Bluedamsel Discovery

love leeches

bluedamseldiscovery — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:44:25 +0000

Here is a short video of a Horse Leech spotted on a laneway near Swanlibar, County Cavan!

Hugging Trees

bluedamseldiscovery — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:11:54 +0000

Oak tree, Co. Cavan

I have been reading ,and enjoying, Robert Mcfarland’ s book, “The Wild Places”. He describes how trees are ” mutual organisms, best understood when considered in their relationship to one another”. I like trees in relationships with hedges and woods with undergrowth and climbers and leaf mould.

This oak tree stands in an overgrown hedge in a small field that has never had tractor on it ,hence was never drained , fertilised or limed.

I have also been looking at the woodland trusts” ancient tree hunt” and how to measure trees . You can estimate their girth in hugs ( if you know the length of your hug) . I have never been into hugging trees much before, but I was surprised how impressive tree hugging is. Try it, for a sense of time, history and endurance.

industrial Archaeology and cow pat mushrooms

bluedamseldiscovery — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:25:18 +0000

WHAT IS THIS ?

This is about 3.5 foot diameter.

yellow cow pat mushroom

Industrial archaeology ie Farming before Tractors? Is it part of a churning machine? It appeared as we were working on a hedge on the farm. How long it has been there we have no idea. It is very heavy.

The yellow cow pat mushroom is quite attractive and appeared this week in a good area for wild flowers and butterflies in the summer.

Autumn Moths

bluedamseldiscovery — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:54:25 +0000

: Mervielle du jour moth in Co. Cavan

: Angle shades moth

I have been pleased with the moth trapping this week . Lots of unidentified november moth type sitting all over the trap when I went out and inside these two in the photos and a couple of feathered thorn and chestnut .

Another late Dragon

bluedamseldiscovery — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:16:23 +0000

: Resting in hedge, Moorland Hawker

On a dull day this week , I found this in a hedge well away from Patterson’s lake.

Wood mouse in Cavan

bluedamseldiscovery — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:44:57 +0000

: wood mouse from a longworth live trap

I managed to trap this fellow, using hazel nuts as the bait, in the wood behind the house. It is distinguished from the unwelcome visitors in the house by the bigger ears, longer tail and big back legs.

Amazing number of predators after this fellow, I imagine : long eared owls, foxes ,kestrel,stoats, pine martin , badger, magpies,

national moth night

bluedamseldiscovery — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:34:09 +0000

Pink Barred Sallow

National moth night has been and gone, 18th and 19 th September, but I thought I would put up some pictures I got that weekend from the trap.

August Thorn moth

Late Dragons

bluedamseldiscovery — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:04:54 +0000

blackdarter at drumard bog

We have not had a lot of sunshine but I was out on the 25th at drumard bog near Farnham Cavan and found black darters.

Fritillary butterfly

bluedamseldiscovery — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:53:59 +0000

: silverwash fritillary co. cavan

Brief chance to get the picture before the battery in the camera went.

This is why the rough parts of the farm with the wild flowers are so important. Also feeding on the knapweed was 2 painted lady butterflies ringlet, large white and green veined white.

So now the question is do they breed on the farm or has this individual just flown in from else where?Anyway great delight in getting it on the butterfly survey and a small copper.

Heritage and discovery days

bluedamseldiscovery — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:22:19 +0000

In conjunction with the heritage office in cavan and Bear essentials I will be running a discovery day in BawnBoy, west cavan on the 22nd August. This aims to be a family day with lots of activities come rain or shine . To book contact heritage office.

How to catch lots of little insects on a summers day. A malaise trap