I've been doing a bit of reading about beetle trapping and in order to increase my community woodland (and my own P-SL) lists I needed to try something different. Both the late Simon Leather https://simonleather.wordpress.com/ and Dan Asaw https://www.60shadesofbrown.uk/ have some useful info on vane traps. There are also scientific papers that compare the efficacy of different trap designs. However, efficacy is one thing and being able to make the design is another, so the more straightforward design that DA has used with some success was decided upon. I didn't have a handy "House for Sale" sign to chop up, so I had to order some appropriate plastic board that is cut-up-able. This was the most expensive part of the trap. Like DA I also ordered some home brewing funnels, but I decided to purchase the collection bottles, fortunately these fit directly onto the bottom of the funnels, which is handy. Total cost for three traps £55 (without the board it would be about £15). I used an old plastic sack for the lids, and like DA garden wire to fix the thing together.
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| Trial site in the garden. The devastation behind was a product of the re-building of the stone dyke along the Earthquake field. A piece of art, and hopefully the vegetation will recover quickly. |
I'll use distilled, clear vinegar as the preservative in the bottom of the trap. These are kill traps, but so many beetles require microscopic examination to identify them. I am hoping that these traps placed in the established trees in the community woodland will capture some interesting beasts.
It maybe that our recent troubles with Wood Mouse are the result of the disturbance to the field behind the house.
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| Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus |
With four new traps deployed and baited with peanut butter I'm catching six or seven of the blighters every night. Quite likely I'm not releasing them far enough away, but other measures will be deployed, apparently peppermint deters them, we will see! Fortunately the Bank Voles have not joined in and are staying where they belong, in the garden.
I'm still working on identifying the lichens I found around Loch Fyne, not easy. Even with AI, two good books and some excellent websites these are tricky.
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| Stricta sylvatica |
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| Anaptychia runcinata I think |
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| Bunodophoron melanocarpum, I'm advised (thanks PU and ID) |
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| Cetraria aculeata |
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| Ramalina siliquosa and Xanthoria parietina |
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| Ramalina siliquosa |
.... more to come just need to cook tea.
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