Swift Half update - 9th April 2011

• After our recent computer woes, I'm glad to say we're back on line now. A little TLC was needed, a little technical wizardry (safe mode, system restore, checkpoints, deletion of downloads, viral scans, malware reinstallation and finally virus and spyware eradication). I think we're ok. Phew!
• A wonderful week weather-wise over the UK and Swift Half was no exception. Temperatures up to 24c, clear blue skies, very light winds  - really nice for us humans - less so for other creatures (more on that in the "general update".
• With the warm sun comes the leaves (and away goes the damson blossom).
• Cherry blossom and apple blossom is now forming on neighbouring trees, but our damson and pear blossom is pretty-well over.
• The two frogs are still in our pond, but after a week of being clamped together, in coitus, they have finally decided to go their semi-separate ways, and live at opposite ends of the pond, having produced no spawn at all, as far as I can see...
• Our newts are still rampant -I think if I emptied the pond and sifted through the organic matter retrieved, I'd find three or four dozen palmate newts - really abundant they are.
• I'm glad to say that my old bee post has once again been taken up well by the local mason bees. Yesterday afternoon in the sun, the bee post was a real hive of activity hur hur hur, oh stop it.
• Lots of blue butterflies around  - I've not had a chance to get close to any to confirm they're holly blue butterflies -but I assume they are.
• Lots of mining bees nesting in the lawn (providing they can avoid being smooled by the cats - the hens tend not to eat bees - just everything else!)
• I've run my moth trap for three nights already and caught lots of plume moths, plenty of hebre character moths and a rather nice male "brindled beauty" (more on that later).
• Two weeks to the arrival of my beautiful swifts (I hope!) - but plenty of bird activity in and above Swift Half gardens - nesting blackbirds (I guess the spostles will have them eventually), nesting robins at Mr.Ts, the omnipresent red kites, the heron is still around, as are the woodpeckers and jays and a surprise visit yesterday afternoon from a white and blue budgie! There's no doubt that someone keeps exotic birds locally (remember the Java finch turning up in our neighbours' garden last summer). If the budgie is still alive this morning, our hawks will soon make short work of it, undoubtedly...
• The three moth larvae I have kept over the winter have not turned into adults yet, (I think I have a ruby tiger moth larva, a buff ermine and a sallow kitten -time will tell), but the red mason bees are certainly breaking out of their overwintering nests in the bee post - nice to know that has come full circle successfully.
• Other insects of note - first appearances of the Feather footed flower bee's "cuckoo bee" -the black and white Melecta albifrons - which just like the last two years, seems addicted to the honeysuckle leaves, and the first appearance of the nomadic bees - striking little insects with eyes to die for...
• On the subject of the moth trap and the male brindled beauty caught this week (not a rare moth, but a lovely gold dusty sheen to it) - what would you say if asked "what is the difference between moths and butterflies?"
• Most would say moths are nocturnal and dull, butterflies are diurnal and showy - and in the main of course, that would be quite correct - but there are too many exceptions to really go anywhere near relying on that generalisation.
• There are two much better answers.
• Firstly, a behavioural answer - at rest, butterflies invariably like to hold their wings upright above their body (when not sunbathing), whereas moths fold their wings along their body, or flatten themselves against the surface they are resting on. This is virtually a foolproof method of telling the difference between moths and butterflies. So many people have asked me "whats the difference between x and y" when asking me about animals -and most people rely on physical differences that can be observed easily - size, colour, etc.... but almost invariably, the best way to tell the difference between two animals that superficially appear very similar (dunnocks and sparrows for example) is to note their behaviour. Almost certainly if I'm told what a bird or insect is doing, rather than what it looks like to the observer (never rely on size -its so subjective) I can give a half decent answer to a query.
• Secondly, a morphological differenc, if you really get a good look. Butterflies have clubbed antennae - ie thin antennae with little clubs on the end. Moths do not have clubs on their antennae. At all. Male moths have feathery antennae (see close up photo) and female moths just have thin, unclubbed antennae. Get a good look at your moth or butterfly and this method is pretty-well cast iron, to differentiate between the two.
• Another good example of a rare, easily observable morphological difference between two similar animals - "whats the difference between a cricket and a grasshopper?" Do you know? Get a good look - sneak up to the wee beastie and check out its antennae. A cricket will have long, hair-thin antennae. A grasshopper will have short, stubby antennae. Cast iron again.
• Anyway, that concludes this weeks nature lesson class. Please read chapter 7 from your textbooks over the easter holiday because when we return in two weeks time, we'll discuss why seagulls are incorrectly named and what we should do about it!
• While I'm here - its Grand National day today. I'll stick my neck out and suggest that one of these horses WILL win the big race. BALLABRIGGS, OSCAR TIME, BACKSTAGE, KILLYGLEN.







• Please click any photo twice to enlarge.
• EDIT (POST GRAND NATIONAL)..... I don't wannae get "I told you so, on yo ass", but my quote taken from this post - almost twelve hours before the Grand National was run:
  
  
  
  "While I'm here - its Grand National day today. I'll stick my neck out and suggest that one of these horses WILL win the big race. BALLABRIGGS, OSCAR TIME, BACKSTAGE, KILLYGLEN".
  
  
  
  In case you didnt see the result, of the four horses I suggested you considered, Ballabrigs (mentioned first) won the race - and Oscar Time (mentioned second) came second.
  
  
  
  Remember this blog for next years tips eh?!