I have always been glad that, apart from adders and a few imported things, the UK is free of venomous creatures. I suppose you get used to it, but must be rather difficult at first to remember to check all shoes and boots for guests. An ordinary spider is bad enough. Glad you don't have them regularly in your compound.
little claws and a relatively big tail gland are said to be signs of the nastier ones with some of the smallest ones being the most venomous
ive never met wild ones, a pal met one far too close up, she said it was an unpleasant stay in hospital for a few days(although every one was pleased it wasn't one of the local snakes which were far worse)
" which sort of scorpion or snake was in your boot?" would be a fun game show
iirc a CSI/ hotel inspector UV torch makes the critters glow in the dark which might be useful if it is critter season
Very few butterflies here now. We seem to have a few wasps around, but most insects now settling for the winter, especially as the weather has been a bit wet and windy lately.
Shan
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 9075 Location: South Wales
Posted: Thu Oct 21, 21 7:30 am Post subject:
We still have wasps but not quite as many as earlier in the year... although we do have a very annoying explosion of fruit flies.... having said that, the mosquitoes are positively aggressive at the moment! I have lost count of how many bites I have.
I was working up around our 'yard' in the woods yesterday and in between work sessions, the robin came to see me. Gave it the crumbs from lunch and it hopped around the decking we sit on looking for other bits. Didn't actually chat to me, but sat and looked at me now and again and didn't seem at all bothered about me. I had to shut the door to stop it going in and told it not to mess on the seats, which I am glad to say it didn't this time.
the "locals" of several species seem fairly used to me, some individuals are pals and very relaxed
i spose i knew their gt gt grandparents in some examples, so i am part of the landscape as harmless and with food
a few get "saved" by androcles, they do tend to be quite chummy after such a thing
out of all the local critters, the bracks are probably the most comfortable with me, sparrows and sammisons range from very cosy to polite, fat and thin ankles have returned from their summer hols and remember me as a useful chum, the rough towny pigeons range from maybe i am ok to he moved so leap off the gutter
The 'down the garden' robin came to see me yesterday. I finally managed to get some red onion sets, so had been putting some of them into the room left in the bed with the others, and was getting some compost from the heap and putting it on the next raised bed. Of course a robin came to inspect, as no doubt there was lots of food among the compost. It hopped off quite happily as I brought more round, so think we have some sort of relationship.
Good try at getting them. As you say, the jpg doesn't give very good definition, but if you were set for landscape, not bad. We tend to see a lot of them when the farmers are working the fields as they are after the insects. Mainly a mixed bunch of gulls and corvids. We have some living down the road from us in a fairly new building with a little 'clock tower' thing without a clock as I have heard and seen a young one on the top trying to get its parents to feed it.
Not strictly wildlife, but we went out yesterday and the field maples along the roads were a bright yellow with hints of orange. Mixed with the gold of the beech and the purple of the dogwood, they looked amazing. Even the hazel are turning a good shade of yellow now, so autumn is well on the way for us. I know we don't get the amazing colours that the US gets, but it is pretty good.
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