Fauna at Trebah

I have been visiting Trebah gardens on regular occasions recently I have documented some new species of fauna that I have not seen in the gardens before.


There are an abundance of Buff Tailed Bumble Bees (bombus terristris). Bumble bees generally visit flowers exhibiting the bee pollination syndrome. They can visit patches of flowers up to 1–2 kilometres from their colony. Bumble bees will also tend to visit the same patches of flowers every day, as long as nectar and pollen continue to be available, a habit known as pollinator or flower constancy. While foraging, bumblebees can reach ground speeds of up to 15 metres per second. The obvious (but not unique) characteristic is the soft nature of the hair (long, branched setae), called pile, that covers their entire body, making them appear and feel fuzzy. They are best distinguished from similarly large, fuzzy bees by the form of the female hind leg, which is modified to form a corbicula: a shiny concave surface that is bare, but surrounded by a fringe of hairs used to transport pollen (in similar bees, the hind leg is completely hairy, and pollen grains are wedged into the hairs for transport).


Images copyright to Abbi Hughes

I have also noticed large numbers of lady birds. This particular lady bird was found perching in between the fronds of a bracken plant. I love the strong contrast in colour between the red and green. The Coccinella septempunctata is the most popular lady bird in Europe and its elytra are of a red colour, but punctuated with three black spots each, with one further spot being spread over the junction of the two, making a total of seven spots, from which the species derives both its common and scientific name.

There has also been an increase in damselflies and dragon flies around the pools and streams. Here is an example I found recently, theRed- Veined darter Sympetrum fonscolombii who's species has become more popular in Britain and Ireland. 

I also went pond dipping to find any fauna that was living undetected beneath the water. I found tadpoles and alderfly larvae. 

I hope you enjoy my images and extra information on the relevant species.

Location : Trebah Gardens
Date: 21st June 2011
Time: 1pm - 3pm
Weather: Southerly warm and gentle winds, soft sunlight.  
Map Reference: SW767273

Trebah Gardens

The change that has occurred through Trebah gardens since my last post is phenomenal!
I have been studying the sub tropical habitats of Trebah gardens since december 2010 and visiting on regular occasions, at least once a week. 
I have concentrated on the beach path which runs from Trebah house, following the water streams and ponds to the sea that leads onto the Helford passage. 


Trebah has transformed into a summer wonder, bright garden flowers like iris's, primulas and rhododendrons are in full bloom, woodland foxgloves cover the clearings, hydrangeas are beginning to come into flower and of course the tropical gunneras and aurum lily's such as lily of the nile and the skunk cabbage are creating a spectacle within the gardens. 


The Gunnera Manicata has had the most dramatic change. In April we could see new growth had emerged. The new leaves appear on stout prickly stems and can grow to up to two meters in width making it a striking plant. The cone shaped panicle is the flower of the gunnera and can grow to 2ft high and 1ft wide. These first flowers have appeared with the leaves and develop very slowly changing from red to more mature brown. Now as you can see by the images below the gunnera have grown 8-10ft high with 2-ft panicles that are mainly the duller brown colour. Having spoken to the head gardener it is said that they are still not yet fully grown. Beneath the gunnera is a damp humid habitat that holds home to marsh marygolds, (caltha palustris) and buttercups, (ranunculus repens) and creatures such as the orb web spider (Larinioides sclopetarius), capturing their prey, mosquitos (Anopheles quadrimaculatus),


Images can be seen below. All images copyright to Abbi Hughes

Here are also some of the Landscape images I took whilst at the bottom of the garden around Mallard Pond. 

Mallard pond, as hinted in the name, is home to about three mallards, one male and two female. It also inhabits a vast number of multicoloured and sized japanese Koi Fish that the visitors are encouraged to feed. Around the edge the gardeners have planted hydrangeas, and bullrushes that you can find ladybirds, dragonflies and damselflies of red and blue as well as butterflies, namely peacock, and the eastern comma.


The hydrangea's in hydrangea valley are starting to burst into flower. This is unusually early but the sunny warm periods we have had lately have sped up their growth. The hydrangeas at trebah are usually of a white and blue colour. This is due to the acidic soil. If the soil was slightly alkaline we would get pink and red flowers, white flowers are not affected by the pH.

I hope you enjoy my images and I am determined to keep up my research on the gardens as I really enjoy the tranquil and peaceful situation with a large and exciting collection of flora and fauna in its varying habitats to photograph. 


I hope you enjoy my images! 


Thank you Abbi Hughes


Location : Trebah Gardens
Date: 14 May 2011
Time: 10pm - 3pm
Weather: Southerly warm and gentle winds, strong sunlight, occasional cloud covor.  
Map Reference: SW767273

 

Baby Badgers On Campus

At the bottom of Tremough Campus there is a badger (Meles meles) set that has some newcomers.  The set is  situated beneath clusters of brambles and nettles in a clearing close to areas of woodland.  I have been studying  and recording the badgers behaviour over the past couple of weeks and have noticed that the baby badgers, of which there are three, are being left alone for long periods of time before the mother returns.  In this time  the baby badgers, otherwise known as kits or  cubs, have been exploring their new habitat in both daylight and dusk unprotected. 

I have taken out some background research on badges and how they raise their young. Some of the information I have recorded can be seen below and was found from the website called Badger facts and breeding, www.wildlife–web.org.uk.

Badgers can mate in every month of the year, but particularly from February onwards. If conditions and food are good, a female can mate in her first autumn and have her first cubs around her first birthday.
One of the most interesting things about badgers is 'delayed implantation'. This trait, unique to members of the  Mustelidae family (badgers, weasels, etc) allows the female to become fertilized but 'choose' to actually begin development of the baby badger at a later date, when the weather changes and food is more readily available. This gives her cubs the greatest chance of survival.

When cubs are born they weigh about 100g (3.5 oz) and are little more than 12 cm (5 inches) long. They can be 1kg (2 lb) by three months, over 3kg (6.5 lb) at four months, 6kg (13 lb) after 6 months and then when they are 1 year old they will weigh about 9 kg (19.5 lb).
The cubs stay underground in the badger set are fed by their mother. Their eyes open after 5 weeks, and after this they will emerge from the set - but not go far at all. Within 5 months of being born badgers will be familiar with their immediate environment and will have learnt the most important areas and landmarks.
After three months the mother will begin to regurgitate worms and other insects to move the cubs onto solid food. The mother will try to move the cubs onto solids as soon as possible, as giving milk on her own fat reserves. They will start to find their own insects in their fourth and fifth months. 

With the badgers now out of set we can assume that they are between five weeks and five months old. 

Recent news that I have gathered about the badgers is rather sad. Both mother and father have been  killed in traffic accidents as the set is close to a main road in Penryn. The Cubs have been removed and have been taken to the local rescue centre to be looked after and hopefully return to the wild when they can fend for themselves. 

I will try and find out more information about the progress of these badgers and update you soon. 

Abbi

Location: Tremough Campus
Date: 7th May 2011
Time: 8pm - 9pm
Weather: Dusk, cloud cover but warm southerly winds.
Map Reference: SW775345

The First Cuckoo

It's the first of May and this is also the first time I have heard the unforgettable and instantly recognisable call of the Cuckoo (Cuculidae). 


The cuckoo is a dove-sized bird with blue grey upper parts, head and chest with dark barred white under parts. With their sleek body, long tail and pointed wings they are not unlike kestrels or sparrowhawks. Sexes are similar and the young are brown. They are summer visitors and well-known brood parasites, the females laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, especially meadow pipits, dunnocks and reed warblers. 


Their recent population decline makes this a Red List species. Numbers have declined by 37% in the last 15 years, making this call even more important to have heard.


Cuckoos can be seen throughout the UK, but are especially numerous in southern and central England. Adults arrive in late March or April and depart in July or August, with young birds leaving a month or so later.


The Cuckoo song was heard in a woodland area close to my house in Ashridge, Hertfordshire. 

Location : Alderton Drive, Ashridge Date: 1st May 2011 Time: 12pm  Weather: Warm winds, sunny spells.   Map Reference: SP 968132