Ticking Over

Just a quick entry to keep things ticking over, starting with some of the smaller garden creatures…

This young newt was surveying the pond last night…

… while this large garden spider was busy re-building her web following the heavy rain earlier in the day.

The next shot is one the more common sights in any garden, but one I've struggled to get any decent photos of. The main problem is that usually they are scurrying around on flat surfaces. Last night though, several were clambering on the flowers. Yes, it's a wood louse.

While I was watching the wood louse I came across a beetle. I think this is a Silpha atrata. The narrow head assists it in feeding on snails (easier to reach inside the shell!). I'm now reliably informed that it's a vine weevil (I should have scoured my field guide for a little longer).

Finally, from Friday night, a photo of the Cheeky Vixen looking ever so grown up.

Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM.

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This Post Has 10 Comments

  1. Vulpes vulpes

    16 Aug 2010

    Actually, your beetle is Otiorhynchus sulcatus (pesky Vine Weevil…every gardener's worst nightmare! The adults feed on plants (nibbled edges to the leaves) and the grubs eat the roots of most pot plants, thus killing the plant :irked:). Cheeky does look grown up! I noticed recently how the white on her cheeks comes up higher than Bold…so her name is doubly apt!:)

  2. Words

    16 Aug 2010

    Vulpes, thanks for the correction. :up:

  3. SittingFox

    16 Aug 2010

    Beautiful pictures, and glad to see that there were no ticks in this post! :yuck: (Sorry, it's that time of year again – had to remove one from Leila's face the other day.)

  4. gdare

    16 Aug 2010

    That spider looks almost the same as that one I saw last year on my office window :up:

  5. Ukwildlife

    16 Aug 2010

    Excellent set of photos

  6. Words

    18 Aug 2010

    Adele, no ticks at all, but no crosses either 😉 I'm trust Leila was suitably patient during the removal process (and grateful afterwards).

  7. Words

    18 Aug 2010

    Darko, my they do get about :bug:

  8. Words

    18 Aug 2010

    Neil, thanks!

  9. Words

    18 Aug 2010

    Thanks Erwin!

  10. Wulpen

    19 Oct 2012

    Excellent shots

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