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The Gallery : Animals

Some pictures of the wonderful animal life that are supported within the woodland. All images copyright the author.

Invertebrates: butterflies, moths, bees and wasps

Speckled wood Pararge aegeria basking in the sun.
Silver-washed fritillary Argynnis paphia in a new clearing.
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus on the blackberry bush in August.
The comma Polygonia c-album amongst the blackberry flowers
Peacock Aglais io enjoys the buddleia. Check out the video of a hibernating peacock here.

Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus resting.

Pale tussock moth Calliteara pudibunda larva.

The large elephant hawk moth Deilephila elpenor in larval form
Caterpillar of the cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae feeding on posionous ragwort leaves.
Egg cases from the leafcutter bee Megachile sp. Each egg is wrapped in a leaf capsule, packed with nectar and built into the hole made by a wood boring insect. Each hole will have many eggs, This was found in a dead branch of an ash tree that was felled. Additional “bee hotels” have now been provided.
Spectacular magical “Robin’s pincushion” from the gall wasp Diplolepis rosae on a dog rose.
A parasitic Ichneumon wasp, possibly – Rhyssa persuasoria (sabre wasp) depositing its egg against a wood wasp larva that has been paralysed to become a food source. Note the long black ovipositor which is locating the prey and the contortions of the thorax to allow the ovipositor to manoeuvre accurately.
European hornet Vespa crabro emerging from hiberation in April

Mammals

A bit harder to photograph than the other forms of life as they move about!

First sighting of an amphibian. Common frog Rana temporaria.
 
Wren’s nest Troglodytes troglodytes built in the shelter of plastic sheeting.
Robin’s nest Erithacus rubecula precariously balanced on thin branches.
Animal tracks in the snow.
A home for a barn owl Titus alba on the edge of the wood waiting for an occupant. 
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Bedraggled juvenille long-tailed tit Aegithalos caudatus resting to allow me to get a photo.

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