90 90% of the diet of the Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) is made up of meadow voles. They also catch rats, amphibians and insects regularly.
4,000 - 5,000 In this country we have 4,000 to 5,000 breeding pairs of the Wielewal (Oriolus oriolus), but there used to be many more. However due to the removal of hectares ofpoplars. The good news is though is that new plantations in recently recovered land from the sea are seeing more and more of these lovely birds.
1,2,3,5,8,13,21....... The Fibonacci sequence is found in nature everywhere...trees, flowers, pine cones, etc.
Ref Fibonacci sequence. Have seen it referred to in the past but never looked into it - did just do a quick Wiki and will read more - most interesting.
50,000 - 60,000 As the season continues, the size of a bee colony can number 50-60, 000 bees. If the bees begin to feel that there is not enough room in the hives...they can lay plans to swarm. Swarming is a natural form of continuing the life of a colony. This usually occurs from May through July. This is why I have to check on my colonies so frequently. The swarm consists primarily out of worksters, a queen and a few drones. The bees are usually docile and not aggressive, as their bellies are propped full of honey as food stores for the new location. If they are swarming because of hunger, it is a whole different ballgame. Swarms can go to and hang-out anywhere, high or low...on natural or man-made things.
Hi sjoerd. I have only ever once seen a swarm of Bees. This was in the High Street of a large Town and they had gathered on a brick wall next the pavement which they had spilled out on to - a foot or so - masses of them - they were not bothering anyone but were given a wide berth.. Presumably some keeper came and gathered them.
8 Recall the foto in my recent garden update thread...it was of a huge, green grasshopper. Here we call them, "Grote Groene Sabelsprinkhaan" (Tettigonia viridissima) and they can grow to up to 8 cm long.They can be found all over this country and België, outside and inside the cities.
Hi sjoerd. Have had the occasional Cricket find its way indoors. Happily out walking in the fields there is still masses of small "Grasshoppers" (as I know them) about in the longer grass - to me whilst taking a sunny walk their continuous "chirrupings" are one of the sounds of summer. Perfect camouflage the green one you show
900,000 More than 900,000 sorts, insects are by far the largest group animals on earth. According to specialists there are more than 120 million billion living on earth at the moment.That is 12,000,000 insects per person! 1/3 of this figure are beetles. This means that there are more beetles than plants.....something to ponder, eh?
Hi. sjoerd. Averagely the kind of insects we come into contact with in the UK are not a lot to be "frit" of - but watching a number of DVD's about the insects round the various parts of the world I am glad we do not get them. I think the scariest pics I have watched are when the jungle etc Ants are on the march/rampage in their thousands (hundreds of thousands?) In at least one part of UK (in Essex) theres been a thriving colony of Scorpions for many years - along sunny railway embankments. Syd.
100 Ringslangen (Natrix natrix) can sometimes lay as many as 100 eggs. After mating in april, it can take as long as two months before they lay their eggs. Usually they lay ~30 eggs; however, in years where there is an abundance of food available that total can reach 100. The eggs are not hard, like a bird's egg...but rather soft and sort of parchment-like in colour. Once the eggs have been laid, it can take an additional two months before they hatch--usually in the beginning of august. The babies are minuscule in size.
Hi sjoerd. In our part of the country not seen overly much now - there used to be a lot more - as with so much more wildlife. Did find a smallish one in garden a few years back - it was tucked away in the cool under a bucket. Handsome creatures and are as fast in the water as on land - fascinating to see them swimming.
I had to look this up. Not a snake that we have and am sorry to hear you have not seen one in ages. I appreciate a good non poisonous snake in my garden.
Hi sjoerd. You really surprise me - I thought there would be plenty in Holland with all the water. Has to be said of course that they tend to disappear when they hear noise/footsteps. They seem to like cool but also like to lay in full sun from what I have seen of them. Have a pic I took of the small one I mentioned.
