Tag: Snails

Posted in Allotment, nature

Latest on the Allotment

Posted on by BITM

After a slow start, due to the weather, things are growing nicely on the organic, no dig, wildlife friendly allotment.

The view of the allotment from the Buddleia shrub.
The view of the allotment from the apple tree.

While most of the soft fruit season has come to an end (apart from the autumn raspberries), the plums and apples continue to develop and are something to look forward to later in the season.

Thankfully the rhubarb has recovered a bit after a disappointing harvest. Rhubarb doesn’t like growing in waterlogged soil and although we have sandy free draining soil, I think it ended up being too wet over the winter. The rhubarb was on the plot when we took it over four years ago and had grown very large. Every five years Rhubarb can be divided when the growth has become weaker or leaves are overcrowded so I will do this around November and hopefully this will invigorate its growth next year.

The slightly depleted Rhubarb patch.

The vegetables remain on a three yearly rotation to maintain soil health and keep viruses at bay. Main crop potatoes, kale (Cottagers and Cavolo Nero), beetroot, radishes and courgettes are doing well as usual. This years addition are carrots. I always like to try something different each year and It’s been a while since I tried growing these; so far they are surviving. They are in a raised bed and were sown later and sparsely to help avoid detection by carrot fly (Psila rosae). They are also in a mixed raised bed which also helps. 

Along with covering vulnerable plants and growing sacrificial plants such as nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) and marigolds (Tagetes), I intersperse herbs and other flowers in between the vegetables to help prevent too much loss from pests. I usually find beneficial insects soon appear when needed; there are lots of ladybirds on the plot at the moment. I also find the best way to deal with slugs and snails is to collect them and place them elsewhere; plus any plants with soft young growth are protected by copper tape on old pots and thorny material. I do allow some slugs to remain on the allotment however. The Leopard slug (Limax maximus) is one beneficial slug to have in a garden as they don’t eat living plant matter. They are great for the compost and also eat the eggs of other slugs.

Thorny material protecting new growth from slug and snail damage. Also a plastic bottle (with the bottom cut off) to allow water to be directed to the roots.
Copper tape around an old pot (with the bottom cut off) used as a guard around the base of an annual while it establishes itself.

We have a lot of wildlife visiting the allotment. There is often evidence of a fox (Vulpes vulpes) visitor (which we have seen on other plots). Plus we often see grasshoppers and Common blue Damselflies (Enallagma
cyathigerum) and frogs (at the moment we regularly notice one adult and one youngster hopping around). Last saturday, the sun was out and there was an abundance of bees on the Catmint (Nepeta), Red clover (Trifolium pratense), Lavender and Buddleia.

The wild area on the plot contains a bug hotel and is located near to a neighbouring pond. This is where the red clover grows.

This year, I decided to undertake the Big Butterfly Count at the allotment. The butterflies seen were;

2 Small skippers (Thymelicus sylvestris),
1 Comma (Polygonia c-album),
2 Gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus),
1 Peacock (Aglais io) and 2 Large whites (Pieris brassicae)

Given the abundance of Cabbage whites (Pieris brassicae) nearby I have made sure my kale is covered up.

The perennial kale mixed in with the cut flower patch.

I find it reassuring to have seen so many butterflies and bees at the weekend, especially as overall there seems to be a reduction in numbers this year; partly due to the frequency of wet days.

I have noticed lots of moths this year too. Perhaps the most exotic looking one I have seen so far is the Scarlet tiger moth (Callimorpha dominula).

The creamy coloured spots on the top of the forewings can sometimes have a more vivid yellow tint.
The red underwings can be seen here. I also managed to capture some of the shimmering blues and greens of the forewings when the sun shone on the moth.

This moth is medium sized, at 23- 27mm (across the wings). It flies during the day and night through May and June; often noticed while resting on plants. The caterpillars of this moth feed on Comfrey (Symphytum), Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum),  Common Nettle (Urtica dioica), Bramble (Rubus fruticosus), Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and Green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens); they can be seen from August until May, overwintering into the following year. The habitats where the Scarlet tiger moth will be found are in areas of wetland, riverbanks, woodlands, gardens as well as coastal areas.

One sound and aerial display of summer which I enjoy is the return of Swifts (Apus apus). I have even been lucky enough to see them catching insects as they swoop over a pond (sometimes just skimming the water) along with another flock soaring high up the sky. I always treasure seeing these amazing birds as they are on the red list for Birds of Conservation Concern 5: (2021). A few things we can do to help them is to put up appropriate nest boxes, as well as adding swift bricks to new builds, giving them somewhere to raise their young. The RSPB also have a citizen science project where you can record their presence. Further information on how you can take part, can be found here.
Having arrived in Britain in April and May, it won’t be long before they return to Africa as they only remain here until August. Most of their time is spent on the wing, only stopping to nest in roofs especially of old buildings such as churches. If this isn’t incredible enough when feeding the young they regurgitate a bolus, (a pellet formed in the back of the birds throat) containing between three hundred to one thousand insects mixed with saliva. More information on swifts, including how to identify them can be found on the RSPB website, where you can also hear a recording of their distinctive call.

Swifts are not the only thing I have noticed around ponds lately. I recently learnt about another pond invertebrate, the Common backswimmer (Notonecta glauca). So called because they swim on their back just beneath the surface of the water. Not only do they feed on insects, but also tadpoles and small fish. They suck out the contents of their prey’s body after injecting it with toxic saliva. Found all year round they moult a few times before reaching their final length of one and half centimetres. It was quite fascinating to observe them swimming around.

Posted in nature

Relaxing Evening Birdsong

Posted on by BITM

Although it’s close to the Summer Solstice, the weather remains very changeable; regularly alternating from sunny to dull and wet. However this is enabling vegetation to thrive. It is lovely to hear birdsong still. One in particular the blackbird (Turdus merula) is a joy to hear, especially in the evening. Sadly Blackbird numbers have reduced in recent years, due to the Usutu virus (increasing because of warmer winters), and the BTO are asking for help with a citizen science survey. If you have a garden and could spend some time recording your local blackbirds then please consider taking part. The link, for more information can be found here.

Elder (Sambucus nigra) is flowering now in woodlands, amongst hedgerows and in gardens, taking over from the Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna).

Elder can thrive for up to 60 years and reach 15 meters in height. It is thought that the common name developed from ‘aeld’ the Anglo-Saxon word for fire as the spongy centre of the branches can be hollowed out, enabling it to be used as a bellow to help ignite fires. As with the Rowan (Sorbus) tree, it was thought that the Elder could ward off evil spirits, along with the devil and witches. It was also believed that breaking or cutting any part of an elder would bring misfortune to the person responsible unless permission was granted from the elder mother (regarded as the witch or guardian within the tree) beforehand. However, the Elder tree is great for foragers. Both the flowers and vitamin c rich berries can be used for making cordials and preserves; although it is important to remember to cook the berries, making them safe, before consuming. Other uses for Elder have included whittling the stem into craft items such as beads, making whistles, using the foliage as a fly repellent in dairies as well as to create dyes. Historically all the dyes for Harris tweed came from the Elder, with each part of the plant resulting in different colours. The berries produced Blues and purples, the leaves created yellow and green while the bark was used to gain the greys and black dyes. Small mammals eat both the flowers and berries whilst birds such as Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) and Thrushes (Turdus) enjoy the berries which ripen from late summer through to autumn. The flowers are also great for pollinators. Plus the caterpillars of the White-spotted pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria), Swallowtail (Papilionidae), Dot moth (Melanchra persicariae) and Buff ermine moths (Spilarctia luteum) will eat the leaves.

I have noticed a few Oak apples on several oak trees (Quercus) recently.

The growth of galls is a reaction to the Oak apple gall wasp (Biorhiza pallida) laying eggs in the leaf bud. They can reach up to 5cms in diameter and contain wasp larvae in chambers. While the larvae eat the tissue of the host tree, they do little long-term damage so the Oaks remain largely unscathed. The galls can be found in the tree canopy in May and June and the adult wasps will emerge in June and July. It is also possible to have a second generation within the same year with eggs being laid in the ground next to the roots. A picture of the wasp can be found at Naturespot. Once the galls are empty (they will have holes once the wasps have gone) they can be collected and made into oak gall ink. I look forward to giving this a go later in the year. Instructions on how to make this ink can be found here.

Some insects that I was able to see have been beetles. Unlike those which remain at ground level, some can be found on flowers as they wait for prey; this is where I saw these, a Malachite beetle (Malachius bipustulatus) and a Soldier beetle (Cantharis rustica).

The Malachite beetle is greener (emerald-like except for the red spots) than this photo is able to show, hence the common name given to it.

Malachite beetle adults are about 6mm in length and can be found between April and August. Later in the year they can also be found on tree bark where they lay larvae for the following year.


The soldier beetle is larger (between 9-13mm in length) again they consume other insects.

Black and red in colour, the Cantharis rustica is one of the UKs largest soldier beetles. Snails, worms and other invertebrates are eaten by its larvae, which can be found under rocks and leaf litter throughout winter.

There are lots of flowers blooming now and it is lovely to have the opportunity to learn more about wildflowers. Two new additions to my knowledge are, Salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor)

The delicate red flowers of the Salad burnet.

and Cotton thistle (Onopordum acanthium)- see below.


Salad burnet grows on chalky, limestone grassland. Part of the Rosacea family, as the common name suggests, its leaves (which have a cucumber scent when crushed) can be added to salads as well as summer drinks.

A poultice made from the flowerheads can be used to treat wounds as compounds within them can stem bleeding. It can grow up to 50 cms tall and spreads via rhizomes.

The common name of Cotton thistle derives from the hairs on the leaves which resemble cotton. This thistle has many names including the Giant thistle, Silver thistle, Scots thistle as well as Queen Mary’s thistle. Although this plant is often connected to Scotland, the emblem used in Scottish heraldry and the national emblem of Scotland is most likely to be the Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare). The large silvery foliage of the Cotton thistle makes this wildflower quite striking. A biennial, the growth in the second year can reach up to 3 meters high and the leaves 10-50 cms in width. It particularly enjoys growing in fertile soil in areas that have been disturbed, along with roadsides and fields. Its pinky purple flowers bloom in summer. Some caterpillars like those of the Thistle ermine moth (Myelois circumvoluta) will eat the leaves. Pollinators and Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) also visit the flower heads, the latter eating the seeds.

Posted in Allotment, nature

Slugs and Snails

Posted on by BITM

What a mixed bag of weather we’ve had in the UK recently. It seems strange experiencing the current dry, warm weather given the snow, frost and april showers we had during the previous weeks.

Deciduous trees are turning green, as leaves unfurl and wildflowers continue to bloom. Snake’s-head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris), Speedwells (Veronica), White Dead-nettle (Lamium album), Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum), Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon), Forget-me-nots (Myosotis) and Cowslips (Primula veris) are all flowering at the moment, with English Blubells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) beginning to open up too.

Dainty Cowslips found on a verge.

Last week I caught a glimpse of a blue butterfly, my first sighting of the year, most likely a Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus). I also found another Red kite (Milvus milvus) feather as I worked last Tuesday (see below).

Even Tadpoles have begun to emerge, including in the pond we have near our plot on the allotment; hopefully they will help keep the slug and snail numbers down this year.

Slugs and snails have been in the news a lot this month because the Metaldehyde slug pellets ban has finally come into force in the UK. Perhaps we could view these creatures in a different way, after all they do good in nature; we can’t blame them going for an easy meal of soft tender leaves which just happen to be our prized plants. Interestingly only a small number of the 44 species in the UK are responsible for the damage we experience in gardens while the others feed on dead organic matter. I read an interesting article by Dr Andrew Salisbury, from the RHS, in The Guardian on this subject.

On my allotment I find wool pellets, copper barriers and cloches are helpful; along with growing seedlings on in pots before planting them out. Transplanting larger, stronger plants is better as they are able to withstand any damage, I also spend time collecting slugs and snails from hidden damp dark places and moving them to an area far away where they will cause less damage to crops. Encouraging predators (frogs, toads, hedgehogs, birds, slow worms (Anguis fragilis) and ground beetles) is always a great idea too, along with not having areas for them to hide near vulnerable plants.

A biological control that can be used, for slugs only, are Nematodes (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita). Watered into the ground these eventually kill the slugs as they infect them with bacteria once they’ve entered the slugs body. I have never gone for this option as I find the other measures suffice.

The other option is to grow plants which slugs and snails do not eat. Ones I’ve noticed they avoid include Ajuga, Aquilegia, Digitalis, Fuchsia, Geum Penstemon and Pulmonaria (further examples can be found on the internet).


Posted in Allotment, nature

Butterfly Numbers Flying High.

Posted on by BITM

With Buddleia, Lavender and Verbena bonariensis in full bloom at the moment butterfly sightings have increased significantly.

Along with plenty of Peacocks (Aglais io), Red Admirals (Vanessa atalanta) and Large whites (Pieris brassicae), I noticed a few other butterflies last week.

The first was a Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) visiting Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum × superbum),

but I also saw a Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album) pollinating some Verbena bonariensis too.

Along with these butterflies, the European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) reappeared, still under the Rhubarb patch on the allotment (see my ‘All you Need is Love and Nature.’ post from the 29th June 2020). However it was no longer a caterpillar but in the next stage of its life cycle, a pupa hanging from a Rhubarb leaf.

It can be in the Pupal stage for a fortnight so I will keep checking for its emergence as the adult moth, so I can hopefully see it take place. As I don’t exactly know when the Pupal stage began I’m not sure how soon it will occur. The male and female moths look very different so can be easily identified, plus the females don’t fly (see Butterfly Conservation); therefore if no moth is found then it was probably a male that has flown away.

The last insect that was noticeable last week was a Common red soldier beetle (Rhagonycha fulva).

It is always great to see these beetles as the are beneficial insects which predate aphids while their larvae eat
invertebrate pests, slugs and snails.

Posted in nature

Amphibians and Insects

Posted on by BITM

My week started and ended working next to ponds. The first was a small natural pond with a couple of frogs (Rana temporaria) sitting in it.

The other was a large disused outdoor swimming pool. In its neglected state rainwater collects within the concrete walls and nature is taking over. Given the murkiness of the water I was unable to obtain decent photos of my findings; however I saw another frog, (surrounded by lots and lots of tadpoles) along with a dragonfly nymph and a newt. It should be interesting to discover how many tadpoles survive to adulthood.

For the rest of the week insects were centre stage, especially on Wednesday when flying ants took to the sky. Flying ant season really tests my resolve to work through my dislike of ants (which originated in childhood). Thankfully I now find them more fascinating than loathsome, mostly.

The other insects I saw that day were;
– A (Chrysotoxum cautum) hoverfly on some Pyracantha.

– Honey bees (Apis mellifera) and a Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) visiting a Geranium ‘Rozanne’ plant.

– Lavender (Lavandula) full of bees and butterflies, including more Honey bees as well as Buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), Meadow browns (Maniola jurtina) and a Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) butterfly.

The Meadow brown butterflies also enjoyed visiting the Echinops bannaticus flowers too.

Even as I returned home I noticed a Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) moth on the hall window.

The adults feed on Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) and Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) both of these plants are common around this area. The caterpillars feed on various trees, shrubs as well as climbers ranging from Yew (Taxus baccata), Birch (Betula), ivy (Hedera helix), honeysuckle (Lonicera) and the wild Clematis, Traveller’s joy (Clematis vitalba).

The previous day I came across more insects that I was previously unaware of.

The first one was the Common red soldier beetle (Rhagonycha fulva).

It is a beneficial insect as adults eat aphids and are pollinators (feeding on nectar and pollen from open flat flowers such daisies and hogweed) while the larvae feed on slugs and snails along with other ground dwelling invertebrates.

The other insect I saw on Tuesday was a female Volucella pellucens hoverfly feeding on nectar and pollen from Bramble (Rubus fruticosus).

These hoverflies also pollinate umbellifers; However as larvae they inhabit Bumblebee and wasp nests eating any waste produced along with their hosts larvae.

Posted in nature

Different sort of Easter chicks

Posted on by BITM

After a busy seven days it is lovely to finally relax and reflect upon last weeks sightings.

Throughout the week I have seen Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) and Brimstone butterflies (Gonepteryx rhamni) flying around as well as more Harlequin ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis). I have seen even more 7-spot ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata), well into double figures. Ladybirds make me smile, a reaction than never diminishes. Something else that made me happy last week was seeing lots of tadpoles continuing to develop; it won’t be long before they become frogs feasting on slugs and snails.

On Thursday I walked home again, discovering yet more wildflowers blooming along the verge. The most prolific was Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris). Also called Queen Anne’s Lace or Wild Chervil it is pictured below amongst Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) and White Dead-nettle (Lamium album).

Other flowers I saw along the way were;

-Honesty/ Moonwort/Money plant (Lunaria annua)

-Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)

-Dove’s foot cranesbill (Geranium molle)

-Cuckooflower/ Lady’-smock (Cardamine pratensis)

-and Hedge garlic/ Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata).

I know this plant as Jack-by-the-hedge. I’m not entirely sure why it has this name. I guess it refers to being commonly found near hedgerows and Jack used to be a common name. Apparently the leaves, which have a mild garlic smell and taste, can be eaten in salads and sauces with meat or fish (Garlic mustard- Wildlife Trusts).

This week has been great for learning new bird sounds too. I have discovered a Dunnock (Prunella modularis) and a Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) nearby without seeing them. Over the last few days I have heard another beautiful sound too. Each year I have Blue tits (Parus caeruleus) nesting under the eaves and it won’t be long before I hear their young. It is a fantastic sign of spring, better than anything the Easter bunny could bring (chocolate eggs are a close second though).

Yesterday I spent time visiting The Vyne (National Trust). The main attraction was the English Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) on the woodland walk. The views were enchanting and smell delightful.

Also flowering near the Bluebells were Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa).

I spotted more Orange-tip butterflies there along with some Speckled wood butterflies (Pararge aegeria) flitting about.

It was a lovely way to spend a sunny Easter Sunday in good company.