local wildlife (fur,feathers and beasties)

[Ben R]

On 01/05/2021 at 20:44, Doug Tait said:

Have a close look around the hole. I might be wrong but I've a feeling that field voles habit is to nibble at things round the entrance which can form a little clearing, but mice don't like to hang about the entrance to their holes so they're overgrown and hidden.

 

I can usually tell if it's a rat hole by the old dog's reaction. He'll dig, bark and pull clumps of nettles with his mouth, but doesn't bother about mice or vole holes. The other dog will hunt those mice and vole motorways for hours but not interested in rats.

May be wrong but i would also go with sandspider's initial impression - rat. Voles are small, vulnerable and on the menu for many. Hence, unlike the hole in lux's photo which is on full, open display, their living quarters are usually discretely situated - hidden among or under something.

Lux could search the vicinity for further holes which might turn up better evidence indicating the culprit or even put up a trail cam.

Assuming it's still in use, another old trick is dampening the soil around the entrance sometime before dusk and then carefully smoothing it to a 'slick' - with a view to being rewarded with some good, clear footprints. These can then be photographed and compared online. However, if there ARE multiple holes then it will be necessary to repeat the process for all of them. Since the disturbance/human scent may deter a hole being used.

[gary112]

Not very good quality picture but went down the wood this evening and found this cheeky bugger have a nap on this beech tree 

[David Cropper]

Just found this beauty in the diningroom. I thought it was one of the daft things my wife constantly buys, she nearly had a heart attack when I showed her! 

[eggsarascal]

Otterly bizarre.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Did he/she look ill or something? Strange sighting!

[eggsarascal]

3 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Did he/she look ill or something? Strange sighting!

Not sure what's bringing them out of the river, there's been loads of reports of them in the road recently. This sign went up yesterday.

 

[Mark J]

[ABtrees]

On 14/09/2020 at 20:15, ABtrees said:

 

Hi Rough

 

As above,  that was a musk beetle.  Yes it is a longhorn but then so are thousands of others (worldwide) - there's over 200 longhorn species here in France.  Many (of their larvae) don't live in trees at all.  The picture before is also a longhorn, the Tanner beetle (aka : the Great British Longhorn beetle). 

 

I think you might be referring to the Grand Capricorne  (Cerambyx cerdo) photo below taken in May.  This is a seriously impressive beetle which we see from time to time and I don't doubt it damages (and occasionally maybe kills) Oaks.  Its numbers are reducing (you be pleased to hear !) and it's now a fully protected species in France.  Their lifecycle is only 3 or 4 years and they don't live in dead trees.  There are plenty of other beetles that will do at least as much damage as these guys but worse than all of them put together, right now our biggest oak killer is drought.

 

Bit of an update - today I think we found the daddy !  Biggest 'Capricorn' I've ever seen.   Picking up on previous conversation, I reckon I may be losing a few old Oaks shortly !!!!   

I am actually not 100% sure that this and the one posted previously are the same species - so would be very happy for any real experts to correct me - as usual !

 

 

 

OK I've done a bit more digging - it turns out the picture from last year (in the quote) IS actually a different species.  It is the Lesser Capricorn (Cerambyx Scopolii).  The one from today is definitely the Great Capricorn (Cerambyx Cerdo).  They both eat Oak trees !

 

Glad we cleared that one up - eh !!!!

Edited July 10, 2021 by ABtrees
More info

[Doug Tait]

Had something I've never seen before hanging around the hi vis t-shirt, once it got over its excitement it settled on the wood pile for a photo. Anyone recognise it?

 

 

[Paul Cleaver]

On 06/04/2021 at 21:23, openspaceman said:

I'm glad you clarified that, the furry tale suggested dormouse but the colour was all wrong. Not in UK then?

From what I remember, there is more than 1 species of Dormouse in the uk, There is a native species, and there is the one the Romans brought with them