There
are 37 nature reserves in Cumbria. This I know, because when I joined
the Cumbria
Wildlife Trust,
they sent be a very impressive booklet detailing all of them. Thank
you CWT, much appreciated. So, today I thought we’d go and explore
our nearest one at Dubbs Moss, a mile or two to the south west of
Cockermouth.
This
is a small reserve consisting of three distinct habitats, the first
of which, as we enter the reserve, is dry grassland. Meadowsweet,
Yarrow and Black Knapweed predominate at this time of year, the
latter being the plant of choice for the showy butterflies, such as
the Peacock and Red Admiral. These
little buff whimsies, flitting round our legs, are worth a closer
look too, if we wait for one to settle. Just look at the intricate
patterning on this one. This is Epirrhoe
alternata,
known as the Carpet Moth, which is confusing as the pesky moth who’s
larvae eat your clothes is also known as a Carpet Moth (as
well as a Clothes Moth)
even though it is from a totally different family. The larvae of this
little chap feed on a plant called Bedstraw. And while we’re down
here… we were talking about Sawfly galls last week [see Urban
Oasis],
and here’s an adult Sawfly. As you can see, it’s quite wasp-like,
but
unlike it’s hymenopteran relatives, the bees, wasps and ants, it
does not sting.
We’ll
now make our way down this increasingly puddly path (told you not to
wear flip-flops)
to the second ecosystem, the damp hollow. We seem to have lost the
path markers, but it would appear to be here, on our right, through
this gate. I wouldn’t describe it as
damp, more of a fully fledged mire. Plenty of rushes, which are
really
useful
plants. They
grow all over the world except Antarctica and are used for weaving
matting, baskets and chair bottoms and the pith, when peeled, dried
and soaked in fat become rushlights. These were much used a couple of
centuries back, as a cheap alternative to candles. Rushes can be
confused with similar looking grasses and sedges. Here’s how to
tell them apart: first, look down the stem – grasses have joints,
rushes don’t. Second, snap one and look at the cross-section –
rushes are round, sedges are triangular. Simple,
when you know how.
I
think we’ll have to turn back as it’s getting increasingly
gloopy. Guess what? I’ve just found the trail
markers.
We overshot and did, indeed, finish up in a mire. Ah well, getting
lost is all part of the fun. This is the damp hollow which may have
been a tarn, many millennia back, as it conceals a layer of peat,
below the overlying decayed plant matter. Plenty of damp-loving
plants, as you can see, but I’ve just spotted something to get
really excited about, a Mecopteran. A whateran? Scorpionfles
and Hangingflies are a couple more of those flies that aren’t
flies. They form a group on their own called the Mecoptera and this
is the first one I’ve ever seen in the wild (damp hollows being
somewhat scarce in arid south east Crete).
This particular one is a Scorpionfly and if you look at the back end
you can see that it is curled up like a scorpion’s stinger. Don’t
worry, it won’t sting you. This is a male, and that’s merely his
reproductive apparatus. Apart from damp hollows, the other place you
may find scorpionflies is on a murder victim. I kid you not. They
have a predilection for human corpses and are often the first to
arrive at a murder scene. They hang around for a day and a half which
makes them very useful in
forensic entomology. If Scorpionflies are on the corpse then the
murder took place within the previous 36
hours. (One of the many fascinating facts to be found in The
Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies)
And
now it’s into the woods for ecosystem number three. This has a very
primaeval feel, what
with all the ferns. For ferns have been with us for about
360 million
years,
some
three times longer than flowering pants. Instead of reproducing with
flowers and seeds, they use spores, a bit like mushrooms do. Talking
of mushrooms, I think that’s an Ugly Milkcap down there. I’m not
sure, as I’ve got a lot of catching up to do on British fungi, but
it has some of the defining features. For a start, it looks dirty and
scruffy, with debris sticking to the top of it. It’s the right
size, between
3 and 8 inches across, and it likes mixed woodland, particularly
where there are birch trees about, as there are here. We came in with
a couple of butterflies and we’re leaving with another one, the
Speckled Wood. These are beautifully dappled, like a fawn, which is
perfect camouflage in the scattered woodland light – provided you
don’t perch on a well illuminated fern. Notice
that the markings here in northern England are quite a pale, primrose
yellow. In Crete, where the sunlight is a lot stronger they are a
deep orange. If you look back to
Over
The Ridge you
can see the difference (and learn a bit about their sex lives).
That
was Dubbs Moss. A pleasant stroll back now alongside the field and
down the farm track, where a nicely positioned tea room awaits. But
before we refresh ourselves, I’d just like to draw your attention
to this yellow stuff growing along the branches in the hedgerow.
Neither animal, vegetable or mineral, it’s lichen, a strange
combination of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, living together as a
single organism. If you look closely, you can see the pixie-cup
fruiting bodies of the fungal part. Incidentally, an aqueous extract
from this particular lichen, Sunburst Lichen, Xanthoria parietina,
has proved effective in the lab against the parainfluenza virus
that causes croup, as well as other respiratory diseases. The moral
of this tale being; look after your lichens – one may turn out to
be the answer to a certain other virus that is currently doing the
rounds.
Cup
of tea and a toasted teacake do you? I have just realised that we
haven’t mentioned any birds this week. Continuing on from last
week’s natter about pheasants, here’s another bird of the
pheasant family, the peafowl. These are tame birds at the tearooms –
their wild relatives are native to the Indian subcontinent. The males
are peacocks and the females are peahens and some, just like us
humans, decide to change sex half way. Having both male and female
characteristics (Gynandromorphism)
is more common in nature than you may think. It occurs a lot in the
insect world, particularly with butterflies and moths, but also with
crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters, as well as in fish and birds.
It all depends upon how the chromosomes split during the early stages
of development… and that’s the way the toasted teacake crumbles.
Until
next week,
Stay
safe and be happy,
Steve
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All
you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or
snail very simply and find out more about it.
Yvonne:
This
was a gift for a family so that the children can understand what
they see on days out. The second was for me. Logical and easy to
use. If you know anyone who likes nature you can be confident that
gifting this book will give years of pleasure.
|
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The
Eggs of Saramova
A
science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction.
A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world (and
it starts right here in Crete).
Too
new for reviews yet!
|
|
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A
light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex.
Janet:
If
you are short on time but enjoy reading and are maybe not into
long extended novels then Not Just For... Twisted Women provides
readers with concise stories that stand alone and most certainly
entertain with their ultimate twists. Loved it.
Helen:
A
very good read! Well written and entertaining!
Margaret:
Each
quick tale gives a glimpse into a character's life and has an
often humorous twist at the end. I would love to read more.
Yvonne:
These
days many people find it hard to find the time to read a novel, so
this book of short stories is ideal to dip into. It is also makes
a good gift.
|
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See
sample pages of all my books and latest blogs, and keep abreast of
latest publications here:
|
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Crete
Nature Catch-up
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