Wildlife Watch Issue 97 - Spring 2021

FREE! DOORSTEP SHARKS IN Issue 97 Spring 2021 BEETLE NATURE OUR SEAS POSTER Wildlife to spot Six fantastic fish close to home found in UK waters ANT- TASTIC! ISNSPTTRAEHINPEGIR Discover this season’s ulEwntoerrldthoef wwoonoddearfnts best dancers

WILD THINGS News from our Wildlife Watchers Ecodrintoerr’s HEDGEHOG HIGHWAYS TOM HIBBERT Seven-year-old Joey has made a board Editor, Wildlife Watch game all about hedgehogs! You play as a Welcome to the spring hedgehog, avoiding danger issue of Wildlife and looking for food, water Watch! The busiest and a mate. Joey has even time for most of our wildlife is just shared instructions for beginning, with birds, bugs, bees playing on his website: and other animals all getting wtru.st/hog-game ready to raise their young. BIRD BUFFET WILDLIFE At this time of year there’s CHAMPIONS so much to see, wherever you Eight-year-old Martha and her grandmother live. We’ve got some great helped feed their garden birds through suggestions for species to winter by pushing seeds and lard into spot close to home in our new cracks in trees. They also have a bird feeder feature, Nature on Your Doorstep with lots of visitors, including a woodpecker! (page 10). Another new feature that will be running all year is our Science Section on page 4, where you can learn about recent discoveries in the world of wildlife. On page 6 you can meet some of my favourite animals – sharks! These fantastic fish are a vital part of our oceans, but are often misunderstood and feared. Another amazing animal that isn’t always popular is the ant. On page 20 you can enter the world of the wood ant and learn all about their incredible nests, as well as how they help other woodland wildlife. Have a great spring, and stay wild! GET IN TOUCH Luca (aged 4) and his sister Nicole (aged 9) have been helping to look after wildlife in Beacon Email us at: Fell Country Park with litter picks and other [email protected] activities. They’ve even earned awards for their Ring us on: hard work! Here they are enjoying the park. 01636 677711 Write to us at: Clarification – Why ponds freeze Wildlife Watch The Kiln, Mather Road On page 23 of the last issue, we explained that ponds freeze on top because cold water is less dense Newark, Notts, NG24 1WT than warm water, so rises to the top of the pond and freezes. It’s actually a bit more complicated than that. Usually, cold water is denser than warm water, so it sinks. But when water gets colder wildlifetrusts than 4 degrees Celsius (°C), it actually starts to get less dense again. So when ponds get really cold, @wildlifetrusts all the water that’s under 4°C rises to the top, making ponds slightly colder at the surface than at thewildlifetrusts the bottom. If the surface gets cold enough, it then freezes! WildlifeWatchUK

Wood ants © Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION. IN Cover Photo: Smooth Newt © S Zankl / naturepl THIS 16 Clustered bonnet © Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION 20 ISSUE 04 Regulars 0 2 Wild Things 0 4 The Science Section Fact-packed discoveries 0 5 Your Stories 1 0 Nature on Your Doorstep Spring specialities 11 Cuckoo Pint Poster 1 4 Gallery 16 Weird Nature Water creatures 17 How to… Build a bumblebee nest 22 Feature Creature Roe deer 23 Do Swans Pair for Life? 2 4 Competitions Water stick insect © Jack Perks 12 Features 06 Sharks in Our Seas They’re here and they’re fin-tastic! 08 Nature’s Greatest Dancers 12 Hidden Giants Secret fungi that help nature thrive 18 Wild Folklore 20 Wonderful Wood Ants WILDLIFE WATCH 97 Editor: Tom Hibbert Editorial Team: Abi Paine, Joanna Richards, Leanne Smart, Mike Watson, Charlotte Varela Etches sea dragon © Megan Jacobs Check out wildlifetrusts. org/privacy-policy to find out how we keep your information safe. What’s Wildlife Watch? packed full of amazing pictures, Wildlife Watch is the junior posters and competitions. branch of The Wildlife Trusts. We also have a really wild Join Wildlife Watch and start website and e-newsletter your nature adventure. Prices full of wild ideas and range from £10-24 per year nature-spotting tips. Plus for child-only membership and you get access to local WAKTECEHPING! £30-60 for family membership. events and groups. Go You’ll receive a starter pack to wildlifewatch.org.uk and four issues of Wildlife to find out more. Watch magazine a year. This is

The Science Se ction In every issue this year we’ll be bringing you a fact-packed science section, sharing recent discoveries about weird and wonderful wildlife and explaining the meaning of some scientific words. WILD WORDSImpress RADULA your friends ianswAnlt(uopiitmhghtroshoatreialnnnsinryyoudmrtusiebooenebtuhttchootehe)nrsstdhc(.slriiakmrataepisljeaan-oraftoooilons-d,gleuhe) with new ECOLOGY i-kol-eh-ji) DECIDUOUS words from the world (pronounced (pronounced di-sij-oo-uhs) of wildlife Eloiaccvottorahihfnoltiekosgcuirhgnnatliyhgdinrveifdginitnshecggfheaisssecmlahlirrennsi.bidt.dsFeePoerpnsearcaootcoehrntptlxoe-wloalegiwfvmiitwisthnahpthsgyetlh.eoatee,hslclitnougldosygy A tree or shrub that loses all of science! its leaves each year and regrows them again. They usually shed their leaves in autumn and regrow them in spring. RECENT DISCOVERIES JURASSIC DRAGONS A nrdeeipwsctiolsepvseesrceoiedmsoeontfimaicehDstohkrysnoeostwabuneraa(ecshxst.ienAacftdo, rspasrgiel ohhniusstno)trheicrafsmobuaenreidnne © Etches Collection, Dorset © Megan Jacobs the fossilised skull, ribs and other bones and sent them to the University of Portsmouth, who confirmed that this species had never been seen before. Named ‘Etches sea dragon’ after Steve Etches, the person who discovered the fossil, this ichthyosaur was two metres long and lived 150 million years ago, during the time known as the Jurassic period! WE’RE STILL LEARNING! I04 nAratAfeoarnstodmldfawmdinyneiesddtOalhilcn,v-im.teibenBCrwrocuaotodsn’lstluwprislks,tydpneien cgnoiecooynarumictovegirinejdwiesuuusrossMsweisin;xnhtdheygt’renht.aoerxeenneLonatawreeimmtniesdheactBeaedwrtwyrnrrHaieetatatotineiraoesfseiiathremr,aaftdadohttfahoistvusrealeeoaoncsrraluwdodothawshsvuibcaeAtsaenorynritoewdoriedpafsdluisstsosfrhne!eirinoetn,gOths.fHitwenttAhniheeleeeolnwxeabwrdpnSotlUedhyeeorliK,elrwinudvtrgti.nhg © Andy Overall

SYTOOURRIES We saw a small, chubby, swimming nearby. It woke newborn seal pup, fresh uIlctipkasemtaaanerdthaeuindtmdwcarrayonnilnltbeegad.dbIoftye.vseeIotdrsuionnmngd.uethmde Seals of Bardsey and by Zephan (aged 8) furry, like a white blob of blubber on the rocks. It was asleep, and its mum was rocks and the baby wriggled over and started suckling. I took a boat from We watched from a good the end of the Ll^yn was a shop with toy “We went distance. It was a special Peninsula, over the orcas and handmade looking for memory to take away from choppy Sound to items for sale. We seal pups the island, and I will always Bardsey Island. When we walked down to the among came into the harbour, we rocky shore near the the rocks” remember it. heard the seals singing like lighthouse and saw a mystical choir. The seals lots of seals! It was were sitting on the rocks to September so we went say “Hello”. looking for seal pups We went all round the among the rocks. island, up the big hill to see the best view in Wales! One toTZYHepOAhUNaKn! wyfDooaoruttycrhohseut@omwrwiaeaisglndaatlznitfoidenwteird?uriesStetaesns.odtorg! way you could see all the way up the Ll^yn to the mountains 05Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 of Snowdonia, and the other way, the whole of Bardsey and the sea stretching to the horizon, like the edge of the world. We walked all the way back down the hill, past an old chapel and Celtic crosses. In the bird observatory, they had recorded lots of wildlife sightings: birds, dolphins, even whales. There

More than 40 different shark species have been seen around the UK! SH RKS IN OU Spcraarbtssjshuohaasfontrtkrdhvesie.sscinStoaoaocnrfmesflba,eeenhsa.efqroTreeuhuienhdfoyde.r’rLrieaeentaif’smselelwmpayrseemeaeasortsl,lnistvaithexhroosopuufbrgnetehdhdfeoawthrtweoee’romrsUentaKdhvk,eeaitrrnthyfgucoualuinnsnghlcihfkareeermadklyssiobttstloohetnaosjoteffiuestshhrhtnea,hemrceeyrmussont.tuaocOryhotshftueaheparerssfr!roamre BSHAASKRIKNGScientific name: Cetorhinus maximus th: up to 12metres Leng The second biggest SCMATASLHL-ASRPKOTTED fish in the world to spends the summer in This cute little catshark spends its our seas. Despite being as whole life in coastal waters, living long as a bus, they only close to the seafloor where it feeds on eat tiny creatures known small fish, crabs and other shelled sea as plankton. The sharks life. When threatened, they curl up into swim along with their a donut shape! They’re one of the most massive mouth open, common sharks in our seas. hoovering up huge numbers of these seriously small snacks. Length: up t 75 centimetres Scientifi c name: Scyliorhinus canicula tres o BLUE SHARK 3.8 me This sleek shark is also a summer Scientifi c name: Prionace glauca Length: up visitor to UK seas and is usually found far from the coast. As the name suggests, they’re a beautiful blue colour. They love hunting fish and squid but will sometimes catch seabirds at the surface. They make incredible journeys across the Atlantic Ocean between the UK and the Caribbean. 06 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 wildlifewatch.org.uk

UR SE S Illustrations by KATY FROST Scientifi c name: Galeorhinus galeus Length : up to1.95 metres TOPE MatnhcmbyoayoSnnofhrsifeswaiodhrdeueeiknarrsnagensdardghebareaeotnfhrrragiokrnfteresmsoarfgaematteerdnhnt.udecesmaadru.eogrht AbofsBrezfcoyeoikemnrtipnelhoosustteenmihtasysetetonmiensfnTttitdUinhhangharheKtleredaisslhsosrvhp,Ufceu–liseseaaisKlnkmCctlehdnlaedi.anoiaaTgbtsnwcdIllrcguhlrcaaetoeaesteawvrrvdbelyygweaseaasslshnfrItihtaecseleoadlhrlendranra,aesdorkdtntaltkuhashohtdissorsseunaqesoahrfst.umunoenatindsuvdo,asdenp.cked PORBEAGLE Scientifi c name: Lamna nasus Length: upto 3.65 metres This hefty shark is a relative of the great white, though is half the size of its more famous cousin. Like great whites, they have a special skill – they can keep their body temperature higher than the water around them. This lets them colder seas than many other hunt in usually stay in deeper water, sharks. They smaller fish, squid, cuttlefish hunting and octopus. Lengt h: up to 4.5 m THRESHER SHARK Scientifi c name: Alopias vulpinus res et This acrobatic shark is a fast tmlfohisnarhokgtueithngatethhiolkweoletmiaukiegterpetehshraattehesawsasierhewswhoiroriauiintapmbtnoleosstdmrcuo,d!attymeLshthrtcitemeukheanmenm.neTupr.dsp.Thsooecehrrmrabeteanseheythaueloheegirfrareleetprishhsndh,reictigasrghfmhreihkesdeatyhsrilboplctaeluhaaynrtnasdsnof 07Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

Rcirgehanttthaunemroierwess,toauafrfelLfl UkisnitRnrtuVdhtEset.i.no.gf © Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION NDaGatrunercaeet’rsessDbotymPmeetett © Nick Upton / 2020VISION TawcirtohssstoshthpmeherreeiemnUs’sgapKntei,ioncntttthghaheciseyneug’salratseleriokgpnceeootfsuftopirmrnrtgliasonhnttghyispetoaoidfrnpasganuprncteoieacmoid,veaeiessrl.,poaInnlta’dsy,s! 08 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 wildlifewatch.org.uk

© Alex Mustard SPINY SEAHORSE Off the south coasts of England and Wales, love is in the water! Before breeding, male BLACK GROUSE © Andrew Parkinson / 2020 and female spiny (or long- A bunch of these big birds gather together snouted) seahorses thgwseeSootemorsalbndephilryrworteehargholsantneefotisarmbivehna(eaauttbsh!lnns)ieeHddaisnremr!eetgdahislevees on boggy moorland in the dim light of dawn. meet first thing every morning for a They’re here for a ‘lek’ – when romantic smooch. The affectionate male grouse show off to the VISION fish begin by gently approaching each sgletrrkoaWktunhisngehsegoeye,u’mnrgbenualdark!gcelkinag watching females in a GREAT CRESTED other and changing dramatic dance-battle. GREBE colour. Then they The boys are dressed to The famous courtship display swim in circles around impress with shiny black bodies, white bottoms of this fabulous waterbird The black a patch of seagrass, and red ‘eyebrows’ (called before rising up through ‘wattles’). They circle each hcetroeaepstdaitpeora-pdftreueagtfstcrgse.arboelleena’dts the water together with their tails entwined. It’s a wonderful, underwater other like country dancers at is a tantalising tango waltz that can last for hours! for two! On lakes and a ceilidh* and spread their tail reservoirs all over the Watch courting seahorses UK, pairs of grebes off the coast of Dorset: feathers wide like a pair of muscly arms. It’s float face-to-face and mirror each other’s moves wtru.st/seahorse a hoedown showdown! Yee hah! Watch black grouse lekking in the exactly. This usually involves Cairngorms National Park, Scotland: wtru.st/grouse lots of head-shaking, a bit of * a party with Scottish or Irish folk music pretend preening and some synchronised and traditional dancing swimming. A few extra-special dance moves © Nick Upton / 2020VISION are often thrown into the mix, with weird SMOOTH NEWT names like ‘The Penguin’, ‘The Cat’ and ‘The In garden ponds across the UK, male Weed Dance’! smooth newts are slipping into their breeding ‘costumes’ by growing long, wavy crests along See them in action at: their backs. Then these fancy fellas follow female newts through the weeds and treat wtru.st/grebe them to a flamboyant flamenco dance. They vibrate the tips of their frilly tails to waft a special MATING RATING!Wsdcihoffyreerneoonutttgeoilvfee1m0tehfnoetsrsee?awcihldodfatnhceesse a COMMON CRANE scent through the water that the ladies find If it’s elegance you’re after, then look no further irresistible. Smooth by name, smooth by nature! ENERGY STYLE than these giant, but graceful, wetland birds. Watch smooth newts throwing some shapes: DRAMA OUTFIT wtru.st/newt Total © Niall Benvie / 2020VISION In early spring, crane pairs perform a beautiful BglraocukseNyoouw’vaedcdrouwpnyeoduar sscnoarteusreto’sdgirsecaotveesrtwdahnocers! Snemwototh pre-breeding ballet. They flap their cGgrrreeestabteed sSepianhyorse wide wings, leap up in the air, cCroanmemon stomp their feet, fluff out their tcoMotm1he.2eammsUouKbnrhi’inisrcgdgrtha!a,1nl.lt1eehseits feathery tails and throw back their heads in a loud, trumpeting call. Sometimes a whole flock of cranes joins in the show. Encore! Take your seats: wtru.st/crane 09Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

You dotna’kt ianlwg aaylosohkaavtestoomtreaovfelthfaerntaotsuerealatmreaazsinugrewsitlhdalitfec.aEnVbEeRfYouISnSdUclEoTseHtIoShYoEmAeR. we’re NATURE ON YOUR DOORSTEP SPRING SPECIALTIES Spring is a time of change, with insects, reptiles, amphibians and plants appearing after a long, dark winter. Many birds are returning from warmer countries, getting ready to find a mate and nest. Every day can bring a new, wild surprise! HERE ARE SOME WILD WONDERS TO LOOK OUT FOR… House martins Holly blue butterfly © Dawn Monrose © Rachel Scopes These beautiful birds are natural acrobats, chasing insects Toanhfnateedmsnebesupsetruteeegntrtgcyienu, spsptisslav.,reTtkhrh-seebaylcunaoedtfetbgeruapntritldfellayerrfnlhsiseilg,iskhveaisaptitobpinoemgvaeurflnoathcwrheoeugornsrndolhiukAonepldlryb.i.lrA.aTsmhtehbyele’rse through the air. They appear around April, after spending the winter in Africa. They’re best recognised by their dark blue back Dandelion with a white rump (the area just above the tail). They nest on the walls of houses and often feed above cities, towns and villages. If your house is near farmland, you might see swallows as well. Tadpoles © Richard Burkmar dtoefjroa-oltgihmoDg,naebYt,nhdemOdecleeeaUFlarauioenvsDKnneeincINscDogh.oOfdmliitoeWsenns’ts- © Katrina Martin / 2020VISION This beautiful golden flower is so common in gardens, parks and even around pavements that it’s often Iotttfsuhhfoybeatmoasmtudetc’aprtioniedmouppllleuedooscslnbketedeoysvsheueyinnasoneouticldnurohgcgbNfahayrolor tvadpmoeeasmhnrpcka.abasvEnewevoraenraonpinnrppaglDaoetreufnargcrdoreeeg,amrps.sepuYbesrodeeainudrrr.vgllcyeeocssauo.osluTdrJlhdwaaenblasfurrtoieoanrgfrg-iynsf,ipcdlollaeordwudns called a weed. But dandelions are really popular with 10 lots of insects, including bees and butterflies (like this green-veined white!). Watching a patch of dandelions on a sunny day can offer lots of minibeast activity. www.wildlifewatch.org.uk

© Guy Edwardes / 2020VISIONPpruenttgyenbtut Tahlseossekmnbeoelawl uantbiafitsullcifuklceokwwoeeoresptibonetal.otTtnrhgaecttoflfotlihweeselrtosorapdposp-laleinnadra-tilenadtAhipeesrmipl!laanndt, 11 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

Sulphur tuft © John Waters / naturepl ELLEN loves exploring woodlands and looking for treasures like fungi, moss and lichens. HGIDIDAENNTS by KiEnlsleleny seDhcpiresellcpatonftvturesenretghstihratiehnvadet 12 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 wildlifewatch.org.uk

Fly agaric © Alex Hyde / naturepl HUGE BUT HIDDENEven though we usually only notice fungi when NNUETTWRIOERNKTS MMEUESTHRTOHOEMS Trees and plants living near each other are they produce their mushrooms, fungi are there all the time, living in the soil, rotting wood and Wmachutuesahnrllwoyoemmtuhsci,nhbkbuoitgfdfguidenrygtoih,uawnkenjuouswstuitathslalymttauhsifnhukrnoogofums sis? inside plants, trees and animals. Because connected by this amazing underground Most fungi are made of strands called hethyvepenhlaatrhegoeausrgtelhisvosinotgmhitnhe,incfuagnnsgibniectahenenowgromoruoldnunaso.retSicofeumdnegio, f network of fungi. Just think - every time you hyphae (pronounced hi-fee), which are amnildesth(ethiraht’sypohvaere1c,0a0n0cfoovoetrbsaellvpeirtachl seqs!u).aFruengi take a walk in the woods, you are walking over many times thinner than plant roots. If you can also live to be thousands of years old! could look into the soil beneath your feet millions of miles of hyphae, growing through the soil and among the plants’ roots! Tctrhheeeemsn.eicStwatrluosgrikggnlcinaagrlsripeblsaetnwwtasetceeanr,ndnriufeftecriereeinvnettspnaluantndrietsnatsnd with a microscope, you would see it is full and water to help them survive. Or if a plant of these strands of fungal hyphae, forming SISHACARRININGG is under attack from aphids, fungi can carry a web throughout the soil. The magnificent atd heceBfhmeyenmkodefitecthhapeelimnmagstetepasllvcsaekan.sgtTsewhhetitoehpaocllatthhhneeytm,srfputihclnaaegnlnsitsmgo,efawtthkraeeeriansrduionyrwgeton! mushrooms that we see are the ‘fruiting As many gardeners know, fungi do a brilliant bodies’ of the fungus. They produce spores, which are like its seeds. job of breaking down dead plants and You can think of mfrAuoo-snmrtdethhpactealhpalynopFelnasualytatenhnsrnaeltegyostryia.erraaesaasarlradnecyetiitofmenutfuoedoaartlaetllsyornet! animals, recycling their nutrients back the plants continue to supply them with the a mushroom as into the soil. But many fungi also have sugars they need. And, a very special relationship with living without even knowing it, being like an plants. Their hyphae grow closely fungi are supporting Wwsidpitnoheec9uopclcl0uuiAdeera%tdonrsnnofipdnudooousegnftnnbntgpbdfhleetioilek,aaaaooemtnuarndtwtotbhaifpfrulenuecalnayhlrrtgenefiopdlilto.ylsslawi.voaneentnsr,-ds apple, while the around, and even within, plants’ all the wonderful hyphae are like roots. Plants use sunlight to make wildlife that the apple tree. sugars (food) through a process called depends on photosynthesis (fo-to-sinth-e-sis), and plants, too! they share these sugars with the fungi that they grow with. In return, the fungi give plants some of the water and nutrients that they have taken Clustered bonnet © Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION in through their Fungal hypae © Stephen Dalton / naturepl. hyphae. This means the plants can get nutrients from a huge area of soil that they couldn’t reach by themselves, and the fungi get sugars that they can’t make themselves. By sharing, the fungi and the plants can both thrive! 13Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

GalleryScaTehshnaetdnhcpeineesyrotfoafeurfceretapnstthturaoyrirtnyto-ogsuu,ipn’pllostwheeeitmnfgosya,orlaulaerrntrwvyy.eoIbrfryukyoodawudnrindnagdlretrwwtatewoilrrdsiknlfigifoserkpayitio!crtkuiesrtd. 2 1 4 5 3 14 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 6

7 1) Foxes by Tess, aged 11 This adorable pair of foxes brought us so much joy. It’s impossible not to smile when you see them! The shading on the fur is really impressive. 2) Octopus by Kayzia, aged 5 We love how creative Kayzia has been with this entry. What a brilliant idea to make a sea creature out of fallen leaves, and the acorn cups make great suckers! 3) Magpie by Anna, aged 7 Anna’s love for magpies is clear in this detailed drawing, which perfectly captures the glossy feathers of these beautiful birds. 8 4) Pine marten by Beatrice, aged 12 This wonderful drawing highlights the curious nature of these rare mammals. Did you know individual pine martens can be identified by the pattern of their pale bib? 9 5) Ladybird by Amber, aged 9 The colours in this photograph are so vibrant! It takes us straight to a warm spring day with insects buzzing around the flowers. 10 6) Dab by Grace, aged 16 Grace has done a spectacular painting of a dab, the weird flatfish featured in the autumn issue of Wildlife Watch. It’s even glistening like we’re looking through the water at it. 7) Blue tit by Joseph, aged 6 This is a lovely, colourful representation of one of our favourite garden birds. It’s so bright and beautiful! 8) Badger by Cara, aged 9 The soft lighting on this badger in its woodland home makes for a very pretty picture. We love how much detail has gone into the background, as well as the badger itself. 9) Sea creatures by Finley, aged 4 What a great collection of sea creatures! The use of pipe cleaners really makes it feel like these animals are floating around in the water. HEw‘GmOitaahWlillethwrTeyaOestuncEbhtrNj@ye’TcwoEtrRillidnelifetrusts.org 10) Robin by Nixie, aged 12 Nixie has painted a cheerful little robin with a lovely red breast. It even has its own sprig of holly to perch on! 11 wWTThrhiilteedelWKtifoeiillnudWs,liMafaetta:cThtrhuGesrtasRlleorayd 11) Fly agaric by Paloma, aged 6 Newark Paloma has really captured the colours of Notts NG24 1WT autumn with this bright fly agaric mushroom. These spotty toadstools are often pictured in fairy tale books. 12) Eel by Wayland, aged 7 This a great underwater scene, complete with a slippery eel. Did you know that eels migrate from our rivers to the Sargasso Sea to breed – travelling over 3,000 miles! 12 astdhnnhwIofeadaenwmmrse’wteo.eficWiotflaeiloraeaingnnltdemcmuotlryuiuetegoodrdhuyeiwitnorayaceua.ollbrgususaoedrir,tefetsiwrosot rk 15Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

WNAETIURRDE W EIRD- O-ME T E ERFUL WACKYR WEIRD WOND THIS ISSUE: WEIRD WATER CREATURES CADDISFLY WATER STICK INSECT GREAT POND SNAIL © Brian Eversham © Malcolm Storey © Jack Perks CnaugpatelInrmwrtdao’otsrdiwoitglliwesisstktwcfhaaletatieiineenlvbylsdregu’y.rasoTseiol.rhtdhueTrheeienonfelarllgrysgedbtciiytaanytaheyrtgdsmeeotsdiiminarbsicsfseoktaefecowlin,nciogteytnmghesstsessloehpiyutvfoeeaitemtrncdeiunoweuaesfnkslfit,,taodessbhrueaaaumrnnsnwtiddoldka,u.tre!r Wthaatnerthcrise!aTtuhreeys’rdeounn’tdgeertwmatuecrhpwreediardtoerrs Apylsboosetunalntlngghodndweasalnnne-nbdsaatrmioo3lwfcwienmaenstgteugwhsrgsh,eigadoeUenelnls.dKtcpTs.aloh,aTntnyehhbdyleiaesilprroiulgsvsapehetn,htigtsnosetoy.i6oll,alcppramoygniendstted tsfhrnoaanttcthhliedsgemsb,aaylnlpdfirsebhtreeanandtdhinetgatdhtoproobuleegsahwsttihitchekirt, htaeiilr DIPPER like a snorkel. They’re also the largest BROOK LAMPREY water insects in Europe. COMMON BACKSWIMMER © Andy Rouse / 2020VISION © Niall Benvie / 2020VISION © Paul Hobson / naturepl Dippers might not look too strange, but Tibbpsnwihanmerhpceelsoakdsoiidwcelanllheetbdftsogipihssrszta.hesoaTtr,.rosalhhTriulqseueyhrwuysnbfeeaiiytuudmscigns,eetsesvg.huoTeatepihntnrhishereseihdeiepayracerbcvalteoadosreync,eomttkagwoiamsmn,xdnwpdipop,aciontormdsuefldasetrsmelilsnsiegnvieas-hvalrnjeiitu,ktcdsseatn This secretive, eel-like fish lives in streams they’re songbirds that hunt for food suck it all up. and sometimes lakes. Lampreys don’t along the bottom of rivers and streams have jaws – instead they have a round – that’s pretty weird! Dippers use their sucker for a mouth. The brook lamprey wings to swim down to the riverbed, is the smallest and most common of the where they catch insects and small fish. three lampreys found in the UK. Unlike the other lampreys, brook lampreys only 16 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 feed when they’re juveniles. Once they become adults, they don’t feed and so die shortly after spawning. wildlifewatch.org.uk

17 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

Discover some of the magical myths and frightening fairy tales about our favourite animals. WILD FOLKLORE by Andrew Millham Folklore is a mixture of the traditional beliefs and stories of a community. Even fairy tales like Pinocchio can be thought of as folklore! These stories are usually passed from one generation to the next by word of mouth. Through the ages, our folklore has been full of tales about the animals around us – let’s explore some myths and legends about badgers, foxes, bats, and butterflies… © Bob Coyle FOXES Fantastic Mr. Fox illustrates Are you this perfectly – familiar telling the story with the of a fox stealing phrase ‘as food to feed his cunning as a family. A far older folk fox’? Well, that is tale tells of how the exactly how they fox stole fire from are represented in the heavens to folklore: smart, sly, and give it to mankind, prone to trickery. This is which made their fur a because they are exceptionally burning orange colour! good at getting through fences to find their supper. Roald Dahl’s book wildlifewatch.org.uk 18 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

Bechstein’s bat © Chris Damant Hucrmeaatnisnagrsetoexripeesratbsoautt BATS nctbBfgrhaofboemwealatveuxuaudcreyenetsdtegrrstusihaleeehentert.dnarriebteuecIisviahsnnrfassreodseaiaalganr,nut,apmlreuebgatctwpeadtnysneefrel,voaasodi–iaait,rbinwnrlyrtnbblluiacdin,anuaengatllirvutagteogglpestlensddheaaaorocdiartrtbrnifffflontrosoylegsttciduhutaehhlsohnoirstteetnfeeaudrstgdmloheled.les.lsir, Bats are often linked to vampires. This is because when European explorers reached the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries, they found a flying animal in South America that feeds on blood, just like the mythical vampire – it was named the ‘vampire bat’. Some even thought that bats were fairies or ghosts in disguise. This is why bats are popular around Halloween! For others, bats are a very welcome sight – according to folklore from the Isle of Man, seeing a bat flying at sunset meant that you would be getting fine weather. © Andrew Parkinson / 2020VISION Brimstone © Vaugh BADGERS n Matthews In British and BUTTERFLIES Irish folklore, badgers symbolise persistence, confidence and strong will. The name ‘butterfly’ may have come from In the 16th century, some even believed that badgers an ancient belief that witches took the shape of could grant protection from witchcraft! They likely butterflies to steal milk and butter. Or it may have came to symbolise protection because they defend been first used just for yellow (butter-coloured) species their sets so aggressively. Badger folklore is not all like the brimstone, and over time been applied positive. Many folk tales unfairly show badgers as to all butterflies. They’re usually positive symbols, bringers of bad luck, like in this 200-year-old rhyme: representing summer and beauty. Their change from a caterpillar into a flying creature means they have also come Should one hear a badger call, to represent rebirth, transformation, and hope. The colour And then an ullot [owl] cry, of butterflies has even been used for weather predictions! It was thought that if the first butterfly seen in spring is white Make thy peace with God, good soul, then clear, cloudless days are ahead, but if you see a dark For thou shall shortly die. butterfly, a long stormy summer awaits you. 19Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

RICK is Forest Waters Officer at Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and loves exploring the Forest of Dean for insects. WONDERFUL WOOD by Rick ANTSMundy © Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION 20 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 wildlifewatch.org.uk

© Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION BIG FAMILIES All the ants in the colony work together. The colony is run by the queen, whose role is to lay eggs. The queen is the mother of all the other ants, which WWHOAOTDAARNETS? ANT CITIESo cctWaaoflolnTdlo,ohen5bdea0yedanoymenpefstoiaasntrsremlesivmnitoeghealhdiaenntndaylnolnetaewodsssk,oths2blimok5utehm0teai,jtne0urtses0titsod0aeaahinsetsaa!nptahalelcnomhtwaaenbuismcneonmtSgusiuncoteatsoatmlhl.tltllhsyieTlceiehmktelihbeevdnaeeyt.etotehspinmtertrloseoaaaiasdndknmdeuetscg,eculaeraaidmnrieni-tmnhgakaagewbaclsntel,tuomthqoohatubslheurwlovorueykeeeem.snicneyleOtdtaert’earhnsafisnlenodes,lttutlg.oeeseawfsn,nd,regluwerado.mwgeasYsriasnptlokaolywygeatraluosekrisnenrtsesotildg,narlseagyrs We have about 50 different species of incredible construction of chambers, ant in the UK. This includes four species of wood ants, which are our largest ants. We call them wood ants because they’re usually found in woods and forests. All four look similar, with black and corridors and tunnels, with food warehouses and nurseries full red bodies. TINY FARMERS They are found in most parts of of young ants. All of this is Wood ants have two main sources of food. Britain but are more common in quWfeoeorno1s5dcyaaennat rlisv!e protected by a waterproof They catch insects, particularly caterpillars, southeast England, in upland areas thatched roof, solar heating and they ‘farm’ aphids. Aphids are tiny in the west and north of England, in and air conditioning. The insects that feed on plant sap. The ants Wales and in northern Scotland. protect them from danger and in return, ants even bring balls of pine tree resin into the the aphids produce drops of sweet © Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION nest, probably to use as ‘honeydew’ that the ants drink, take back a disinfectant. to the nest and regurgitate for the larvae Nests are well and for the queen. defended. The workers have a powerful sting FOREST © Luke Massey / 2020VISION and can also squirt HELPERS formic acid to irritate the eyes and skin of Wood ants are an important intruders. You can part of our woodlands. A often smell the formic healthy forest has 500 wood acid around the nest ants for every square metre. - it smells like salt and This means lots of food for vinegar crisps. Birds like animals that like to eat ants, jays and blackbirds visit including spiders, larger the nest to deliberately insects and birds like green get their feathers woodpeckers. Wood ants spayed with formic acid, also help plants grow by dispersing probably to protect them seeds and digging, which helps air, water from parasites and and nutrients to move down through diseases, rather like us the soil. They also eat a huge number of using hand gel! caterpillars and other insects, helping to maintain a healthy balance in the forest. So when you see a wood ant nest Jay ‘anting’ © Andrew Cooper / Nature PL seething with busy ants, you are not seeing nasty scary creepy-crawlies, you are seeing a beautiful and complex ant city and a vital part of a healthy forest. So treat them with respect, look at the ants in amazement and leave them to get on with their important work. 21 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

by Natasha Barnes ROE DEER © Jon Hawkins / Surrey Hills Photography LOCAL DEER Scientific name TALK THE TALK Capreolus capreolus Roe deer are an extra special species Although roe deer often live on of deer because they are one of Average lifespan their own, they still have ways to only two species that are native to 7-10 years communicate with each other. For Britain. Although, they were nearly hunted to example, roe deer can produce a yap, like extinction in the 18th century! However, thanks Amazing fact a dog, which allows them to signal danger to their reintroduction in the 19th century and DpJueldmansaocepenveaioot’teinnifdgstmhitvththehaeeeatfbiosntciulrtgolhotmhledswmeiuerinanryegstworiol,uyeMnfeneaamgtatahry.ckaeoaTilnreh.rngsis to one another. Communication is also very an increase in woodlands, their population is important when it comes to attracting a on the rise. Roe deer are found in every area have a small white patch. When they are mate. The females produce a high-pitched of mainland Britain with most being found alarmed their fur puffs up, making this cry when trying to attract a male. Any within woodlands in Scotland and southern patch more obvious. Males (called bucks) interested male will then respond with a England. In some places (particularly in have short antlers that are shed in early rasping sound… so ROE-mantic! England) their populations are now so high winter and regrown almost straight away. they are preventing woodland from growing The females (called does) have no antlers. © Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION as they feed off the new growth. SHPOOWT TTOHEM… Roe deer can be tricky to spot because their fur colour changes depending on the time of year! In summer they are a rusty red and in winter this fades to a duller brown. They also differ in colour depending on their age. Young roe deer (fawns) have a spotted brown coat, which is designed to keep them hidden. On their rump (bottom) roe deer 22 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021 wildlifewatch.org.uk

DO © Peter Cairns / 2020VISION SPLWFAIOFIAERRN?Sby Tom Hibbert © Lynne Newton S wans are often used as an example of long and lasting plsouenbfagfoib-nMnlisardda,sssnftoi,ynrligmke relationships, but do they actually stay together their whole life? like having to spend less time finding a partner. HBCIORHWDESALTOSETNRAGSYDTOOMGOESTTHER? WHPYAIDROFSOORMLEIFE?M–ptmloooboifdafofotnnregoitihefrsreeee.fnmietesnutTobndhribphgnemrteeieheasgrnsardeeesemttnatsaeidvyonbdoeniangilnburrasrfreadgoasoseawtlnitrhtssedmtttdeefaihaebomosatcomoetrashhceuonsapoasebngndttnnho’iec.amty,wtnooSlmmoayiduetutooersh,p!aenmtaeltlabgeaerhfve,n.eoeeoarBbnntmfnhluiirydojfaotdueeftnsbost,aoettenrbhgnsieuen,awtygfmemopmoraokuaimrrselLefabookronengpd-blasairrdosetfsnitnetbgsnetter TmdBlcohohiotrinssodr’eostmosfehteehnataiaaevmntersngelityevbofewifinrosdfdorposinernnmenegmdsaeaatyaainnmclyhlghaa,tyhtvyeaeeeeasiairrftsrht,tiwhemseyooeyutdlhhdieaswydpaloatsofyttieenng. The birds that pair for life stay with the same partner. are often ones that live for a long time, like many of TDOOGSEWTAHNESRS?TAY our seabirds. It’s thought that sticking with the same muMsuoutsaetllsgywepeaasniersfatohnradltifseww,eainsncesleuddaoint gouthr e mate brings lots of benefits, parks and lakes. Not all swan ‘pdaivirosrcaere’ asnudccfiensdsfnuel,wsopmaretndeors, Lots of birds do cheat at usually after a bad breeding being monogamous. They ssweaasnopna. iHrsolwaestvear,limfeatinmyem–uatend stay with their partner and © Amy Lewis they can live for 30 years! help raise the young, but sneak off to mate with other birds. Studies have shown that the chicks in one bird’s nest often have different fathers, and sometimes even different mothers – some females are so sneaky they manage to lay an egg in another female’s nest! 23 Wildlife Watch Magazine // Spring 2021

COMPETITIONS WIN A BUTTERFLY GROWBAR G row beautiful butterfly-friendly FCTOOHRAWYNIOCNUE: R flowers to fill your garden with colour and attract gorgeous Draw a butterfly! butterflies. The Butterfly Bar is It could be packed full of seeds for flowers that your favourite butterflies love – just unwrap the bar butterfly, or one and get started! You can grow your you made up. seeds inside and take them out to a garden or balcony when they’re ready. Find Growbars online We’ve got FOUR bars to give away. at: glut.co.uk/growbar RRP: £12 AWSDIENEAESPCBALPUEE FCTOOHRAWNYIOCNUE: R JsCuelsucteoa:nntdhsewbiaegnrgstehwsistefrqisiuhseiisnntittohhnee! mwWoahrgaldat’?szitnhee. E xplore the depths of the ocean Buy online at: clockworksoldiershop.co.uk RRP: £9.99 facaauWhcnnntaedidvar’ivtsnjtoieauedunbsgrfdmbantospoyeceptratoayeclF-rajfrisnIteinVeyolcjlceoeaEawtt,ydhtpwSi.oinetebYehrig!tobaohptTuahaoslhaacnetrcitdyasoa3a3gpmtnDiDhmsaeehwmasoacabrfzatteenhotioln,halgraaggeecturtnheihdovrda-eegecirnseaptwa,-,amloaabwannyeol.alfeauytl. WIN A WILDLIFE TRUST T-SHIRT S how off your love of wildlife FOR YOUR with one of these amazing CHANCE animal t-shirts! You can win TO WIN: one of two styles – a beautiful badger or a fantastic fox. These t-shirts Tell us which are made from super-soft organic one of these is cotton and printed in a UK factory that the name for a runs on renewable energy. badger’s home We’ve got THREE t-shirts to give away. a) Eyrie b) Sett Find more t-shirts online at: wtru.st/tees RRP: £14 c) Lodge Send your competition COMPETITION RULES Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1WT May 2021 entDrieosn’ttofoursg:eBt ytoeimncaluildweCayotocmuhprceontimatiompnse@e,natwrgiieeldsalmifneadtyruabsewtusa.syoerdogfoBncyoonuptroawcsettibnWsgitielydoaliunfedwsWiothacitayclohmu, erTdehianetcrKhyi!alnnD,nEeMlAsa.DthLeINr ER:o3ad1,