In the north of the UK, this slug is predominately black, whereas here in the south is is predominantly yellow. It has a distinctive black and orange striped skirt and can get very large indeed. This individual was over 15cm long when at full stretch.
A couple of these big ones have drowned in the pond recently, so I steered this guy away as he seemed to be heading for the same fate. I guess they can't get to the beach area or onto the plants in time.
I've learned to grow things that can survive a slug and snail onslaught, or that they dislike eating, as I figure they have every right to be in my garden. They may repulse some people, but to me they are beautiful and wonderfully simple yet successful animals. Hopefully the pond will attract plenty of things to eat them and so control their numbers naturally.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Garden Slug (Arion ater)
Monday, 23 August 2010
7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
I have an Artemisia that suffers from an annual invasion of cool black and grey aphids who sway in unison when disturbed. There are hundreds of them but amazingly the plant doesn't seem to be detrimentally affected. I can always be sure to find ladybirds on it, enjoying the banquet. This lovely 7-Spot was the latest visitor. Happily, I have seen plenty of native ladybird species this year and very few of the large invading Harlequins, unlike last year when the opposite was true.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella Sp.)
A huge hoverfly, when I spotted it from across the garden I genuinely thought it was a hornet. It has a distinctive yellow face and smoky coloured wings. I'm not 100% sure of the species, but I'm sure it is a member of the Volucella genus which contains a variety of bee and wasp minics.
Garden Orb Spider (Araneus diadematus)
Such a common spider, this beauty makes the familiar orb webs. I've photographed so many of them before but somehow I've never noticed that the distinctive identifying 'white cross' patterning is actually made from coloured fur! It is amazingly beautiful. So spiders are cute furry animals too.
The Pond
Complete! The transplanted froglets, newtlets, larva and diving beetle are all doing great.
Many of the larva have hatched into beautiful mayflies; I even got to watch one emerge which was amazing.
The newts and froglets are loving hiding in the plants - there were none at all in their old (now removed) pond.
I've planted yellow flag iris, some dwarf reeds, corkscrew reed, frogbit, water soldiers, water hyacinths, water mint and more. Not all native, but they mostly are. My options at the local water garden shop were limited, and I needed oxygenating plants and surface cover asap for the amphibians. There is a lot of the single celled algae in the pond atm, so I need to try barley straw to reduce it. Once the pond finds a balance properly and the surface cover plants shade much of the water, the algae will be mostly self controlling.
Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)
Not one of my best pics, but I was delighted to see this pretty blue butterfly in the garden for the first time.
Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare) with Young
I have wanted to get photographs of this for years, and am thrilled that when I finally did they came out this well. Woodlice carry their eggs on their belly until hatching and the young go on their way. This pill woodlouse was fit to burst with hatched young. It always amazes me how so many babies fit into such a small space - when the egg sac bursts it is quite the explosion of young!
