Lesser Stag Beetle

 

Whilst I was collecting the eggs from my chickens I noticed this small beetle lying dead on the floor, so I picked it up and brought it to my desk to see if I could identify it. I looked through my insect books and identified it as Dorcas parallelipipedus whose common name is the Lesser Stag Beetle. It is smaller and more common than the Stag Beetle. The adults can fly at night and feed on tree sap. It looks quite scary in the photograph  like something off Dr Who!

A festive tick

 

I have been out this morning volunteering at my local nature reserve. Clearing scrub in the cold was hard work but when I saw this Holly tree I remembered that I hadn't ticked it off my Tarka list yet. With Christmas only a week away it seems like a good time to do it!

 

We have a lot of folklore in Britain especially about our wildlife. I don't need to explain what Holly is to you as it is a tree that almost everyone knows so I thought I would tell you about some Holly folklore -

 

Cutting down a holly tree is supposed to bring bad luck (its ok to take some branches for Christmas decorations though).

Lots of berries on holly tree's is supposed to mean we will have a bad winter.

In a new building or one in which an animal has died holly is hung from the ceiling to keep away evil spirits. The holly must be at least 2 foot long and changed from time to time, the old piece must be burnt.

Holly is supposed to have a power over horses and was commonly used to make whips.

The holly is supposed to be a very powerful and magic tree and is the best wood to make runes with (but you are supposed to ask the tree if you can use it before you cut the wood).

Up until the end of the last war hollies were used to sweep chimneys, the branches were dragged up the chimney to clean the soot from the inside.

 

Then we come to the Christmas traditions of bringing holly into the house. Although different beliefs were held in different places such as -

 

A holly branch is often used instead of a Christmas tree in Cornwall.

Never allow holly to be put up as a Christmas decoration before the 25th December.

On Christmas take a leaf from your sprig of holly and place one in each room for good luck.

If a leaf falls out of a vase of holly never burn it.

 

I hope that like me you have had a great wildlife year. Im looking forward to finding new stuff next year.

 

Merry Christmas

 

 

 

Cosy Fires

 

At this time of year there is nothing like sitting in front of a cosy log fire. I love my fire because its toasty warm. You can see the soot on the inside of the glass has made a shape like a mushroom!

 

Not all wood is good to burn though, here is an old poem to teach you what is the best wood to burn on your fire -

 

Logs to burn! Logs to burn!

Logs to save the coal a turn!

Here's a word to make you wise

When you hear the woodman's cries

 

Beechwood fires burn bright and clear

Hornbeam blazes too

If the logs are kept a year

To season through and through

 

Oak logs will warm you well

If they're old and dry

Larch logs of pinewood smell

But the sparks will fly

 

Pine is good and so is yew

For warmth through wintry days

But poplar and willow too

Take long to dry and blaze

 

Birch logs will burn too fast

Alder scarce at all

Chestnut logs are good to last

If cut in the fall

 

Holly logs will burn like wax

You should burn them green

Elm logs like smouldering flax

No flame is seen

 

Pear logs and apple logs

They will scent a room

Cherry logs across the dogs

Smell like flowers in bloom

 

But ash logs all smooth and grey

Burn them green or old

Buy up all that come your way

They're worth their weight in gold

 

Remember this poem if you want to be toasty warm too

Cobalt Crust

 

Sometimes nature jumps right out in front of you. This fungi is called Cobalt Crust (Its colour is deep Cobalt Blue) and I found it in my local woods. Its quite common in Wales but rarer in England. The Blue is so bright and unusual that you will notice it straight away, unless you are colour blind!  

 

A Slime Mould

 

This is a Slime Mould which are really weird and interesting creatures. They move around the woodland floor eating fungi and organic matter. People have done tests on them and they can find their way through a maze but nobody knows how they do it, they don't have a brain so how can they remember? The picture shows the fruiting body which releases spores, they are usually colourful. Now I know what they are I see them quite often.

 

Bat

 

Once you start looking for wildlife its amazing how much you can see. I spotted this bat on my way to school a couple of months ago, clinging to a stone wall. I went back to check on it on the way home but it had moved on. It was a real treat to see one close up, I didn't realise just how furry they are. 

 

Buff Arches

 

I caught this Buff Arches moth in my garden. I don't think many people realise how pretty our garden moths are in Britain, they are not something that you notice until you go looking for them.