Stupid boy!

I looked across neighbouring rooftops, shielding my eyes against the brilliant sunshine. True it was a bit breezy but I did my usual loin-girding bit and set out towards the local pocket park, barely a quarter of a mile away. Needless to say, the sun had gone by the time I reached my destination; the wind had not. I recalled the Spoonerism regarding the highly religious person sitting in a bath. I too had started with a soul full of hope and although I hadn't exactly got a hole full of soap I did feel thwarted. Stupid boy!


I decided to make the best of it and investigate a few grass tussocks. Generally these reveal a few creepy-crawlies, taking advantage of the fact that even when there is a sharp frost there exists deep within the tussock a micro-climate at the plant-soil interface. But not today. True I did find a click beetle, Agriotes obscurus, and it was a new species for the site but it was a long way short of the entomological treasures I had visualised. Incidentally, despite the specific name of 'obscurus' it is a very common species.


Perhaps a large flat piece of concrete would be more productive?

Not a visually beautiful sight but this sort of stone will often reveal a

treasure. Not today! Stefen Hill Pocket Park. 16 January, 2020

 

Ever the optimist I turned it over revealing only masses of slug eggs and an out-of-focus millipede. Had I left these eggs unconcealed a bird would have made short work of them so I replaced the stone a.s.a.p.

Eggs of a slug, but which species?

To identify of the slug was beyond me but the millipede was a different matter. I recognised it as a White-legged Snake Millipede, Tachypodiulus niger. This is a very common species but can be confused with Cylindroiulus londinensis. Back home I examined its 'tail' (telson) and confirmed it was the former and was therefore not new to the park.

White-legged Snake Millipedes are very common everywhere it seems.

Stefen Hill Pocket Park. 16 January, 2020

The ubiquitous spider Neriene peltata completed the days findings. A pretty miserable 'bag'.


Teasing aside strings of wet and muddy grass roots in a strong, cold wind had turned my hands a rather fetching shade of forget-me-not blue. I decided to call it a day and set off home.


Wayside gardens showed that tiny flower buds had formed on Box, Buxus sempervirens, bushes. (The leaves are sometimes blistered and discoloured by the fly Monarthropalpus flavus. I much check from time to time.)

The flower buds on box bushes are easily overlooked.

Christchurch Drive, Daventry. 16 January, 2020

The flowers won't open until May (and even then they'll be inconspicuous) but I convinced myself that they were heralds of spring and so completed my journey much cheered.