There'a a corner of my garden where the problems go: loveage which was suffering from leafminer (but isn't any longer) the Christmas tree which I didn't water when it was raining, not realising its branches were protecting the pot from water (but which is now recovering) (astonishing!) a lingy thing I was given but which struggles . . .
It's also the place where the food waste bin goes (we don't compost bones or anything cooked) (nor oats) and old poles. Clearly, our cats think there are thieves around with unconventional tastes for they have set up guard.
They are not the only creatures in the garden. Of course not.
There are, for a start, snails.
The pretty kind . . .
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| Cepaea sp. juv |
(For these two pictures of a young Cepaea. sp,
I am grateful to my next door neighbour, Lucy Corrander.
Since this snail was in my garden when she took its photo (twice)
I asked if I could include it in this post. She said I could.)
and the ordinary kind.
IMG_3065+-+CR+-+HIMID.jpg) |
| Common Garden Snail - Cornu aspersum |
Here comes a Velvet Mite
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| I think this is a Trombidium - take a look at UK Safari to see if you agree. . . and there's another picture here by Jörg Hempel |
For all that these mites are common, I'd never noticed one before. If this is the right ID - these mites catch onto spiders, suck their blood, then drop off without having harmed the host. Somewhere, I found a picture of one attached to the leg of a Harvester but have not been able to re-track it. If I find it again, I'll add a link.
Meanwhile . . . petals have been falling.
This hoverfly is too late for pollinating the cowslips.
Nearly all the petals have fallen from the apple blossom too.
but leaves remain handy for flies to sit on in the sun. (SUN!) The blue of this one was stunning.
If you don't like cats and flies and snails, don't worry, flowers will get a look in soon. I'd been preparing a post about clover and mint but got carried away by creatures. Hope you've enjoyed them.
8 comments:
Good work on the critter captures. Looks like you had a fun time going around your garden even if it is sans petals.
Your pretty snail is definitely pretty. How big is the shell?
Hi Bom. You are right. I am having fun with these photos. The cats are fairly ordinary but it's only in the last couple of years that I've taken picture of spiders and ...
The snail is not large - the shell is about half an inch across. Both snails, along with a load of others, have now been relocated to empty ground far enough away from my garden for them not to return. It's a kind of 'Hello, may I take your photo? Right, that's it. Goodbye!' sort of relationship!
I am loving all the posts about creatures...they are what keep the garden so much more interesting...I am like a child wandering the garden looking for interesting creatures :)
Amazingly clear photos. Managing to get a mite is impressive.
I like your look at the critters. The snails are kinda pretty too. Your calico is a beauty. The tiger looks like one that hangs around my yard, but I bet they all look similar.
I like your look at the critters. The snails are kinda pretty too. Your calico is a beauty. The tiger looks like one that hangs around my yard, but I bet they all look similar.
Hello Donna. I'm finding I'm fascinated by creatures living in my garden. I think it's because, while I grew up with knowing how to grow plants, insects etc. were . . . not exactly add-ons . . . more like people who were there but to be politely ignored. (Or zapped!) So they feel 'new' to me.
Hello Janet. It was very hit and miss with the photograph of the mite. One attempt and, after that, it had gone down the side of the brick and out of sight.
Hello Garden Walk. Snail shells are beautiful when you look at them. Some more so than others!
Dear Everyone. I've landed up doing a hoverfly and aphid post - in part it's a gathering together of pictures from other posts . . . but it has two new pictures too. I hadn't previously realised that aphids live on dandelions and buttercups. I'd always imagined those plants to be immune!
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