Wildlife News for December

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RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Wildlife News for December

Post by RachelMC »

Hungry Hedgehogs:

Mike Griffiths photographed this Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in his garden in Willaston on 21st November 2013, and found another the next day. Probably these are young ones which have not put on enough fat to be able to hibernate.

Image

The advice from the hedgehog charities to anyone finding a hedgehog wandering around in Winter, when they should be in hibernation, is to feed it puppy food and water, and to get in touch with the charities. Contact numbers are:

Claire Williams in Wallasey on: 0151 201 5172 or 07923 830733

Chester Animal Rescue in Wrexham on: 01978 810 994

RSPCA in Nantwich on: 08704 427 102

Caroline Howe in Neston on 0151 353 8043 or 07843 434 071

Mrs Walkden in Little Sutton on: 0151 339 2922

Mike says, "I took the smaller Hedgehog to Caroline Howe in Neston. When I asked how many she was caring for, she wasn't sure but it could be between 150-160. WOW! She does it all with no recompense and would be grateful for any cat/puppy food, wet wipes or anti-septic creams anyone might be able to spare. She has three sheds and her spare room is full of hedgehogs. So impressive."

Re-posted from Wirral Wildlife Blogspot

RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Butterflies at Christmas?

Post by RachelMC »

Butterflies at Christmas?:

It is often at Christmas time that butterflies, particularly Small Tortoiseshells (Aglais urticae), can be found hibernating indoors. In this season, people who have extra guests might start heating the spare room and so awake a butterfly from its slumbers.

What to do if you find a butterfly indoors in winter:

* Gently catch the butterfly & put it in the fridge for half an hour (NOT the freezer!). This is to cool it down & render it inactive again.
* Relocate it to a room in the house that is not heated, or to a garage or shed, but preferably one with gaps so it can make its own exit in spring.

Peacock butterflies:
It is common for Peacocks (Inachis io) to be disturbed in outside locations. In the past they have been found in log sheds and in stacks of hay bales. When they sensed human presence they emitted the characteristic hissing sound! Also there is the report of a lady who, at the onset of cold weather, took down her horse rugs that where hanging in an open fronted barn only to find many Peacocks hibernating there.

Brimstones & Commas
Brimstones (Gonepteryx rhamni) generally hibernate in vegetation like conifers, brambles and ivy. They are well designed to look like a yellowing leaf. Comma butterflies (Polygonia c-album), on the other hand, are designed to look like a dead leaf and so can be found passing the winter in drifts of dead leaves.

Red Admirals
The fifth butterfly that overwinters as an adult in the UK is Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta). They do not tend to go into deep hibernation so often can be seen on sunny days right through the winter months.

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