Pygmy Shrew

Do be aware that your pet cat will kill birds and small rodents (putting a small bell on the collar will reduce the death toll). Also it's likely that your dog instinctively will jump into the undergrowth and kill small rodents, even when on the lead. This shrew was, I'm afraid, dispatched by our dog.

The Pygmy Shrew (Sorex minutus) is Ireland’s smallest mammal. It's body length is about 6 cm. It's an important habitat indicator in three ways. It feeds on insects, spiders and snails and these will be more abundant in a healthy habitat. It has to consume up 1.25 times its body weight (about 6 g) each day in order to survive. This means that it might require as many as 250 prey items per day, making it a formidable predator. It favours places of shelter, including hedgerows, field borders and woodland — these kinds of habitat are under pressure from agriculture and development and the presence of shrews indicates that traditional rural habitats are being preserved. Thirdly, the Pygmy Shrew is a favourite prey of the Barn Owl, a protected species with numbers in severe decline in Ireland. There have been occasional sightings of this bird in Marlinstown in recent years.

Red Sword-grass

In the moth trap this morning was this interesting moth. The Red Sword-grass (Xylena vetusta) is a member of the Noctuidae family. The adult moth appears first in the autumn, then overwinters, probably under loose bark, and re-emerges in the spring when mating occurs. Its larva appears in the summer, feeding on a variety of woody and herbaceous plants, including heathers and bog myrtle.

This moth rests with its wings closed tightly around its body, so as to resemble a dead piece of wood. This is a common form of camouflage for woodland moths. It has a wingspan of 52-62mm.

Early flowers

Here are two of the early flowers in bloom near the canal.

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is a member of the Asteraceae family (daisies). It's a perennial herbaceous plant that spreads by seeds and rhizomes.As it normally flowers before the dandelion, it's an important early flower for bees. It's also a favourite foodplant of the larva of the Triangle Plume Moth (Platyptilia gonodactyla), yet to be recorded in the area but possibly present.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) is a member of the Primulaceae family. It is a perennial. The flowers are hermaphrodite. Individual plants bear either pin flowers (longuistylus flower with the capita of the style prominent) or thrum flowers (brevistylous flower: with the stamens prominent). Fertilisation can only take place between pin and thrum flowers.Pollination is mainly by bees.

What can we do to help the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan?

A few practical ways to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan:

1. Leave an area of grass (or strips of grass) which may grow long until the end of the summer. Dandelions, daisies, clover etc. will grow and provide food for the bees. It will not wreck your garden! It’s tough to cut at the end of the season but it’s the only hardship. You might be rewarded with orchids, which are a great treat. 

2. If you mow the roadside grass outside your house, reduce the frequency of the mowing. Short grass looks neat but doesn’t provide any food for bees. Consider just two cuts in the year.

3. Plant a shrub that flowers in early spring. It will look cheerful and will be a vital source of food for the bees. Here's a bee busy feeding today on heather in the garden.

4. Throughout the year have some flowers which provide pollen for the bees and pleasure for you. They could be in flowerbeds or in pots. Some, like spring bulbs, can be naturalised under deciduous trees. These should be single flowers as bees can’t get into double flowers. Vegetables and fruit are a great addition; even some pots of herbs are very good.

Pale Brindled Beauty

Here's the first new moth of 2016. We have been trapping moths on the boreen for several years and each year we record additional species for the first time.

This Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) is quite well distributed in Ireland. Its larva feeds on a wide variety of broadleaved trees. Its flight season is from January-March. This is a male; the female is wingless.