Greater Butterfly Orchid

A few spectacular spikes found growing near Port Charlotte - Carl

The latest from the visitor centre

I couldn't resist including this one of a prawn and my favourite - the piecrust crab!

Sea Hares (Aplysia punctata)

Dahlia Anemone

Our new Shark display

Our Sea Hare tank

I've had a great day adding to the Shark display and our newest arrivals, the Sea Hares. Two of the four creatures of the latter are getting to know each other very well, and seem to be mating! I also added a dahlia anenome to the main tank.


Lorna

Return of Persephone

It's the third time this wonderful creature has appeared on the blog. Like the Greek goddess Persephone, it pops up from the earth (well wood, really) every Spring and withdraws every harvest time. Gordon Yates and Malcolm found the first one in June 2010, Becky found another one in April 2011, and the one pictured above was found by Michal Sur on the 8th June south of Killinallan.

It's scientific name is Raghium mordax, a longhorn beetle with surprisingly short antennae. The larvae develop beneath the bark of deciduous trees and the adults can often be seen on flowers and the wood of the larval hosts. They are fairly large beetles, getting up to just over 2 cm long. So keep your eyes peeled around woody areas for these beauties.

Crystal

Common Lizard

Thanks to Vicki and Les from Glenegedale who sent us this photo of a colourful Common Lizard they saw basking in their garden earlier this month.
Becky

Sea Hare at Saligo

We were a bit late for low tide today, but we still managed to find this delightful sea hare in a rock pool at Saligo. Lorna held it to demonstrate how it gradually emerges after being lifted from the water, taking care to keep it in contact with the sea water while she held it. It really is a fascinating creature and worthy of more research I feel! . . .
Becky

More Tank Creatures

I am not getting very much done today because I haven't been able to prise myself away from the new tanks! In the large tank, we have some almost fully grown Long Spined Sea Scorpion (c.20cm. Will grow to 25cm), and a large Three-bearded Rockling (25cm).  Here is a picture of the two new species together!

Lorna

Three-bearded Rockling with Long Spined Sea Scorpion. Piecrust Crab is staying put!

Sallow Kitten

I caught this delightful small (15 mm wingspan) moth in the garden last night. It was new for me and seems to be the first Islay record since 1996, though one was caught on Colonsay last summer.
Malcolm

Mini Ramble at Lagavulin During Sunset

Last night down at Lagavulin, four of us were delighted with the stunning views as the sun set. Here are some of my favourite photos.
Lorna

Common Sandpiper

James' photo of a Rock Pipit

Beautiful Lagavulin

Spitbug

Dunyvaig

Cloud Formations from Pia

Pia sent us an email with photos of the same cloud formation Malcolm had photographed. She added this information:

I was looking out the window tonight (Friday 8th June at approx 22.20) when I noticed this cloud formation, see photos.

Not being an expert in cloud technology I consulted the net and according to http://www.collthings.co.uk/2008/06/10-very-rare-clouds.html

these could be "roll clouds" - and I quote:  A roll cloud is a low, horizontal tube-shaped arcus cloud associated with a thunderstorm gust front, or sometimes a cold front. Roll clouds can also be a sign of possible microburst activity.

Thanks Pia! 

Photos from Alistair Hutchison

Thanks to Alistair for sending us some photos from his wild flower ramble. Malcolm, can you help with the orchids please.
Becky

Burnet Rose

Lousewort

Butterwort

Our Sea tanks have residents!

Common Sun Star

Piecrust or Brown Crab

Spider Crab (tiny!)

Yes, we're very excited because, thanks to local fishermen, our tanks now have Sun-stars, Brown Crabs, Sea Anemones and one grandfather Shrimp. There is also the tiniest spider crab which looks like a bit of seaweed, but so far is holding his own. We await the arrival of more, exciting creatures so watch this space .
Becky. .

Emperor Moth Caterpillars

On our walk to Bolsa we came across this big caterpillar and lots of little black and orange caterpillars. I  must admit I thought they were two separate species, until I conducted further research and discovered they are simply different instars (stages or moults) of the Emperor Moth larvae. This moth undergoes five instars as a caterpillar before entering pupation stage. As caterpillars eat (voraciously), they outgrow their skin several times. They therefore moult, often changing appearance and colour as they do so. The photos show the Emperor Moth in the 3rd and 4th instars. Just when you thought you'd finally got caterpillars sussed! . . .
Becky

Emperor Moth larva - Saturnia pavonia - 3rd instar

Emperor Moth larva - Saturnia pavonia - 4th instar

Emperor Moth larva - Saturnia pavonia - 5th instar
(Photo: Fiona or Carl)

Emperor Moth - Saturnia pavonia

Bolsa Trek (Part 3) - The Full List



Here's a list of fauna for our Bolsa trek. We didn't do a flora list (shame on us!)

BIRDS: Yellowhammer, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Wren, Whinchat, Grey Heron, Cuckoo, Peregrine, Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Shag, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Swallow, Dipper, Dunnock, Common Sandpiper, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Spotted Flycatcher, Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, Shelduck

MAMMALS AND AMPHIBIANS: Common Seal, Red Deer, Common Frog

INVERTEBRATES: Wolf Spiders (with egg sacs), Furrow Orb Weaver, Dung Beetles (lots), Carabus Clatratus (mating), Carabus Glabratus, Meadow Grasshoppers (lots), Whirlygig Beetles, Pond Skaters, Small Heath Butterfly, Emperor Moth caterpillars, Common Heath Moth, White Ermine Moths (mating), Cranefly sp., Froghopper nymph, Red Ants, Four-soptted Chaser, Chimney Sweeper Moths (about 8), Brown Silver-Line Moths, Clouded Buff Moths

White Ermine moths mating

Froghopper nymph

Common Heath - Ematurga atomaria

Nature Ramble, Killinallan

We had six people for our ramble today and, as we watched the sun shine over at Ardnave, we willed it over our way to entice the butterflies, but, predictably, the sun came out just as we went in! Still, we got a very good list, the highlight for most people being the Golden-ringed Dragonfly which had just emerged from its exuvia. (Thanks Scott!) It was also delightful to see the Pyramidal Orchids just beginning to flower. The challenge for the next visit is to find the Frog Orchids! Thanks everyone for your contributions. Keep them coming in, nature ramble or no nature ramble! Let me know if I've missed anything out!
Becky

BIRDS
Great-black-backed Gull, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Buzzard, Eider, Rock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Raven

FLORA
Meadow Buttercup, Tormentil, Silverweed, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Lesser Meadow Rue, Pyramidal Orchid, Heath-spotted Orchid, Northern Marsh Orchid, Germander Speedwell, Heath Speedwell, Heath Bedstraw, Lady's Bedstraw, Daisy, Marsh Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Sea Milkwort, Sea Plantain, Sea Arrowroot, Thrift, Yellow Flag, Water Mint, Marsh Horsetail, Marsh Pennywort, Marsh Lousewort, Lousewort, Burnet Rose, Black Bog Rush, Heath Milkwort, Bog Myrtle, Cat's-Ear, Eyebright, Fairy Flax, Curled Dock, White Clover, Bracken, Wild Thyme, Common Nettle, White Clover, Cuckoo Flower, Marsh Marigold, Ragged Robin, Meadowsweet, Yorkshire Fog, Common Rush, Tufted Vetch, Marram Grass, Goat Willow, Common Scurvy Grass

INSECTS
Golden-ringed Dragonfly (and exuvia), Large Red Damselfly, Meadow Grasshopper, Meromyza pratorum (probably), Bracken Chafer, Six-spot Burnet, Small Heath, Green-veined White



LICHENS AND FUNGI
Xanthoria parietina, Lecanora gangloides, Ramalina sp.,

MAMMALS AND AMPHIBIANS AND SHORE CREATURES
Grey Seal, Common Frog, Shore Crab, Rough Periwinkle, Acorn Barnacle, Common Limpet

Meromyza pratorum

Bracken Chafer

Six-spot Burnet

Golden-ringed Dragonfly and its exuvia

Bolsa Trek (Part 2)

Some more photos from our trek to Bolsa. The Carabus clatratus has not often been recorded on Islay so this is a great record, although it's almost certainly a species that is under-recorded.
Becky

Carabus clatratus - Golden-dimpled Ground Beetle copulating

Furrow Orb Weaver (Larinioides Cornutus)

Carabus glabratus

Wolf Spider with egg sac

Cranefly - Limoniidae sp.

Bolsa Trek

Yesterday, Lorna, Mark and I had a fantastic trek to Bolsa from Bunnahabhain, via one of the glens. It wasn't fantastic photography weather for landscapes but we saw soooooooo much wildlife - a lot of insect copulation too! I've still to identify a few spiders and insects, and I'll post those photos in due course, along with our complete list for the day (I think we beat the jubilee list!)  Meanwhile, here's a few favourites of the day.
Becky

Dung Beetle
(Photo: Mark Nelson)

Common Frog
 (Photo: MN)

Herd of Red Deer
(Photo: MN)

Marsh Thistle
 (Photo: MN)

Chimney Sweep Moth
(Photo: MN)

Yellowhammer
(Photo: Lorna Williamson)

Water Avens
(Photo: LW)

Four-spotted Chaser
(Photo: LW)