You may have noticed the shiny new, pretty buttons above this post. Yeah, that's the one, just below the main piccy.
That, Nature Gazers, is the new menu bar for the Nature Gazing website - which is NOW up and running!!! Yippee!
Currently, only the 'Home' and 'Blog' buttons work, but that will all change soon. The pictures are being sorted for the Gallery, and I'll soon be adding the enthralling (possibly) 'About Me' page.
The main other benefit of this addition is that the pictures within the blog posts now link to BIGGER versions, so you will be able to work out what actually was in those images!
Enjoy clicking on the buttons, and making them change colour, Nature Gazers.
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
A rolling stone gathers no moths...
...but a light and a sheet just might!
Here's a date for your diaries - Garden Moths Count runs from 21st June to 6th July this year. The idea is that anyone can take part, and report on the moths that they find in their gardens. It's been running for several years and is an important study to learn more about these numerous and often stunning little critters.
Moths are frequently overlooked in favour of their siblings the butterflies, but you would be gravely mistaken to think that moths are dull and drab in comparison. Try looking at a picture of the Elephant Hawkmoth and tell me that it looks dreary!
I decided that I should get involved this year, so I swatted up on what to do on the Moths Count website and then, finding that last night was supposed to be dry and still, I decided to do a trial run, so that I can be aware of how best to go about it when the Moths Count comes around. I scampered about the house to cobble together a makeshift moth-sheet. I found an old desk-lamp with no stand, a clothes airer and a cream-coloured fitted sheet. I dragged them into the garden when it got dark and plugged the lamp in, shining onto the vertical sheet, then went in to get some snacks for the long wait. I decided to do the lazy option, so I stayed inside the house and waited for a while, popping out to check on the procedings over the course of the night. I did my first check at 10.45, then again at midnight, then a final one (after a little snooze!) at 3.30am. Phew and yawn.
I like to think of myself as relatively optimistic, but I shouldn't really have ben expecting for moths to be covering the sheet when I first tiptoed out to check on the moth-attracting-device's progress. I must admit to feeling slightly disappointed. One solitary winged-beastie was clinging to the sheet. But as I approached closer I was able to see what this creature was. A lovely, medium-sized yellow moth with amber stripes and speckles on its wings. Quite a darling really.
I have looked at a few books before to identify moths I've found in my room, or around a light in the evening, but I'd never seen this one before. And that is precisely why 'mothing' is such an exciting thing to do - it's all about the diversity of moths in the UK: you're likely to see something new almost every time you go and seek them out. (Moth species outnumber butterfly species by 30 to 1!)
Well, all in all I saw about 10 species of moths in the night - most on my sheet, but a few around the outdoor light on the patio at dusk. I photographed what I found (partly for identification later, and partly for proof that I'd really done it!) and having consulted some books and a fab website I found last year - UK Moths - I've worked out what most of them were.
I recognised the Large Emerald Moth and the Magpie Moth. The large yellow moth I mentioned earlier turned out to be the female Ghost Moth. I also saw several lovely White Ermine moths - definitely one of my favourites there. And also a lovely little green moth called the Green Silver-lines.
Well, although it was a late night, I certainly spotted some beautiful moths and I'm really looking forward to finding some more next time. I think I'll try a brighter light, my 60watt bulb was a little dim, I think; and maybe setting up before dusk would help too.
I encourage you to visit the Moths Count website and get some kit prepared. See what you can find.
Cheerio, Nature Gazers!
Here's a date for your diaries - Garden Moths Count runs from 21st June to 6th July this year. The idea is that anyone can take part, and report on the moths that they find in their gardens. It's been running for several years and is an important study to learn more about these numerous and often stunning little critters.
Moths are frequently overlooked in favour of their siblings the butterflies, but you would be gravely mistaken to think that moths are dull and drab in comparison. Try looking at a picture of the Elephant Hawkmoth and tell me that it looks dreary!
I decided that I should get involved this year, so I swatted up on what to do on the Moths Count website and then, finding that last night was supposed to be dry and still, I decided to do a trial run, so that I can be aware of how best to go about it when the Moths Count comes around. I scampered about the house to cobble together a makeshift moth-sheet. I found an old desk-lamp with no stand, a clothes airer and a cream-coloured fitted sheet. I dragged them into the garden when it got dark and plugged the lamp in, shining onto the vertical sheet, then went in to get some snacks for the long wait. I decided to do the lazy option, so I stayed inside the house and waited for a while, popping out to check on the procedings over the course of the night. I did my first check at 10.45, then again at midnight, then a final one (after a little snooze!) at 3.30am. Phew and yawn.
I like to think of myself as relatively optimistic, but I shouldn't really have ben expecting for moths to be covering the sheet when I first tiptoed out to check on the moth-attracting-device's progress. I must admit to feeling slightly disappointed. One solitary winged-beastie was clinging to the sheet. But as I approached closer I was able to see what this creature was. A lovely, medium-sized yellow moth with amber stripes and speckles on its wings. Quite a darling really.
I have looked at a few books before to identify moths I've found in my room, or around a light in the evening, but I'd never seen this one before. And that is precisely why 'mothing' is such an exciting thing to do - it's all about the diversity of moths in the UK: you're likely to see something new almost every time you go and seek them out. (Moth species outnumber butterfly species by 30 to 1!)
Well, all in all I saw about 10 species of moths in the night - most on my sheet, but a few around the outdoor light on the patio at dusk. I photographed what I found (partly for identification later, and partly for proof that I'd really done it!) and having consulted some books and a fab website I found last year - UK Moths - I've worked out what most of them were.
I recognised the Large Emerald Moth and the Magpie Moth. The large yellow moth I mentioned earlier turned out to be the female Ghost Moth. I also saw several lovely White Ermine moths - definitely one of my favourites there. And also a lovely little green moth called the Green Silver-lines.
Well, although it was a late night, I certainly spotted some beautiful moths and I'm really looking forward to finding some more next time. I think I'll try a brighter light, my 60watt bulb was a little dim, I think; and maybe setting up before dusk would help too.
I encourage you to visit the Moths Count website and get some kit prepared. See what you can find.
Cheerio, Nature Gazers!
Thursday, 12 June 2008
New website coming soon...
I am pleased to announce that I have successfully registered www.naturegazing.co.uk and will be working to bring (incrementally) an entire Nature Gazing experience your way. This blog was always going to be Phase 1 of my Nature-based web entertainment thingy and you should soon start to see the beginnings of Phase 2 - the switch over from Blogspot to my own website. This will make it easier to control the style and design of the site, and also allow me far more scope for pictures and menu-based funnery.
My intention is to bring together a sleek and functional website with multimedia content (photographs to begin with, then some instructional videos soon I hope), informative guides and 'Things to look out for', and of course the blog.
Keep watching this space (and subscribe to my post - click the Subscribe button near the bottom of the page if you have Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, Opera or Safari browsers) and I will keep you up to date with all the developments.
Laters, Nature Gazers!
My intention is to bring together a sleek and functional website with multimedia content (photographs to begin with, then some instructional videos soon I hope), informative guides and 'Things to look out for', and of course the blog.
Keep watching this space (and subscribe to my post - click the Subscribe button near the bottom of the page if you have Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, Opera or Safari browsers) and I will keep you up to date with all the developments.
Laters, Nature Gazers!
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
REVIEW: Private Life of Spiders (Paul Hillyard)
I arrived home after a weekend away to discover that my saintly postman had delivered the shiny new hardback book I had ordered.
I dried my clammy hands on the sides of my jeans, steadied myself and then tore open the packaging. There looking out at me was a striking picture of a fishing spider (Dolomedes minor) on a flower; the text over the top of the picture read 'The Private Life of Spiders'.
The size and layout, and the photographic emphasis of this publication are best described as 'coffee table' (i.e a book which is often an oversized illustrated book, easy on the eyes, usually displayed and read on a coffee table).
One wonders how large an audience there is for spidery coffee table books? Recent estimates suggest that close to half of Britons are rather unenamoured by spiders, and quite how many of the rest of them are keen enough on them to own a copy of such a book, I don't know. But, anyway, I for one was thrilled when I stumbled upon it while e-window shopping. I read some reviews and saw some sample pictures from the book. I even watched a video of the author holding a spider seminar (bad video quality, but not Paul's fault!), then I shopped around before stumping up £12 for my own copy.
For a nature book the text is very accessible and enjoyable to read, and the typography and layout are modern and punchy. The textual content is informative and goes into plenty of detail to be satisfying to the amateur arachnologist. I had read in some reviews complaints that the content was lacking and the text large to compensate, but my feeling is that the text size is merely a stylistic decision and, as this is an ornamental book first and foremost, that they made the right decision - and I don't feel the content has been compromised or limited to acheive this.
The book starts with a chapter on the 'Background to Spiders': what a spider is, its identifying features, and an overview of their lifestyle and life-cycle.
The next 3 chapters break down the spiders into categories (hunters, web-builders and Tarantulas etc.) and look at each group in fascinating detail, giving information and insight into the families and also some individual species they typify a family, or show an interesting variation to other family members.
Then follows a chapter on silk: and its creation and many uses; a chapter on mating habits, mating displays and looking after eggs and newly-emerged spiderlings; and a chapter on spider venom - a key aspect of spider life, for defence and for capturing prey.
Next is a chapter on the fascinating subject of social (and sub-social) spiders. This is quite an intriguing topic, as most spiders will prey upon smaller spiders and many are cannibalistic in some situations, but these groups of spiders live together and even help each other by capturing prey together or communal web-building.
The final chapter addresses the topic of spider-human interaction, starting with a look at arachnophobia (the condition, not the movie!) and its treatment. It also looks at what we can (and have) learnt from spiders, and how we can help with spider conservation.
I am enthusiastic spider-lover now, but not so long ago I was rather afraid of them and the idea of reading this type of book would have left me sweaty and nauseous. If you are not keen on large pictures of spiders in all their hairy, fang-y, leggy beauty, then this is definately not the book for you. Also, it is not an identification guide for working out what that spider was that just walked over your doormat! What this book is, however, is a very good-looking, informative and charming look at spiders. Paul Hillyard knows his stuff and his obvious love for spiders comes through in his writing.
I would happily recommend this book to anyone with an interest in spiders and as a good present for young boys (they like spiders and snakes and stuff, don't they?). At the price I paid it was a steal, but is not too expensive from any of the online bookshops. Go buy it.
(My rating: 8 legs and one palp!)
I dried my clammy hands on the sides of my jeans, steadied myself and then tore open the packaging. There looking out at me was a striking picture of a fishing spider (Dolomedes minor) on a flower; the text over the top of the picture read 'The Private Life of Spiders'.
The size and layout, and the photographic emphasis of this publication are best described as 'coffee table' (i.e a book which is often an oversized illustrated book, easy on the eyes, usually displayed and read on a coffee table).One wonders how large an audience there is for spidery coffee table books? Recent estimates suggest that close to half of Britons are rather unenamoured by spiders, and quite how many of the rest of them are keen enough on them to own a copy of such a book, I don't know. But, anyway, I for one was thrilled when I stumbled upon it while e-window shopping. I read some reviews and saw some sample pictures from the book. I even watched a video of the author holding a spider seminar (bad video quality, but not Paul's fault!), then I shopped around before stumping up £12 for my own copy.
The Book:
My first impressions as I sprawled out on my bedroom floor and leafed through it were that here was a lavishly created, stunning book. The photographs are, for the most part, pin-sharp close-up shots, taking you closer into the world of spiders than you've ever ventured before. Many of the photographs fill much of the large-format page and are truly a joy - clearly the pictures are the star of the show here.
For a nature book the text is very accessible and enjoyable to read, and the typography and layout are modern and punchy. The textual content is informative and goes into plenty of detail to be satisfying to the amateur arachnologist. I had read in some reviews complaints that the content was lacking and the text large to compensate, but my feeling is that the text size is merely a stylistic decision and, as this is an ornamental book first and foremost, that they made the right decision - and I don't feel the content has been compromised or limited to acheive this.The book starts with a chapter on the 'Background to Spiders': what a spider is, its identifying features, and an overview of their lifestyle and life-cycle.
The next 3 chapters break down the spiders into categories (hunters, web-builders and Tarantulas etc.) and look at each group in fascinating detail, giving information and insight into the families and also some individual species they typify a family, or show an interesting variation to other family members.
Then follows a chapter on silk: and its creation and many uses; a chapter on mating habits, mating displays and looking after eggs and newly-emerged spiderlings; and a chapter on spider venom - a key aspect of spider life, for defence and for capturing prey.
Next is a chapter on the fascinating subject of social (and sub-social) spiders. This is quite an intriguing topic, as most spiders will prey upon smaller spiders and many are cannibalistic in some situations, but these groups of spiders live together and even help each other by capturing prey together or communal web-building.
The final chapter addresses the topic of spider-human interaction, starting with a look at arachnophobia (the condition, not the movie!) and its treatment. It also looks at what we can (and have) learnt from spiders, and how we can help with spider conservation.
I am enthusiastic spider-lover now, but not so long ago I was rather afraid of them and the idea of reading this type of book would have left me sweaty and nauseous. If you are not keen on large pictures of spiders in all their hairy, fang-y, leggy beauty, then this is definately not the book for you. Also, it is not an identification guide for working out what that spider was that just walked over your doormat! What this book is, however, is a very good-looking, informative and charming look at spiders. Paul Hillyard knows his stuff and his obvious love for spiders comes through in his writing.
Conclusion:
I have read a number of other books on spiders, from the basic to the technical and this is perhaps my favourite in terms of the aesthetic value of the book, and the lively, yet informative text. It could not be considered an exhaustive encyclopedia of spider features and behaviour (well, with 40,000 plus species of spiders globally, what did you expect?), but provides a great insight into the lives of the common and more exotic spiders the world has to offer.
I would happily recommend this book to anyone with an interest in spiders and as a good present for young boys (they like spiders and snakes and stuff, don't they?). At the price I paid it was a steal, but is not too expensive from any of the online bookshops. Go buy it.(My rating: 8 legs and one palp!)
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