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.

This entry was posted in Insects, Newt, Spiders and tagged , , , , .

10 Comments

  1. Vulpes vulpes August 16, 2010 at 1:08 am #

    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 August 16, 2010 at 8:08 am #

    Vulpes, thanks for the correction. :up:

  3. SittingFox August 16, 2010 at 2:08 pm #

    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 August 16, 2010 at 7:08 pm #

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

  5. Ukwildlife August 16, 2010 at 8:08 pm #

    Excellent set of photos

  6. Words August 18, 2010 at 12:08 am #

    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 August 18, 2010 at 12:08 am #

    Darko, my they do get about :bug:

  8. Words August 18, 2010 at 12:08 am #

    Neil, thanks!

  9. Words August 18, 2010 at 12:08 am #

    Thanks Erwin!

  10. Wulpen October 19, 2012 at 8:10 pm #

    Excellent shots