8 8 cm is the wingspan of the Koninginnenpage (Papilio machaon), making it the largest butterfly in the land. This butterfly appears in the south of our land and in Belgium. It has to be a much warmer year for it to come this far north.
Hi sjoerd. I do so love to buy wildlife (all types) DVD's and much to be learned from them. Ref Dragonflies I saw that they can/do use each of their four wings independently (worth reading of). Always fascinating to see their great speeds stops hovers and general aerobatics. Also several folk on site including yourself keep Honey Bees and very commendable it is - I do not keep hives but (as we all) I do all I can to encourage them to the garden with suitable plants etc. Did not realize how dangerous Hornets are to Hives/Bees and the total destruction they can do to them. Another item was where Woodpeckers had actually pecked holes in the Hives sides to get in at the grubs - have you had this happen. Something else I saw is ref our Barn Owls. Apparently the raised rounded shape of their faces is intended to channel sounds to their ears - sound being vital whilst hunting - very acute hearing needed to hear a Vole/Mouse rustling in the grass below. Also that their ears are at different heights/levels on their heads for the same reason (again worth reading of). Lovely lovely birds and we used to enjoy sitting quietly in the lakeside dark and hear them about whilst on all night fishing trips - the fishing was really just incidental - it was being there that mattered most. Add to that all the other sounds and watching the stars seemingly getting bigger and closer the more you gazed at them - almost as if you could reach out and touch them. Happy happy times indeed. Do excuse the ramblings of an old man - lovely to look back and remember so many things. Best wishes. Syd.
1 A beaver grows to be one meter long...max and weighs 30 kilo. It is the largest rodent in Europe. They live as a family and there are usually children of various ages (1/3 years'. A beaver becomes independent from the third year. Nice nostalgic posting, Syd.
Hi sjoerd. Good interesting topic this - with all the mighty wealth of little wildlife "snippets" of info to be found it should go on for ever. Otters are lovely creatures and happily they are very slowly getting into certain rivers in the UK now. Another animal getting back is the wild Boars which like Otters here were made extinct by years of cowardly slaughterers with packs of Dogs - all in the name of so called "sport". I mentioned my liking for wildlife DVD's and currently looking at one "Wildlife Down Under" in Australia. Now theres a collection of strange ( but very interesting) creatures to read of and look at. One of the strangest is the Duck Billed Platypus - wow. Syd.
10 A mole can dig 10 meters in an hour. It is interesting to know that it's fur can bend in all different directions. This is handy for the mole, making it easy for him to go backwards in his tunnel, for instance to push excess soil out.
12 A Puffin can hold 12 smelts in their colourful beeks...that saves eleven flights. Tose beeks are not just a pretty face--they are used not only to hold lots of food for the chicks, but they also use it to court with (don't ask me how) and to dig tunnels (which can be up to two meters deep). The puffin truly is a unique bird that is quite popular with photographers and nature doc watchers.
7 - Crows have a reasoning ability rivalling that of a human seven-year-old, research has shown. Scientists came to the conclusion after subjecting six wild New Caledonian crows to a battery of tests designed to challenge their understanding of cause and effect. The tasks were all variations of the Aesop's fable in which a thirsty crow drops stones to raise the level of water in a pitcher.
@102christa - Very interesting what those 6 crows figured out. Every time I fill my bird feeder the local crows can't perch on it to feed BUT they can sort of hang sufficient to put it off kilter and dribble out seed that they then eat off the ground.
Hi. This writing of Crows brought to mind a strange thing which happens here and wondered if theres similar in the US/elsewhere. Will describe this best I can but perhaps better to read of/Google it. Do you have Rooks - a type of Crow but slightly smaller. These birds indulge in what is known as "Rook Courts". They live in colonies (Rookeries) and quite a number of nests are sited quite close together right in the tops of tall trees. Apparently they have their own "rules and regulations" and a code of conduct within these areas - should a bird default seriously they are driven out and killed. The "accused" bird will finish up on the ground in a field with many/all the others gathered round it and having been "judged" if found guilty pairs from these will peck/attack it in turns until it is dead. I believe its not often seen but (hand on heart) I did whilst out in the countryside one afternoon with a couple of teen mates (late 1940's) witness this happening - though without then knowing what it represented. Heard this commotion of "cawings" and over the hedge middle of the field a single bird surrounded by many others. Talking about it afterwards to more learned folk produced the answer all about these Rook Courts. Reading of it apparently Crows also do it and I wondered if other/all birds which live in colonies do likewise. Any thoughts??.
Crows are fascinating and cheeky. So are jays (bluejays). They'll caw and cackle at you. Love having both (as in 2) of these birds around
Hi. We have Jays here and they are a very colourful bird. Generally in their "away from it all" woodland conditions they tend to be shy and secretive - more often heard than seen. On the other hand I have seen them dust bathing/sunning quite openly in "big house" gardens amongst many visitors - a matter of there getting used to them and in time taking no notice I guess - also they probably get some food bits and bobs. Likewise in a wooded recreational area and again with people about they come down and rummage through the waste bins for scraps - plenty of pickings from picnickers leavings etc. Always love to see them in Autumn collecting the Acorns from a large Oak tree opposite which sees a regular procession of them coming and going along with Squirrels. What would we do without our beloved birds ?.
250 - 600 An adult moose can weigh between 250 and 600 kilo's. The wither height is 1.5 - 2.1 meter and with a length of of 2-3 meters... it is then, the largest deer-sort in Europe.
