Hawthorn Shield-bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale)

2011-07-13T19:52:00.001+01:00

Hawthorn Shield-bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This insect is shield shaped and is found mainly on the leaves and fruit of Hawthorn so it has the common English name of ... Hawthorn Shield-bug!

Shield bugs are part of the order Hemiptera, sub-order Heteroptera; they are not flies or beetles, they are a separate taxonomical group. They can vary in colour quite considerably depending on age but the red triangle is usually visible on the Hawthorn Shield Bug.

These are insects that tend to hibernate as adults and so are most frequently seen in spring when they emerge or in autumn as they are looking for somewhere safe to pass the winter. That said, they are not uncommon in summer either and are frequently seen in gardens.

One of the bigger shield bugs, one of the most distinctive in appearance and and one of the more frequently seen, there is likely to be one near you soon!

Cardinal Beetle [Pyrochroa serraticornis]

2011-07-12T20:28:00.001+01:00

Cardinal Beetle [Pyrochroa serraticornis], a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Soldier beetles are everywhere now but, if you like beetles, it is good time to take a closer look as amongst the three common reddish coloured soldiers may find something like this Cardinal Beetle.

Named the Cardinal Beetle because of the scarlet colour of its wing cases and thorax it also resembles a cardinals hat too so it is doubly aptly named. This species has a scarlet head as well, there is a similar species with a black head called Pyrochroa coccinea that has a black head.
You will find Cardinal Beetles on flower heads, especially umbelliferae and thistles, but it is not a pollen hunter, it preys on small insects that are pollen hunters. Its larvae are also insect eaters but they live in rotting tree stumps and trunks.

A smartly dressed little insect and worthy of attention in my view.

Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)

2011-07-11T21:15:00.001+01:00

Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Some species of insect are really quite unmistakable, they are so unique. Unmistakable, that is, if you know what they are.

After spending half an hour thumbing through my field guides I could not put a name to this species which annoyed me as it should have been quite obvious from the shape and the colour. In the end I gave up and posted he photograph on the Open University Ispot website [http://www.ispot.org.uk/] and within an hour or so it had been identified and three other people confirmed that it was the Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus).

Referring back to my field guides this species is in neither of them so thanks to those enthusiasts on Ispot without whose help this would be another photograph an unidentified insect.

I guess the name thick-headed fly is descriptive of its appearance and not its mental intelligence?

Hoverfly [Chrysotoxum bicinctum]

2011-07-10T20:37:00.001+01:00

Hoverfly [Chrysotoxum bicinctum], a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I am always on the look out for new hoverflies to photograph and learn about. I find them fascinating as they are so variable in size, appearance and behaviour.

When I discovered this one I thought I was photographing a wasp and it wasn't until I got a closer look at home on the computer screen I realised it was not a wasp species but a hoverfly. That deception is, of course, intentional. Potential preditors may think twice before having a go at this particular harmless insect; mind you, they would have to catch it first - hoverflies go from nought to gone in less than a second!

This species is vary variable in its distribution, common where you find it but not found everywhere if that makes any sense. My book says that this species usually occurs in grassy situations but likes the shelter of scrub and shrubs. In both places I have now seen it this has been true.

Leaf Cutter Bee (Megachile centuncularis)

2011-07-09T19:56:00.001+01:00

Leaf Cutter Bee (Megachile centuncularis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a bee I am very fond of; sadly my wife, who is the gardener, is not quite so keen.

Not only is it an attractive little package in appearance (well I think so anyway) it is a fascinating insect to watch as it brings pieces of leaf and drags them in to the end of garden bamboo canes where it is making its nest. Each leaf taken in forms the basis of a sausage shaped egg cell. The problem is, they have a liking for rose leaves for this purpose and can take chunks out of several leaves as they go about making a home for their little ones.

You can't claim to have a wildlife garden on the one hand and then complain about a few rose leaves being taken away and put to good use on the other. As a result, we gladly tolerate them, indeed we both actually welcome them they are lovely little B's

Parasitic fly [Thelaria species]

2011-07-08T18:49:00.001+01:00

Parasitic fly [Thelaria species], a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

You may not like them but you can't ignore them! Come the summer flies make themselves known to all of us one way or another; climbing our windows, buzzing round our heads, some even biting us.
I doubt many of us actually like flies as, like rats, they are connected with spreading disease and that hatred is passed down from one generation of humans to the next.
This genus, thelaria, are particularly troublesome in some parts of the world carrying disease and parasites around people and, more frequently, cattle. The 260 or so species we have in this country are not such a problem, they are just an irritation.
What I find amazing is that to separate and classify these insects you need to examine them under a microscope as wing venation and genitals can be key to species identification. This one flew off shortly after being photographed, it may have thought I was a scientist looking for a positive identification and wanted none of that, thank you very much!

Pond Skater (Gerris lacustris)

2011-06-22T19:44:00.001+01:00

Pond Skater (Gerris lacustris), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I'm afraid to say I take some species of wildlife for granted. Everyday from April through to October, possibly even November, the little Pond Skaters relentlessly make their around the surface of our garden pond and I take very little notice of them; they are always there. It took years before I even thought about pointing a camera at one but now I have I am quite taken with them!

In every way "just another insect" but they are perfectly adapted for their environment and they take advantage of a micro-habitat no other insect is interested in, the surface of still water. They wait for small insects to get in to trouble on the water and they are quickly there and strike. They have developed an ability to rapidly move across water without getting waterlogged and that is mainly down to the shape of the legs, as this picture shows, with the back legs from the 'knees' downwards running along the water's surface.

There is so much of interest right under our noses in our gardens and all too often we choose to overlook it.

Horse Chestnut Moth (Pachycnemia hippocastanaria)

2011-06-21T18:26:00.001+01:00

Horse Chestnut Moth (Pachycnemia hippocastanaria), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Whilst walking across heathland I disturbed this moth. It took a while to track it down and photograph it and then, when I got home, the process if identification started. Now there were no Horse Chestnut trees anywhere to be seen when I found this moth so initially I discounted it although the photo match was a good one. Eventually, nearing the point of defeat, I turned to the text on the Horse Chestnut moth fully expecting it to be associated with the tree of the same name; instead I read that it is "occasionally put up from heather during the day but is more frequently found flying at dusk or at light." Not only that but also "Well established and not uncommon on the heaths of Hampshire and Dorset. A very local species."

One has to ask, who names these creatures? How can a heathland species bear the common name Horse Chestnut Moth? It has nothing to do with Horse Chestnut trees and the choice of name for this moth is grossly misleading! Rant over.

Fleabane Tortoise Beetle (Cassida murraea)

2011-06-20T19:03:00.001+01:00

Fleabane Tortoise Beetle (Cassida murraea), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

A small selection of the leaf beetles (chrysomeidae) are known as 'tortoise' beetles because they appear to have a complete casing with no real visible head giving the impression of a tortoise with its head withdrawn into its shell. Leaf beetles are small and can resemble ladybirds and this is probably true of this one, the Fleabane Tortoise Beetle.
The Fleabane Tortoise Beetle spends its entire life eating the leaves of the common late summer flowering plant, Fleabane. Just imagine, the same for breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper every day of its life and possibly living on the same leaf day after day!
It has a reddish orange colour to its casing with dark spots, hence its likeness to a ladybird but close up it becomes obvious the abdomen is a different shape and the thorax is noticeably separated from the abdomen whereas the ladybird is, on the face of it, one complete unit.
Not uncommon but easily overlooked, watch out for this little beetle on the leaves of Fleabane when you are out and about.

Common Mosquito (Culex pipiens)

2011-06-19T18:56:00.001+01:00

Common Mosquito (Culex pipiens), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

If, like me, you have some nasty sore bites on your legs from walking on heath and cliffs then you may not want to see one of the possible perpetrators! The Common Mosquito, along with the Common Wasp are probably the two most hated insects in the country.

It is not only the mosquito that bites of course; there are some pretty nasty relatives, the midge family, that do so as well. These insects are dependent on blood to enable their eggs to develop and so ensure the species survives. They have to bite, they have no choice.

Many of us, then, will swat a mosquito on sight and never actually get to see one so here you are, this is what they look like close up and personal. Actually, I think their looks belay their 'evil' streak. They are a truly delicate and exquisitely made insect; its just a shame they are one of man's worst enemies! At least in this country we do not have to fear that they are carrying the dreaded malaria.

Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata)

2011-06-18T18:57:00.001+01:00

Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Although a night flying species the Clouded Border is one of those moths that you frequently encounter by day as they seem to be light sleepers! It is not uncommon to be walking through woodland or scrubby places and see a white coloured moth fly up. It will not always be a Clouded Border, as other geometrid moths are easily disturbed too, but if you are able to keep your eye on them and watch for where they settle you will often get a good look at them as they try to go back to sleep.

The Clouded Border is quite common down here in Dorset flying in June and July. It is comfortable in many habitats including heaths, common and marshy places as well as woodland and scrub.

One word of warning, the wing markings can be quite variable in terms of black markings so the one you find might not look exactly like this one!

Hoverfly (Pyrophaena granditarsa)

2011-06-17T19:46:00.001+01:00

Hoverfly (Pyrophaena granditarsa), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Hoverflies come in all sorts of guises, some wasp and bee mimics, some quite slim, even very small, and others much bigger and chunkier. One thing that instantly distinguishes them, of course, is their incredible ability to hover and to fly at exceptional speeds - nought to gone in less than a second!

You often do not get much to go when identifying them, the designs on their body being the usual feature but unless they are perched on a leaf or taking nectar from a flower they can be difficult to get a close view of.

With this one, I disturbed it from a bramble bush alongside the river Piddle on Wareham Common and as I did so it revealed a bright reddish orange thorax which may be just discernible from the photograph. To complete the identification I needed my text book on hoverflies that says this species, Pyrophaena granditarsa, is common on marshy meadows with lush vegetation and ditches and if one description describes Wareham Common it is precisely that!

So, no arguments, this is the awkwardly named Pyrophaena granditarsa!

Froghopper (Cercopis Vulnerata)

2011-06-16T18:11:00.001+01:00

Froghopper (Cercopis Vulnerata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

So who does not know cuckoo-spit when they see? It must surely be one of the first things in nature we see and learn to name in our early years?

Of course, the bubbly secretion on plants has nothing at all to do with the Cuckoo but because it starts to appear when the Cuckoo arrives each spring so it got its country name. The substance is actually secreted by a family of insects known as Aphrophoridae but are better known to us as 'froghoppers'. Very small insects, a few millimetres long, and easily over looked as many of the genera are dull brown and very well disguised as they lurk in the shrubbery.

This one, Ceropis vulnerata, bucks that trend however with its bright red and black attire and being very common they are very easy to find. Although predominantly a spring species you can find them around until July and even in to August.

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)

2011-06-15T19:17:00.001+01:00

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Dingy Skipper is something of an overlooked species I think. True, it does not have the beautiful colouring of many other British butterfly species but, nonetheless, close up it does have a unique and subtle colouring.

On the wing in May and June, with a possible second brood here in Dorset in late August, the Dingy Skipper can be seen where Bird's-foot Trefoil grows and in Dorset that means almost anywhere! It is much more common than many think and can be found in quarries, on open rough ground, edges of woodland, even on heathland; it is particularly associated with chalk and limestone.

The Dingy Skipper is easily confused with one of our day flying moths like Mother Shipton or Burnet Companion, especially as it often rests, like a moth, with its wings open, indeed it is rarely seen with its wings closed above its back like other skipper species.

Well worth looking out for, it is not really 'dingy' at all in my opinion.

Greater Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha)

2011-06-14T20:15:00.001+01:00

Greater Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Finding an orchid is always a bit of a thrill! They are apart from other flowers, they have that certain something extra. People will go miles to see a rare orchid just as others will to see a rare bird.

One of the biggest orchids you will find in Dorset is this one, the Greater Butterfly Orchid. Orchids are often named after something they resemble (bee, spider, frog, wasp, etc) but I find it hard to see a resemblance with a butterfly here. That said, it is a lovely flower.

Not common, the Greater Butterfly Orchid can be found in woodlands and grassland where the soil is calcareous so north Dorset is probably the most likely area. They may not be common but, if you find one, you will probably find several.

White-tailed Bumble-bee (Bombus lucorum)

2011-06-13T19:09:00.001+01:00

White-tailed Bumble-bee (Bombus lucorum), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The White-tailed Bumble-bee, or Bombus lucorum, is also commonly known as the Garden Bumble-bee. It is very common throughout the spring and summer visiting a wide variety of flowers for nectar. This catholic taste means that garden flowers are as popular as wild flowers.

This time of year thistles are coming in to bloom and quite often it is a case of find a thistle, find a bumble-bee. They are particularly keen on Musk Thistle where you can often find three or four to a flower head.

Bumble-bees, especially ones with white tails, are very difficult to distinguish but this, I believe, is a female of this species due to the band markings on the thorax and abdomen. These bands are the usual way to separate bumble-bee species but it does not always work!

These bumble-bees are vital to the pollination of plants and are essential to the future of human food supplies and need to be encouraged and helped to thrive. They are also just lovely in their own right, useful or not!

Shieldbug (Coreus marginatus)

2011-06-12T17:44:00.001+01:00

Shieldbug (Coreus marginatus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

One might think at first sight that this is a beetle but it is in fact a squash bug, so called because the family as a whole are a significant pest of squashes in north America.

This UK member of the family is quite common in the the spring and autumn, especially favouring dock leaves but the later brood are found on blackberries and other fruits as well.

Not an attractive insect it has to be said, its big 'padded' shoulders making it look quite fearsome but it is quite harmless of course being vegetarian.

It is also very variable in shading and can be lighter than the one I photographed and can also be much darker, almost black.

Spider (Tetragnatha extensa)

2011-06-11T07:50:00.001+01:00

Spider (Tetragnatha extensa), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

With apologies to all you arachnophobes out there here is today's wonder of the world; a spider with no common name, Tetragnatha extensa. The name 'extensa' hints at the incredible shape of this creature.

At first sight you could be forgiven for not even realising it was anything living at all! Although quite large, about 1.5" from tip of its feet to its rear end it is quite had to find as it is so thin and has colouring that makes it 'disappear' in to its background.

This is a spider that likes grassland and low vegetation, especially close to water and boggy habitats. I have seen them motionless on reed stems almost impossible to distinguish as a spider. I have also seen them in curled up nettle leaves where they can be virtually hidden but I was lucky enough to find this one doing some house work on its web and so it was out in the open.

Its shape makes it perfectly adapted for its environment; very difficult for predators to find and very difficult for its prey to spot before it is too late! A fantastic creature.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)

2011-06-10T14:40:00.001+01:00

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Beautiful Demoiselle and the Banded Agrion rate as two of my favourite insects. Stunningly beautiful in the sun with their metallic finish making them look almost unreal, the colours just being possible to make!
The Banded Agrion is quite common but the Beautiful Demoiselle less so, it having particular preferences in habitat. The Beautiful Demoiselle likes fast flowing clear, unpolluted water with abundant aquatic vegetation. The upper reaches of some of Dorset's chalk streams are ideal for them.
This preference for a special habitat means they are far from common anywhere. They are also inclined not to move far from where they laid their eggs so are, by nature, a local species.
It is the absence of the dark patches on the wings that immediately distinguishes them from the Banded Agrion.

White Crab Spider (Misumena vatia)

2011-06-09T16:33:00.001+01:00

White Crab Spider (Misumena vatia), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a very small spider but what it lacks in size it makes up for in cunning and courage!

Although the 'white' crab spider it can also be cream or tinged with green. It then chooses a flower of a matching colour and sits on the petal so it can hardly be seen by the human eye, and certainly not by the flying insect eye. An unsuspecting insect flies in to the flower to collect the nectar or pollen and that's it, the spider pounces.

It can tackle quite big prey which it stuns with its digestive juices and then it just sits and dissolves it prey. No sticky web for this spider,

It is thought that this spider an actually change colour to match the plant it is on although I am not sure this has been totally proven yet.

Mother Shipton (Callistege mi)

2011-06-08T17:30:00.001+01:00

Mother Shipton (Callistege mi), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Butterflies fly by day and moths by night? Far from an accurate way of separating the two I'm afraid. There are several moths that only fly by day and this one, Mother Shipton, is one of them.

It is called Mother Shipton because if you look at the dark patch on each fore wing and use your imagination you can see the face of an old hag - long nose, pointed chin, black eye; can you see it?

Mother Shipton is one of two common day flying moths that you can see on downland and other grassy places across Dorset in May and June, the other is the Burnet Companion which is similar.

Easily mistaken for a butterfly until you see it at rest like this and then it looks just like ... a butterfly! However, it is a moth, all the books say so.

Green Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomacues)

2011-06-07T16:21:00.001+01:00

Green Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomacues), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Nettles are one of the best places to look for insects, all sorts of things can turn up on them. They sting us but insects seem immune from the effects.

If you look closely you will some times see small, shiny green weevils like this one, no more than 1/4" long. Until they move you might think they are not even insects at all. This particular species is often abundant on nettles and hence its common name.

The green colour comes from tiny scales that easily rub off leaving a black 'shell' underneath. As a result they can be very variable in appearance depending on their age.

Around from April to September but best viewed with a magnifying glass or hand lens.

Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris)

2011-06-01T18:33:00.001+01:00

Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Tiger by name; tiger by nature! If you are a small, ground living insect this is one sight you never want to see. This beetle may be less than half an inch long but it has the most enormous jaws.

The Green Tiger Beetle nests in holes that it makes in the ground and so loves soft sandy soil, the sort found on the Dorset heath.

It is quite common and you will generally find it on bare paths leading through the heather. That said, you don't often see them as they are small, they move quickly and readily fly, not great distances but will take to air and fly a few yards as soon as they feel your footsteps approaching.

I have been trying to photograph one for five years. In the end I found this one by a trail of Wood Ants. After tracking it for just a minute or so it snapped up an ant and stopped to eat it and despite the attentions of my camera lens it didn't budge as it munched its lunch. You may just be able to see the rear end of the unfortunate ant sticking out of its mouth.

I think these are really beautiful beetles when you see them close up like this.

Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)

2011-04-28T14:47:00.001+01:00

Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Brimstone butterfly is on the wing this time of year but you may also flush out the Brimstone Moth whilst gardening or walking by hedgerows.

This is one of our common species and it has three broods a year down year in the south of England whereas 'up north' it tends to hove only one brood in mid-summer.

It has no real preference for food plant for its larvae and they can be found on many types of shrub and flowering fruit trees which is why they are frequently found in gardens

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

2011-04-28T14:41:00.001+01:00

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The field guides tell you what this plant looks like but they do not tell you what it tastes like. Given its name, it must be quite potent!
This is a plant I have always known as Jack-by -the-Hedge and it almost exclusively grows along hedgerows and woodland edges, mainly on chalk soils so it is not uncommon down here in Dorset.
It comes in to flower in April and can hang on in to July. In May it can line a hedgerow with these white clusters of small, four petalled flowers.
Although easily passed by without a second glance, this plant is a good place to look for early insects. It is an important food plant for several species, especially the Orange Tip butterfly which emerges in to its flight stage to coincide with Garlic Mustard coming in to flower.

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)

2011-04-28T14:39:00.001+01:00

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

A walk through woodland at this time of year will probably reveal Wood Sorrel. It is a small white flower that one casts an eye to, says "It's Wood Sorrel" and you walk on.

Closer inspection, however, reveals more detail and especially the violet veins in the petals. I believe insects, especially bees, can see ultra-violet light and these veins lead to the centre of the plant and so guide any visiting insect to the nectar source and so to the pollen on the stamens. If the bee has already visited a previous plant of the species then accumulated pollen may be acquired by the stigma (the tube in the centre) from where it finds its way down the tube to the ovaries where the seeds are.

I was also interested to see the yellow at the base of the petals. I assumed at first that this was pollen that had stained them but looking in the book it seems that the inside of the petals are naturally yellow even though on the outside they are pure white.

Wood Sorrel is not related to other plants bearing the name sorrel. It is a member of the Oxalis family and I have heard it called Wood Oxalis. Common in Oak and Beech woodland, especially in dryer areas. They flower in March and April and will soon be over for another year.

Crustose Lichen (Lecanora dispersa)

2011-04-27T11:59:00.001+01:00

Crustose Lichen (Lecanora dispersa), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

If you stop at one of the bridges over the lower reaches of the River Frome, as well as plants such as Wall Rue and Maidenhair Spleenwort you will, I am sure, notice the extensive areas of crusty white stuff on the tops of the walls.
I find it hard to believe that this dried up and cracked substance is actually a living thing - in fact it is two living things; an algae and a fungus living together as one lichen.
I accept that it is not much to look at nor particularly exciting to find but, that said, I do find it fascinating. It is very slow growing and you can only stand and wonder just how old it is.
There are several similar species but I am fairly certain that this is Lecanora dispersa and you will find it on walls, tomb stones and calcareous rock substraits right across the county. It is very common and is very resistant to pollution and so has no problems growing close to roads even there there are high levels of toxins there.
Why not take a magnifying glass and go out and have a look at these crusty old things!

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys)

2011-04-26T19:21:00.001+01:00

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

When I was young we used to know this plant as 'Birds-eye'. It is now better known as 'Speedwell' I think, but my field guide lists fifteen species of Speedwell so how do you know which one this is?

Looking just at the flower alone is not going to get you to the answer! In general, Germander Speedwell is a darker blue than many of the family but this is not always the case.

About a half of the Speedwell's have a flower the shape of these, with three small lobed petals on top and a single longer one below.

There are three other factors you can take in to account however to help you decide. Firstly, and most importantly, the leaves. Germander grows in small 'bushes' and has many leaves with a slightly serrated edge. Secondly, it grows in many environments; woods, hedgerows and on grassland, whereas other species are more habitat selective and many are weeds of cultivation.

Finally, of course, the Germander Speedwell is by far the most common of the family as well as flowering from March to July so, if you see a Speedwell then decide first if it is not Germander before thinking about what it might be!

Common Quaker (Orthosa stabilis)

2011-04-25T17:05:00.001+01:00

Common Quaker (Orthosa stabilis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

There are a limited number of moth species that fly in March and April, lack of food plants and cold nights being the obvious reasons why. As a result the moth trap at this time of year tends to yield the same species each night.
As well as the Hebrew Character, Common Quaker are frequently in the trap.
At first site these are small, plain, brown moths with not much to distinguish them but, as so often in nature, a close up look shows this to not really be the case.
The Common Quaker is not, I agree, a stunner, but it does have intricate markings which set it apart from other species.
This a widespread and common species that feeds mainly on Sallow which is in full bloom now. It lays its eggs on Oak, Sallow and other trees and the larvae hatch in May and then pupate which is how they spend the winter, hatching out in March and April.

Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis)

2011-04-24T19:19:00.001+01:00

Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Walk through any of the meadows alongside our Dorset rivers about now and you will almost certainly see the Cuckooflower; so named as it flowers around the same time as the Cuckoo returns to our shores in spring.

Also known as Lady's Smock, this a common plant of damp places and can be found along ditches and damp woodland as well as water meadows.

The flowers of the Cuckooflower are a very pale mauve/pink.

This is a favourite food plant of the Orange Tip butterfly and if you watch closely for a while you will see Orange Tips laying eggs on the plants. After the butterfly has gone, take a look on the plant stem and you will see a small egg, appropriately orange in colour.

Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbrata)

2011-04-23T18:18:00.001+01:00

Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbrata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

If you don't like spiders look away now!

What an amazing little animal this is? The body of the female Raft Spider can be up to 20mm, over half an inch, which means those eight legs are over an inch long and the whole beast over 2 inches long from front to back tips.

The Raft Spider, as its name implies, is only found near water, inhabiting swampy areas that have larger clear pools amongst them. Although widespread they are much commoner in the south and are, because of their particular habitat requirements, quite local.

The marshy areas around Arne RSPB in Dorset is as good a place to see them as anywhere. Look for lilly pads on the many 'dragonfly' ponds, then look for the spider waiting on it with its front four legs touching the waters surface. When they detect an insect struggling in the water they run across the water and strike.

Seen in Spring and summer, to my mind they are worth a visit to Arne alone!

Orange Tip (Anthorcharis cardamines)

2011-04-22T19:36:00.001+01:00

Orange Tip (Anthorcharis cardamines), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

One of the first butterflies to emerge from a pupa in the spring is the Orange Tip. Sadly, in my view, Orange Tips only have one brood a year and we see them for just a short period of about six weeks each spring.

The male Orange Tip is very distinctive and cannot be confused with anything else but the female lacks the orange tips to its wings and can be mistaken for a Small White.

If you watch carefully you will notice that they have a very 'skittish' flight. I can not find a suitable way to describe it, but take a look and I think you will see what I mean.Other white butterflies tend to have a very direct flight.

The Orange Tip has two main plants for laying its eggs on, both of which come in to flower at the same time as the adult Orange Tip emerges. The first is Garlic Mustard and the other is Cuckooflower (or Lady's Smock). As a result, the best place to see Orange Tips is along woodland edges, hedgerows or damp, marshy pasture. Passage insects will often fly through gardens too.

The Orange Tip is a southern species of butterfly and is quite common in Dorset. I have found, however, it is a very active butterfly and one of the most difficult to photograph. This is my best effort so far but I will keep trying!

Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

2011-04-21T19:30:00.001+01:00

Whitethroat (Sylvia communis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The warblers seem to come back in phases, first the Chiffchaffs, the the Willow Warblers, the Blackcaps, and now, in late April the Whitethroats.

As you wander the hills of the Purbeck coast and ridge these, and their close cousin the Lesser Whitethroat, can often be heard but not always seen on scrub, gorse and bramble.

Their 'song' is a rasping, vigorous, rambling, continuous chatter and this is the best way to tell them from the 'Lesser' which has more pattern to its song, a bit like a Chaffinch with a sore throat.

To tell them apart visually you need a good look. The 'Lesser' has a greyer back rather than brown, the underside is white rather than buff and the face has a dark grey 'mask' around the eyes.

Not as common as they once were but still found in the right habitat, the Whitethroat is one to look out for on your walks in Dorset.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)

2011-04-20T18:49:00.001+01:00

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Is the Holly Blue not an adorable little butterfly? Totally exquisite when seen close up!

The Holly Blue is also a fascinating little creature. The insect over winters as a pupae, usually hidden in amongst Ivy. In April (there seem to have been quite a number this year) they emerge, mate and lay their eggs on Holly flowers. First broods will be gone by early June and then the eggs from the first brood (laid on Holly) emerge, mate and lay their eggs on Ivy. The larvae pupate and over winter in amongst the Ivy and so the cycle continues. Second broods are only briefly on the wing in late July/early August.

Most 'blues' are grassland species but the Holly Blue is, because of its affinity to the Holly and the Ivy, more at home in woodlands, shrubby areas and gardens. It is the most likely blue you will see in your garden in most areas.

The other feature of the Holly Blue is wonderful silver colour with black spots on the under wing. It is possible to detect the silvery colouring even when the butterfly is in flight.

Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

2011-04-19T19:10:00.001+01:00

Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a very common, and yet often overlooked, plant of the spring. It flowers from late March through to May.

Ground Ivy is so called because its leaves supposedly resemble those of ivy (but that is not how it appears to me!)

It is member of the labiate family which includes deadnettles, herbs such as Mint and Basil, and woundworts. This family have square stems and long tubular flowers which are popular with any insect with a long tongue such as butterflies or a long proboscis like the Bee-fly.

Ground Ivy does not grow very tall and you should take care not to confuse it with Bugle, a similar but taller plant.

Ground Ivy can be found almost anywhere where the soil is not over run with other taller dominant vegetation.

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

2011-04-18T16:32:00.001+01:00

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Brimstone butterfly is unique in several ways. Firstly, it has an almost unpronounceable and unspellable scientific name!

Secondly, its larvae feed exclusively on Alder Buckthorn and Purging Buckthorn which are generally found in open chalk downland areas and yet they are plentiful here in Purbeck where Buckthorn is not common. They are frequent visitors to our garden where there is certainly no Buckthorn so it is believed that they do travel great distances.

Thirdly, whilst some species (Red Admiral, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell) hibernate most of our main 'crop' of these species are immigrants. The Brimstone, however, is a specialist at hibernating and our first broods that hatch come from eggs laid by these hibernating butterflies.

When at rest the wings have a remarkable resemblance to Ivy leaves and it is generally in Ivy that they hibernate for the winter undetected.

The male's vivid bright yellow colouring is perfect to lift the spirits on an early spring day.

Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)

2011-04-17T20:42:00.001+01:00

Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Despite dramatic falls in the population levels of moths they are still very common insects. Most are nocturnal and most are masters of camouflage and so one does not see them often in the day time.

The striking pattern of this one, called the Angle Shades, means that it is very hard to see when it is at rest during daylight hours on fences and leaves. However, this newly hatched one in pristine condition obviously missed the point of its wonderful colouring and thought it would show everyone who stopped to look just how gorgeous it is!

Fortunately, it chose our bungalow to do this on and so my nature loving wife tenderly moved it to a more secure location.

The Angle Shades is one of our most common moths and can be found from April right through to October as it is multi-brooded. Common may be but hard to find once they learn the technique of disguise.

Wood Ant (Formica rufa)

2011-04-16T19:13:00.001+01:00

Wood Ant (Formica rufa), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Anyone want to guess how many ants in this photo? This was just about one-fiftieth of the total number swarming by the road side.

Obviously it is impossible to know how many but I reckon there are over 4,000 in this photo so that must be nearly a quarter of a million in all, and that is just one swarm in Purbeck!

The Wood Ant does not sting although the ant can (and does) fire formic acid from its rear end when disturbed. Jays are known to take advantage of this and to 'bathe' in these ants to get the acid to kill off parasites on their feathers.

Wood Ants are well known and can usually be found on heathland, and in especially conifer plantations, building huge mounds of pine needles as nests. They can also been seen crossing backwards and forwards in straight lines across woodland rides and footpaths on their way to and fro between a food supply and their nest.

I was surprised to learn that they are omnivorous and actually prefer animal food and they are great eaters of small insects. In some southern European countries they are a protected species because of their great value in destroying forest pests!

Bee-fly (Bombylius major)

2011-04-15T19:18:00.001+01:00

Bee-fly (Bombylius major), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

This is a curious little insect which is quite common in Dorset in April. The adults do not fly for long so if you miss them now you will have to wait until next year.

This photo does not really do it justice as its long proboscis is virtually lost against the background but it is as long as the body.

Furry like a bee yet a true member of the order Diptera, common flies. There are twelve species of Bee-fly in this country but this is the largest and most common.

You will find this insect around flowers in spring, especially Ground Ivy whose flower heads seem to suit feeding with that long proboscis. Slow motion photography has shown that they actually cling on to the flowers with one pair of legs whilst giving the appearance of hovering.

They lay their eggs near the nests of solitary bees and wasps as the larvae are parasitic on such species.

Harmless to humans (and other animals for that matter) although that long 'snout' looks like it could give you a nasty bite!

Via Flickr:
This is a curious little insect which is quite common in Dorset in April. The adults do not fly for long so if you miss them now you will have to wait until next year.

This photo does not really do it justice as its long proboscis is virtually lost against the background but it is as long as the body.

Furry like a bee yet a true member of the order Diptera, common flies. There are twelve species of Bee-fly in this country but this is the largest and most common.

You will find this insect around flowers in spring, especially Ground Ivy whose flower heads seem to suit feeding with that long proboscis. Slow motion photography has shown that they actually cling on to the flowers with one pair of legs whilst giving the appearance of hovering.

They lay their eggs near the nests of solitary bees and wasps as the larvae are parasitic on such species.

Harmless to humans (and other animals for that matter) although that long 'snout' looks like it could give you a nasty bite!

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

2011-04-14T18:12:00.001+01:00

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Unless you have one in the hand (having been caught whilst ringing) I defy anyone to tell the Willow Warbler from the Chiffchaff by plumage alone. They are so alike and even have similar habitat preferences.

At this time of year it is not a problem because, having just arrived back from their wintering quarters in Africa, the males of both species are in good voice and establishing territories. The Willow Warbler has a lovely, almost delicate, cascading song phrase which it repeats whilst sat on a prominent song perch.

The Chiffchaff is much more energetic shouting its name out for a short while before flitting around, pausing and shouting its name again "chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff".

Once the singing ends, however, the problems with identification start and many an observation has to be put down as a 'Willow-chiff' and will remain undetermined.

Chiffchaffs tend to return to us earlier in the year but the Willow Warbler is now back and in full song. They were short in numbers last year but I am encouraged to have heard a few already this year so may be things are a bit better for them?

Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus)

2011-04-13T18:39:00.001+01:00

Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Nature's dustmen! The scarab beetles form the order Scarabaeoidea and they specialise in dung.
OK, they have what is an unpleasant job through human eyes but it is, none the less, an important one in the natural cycle of things.
This is a male Minatour Beetle, identified by its amazing array of three thoracic spines (ie spines coming from the thorax rather than the head like a Stag Beetle).
They are found mainly in sandy soils where they bury rabbit droppings on which both adults and larvae feed. They tend to be on the move in the evenings and we found this one, upside down and struggling to right itself near the farm fields at Arne where the Sika Deer feed. As these beetles also specialise in sheep dung it occurs to us maybe deer droppings are suitable too?
Not much to look at perhaps but interesting. The male collects the dung (using those horns presumably) and the female, without horns, does the burying. I guess those horns would be a major impediment in getting below ground?

Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)

2011-04-12T19:17:00.001+01:00

Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The recent bright spell is beginning to bring out the spring woodland flowers These need to flower, pollinate and set seed in a short space of time as the trees are now breaking in to leaf and the light on the woodland floor will fade.

A small few woodland flowers do not need light in the same way as these sun loving members of the buttercup family, others thrive on the edge of woodland rides.

The masses of yellow flowers early in spring are now being replaced by white and along with these Wood Anemones look out for Greater Stitchwort, Wood Sorrel, Jack-by-the-Hedge and Ransoms in your local wood all coming in to flower during late April.

What a wonderful time of year; these lovely flowers, emerging butterflies and other insects and increasing bird song as the summer visitors return from Africa. Things change so quickly in spring it is hard to keep up!

Oak Beauty (Biston strataria)

2011-04-11T19:29:00.001+01:00

Oak Beauty (Biston strataria), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

How do you tell a moth from a butterfly? Not a joke, a serious question! Answer? Moths have feathered antennae where as a butterfly has clubbed antennae.

A look at this photo will quickly tell you then that this is a moth with those lovely, long feathered antennae. In fact, that makes this a male moth. They use those antennae to pick up the scent of female pheromones up to 200 yards away.

The Oak Beauty is a resident species, single brooded, flying in March and April and it is widespread and not uncommon in woodlands and parkland in England, especially in the south.

Eggs are laid on a range of trees including Oak, Hazel and Alder. The larvae emerge in May and pupate in July and over winter in that state before being one of earliest species to emerge.

Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)

2011-04-11T19:28:00.001+01:00

Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The humble Common Daisy, one of the first flowers we can name when, as youngsters, we are taught to make daisy chains! When a bit older we pull the petals off one by one saying "She loves me, she loves me not".

Love them or hate them if you have a lawn you almost certainly have the Common Daisy growing there. Everyone has daisies on their lawn apart from one of my neighbours whose lawn is like astro-turf.

Cutting the grass gets rid of them for an hour or two but it is not long before those familiar white and yellow flowers reappear. I like them and have no problem with them, my wife hates them and wants them cut off by the mower.

The Common Daisy flowers from March to October on short grazed (or mown) turf everywhere and they are so familiar we take them for granted but looked at close up they are attractive flowers.

Early Grey Moth (Xylocampa areola)

2011-04-09T18:37:00.001+01:00

Early Grey Moth (Xylocampa areola), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

One does not see a lot of moths in the day time. Most like to find a quiet, dark place in the middle of a bush to spend the daylight hours away from potential predators. I was surprised, then, that this little chap (about half an inch long) spent the day asleep on a fence post in our garden. I should not have been surprised however, as a reference to my moth book said; "Rests by day on fences, tree-trunks and rocks." and this is exactly what this one did!

The early Grey is a resident species that over winters as a pupae and has a single brood that is on the wing from mid-March to early May. It inhabits woodlands, commons and gardens and is moderately common and widely distributed in southern England.

It is partial to the blossom of Sallow and there is plenty of that about at the moment and the larvae food plant is both wild and cultivated species of Honeysuckle.

It has a lovely furry 'hair cut' and woolly socks, just right for those cold early spring nights.

Oil Beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus)

2011-04-08T19:14:00.001+01:00

Oil Beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I am not sure what I marvel at most, the bewildering complexity of nature or the dedicated research scientists who unravel it for the rest of us to understand!

Seeing this creature climbing up the garage wall sent me running for the camera and the field guide. I had seen Oil Beetles before but normally on the Purbeck coastal cliffs; I did not expect one in our garden. What I discovered was, frankly, amazing!

It seems that in spring the female Oil Beetle lays an enormous amount of eggs in soil, several thousand per batch and several batches per individual.

The eggs soon hatch in to wriggling larvae with strong jaws and claws. They climb up on to the heads of Dandelions and await the arrival of their host insects.

When an insect comes along to feed on the Dandelion the larvae attaches itself but only a very few actually attach to the right host, a species of solitary bee! Those that make the wrong choice perish while the lucky ones cling on and are transported back to the bee's nest.

Once there, it eats ONE egg! After that it turns its attention to eating the bee's food.reserves, nectar and pollen. After several moults the larvae turns in to a grub, pupates and emerges as an adult in spring ready to mate and start the complex cycle again.

Now is that amazing or not?

Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)

2011-04-08T19:10:00.001+01:00

Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

At this time of year there are not a lot of moths about but the most common by far is the Hebrew Character.

It is not hard to see why it bears that name; that distinctive mark on the wings.

The Hebrew Character is a resident species as opposed to migratory. It overwinters as a pupa and hatches into an adult and is flying in March and April and is particularly fond of Sallow blossom.

It is single brooded and the larvae hatch and are active on a wide variety of trees during May and June before pupating.

Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis)

2011-04-06T20:16:00.001+01:00

Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

From a distance Dog's Mercury is not a lot to look at, indeed it can look as though it has no flower at all. Close up, however, it has spikes of cream/green flowers.

It is an early flowering plant, from February through to April. It is found in woodlands and banks on calcareous soils and so is quite common in Dorset.. It flowers early to take advantage of the light before leaf canopies form and shut the daylight out.

It spreads mainly through creeping rhizomes and so is nearly always found in large patches and is very difficult to eradicate if you have it in your garden but don't want it!

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

2011-04-05T18:50:00.001+01:00

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Red Fox has probably got me in to more trouble than just about any other creature apart, from, perhaps the Magpie!
I seem to be in a minority of one but it seems people (well 'country folk') love to hate the Fox and can provide ample justification to hunt it down and kill it.
To me, like all life I suppose, the Red Fox is a precious addition to the natural fauna of our country and it would be a far poorer island without them.
Not only are they top dog in the looks stakes, they are incredibly intelligent and adaptable and are very good at playing us humans at our own game. Since the first Elizabethans, possibly before, we have tried to exterminate the fox and here we are, the second Elizabethans and we have, at last, banned the cruel hunting of this creature.
This particular fox is an old 'friend' of mine. She lives near a farm that we pass by quite often and I am sure she makes a good living from killing rats and rabbits. There are no chickens or other livestock that would interest her so she seems to be of benefit to the farmer rather than a pest.
Long live the fox!

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

2011-04-04T18:27:00.001+01:00

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Dandelion season is just about with us and to many of us they will be an absolute pest making a mess of our lawns along with the Daisies.

Dandelions, however, are a vitally important flower as they form the basic food source for many of our early emerging insects. Find a patch of Dandelions and take a look. Many will have an insect of some sort buried in amongst the petals gathering nectar.

There are lots of flowers in the same family and telling them apart can be difficult although the 'true' Dandelion should be quite obvious to everyone. However, there are hundreds of closely related micro-species of Dandelion and telling them apart is a job for a botanist, not me!

Dandelions flower from late March through to October and even beyond depending on the weather and they can be found almost anywhere where the soil is relatively fertile.

Marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris)

2011-04-03T18:47:00.001+01:00

Marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

A bright bit of 'sunshine' to cheer a dark, damp and dreary early April morning, the first Marsh-marigolds in flower in our garden pond.

I usually call these King-cups or Marsh-cups but the book calls them Marsh-marigold so I will have to change my ways!

These are, of course, members of the buttercup family and are common anywhere it the ground is wet, You will see them on wet meadows, river banks, edges of ponds and lakes, even in damp woodland.

At the moment, there are masses of them on the meadows beside the Wareham by-pass, they are so striking you can see them clearly from the car as you pass.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

2011-04-02T18:52:00.001+01:00

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I usually reckon on my first Chiffchaff on or about the 15th March each year but this year it was the 29th. The colder spring either slowed their return or cooled their desire to sing once they got back! They were certainly about in good numbers today on the Trailway at Shillingstone.
The Chiffchaff is usually back here a good three weeks or so before its close cousin, the Willow Warbler. The two are virtually indistinguishable in appearance and it is the song that tells them apart. That said, you can hardly call the Chiffchaff's continuous repetition of its name a song!
Usually heard but not always seen, the Chiffchaff can be difficult to track down and photograph as it is continually on the move amongst the branches. It is obviously easier to do it now than when the leaves appear on the trees.

Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)

2011-04-01T18:52:00.001+01:00

Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

The Carrot family is a diverse one with many species, some very common others, as you might expect, very rare. One of the first of the family to flower each year is Alexanders which is just coming in to flower now.
The 'umbels' (ie Carrot family) are named as such because of their 'umbrella' shaped flower heads and they can be difficult to tell apart but Alexanders is easy because it has a pale green flower head where as most of the family are white, cream or yellow.
Alexanders is a fairly local plant confined to coastal regions in Britain and I had not seen it until we moved here to Dorset where it is plentiful near the coast. It quite often grows in hedgerows and on banks inland but hardly more than five miles from the sea.

Long-Billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)

2011-03-31T17:24:00.001+01:00

Long-Billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

I may be keen on wildlife but no one can say I'm a twitcher! This Long-Billed Dowitcher turned up a Lodmoor at least six weeks ago, has since visited Radipole, been to Poole and is now back at Lodmoor and today, purely by chance I caught up with it! Lunch with friends in Weymouth meant we stopped of at Lodmoor on the way back for a quick look and someone said "Would you like to see the Dowitcher through my telescope?".

Not long after he was captured on camera! A bit grainy but he was a long way off.

Is the Long-billed Dowitcher a rarity? I guess so. It is a North American bird that has found itself off beam during southerly migration. I guess, in the five years we have been in Dorset this is the third so it happens, but not often!

What is intriguing is whether this bird will ever find its way home. At some point I guess it is going to head north in search of the breeding grounds and so hopefully it will find some of its own kind somewhere up there in the Arctic.

In the meantime it seems quite content as a guest of the RSPB, wading around in the Lodmoor shallow scrapes being watched by British birders.

7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)

2011-03-30T19:12:00.001+01:00

7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

Out in the garden you will be starting to encounter the familiar ladybird. The insects you find now will have hibernated over winter in a garden shed or somewhere safe and are now out and about feeding up and preparing to breed.

There are actually 45 species in this family but the bright red and black 7-spot is the most familiar although the 2-spot is similar and also common.

Ladybirds are to be encouraged in the garden as they, and their larvae, consume vast numbers of greenfly and other 'pests'. The new ladybird on the block, however, the Harlequin, is less welcome and threatens to the future of our own native species.

The bright colours are a warning to birds that they have an exceedingly unpleasant taste. They also exude drops of pungent, staining blood when handled which smells for quite a while afterwards.

"Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, your house is on fire and your children are gone ..."

Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)

2011-03-29T19:19:00.001+01:00

Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis), a photo by Peter Orchard on Flickr.

As I have said before, common English names can be very misleading. The Slow Worm is obviously not a worm at all, it is not even a snake, it is a legless lizard.

The Slow Worm has smooth scales and is usually brown or grey in colour, Indeed, in sunshine they can look an amazing combination of bronze and copper.

Slow Worms are quite common but, perhaps, not often seen. Your best chance is to have a compost heap in your garden and then watch out for young Slow Worms emerging. I have even found them underground when removing turf so perhaps worm is not such a surprising name after all.

They emerge from hibernation in March and spend a lot of time basking in the spring sunshine, usually in a well hidden spot in herbage. They mate in May and the young are born in late August or even early September.

Slow Worms are a gardeners friend as they eat large numbers of slugs and snails. They have been known, in captivity to eat small mice so this is quite a fearsome predator in the wild.

In my opinion the Slow Worm is a stunningly beautiful reptile and they are certainly welcome in our garden.As I have said before, common English names can be very misleading. The Slow Worm is obviously not a worm at all, it is not even a snake, it is a legless lizard.

The Slow Worm has smooth scales and is usually brown or grey in colour, Indeed, in sunshine they can look an amazing combination of bronze and copper.

Slow Worms are quite common but, perhaps, not often seen. Your best chance is to have a compost heap in your garden and then watch out for young Slow Worms emerging. I have even found them underground when removing turf so perhaps worm is not such a surprising name after all.

They emerge from hibernation in March and spend a lot of time basking in the spring sunshine, usually in a well hidden spot in herbage. They mate in May and the young are born in late August or even early September.

Slow Worms are a gardeners friend as they eat large numbers of slugs and snails. They have been known, in captivity to eat small mice so this is quite a fearsome predator in the wild.

In my opinion the Slow Worm is a stunningly beautiful reptile and they are certainly welcome in our garden.