[243] Oryctolagus cuniculus, Rabbit

[243] Oryctolagus cuniculus, Rabbit

Introduction

Oryctolagus cuniculus, the (European) Rabbit, is the familiar small animal often anthropomorphized in Children’s fiction. It is more often called a coney in the USA.

Several related species are also called rabbits.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Mammals

Order – Lagomorpha (Rabbits, Hares and Pikas)

Family – Leporidae (Rabbits, Cottontails and Hares)

Genus – Oryctolagus

Scientific Name – Oryctolagus cuniculus

Name

The Old English had no name for this introduced species. In the Twelfth Century ‘coney’ was used for its pelt. Rabbit comes from Walloon (Belgium and northern France) rabett, a diminutive of the earlier Dutch word robbe. At first the adult was a coney and the young was a rabbit. Coney and the Latin cuniculus come from Ancient Greek kuniklos. (The animal was not native to Rome or to Greece.)

The Rabbit Family

They used to be considered as rodents but now rabbits and hares have their own Order, which includes pikas (also known as coneys). Like rodents their incisor teeth grow continuously and need continuous chewing on fibrous food to prevent them from growing too long.

What distinguished rabbits and hares from pikas and other animals is the way they move by jumping with their strong hind legs. Rabbits live in colonies in burrows.

Description

The form of Oryctolagus cuniculus is very familiar with its long ears, normally held erect when it stops moving. The furry coat comes in various shades of greyish brown.

They live in small groups in warrens, which form a network of burrows. Young are born blind, hairless and totally dependent.

They eat plant foods, preferably grasses.

Habitat and use

Rabbits are native to southwestern Europe. They were probably introduced to Britain as a farmed species – for food and fur – by the Romans and the Normans, but did not spread to wild populations until about the Eighteenth Century.

Their ideal habitat is short grassland and they may spend all of their time within fifty metres of their burrow.

They have been domesticated for many years, initially for food but now as show animals and as pets. There are three hundred recognized breeds. Selective breeding has led to many breeds that are much larger than the wild rabbit.

Other Notes

Rabbits cane be seriously invasive and have become a major pest in Australia.

I feel that I am leaving out quite a lot with rabbits because there is a danger of saying too much. All I will say about cultural references is to remind you of Beatrix Potter and Watership Down.

You may see them on quiet roadside verges early in the morning but they will disappear fast if they see you.

Hares

As always, the use of names is not consistent but the general rule is that all species in the genus Lepus are called hares or jackrabbits. All other species in the family Leporidae are rabbits or cottontails. (The American species tend to be called cottontails.)

Generally, hares have longer ears, they live alone or in pairs, and they are able to fend for themselves soon after birth.

The European Hare or Brown Hare, Lepus europaeus, is native to Europe. It may have been introduced to Britain by the Romans but is now found in all of the UK apart from Ireland and northern Scotland (where the Mountain Hare is found.)

You are much less likely to see a Hare than a Rabbit. You may spot one in the open countryside at a distance.

I won’t go into its use as food or in hare-coursing, or the March Hare of Alice in Wonderland, or the Tortoise and the Hare of Aesop.

See also

We still have [296] Rats and [311] Squirrels to come.

[242] Orthetrum cancellatum, Black-tailed Skimmer

[242] Orthetrum cancellatum, Black-tailed Skimmer

Introduction

Orthetrum cancellatum, the Black-tailed Skimmer, is one of about twenty species of dragonflies variously called Skimmers, Chasers and Darters. It Is not the only species of Orthetrum with a black tail and only the male has a black tail.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Infraorder – Anisoptera (Dragonflies)

Family – Libellulidae (Darters, Skimmers and Chasers)

Genus – Orthetrum

Scientific Name – Orthetrum cancellatum

Name

The males may fly low over the water in search of females – hence the name skimmer.

Orthetrum, from Greek and Latin roots means straight-tool, referring to the clasper used by the male in mating. Cancellatum is Latin for cross-barred or latticed, referring to the markings on the female.

Description

Libellulidae is the largest family of dragonflies with about a thousand species. It is understandably difficult to give then all meaningful names. Some are called skimmers, chasers or darters from their behaviour but most species have no common names. For those named by their appearance we have to understand that males and females are generally very different in colouration.

There are four species within this family found in the UK for which the male has a blue body and two of these have a black tail. The male Orthetrum cancellatum is very similar to [206] the Scarce Chaser, although you may be able to detect differences at the base of the wings.

The female is yellow with dark longitudinal bands.

Males are aggressively territorial. They will eat butterflies, grasshoppers and even damselflies.

As for all Odonata they form a mating wheel. The male clasps the female by the back of her head and she curls her abdomen to meet his sex organs.

Habitat

Orthetrum cancellatum is common and widespread over most of Europe and parts of Asia. It was not seen in Britain in 1934 but is now common over all of Wales and England except the far North.

The larvae live in lakes and slow water, often buried in debris at the bottom, for two to three years going through about a dozen instars.

Other Notes

You may spot a male dragonfly resting but females are less bold and more difficult to spot.

See also

Orthetrum coerulescens, the Keeled Skimmer is very similar in appearance but lacks the black tail.

We have seen the Scarce Chaser and [207] the Four-spotted Chaser. [329] the Common Darter will be the last one from this family.

[241] Oenothera biennis, Evening Primrose

[241] Oenothera biennis, Evening Primrose

Introduction

Oenothera biennis, (Common) Evening Primrose (or Evening-primrose), is a biennial plant with impressive yellow flowers, native to North America and widely naturalized elsewhere often as an invasive plant.

Its common names include Weedy Evening Primrose, Evening Star, Sundrop and German Rampion.

It won’t surprise you that 150 species of Oenothera are also generally called Evening Primrose and, of course, these are not related to [277] Primrose.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Myrtales

Family – Onagraceae

Subfamily – Onagroideae

Tribe – Onogreae

Genus – Oenothera

Section – Oenothera

Subsection – Oenothera

Scientific Name – Oenothera biennis

Other similar species are cultivated.

Name

Many species of Oenothera have flowers that open in the evening and begin to die the next morning. Most species have flowers with a yellow colour that is reminiscent of primroses. (The word ‘primrose’ may be used for a pale yellow colour.)

Oenothera is Latin for a soporific plant from the Ancient Greek oinos meaning wine.

(Oenothera used to be called Oenagra. Hence the forms of the names of higher level taxa.)

Description

Oenothera biennis is a biennial plant. It produces flowers around the base and at the top of a tall stem.

The elongated buds produce long semi-open, pale yellow flowers. They open fully in the evening.

Habitat and use

Oenothera biennis is native to parts of North America where indigenous people used it as food and as a medicinal crop.

It was introduced to Europe in the early Seventeenth Century and is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. In many places has escaped and become naturalized, even invasive. It is found now in meadows and open grassland as a weed.

Cultivated varieties include other Oenethera species and flowers may have other colours such as white.

It is cultivated as a crop to produce evening Primrose oil from the seeds.

Other Notes

Although it’s a biennial it can grow as an annual plant. I see it in open grassland that is cut down every year.

See also

Evening Primrose comes from a large family that also includes [127] Willowherb, and [153] Fuchsia.

[240] Oedemera nobilis, Thick-legged Flower Beetle

[240] Oedemera nobilis, Thick-legged Flower Beetle

Introduction

Oedemera nobilis, the Thick-legged Flower Beetle, is an impressive, bright green beetle often found on open flowers. Only the male has the swollen legs that give it its name.

It is also known as the Swollen-thighed Flower Beetle.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Coleoptera (Beetles)

Family – Oedemeridae

Tribe – Oedemerini

Genus – Oedemera

Scientific Name – Oedemera nobilis

Name

The Latin edema from Ancient Greek oidema, means swelling. The word, spelled as oedema or œdema in British English, is used in medicine.

Description

Nearly five thousand species of beetle can be found in Britain. This is one of the very common species that I have seen often.

Oedemera nobilis has a bright green appearance with a metallic sheen. The elytra have a distinct gap and they do not cover the entire wings.

The males have very distinctive swollen hind legs.

The female does not have the swollen legs.

The larvae develop on stems of [082] Thistles. Adults feed on nectar and pollen from many flower species.

Habitat

Oedemera nobilis is common and widespread over Western Europe and the Northwest coasts of Africa. In Britain its range is limited to England and Wales.

Other Notes

These beetles are very common in late spring and summer. They can be seen on open flowers.

See also

Oedemera luridahas a similarrange to Oedemera nobilis. The males do not have the thick legs. It has a duller cover and the gap between the elytra is less evident.

[239] Ochlodes sylvanus, Large Skipper

[239] Ochlodes sylvanus, Large Skipper

Thymelicus sylvestris, Small Skipper

Thymelicus lineola, Essex Skipper

Introduction

Ochlodes sylvanus, the Large Skipper; Thymelicus sylvestris, the Small Skipper; and Thymelicus lineola, the Essex Skipper, are three very similar common species of Skipper butterflies. They are medium sized butterflies with rounded triangular looking wings.

Thymelicus lineola is known as the Essex Skipper in Europe and the European Skipper in the USA.

There are about 3 500 species in the family Hesperiidae, most of which are called Skippers.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Lepidoptera

Suborder – Rhopalocera (Butterflies)

Superfamily – Papilionoidea

Family – Hesperiidae (Skippers)

Subfamily – Hesperiinae (Grass Skippers)

Tribe – [1] Hesperini, [2] and [3] Thymelini

Genus – [1] Ochlodes, [2] and [3] Thymelicus

Scientific Name – [1] Ochlodes sylvanus, [2] Thymelicus sylvestris, [3] Thymelicus lineola

Name

They are caked skippers because of their quick, darting flight patterns. As you will see below, the words large, small and Essex are not particularly useful in defining these three species.

The scientific names are not very meaningful either. Thymelicus is a Latin word meaning theatrical, or a type of stage musician. Sylvanus and sylvestris both mean related to trees. Lineola is a diminutive of linea, meaning little line.

Skippers

As for many of my topics, the taxonomic position of the Skipper family, Hesperiidae, has been disputed, as they have some similarities with moths. Their antennae are hooked, and they have stockier bodies and larger compound eyes than other butterflies. Their wings are usually well-rounded and they are held angled upwards at rest, only rarely folded completely. Most are brown and grey. They are now in the superfamily Papilionoidea that includes almost all butterflies. (There is still a small group of “moth-butterflies.”)

Apart from the three species listed here, there are two other rare localized species of Skipper in England and three very rare species.

Large Skipper

Size is not useful in distinguishing these three. They are all virtually the same size with quite a spread of size for each species. You need to look closely as they are all superficially just plain orange-brown.

The Large Skipper is the most common of the three main British species and can be found all over England and Wales – and just parts of the Scottish Borders. It is also found over much of Europe and Asia. It is common in areas of tall, wild grass such as hedgerows and woodland edges.

It has a chequered pattern on the wings, which is not found on the other two.

The male has a distinct dark line on its forewing (call a sex-brand.)

Small Skipper and Essex Skipper

I will consider these two together because the only way to tell them apart is from the colour of the tips of the antennae. Their wings are plain orange-brown with a dark border on the upper sides of the wings. The Small Skipper has orange tips to the antennae and those of the Essex Skipper are glossy black. They both have sex-brands, less distinct than the Large Skipper.

The British range of the Small Skipper is not quite as wide as the Large Skipper as it doesn’t extend quite as far as Scotland. Further afield, its range includes most of Europe, north Africa and the Middle East.

The Essex Skipper has a very similar range but was not seen in Britain until 1889. Its range is extending and it is now found far from Essex – as far as about Bridgwater, the Welsh borders and Grimsby.

Both like similar habitats to the Large Skipper, so it is not unusual to find all three types together.

These are all Essex Skippers.

Other Notes

These are aptly named Grass Skippers and you may find them on open grassland as the only butterflies in evidence.

See also

We have a few more butterflies to come.

[238] Nymphaea alba, Water-lily

[238] Nymphaea alba, Water-lily

Introduction

Nymphaea alba, the (Common) (European) White Water-lily (or Water Lily) may just be called a Water-lily. It may be found naturally but is more usually seen in ponds in ornamental gardens with its familiar floating leaves and large open flowers.

Other members of the genus Nymphaea are also called Water-lilies as are the other genera within the very small family Nymphaeaceae.

As I have said before, there are hundreds of species of plants, from many unrelated genera, that are called Lilies, because of their flowers.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Nymphaeales

Family – Nymphaeaceae

Genus – Nymphaea

Scientific Name – Nymphaea alba

Name

Lily is an old word coming via the Latin lilium. Wiktionary, as well as defining the word to mean the genus now called Lilium, also adds: ‘Any of several species of herbaceous flower which may or may not resemble the genus Lilium in some way, and which are not closely related to it or to each other.’

Nymphaea is the Latin name for the water lily, relating to the nymphs of Greek mythology. There are many references to Greek mythology in the common and scientific names of plants, often without any apparent reason for the connection.

Water-lilies

Plants in the family Nymphaeaceae are considered to be among the most primitive of the flowering plants. They are rooted in soil underwater and have large leaves that float on the water. It contains three genera.

• Nymphaea, containing about forty species.
• Nuphar, with one or more species (possibly about twenty), has heart shaped leaves and relatively small yellow flowers.
• Victoria, with two species, has round leaves up to three metres across with a turned vertical edge at the circumference.

(Taxonomy is never agreed. Three other genera may come in this family.)

Description

The Water Lily is a familiar plant with large floating leaves and large flowers. Nymphaea alba has large white flowers with yellow centres.

There is a variety or subspecies of Nymphaea alba that has dark red flowers, found just in one lake in Sweden. Cultivated versions come in several colours and forms.

Habitat and use

The natural range of Nymphaea alba corresponds approximately to temperate Europe. It is found in lakes and ponds. It is widely cultivated and its many cultivars and varieties are mostly hybrids.

Other Notes

You will see water lilies in the ornamental lakes and ponds of country gardens where it is impossible to know whether they are the natural species or cultivated varieties. I also see them in active and disused canals, where their origins are equally uncertain.

The French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926) spent most of the last thirty years of his life producing paintings of water lilies from his flower garden. There are about 250 of these paintings, several of which have sold at auction for around £50 million each.

See also

Nuphar lutea, the Yellow Water-lily, is native to all of Europe and north-western Asia, and also North America. Its flowers are bright yellow, smaller in diameter with a more cylindrical shape.

(Nuphar, the Medieaval Latin name, comes from the Arabic ninufar, and is neuter, so the species should technically be Nuphar luteum. Both versions have been used. All other species of Nuphar treat the word as feminine.)

Nelumbo lutea, the American Lotus, and Nelumbo nucifera, the Sacred or Indian Lotus, look very similar to Water-lilies but are distant relatives.

[237] Nomada Species, Nomad Bees

[237] Nomada Species, Nomad Bees

Introduction

The genus Nomada, generally just called Nomads or Nomad Bees (or Nomad-bees), has about 850 species of which about thirty may be found in the UK. It is one of many genera of kleptoparasitic cuckoo bees and identification to species level may be difficult.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps and Ants)

Suborder – Apocrita

Superfamily – Apoidea

Clade – Anthophila (Bees)

Family – Apidae

Subfamily – Nomadinae (Cuckoo Bees)

Tribe – Nomadini (Single genus)

Genus – Nomada

Scientific Names – Various

Name

Nomada just means wandering or nomadic.

I can confidently say that Nomada goodeniana is named after Samuel Goodenough (1743-1827) Bishop of Carlisle and an amateur botanist, who also had a plant genus, Goodenia, and an Australian bird (Petroica goodenovii, the Red-capped Robin) named after him. In 1802, William Kirby in his book on the Bees of England said.

‘A viro Reverendo S. Goodenough, LL. D. Canonico Windsoriensi, Botanico summo tum et in Entomologia lynceo, nomen suum haec Apis mutuatur.’

As you know by now, flava means yellow.

Description

Nomada bees have bold yellow and black markings that are similar to [357] Wasps. They primarily use [024] Andrena Mining Bees as their host species but there are several other genera. The female Nomada enters the burrow under construction and lays an egg in the wall of unsealed nest cells. The first thing the larva does is to eat the host egg or larva. Then it feeds on the stored food left in the cell.

As the female bee does not provide the food for her offspring, she does not have the pollen baskets on her legs that we saw with Andrena and other bees.

I will start with some pictures that have not been identified to species level.

Nomada goodeniana

Nomada goodeniana is found all over most of Eurasia and Northern Africa, including most of England and Wales.

It has a striped abdomen. The back of the head and thorax are black, with two small yellow dots just above the wings. Its legs and antennae are orange.

I won’t go into the minute details that distinguish it from many other species of Nomada.

A broader view shows the same bee beside a hole made by Andrena cineraria.

Nomada Flava Group

The back of Nomada flava, including the two dots, is a dark red colour.

Several other species are similar, so it may be identified as Flava group.

Habitat

In theory identification to species is helped by knowing the host species.

My Field Guide to Bees suggests that Andrena cineraria may be a host to Nomada lathburiana and possible Nomada Goodeniana.

Conversely it lists three other Andrena species as the usual hosts for both Nomada goodeniana and Nomada flava.

All of my sightings and pictures come from an extensive area with hundreds of Andrena cineraria so I will stick with my usual disclaimer. None of my sightings are guaranteed to species level.

Other Notes

Kleptoparasitism (also spelled as cleptoparasatism) is very common in the Animal world and the species concerned tend to be named after the more familiar Cuckoo bird. (Cuculs canorus won’t be appearing in these blogs.)

All thirty-five species in the subfamily Nomadinae are kleptoparasites as are many other genera and species of bees and wasps. In particular the genus [052] Bombus, Bumble Bees has a complete subgenus of thirty species that infiltrate and take over the nests of other Bombus species.

[236] Netta rufina, Red-crested Pochard

[236] Nettina rufina, Red-crested Pochard

Introduction

Netta rufina, the Red-crested Pochard is a diving duck native to central Asia. There are significant populations around England probably coming from escaped or released feral birds.

Other Netta species are called Pochards. As we saw in [047] Tufted Duck, most species of Aythya are also called Pochards. The two genera are closely related.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Anseriformes (Waterfowl)

Suborder – Anseres

Superfamily – Anatoidea

Family – Anatidae

Subfamily – Anatinae

Tribe – Aythyini

Genus – Netta

Scientific Name – Netta rufina

The divisions below family level are uncertaind.

Name

You can take the common name as approximately accurate, remembering that the word ‘red’ used to include a range of colours including brown and orange, and understanding that the name only describes males in breeding plumage. And the word crest, although it usually means a displayed fan of feathers, can also mean just a helmet or something on the top of the head,

Netta is the Greek for duck. Rufina is a diminutive of the Latin rufus, ‘red.’

Description

The precise taxonomy of ducks and the genus Netta is uncertain as we saw in [023] Mallard. It is sometimes included in Diving Ducks but it behaves like a dabbling duck. Its legs are further back on its body to help it diving so it does not walk well on land.

The adult male in breeding plumage has an orange-brown head, a bright red bill and a black breast. Its flanks are white, the back is brown and the tail is black.

The female is mainly brown with a dark bill and top of her head and whitish face.

Juveniles and males in eclipse are similar to female birds.

They are gregarious and form flocks, often mixing with other diving ducks, particularly in winter.

They feed on aquatic plants by diving and by dabbling.

Habitat

Netta rufina breeds in wetland areas of southern Europe extending to central Asia, and winters in India and Africa.

It is not native to Britain but a large feral population is gradually spreading. It probably derives from escaped and released birds but may include inputs from visitors from the continent.

The other two species of Netta are found in South America and Africa.

Other Notes

When I started birdwatching about fifteen years ago this was a common bird on one of the lakes in the Cotswold Water Park, which I thought had come from escapees from nearby Slimbridge. There were already large numbers of this gregarious bird. Since then, numbers nationally have increased with a more geographical spread.

See also

Because of its feral nature this bird has much in common with [012] the Mandarin, [061] Muscovy Duck, [056] Barnacle Goose and the Parakeet.

Nobody knows where the UK Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) came from, at some time around 1950. But they have grown in numbers in the UK and have spread slowly. There are now about 10 000, more or less found over the area of Greater London. They are very gregarious and may roost in flocks of several thousand. There are similar feral populations across Europe.

[235] Nephrotoma appendiculata, Spotted Crane Fly

[235] Nephrotoma appendiculata, Spotted Crane Fly

Introduction

Nephrotoma appendiculata, the Spotted Crane Fly (or Crane-fly or Cranefly), is a common type of crane fly with a yellow body marked in black.

The similar species Nephrotoma flavescens, Nephrotoma flavipalpis and Nephrotoma quadrifaria may also be seen in Britain, together with a few other species such as Nephrotoma crocata.

There are over two hundred species of Nephrotoma and about 15 000 species within the wider family Tipulidae also called crane flies. Most of these species do not have a more precise common name.

In the UK the large common crane flies are informally called ‘daddy-longlegs,’ a name used elsewhere for [258] the Cellar Spider and for Opiliones, Harvestmen. The larvae of crane flies are generally called leatherjackets (but definitely not as leather jackets!)

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Diptera

Suborder – Nematocera

Infraorder – Tipulomorpha

Superfamily – Tipuloidea

Family – Tipulidae (Crane Flies)

Subfamily – Tipulinae

Genus – Nephrotoma

Scientific Name – Nephrotoma appendiculata

Name

Crane flies in general are named from their long legs after [166] the Crane.

As for bee flies, entomologists prefer ‘crane fly’ to ‘crane-fly’ or ‘cranefly,’ because they are actually flies – whereas, for example butterflies, dragonflies, alderflies, caddisflies, sawflies and scorpionflies are not flies. There are exceptions to this rule, for example [333] Hoverflies and Horseflies.

Nephro-toma, from Ancient Greek means kidney-cut. As for many scientific names, I have no idea why this name was given to a crane fly. It is probably no more entitled to be described as having an appendix than any other species of Nephrotoma. (Flavescens means yellowish and quadrifaria means fourfold.)

Crane Flies

Crane Flies, Tipulidae, are included in the order Diptera of true flies. See [053] Bee Fly . They are a large group with 15 000 species in five hundred genera, of which we will only consider two – Nephrotoma and Tipula. They are characterized by long, slender bodies, long wings and long legs.

The insects spend most of their lives as larvae, known as leatherjackets, which are elongated and cylindrical in shape. Larvae live underground and are considered as agricultural and horticultural pests.

The adult female emerges from the pupal stage containing mature eggs and generally mates with a male almost immediately. Adults only live for two to three weeks. Many species do not eat as adults.

Most of the three hundred species found in the UK are only the size of mosquitos.

Nephrotoma

Nephrotoma species all have yellow bodies with black markings, about two centimetres in length. I will not attempt to differentiate between the species. The wings are transparent enough for the markings to remain visible through them.

Habitat

Nephrotoma appendiculata is found in most of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East

Nephrotoma flavescens is found over Eurasia and North Africa, and Nephrotoma quadrifaria is found in most of Europe.

Other Notes

Crane flies are best observed by looking at ground level in open grassland or uncut lawns.

See also

The family of Crane Flies also includes the genus [341] Tipula.

[234] Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Daffodil

[234] Narcissus pseudonarcissus – Daffodils, Narcissi and Jonquils

Introduction

Narcissus pseudonarcissus is a familiar, common and widespread spring flowering bulb plant that can be called a (Wild) Daffodil. This and other species of Narcissus, in many varieties and cultivars, are widely cultivated as garden plants or as cut flowers – generally just called either Daffodils or Narcissi or Jonquils.

Narcissus pseudonarcissus may be called the Wild Daffodil or Lent Lily.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Clade – Monocots

Order – Asparagales

Family – Amaryllidaceae

Subfamily – Amaryllidoideae

Tribe – Narcisseae

Genus – Narcissus

Scientific Name – Narcissus pseudonarcissus

It has about forty scientific synonyms.

There are about fifty species of Narcissus and at least sixty hybrids. Many cultivars are available.

Name

The name Narcissus is often said to be derived from the youth in the Greek myth but the word was in use well before this myth. It may come from the Greek word for intoxicating, cognate with narcotic, as Narcissus poeticus, which grows in Greece is said to have an intoxicating fragrance.

Daffodil comes from affodell or asphodel, now a genus of completely different plants – but the name used to be used for the Narcissus. The initial ‘D’ may come from the Dutch definite article by merging ‘de affodil.’ ‘Daffodil’ is used for species and varieties with yellow trumpet-shaped flowers.

Jonquil comes via French from Spanish junquillo, a diminutive of junco, meaning rush or reed. Jonquil is used for Narcissus jonquilla, which does have rush-like leaves.

The name Lent Lily comes from its use as a decoration in Churches during Lent, the period before Easter, and at Easter. Its flowering period make it available at just the right time. (Dates in the Christian calendar are complicated. The date of Easter is determined by a notional definition of phases of the Moon in the Holy Land. It has led to discussions and disagreements and was one cause of the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches several hundred years ago. Easter Sunday can occur on any date between 22 March and 25 April.)

Description

The Daffodil is, of course, a typical monocot. Its thin vertical leaves are unnoticed and a single flower rises on a central long stalk.

The daffodil has a familiar trumpet shaped flower, with a six tepals (like petals) in a star shape behind the trumpet. Typically, these are bright yellow but the wild daffodil may have lighter tepals.

The following pictures show some wild daffodils and some from local parks, gardens and roadside verges,

Habitat and use

Narcissus pseudonarcissus is native to Western Europe including England and Wales. It is not so widespread now in Britain as a result of changes to farming methods.

It is commonly grown in gardens and has spread and naturalized in many countries.

It has many subspecies but also has many cultivated varieties and cultivars.

Other species of Narcissus also have many varieties and cultivars. Each flower is basically the same shape but proportions can vary. For example, the trumpet can be very short, or the tepals can point backwards. Colours vary from white to bright orange for both the trumpet and the tepals, which may be different. Some varieties produce many flowers on a single stalk.

As for [179] the Hyacinth, there is a Greek myth. Narkissos was a youth who rejected all romantic advances and fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He stared at his reflection until he died. In his place a flower sprouted bearing his name. The myth almost certainly came after the plant already had its name. It is the origin of the term ‘narcissism’, an excessive self-love.

Other Notes

The Daffodil occurs frequently in literature with several references by William Shakespeare. Most famous is William Wordsworth’s poem…

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. … …

See also

You will have to wait until December for the last of our cultivated monocot bulb species. I will let you guess what it is.

[233] Myosotis Species, Forget-me-not

[233] Myosotis discolor, Changing Forget-me-not

Myosotis scorpiodes, Water Forget-me-not

Myosotis sylvatica, Woodland Forget-me-not

Introduction

Myosotis discolor, the Changing Forget-me-not, is a wildflower which may be easily overlooked. Its tiny light blue flowers with yellow centres can go unnoticed. Myosotis scorpiodes, the True Forget-me-not or Water Forget-me-not, is a similar looking wildflower typically found near water. Myosotis sylvatica, the Wood (or Woodland) Forget-me-not, is cultivated in many varieties as a garden plant.

These and other species of Myosotis may be called just Forget-me-nots. Some species, especially Myosotis scorpiodes, are sometimes called Scorpion Grass but are not, of course related to Scorpions (close relatives of Spiders.)

Myosotidium hortensia, The Chatham Islands Lily or Giant Forget-me-not, is a fairly close relative endemic to the Chatham Islands (a tiny archipelago 500 miles from the main islands of New Zealand.)

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Boraginales

Family – Boraginaceae

Subfamily – Boraginoideae

Genus – Myosotis

Scientific Names – Myosotis discolor and others.

Many varieties and cultivars are available, mostly M sylvatica and some M scorpiodes.

Name

Other languages call these flowers by similar meaning names. The name Forget-me-not was introduced into England by King Henry IV in about 1400 AD from the German Vergissmeinnicht.

The Medieval Latin myosotis come from Ancient Greek roots muos-otis (or myos-otis) meaning mouse-ear, from the shape of its leaves. See [232] Mouse.

References to scorpions relate to the uncurling inflorescence like a scorpion’s tail.

Description

Myosotis discolor is a low growing annual or perennial plant with tall, slender stems and tiny flowers.

Tiny flowers (about one or two millimetres), which emerge at the top of the stems from hairy buds, are star shaped with five pale blue petals and a distinct yellow centre. They may be more yellow or cream on first emerging and become darker blue – hence the common name ‘Changing’ and the Latin ‘discolor.’

Myosotis scopioides is very similar, native to a wider area of Eurasia. It is found in damp or wet habitats and can survive underwater or form floating rafts. Its flowers are about a centimetre across.

I can’t be sure of the exact species of my pictures.

Habitat and use

Myosotis discolor is native to Western Europe but can be found across America as an introduced species.

As for may posts I have to say that cultivars and varieties are available as garden plants for various species and hybrids, especially Myosotis sylvatica.

The flowers of Myosotis have traditionally been a symbol of friendship and remembrance – hence the name Forget-me-not. It is used in various countries as a symbolic flower including remembrance in a way we usually associate with [248] the Poppy.

Other Notes

Because of its thin stems, small leaves and tiny flowers, Forget-me-nots are difficult to spot. They are also hard to photograph as most cameras now auto-focus and may focus on the background. You need close pictures to appreciate the colours within the flowers.

See also

Other flowers in the family Boraginaceae include [332] Comfrey, [254] Green Alkanet and [121] Viper’s Bugloss. This family tends to have plants with blue flowers.

[232] Mus musculus domesticus, Mouse

[232] Mus musculus domesticus, House Mouse

Introduction

Mus musculus, the House Mouse, usually just called a mouse, is a small wild rodent mammal that has become associated with human habitations. It has three (or more) geographic subspecies sometimes treated as separate species, and Mus musculus domesticus. the Western European House Mouse also includes the Fancy Mouse and Laboratory Mouse.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Mammals

Superorder- Euarchontoglires/ Supraprimates

Grandorder – Glires (Rodents and Lagomorphs)

Order – Rodentia

Suborder – Myomorpha (Mice, rats, voles and others)

Superfamily – Muroidea (Mice, rats, voles and others)

Family – Muridae (Mice, rats, gerbils)

Genus – Mus (Mice)

Subgenus – Mus

Species – Mus musculus

Scientific Name – Mus musculus domesticus

Taxonomic levels between Mammals and Rodents are subject to discussion but all modern science puts Rodents quite close to Primates.

Name

Mouse (plural: mice) is a very old word cognate with the Latin mus, and musculus is just a diminutive of mus.

Rodents

Rodents, which include mice, rats and squirrels, have a pairs of incisor teeth that continue to grow in the upper and lower jaws.

[Rabbits and hares also have these growing teeth but are now considered as a separate family, Lagomorphs.]

Description

The mouse is a familiar small mammal with a pointed nose and long tail. The tail is used for balance. When eating or fighting they can stand on their hind legs, supported by the tail.

They are omnivorous but mostly eat vegetation.

They are so well adapted to human habitation that they are now much more common near people than in the wild.

Mice were originally native to India but spread to Europe from about ten thousand years ago. They are thought to be one reason for the domestication of Cats.

They are one of the most common unwanted pests in houses, often seeking warmth in the autumn or winter after living outside.

Habitat and use

Mus musculus domesticus is native to western and northern Europe and some other areas. The Eastern European House Mouse, M m musculus, is found in the south and east of Europe. There is a zone where both subspecies can hybridize.

They are found in fields and in agricultural setting but much more often in and near houses.

Mice are sometimes kept as pets when they are known as Fancy Mice. As for many other animals they now have a number of varieties that are exhibited competitively. See [243] Rabbits, [296] Rats, [066] Dogs, [144] Cats, [130] Horses, [054] Cattle, [245] Sheep and [328] Pigs – we also have guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, ferrets, snakes, parrots, budgerigars, chickens and other fowl, goldfish and other fish, and many other more obscure animals.

There are also large numbers of Laboratory Mice used in scientific experiments. These originate from either Mus musculus or from two American species. They reproduce relatively rapidly and continued interbreeding has led to several distinct strains that can differ in appearance or behaviour from wild mice. [Inbred strains, produced by twenty or more brother-sister or parent-child matings, are very uniform in their characteristics, almost like clones, in a way that can make experiments on them more valid.]

Other Notes

It should not surprise you that as well as sometimes living in houses, some mice have learned to make use of bird feeders.

Anyone with a cat will know that mice are frequently hunted by cats. They are also sometimes the prey of [001] the Sparrowhawk.

See also

Apodemus sylvaticus, the Wood Mouse; Apodemus flavicollis, the Yellow-necked Mouse; and Micromys minutus, the Eurasian Harvest Mouse, are other related species in the family Muridae that occur in the wild in Britain. The first two of these can be called Field Mice.

Their other close relatives are [042] the Water Vole and [296] Norwegian Rat.

[231] Motacilla alba yarelli, Pied Wagtail

[231] Motacilla alba yarellii, Pied Wagtail

Introduction

Motacillais a genus of small passerine birds called Wagtails.

Motacilla alba is black and white and is called the White Wagtail, except in the UK where we have the subspecies Motacilla alba yarelli, known as the Pied Wagtail. Juveniles are grey and white.

Motacilla cineraria is more yellow in appearance and is called the Grey Wagtail.

Motacilla flava, the Yellow Wagtail is a brighter yellow colour, and Motacill citreola, the Citrine Wagtail is even brighter yellow.

I have listed these in order of rarity. The Pied Wagtail is common and widespread in Britain and the Citrine Wagtail is rare and very localized.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Passeriformes

Family – Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)

Genus -Motacilla

Species – Motacilla alba

Scientific Name – Motacilla alba yarelli

The species Motacilla is probably polyphyletic.

Name

You only have to look at these birds to see why they are called Wagtails but the species names are more difficult to explain. In Britain it’s best to consider them as being named from the predominant colour of the head – as the Grey Wagtail that looks yellow actually has a grey head. Outside the UK each species has several geographically separate subspecies with colour variations that don’t make identification any easier.

Motacilla is the Latin name for these birds, a diminutive of ‘motare’, to move about. From Mediaeval times -cilla has been falsely taken to mean tail. Alba, cineraria and flava mean white, ashy grey and yellow, and citreola is associated with the lemon colour of citrus.

[William Yarrell (1784-1856) was an English zoologist who wrote the standard reference book of British ornithology in 1843. Several species are named after him.]

The word pied meaning black and white (or sometimes two other colours) comes from [265] the Magpie. It is very common in the names of animals.

Description

Motacilla alba, the White Wagtail, has about ten distinct subspecies but is almost certainly polyphyletic. Convergent evolution has led to subspecies that appear more closely related than they are and the various subspecies of Motacilla may eventually be regrouped at the species level.

The various subspecies of Motacilla alba cover all of Eurasia but we can consider just the UK subspecies, Motacilla alba yarellii, known as the Pied Wagtail. This is much the most common wagtail species found in Britain.

It’s a small passerine bird, similar in size to many common woodland and garden birds but with a longer tail. It does often wag its tail when standing. It is black and white. The underparts and the sides of its face are white, with a prominent dark eye in the centre of the white cheeks.

Juvenile birds have grey instead of black but are otherwise similar.

It seems to like water and is often seen by rivers or at the seaside.

Habitat

The subspecies Motacilla alba yarelliiis common and widespread in the UK. Other subspecies, called White Wagtails are found over Europe and parts of Asia and northern Africa.

They live to some extent in towns. In winter they are known to form large flocks of several hundred birds to roost in trees in central Cheltenham (and presumably in other locations.)

Other Notes

The Pied Wagtail is relatively common but it is one of the most difficult birds to photograph well. Most birds are aware enough of people to maintain a comfortable distance and Pied Wagtails have their own ideas of what is a safe distance – and it’s further away than many other small birds. If you get too close, they walk, hop or fly away. They also rarely keep still. And they don’t visit bird feeders.

See also

Motacilla cinerea, the Grey Wagtail, looks at first like a yellow version of the Pied Wagtail but it is only the underparts that are yellow, sometimes partly buff or white. Its back and head are from light grey to dark grey with a white eye stripe.

It has a slightly longer tail than the Pied Wagtail and its wagging tail motions are more evident and this bird tends to be more associated with water environments such as river banks.

The next pictures show a mother her nearly adult chick.

It is found over Western Europe and is widespread in the UK although less common than the Pied Wagtail.

Motacilla flava, the Yellow Wagtail, has solid bright yellow underparts and a yellow tinge to its back. It’s a relatively rare summer visitor to parts of England.

Motacilla citreola, the Citrine Wagtail, is similar to the Yellow Wagtail. The yellow colour extends to most of its head. Its normal distribution is the northeast of Europe but occasional vagrants are sometimes seen on the coasts of Southwest England.

Anthus pratensis, the Meadow Pipit, is a close relative of the Wagtails that I haven’t included.

[230] Morus bassanus, Gannet

[230] Morus bassanus, Gannet

Introduction

Morus bassanus, the (Northern) Gannet, is a magnificent seabird. They feed by diving up to thirty metres below sea level.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Birds

Clade – Ardeae (Seabirds – excludes waterfowl)

Clade – Aequornithes (Most seabirds)

Order – Suliformes (Cormorants, Anhingas, Frigatebirds and Gannets)

Family – Sulidae (Gannets and Boobies)

Genus – Morus

Scientific Name – Morus bassanus

The Gannet was classed as Pelecanus bassanus by Linnaeus in 1758.

It became Sula bassanus in 1760 and then Morus bassanus in 1816

Name

Gannet, from Old English roots, means strong or masculine and is cognate with gander.

Morus comes from Ancient Greek moros meaning foolish, cognate with moron. Its relatives were named Boobies as they were so unused to men that they could be picked up and taken for food from their colonies. Bassanus comes from Bass Rock.

Use of the word gannet for a gluttonous eater dates from the early Twentieth Century.

Description

The three species of Gannet are sometimes considered as subspecies of a single species. They are so closely related to Boobies as to be considered sometimes to belong to the same genus Sula. [Sula comes via Scottish Gaelic from Old Norse meaning ‘cleft stick’ from the appearance of the black tipped crossed wings when held aloft.]

Unless you go to a breeding colony you will only see these birds flying in the distance. They fly effortlessly over the sea with long outstretched wings. Their pointed bill points forward and the bird appears to be all white except for the wingtips, which are black.

When they feed, they fold their wings back to make a torpedo shape with their long, pointed bills. They dive at speed from a height straight down to over ten metres depth and continue swimming deeper.

If you can get closer you can see that the head and neck are an attractive shade of pale golden colour.

Habitat and use

Gannets are true seabirds, spending their lives at sea. Their range covers the western, northern and eastern regions of the Atlantic from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.

They only return to land to breed and they do so at a limited number of clifftop sites and islands round the coast. Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire is the only site in England. There are others in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the island of Alderney (in the Channel Islands.) Outside the UK there are a few sites in northeast Europe, Iceland and around Newfoundland.

They nest in the sides of the cliffs and the pairs share brooding and feeding duties, greeting each other when they return.

Other species of Gannets and Boobies are geographically separate.

Other Notes

Apart from their breeding sites you can see Gannets at sea around the coast.

See also

See [149] Puffin for some more sea birds. If you actually venture out into the sea you will also see Shearwaters and Petrels from the family Procellariidae.

[229] Miscanthus sinensis, Chinese Silver Grass

[229] Miscanthus sinensis, Chinese Silver Grass

Introduction

Miscanthus sinensis, Chinese Silver Grass (or Silvergrass), is a large type of grass, native to Eastern Asia and widely cultivated elsewhere. It has several cultivars of different forms including some with horizontal variegation on their leaves.

Other species of Miscanthus are called Silvergrass.

Miscanthus sinensis is also known as Eulalia.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Clade – Monocots

Clade – Commenelids

Order – Poales

Family – Poaceae

Clade – PACMAD

Subfamily – Panicoideae

Supertribe – Andropogonodae

Tribe – Andropogoneae (Sorghum, Sugarcane, Maize and others)

Subtribe – Saccharinae

Genus – Miscanthus (Silvergrasses)

Scientific Name – Miscanthus sinensis

Synonyms include Eulalia japonica.

It comes in several varieties and cultivars

Name

Miscanthus come from Ancient Greek ‘miskhos anthos’ meaning stalk-flower, which seems to apply just as well to any grass. Sinensis is the Latin for Chinese – it could have been called Japanese or Korean but China normally gets in first.

The genus Eulalia with many species is named from the French botanical artist Eulalie Delile. Miscanthus sinensis retains the common name Eulalia

Description

This is our last species ornamental grass and I won’t much add to what I have said in [074] Crimson Fountaingrass, which also looked at grasses in general. Just as that species is not very crimson, Chinese Silvergrass is not very silver.

It has many varieties, one of which has a horizontal stripe effect on its stems.

It produces both male and female flowers.

Habitat and use

This grass is native to parts of China and also Japan and Korea. It is widely cultivated in parks and gardens with many cultivars.

Other Notes

There may be other species of ornamental grass, not just other species of Miscanthus.

See also

You know all about grasses.

[228] Mergus merganser, Goosander

[228] Mergus merganser, Goosander

Mergus serrator, Red-breasted Merganser

Introduction

Mergus merganser and Mergus serrator are two species of sea ducks known as sawbills, rarely seen in England and Wales but a little more common in Scotland.

Mergus merganser is known as the Goosander in Eurasia and the Common Merganser in North America.

Mergus serrator is the Red-breasted Merganser.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Anseriformes (Waterfowl)

Family – Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans)

Subfamily – Anatinae

Tribe – Mergini (Sea ducks)

Genus – Mergus

Scientific Names – Mergus merganser, Mergus serrator

The subdivisions within Anatidae are uncertain.

Names

The Latin word mergus was an unspecified waterfowl or diver and the Late Latin merganser comes from mergus and anser, meaning goose as we saw in [026] Greylag. Goosander, derived from goose and gander, has been used in English for this bird for four hundred years.

Sawbills

Within the tribe of sea ducks, Mergini, most species dive for molluscs and crustaceans on the sea bed. The Mergus species also catch and eat fish and have serrated bills to hold the fish. Hence, these are called sawbills.

There are only five species in the genus Mergus and the other three are extinct or almost extinct. The closely related Smew (See below) is also a sawbill.

Goosander

All the species in the genus Mergus have a crest of long feathers on their heads but these are not usually displayed. The long thin red bill has a downturned point.

The adult male in breeding plumage has a white body, a dark head with an iridescent green colour and dark back.

Females and males in eclipse are mostly grey with a dark brown head.

They do eat fish but will also eat molluscs, crustaceans and sometimes small birds or mammals.

Red-breasted Merganser

These are similar to Goosanders in appearance but the male lacks the full white breeding colour. His body is more coloured with a red breast.

Females are more difficult to distinguish from the Goosander but again the red breast is significant. (For the Goosander it is white.)

I don’t have any good quality pictures. You are unlikely to get close to these birds,

Habitat

Mergus merganser is found in northern Eurasia and North America and generally prefers river habitats. In the UK they are usually restricted to Scotland.

In England they are rare winter visitors to some isolated lake locations. We have had them very rarely on the lakes in our local town park.

Mergus serrator has a similar distribution but is usually seen at sea or in coastal locations. They do not come South to England in winter.

Other Notes

I’m hoping this post will survive. So far Microsoft Word has lost it completely twice. The second time at least its backup system seemed to work.

See also

Most of the other sea ducks live in the Arctic North and spend their lives at sea. Scoters and Eiders may be seen out over the sea or closer around the Shetlands. Mergini also includes  [059] The Goldeneye and the Smew, Mergellus albellus, a very close relative, an even rarer occasional winter visitor to Britain.

The Smew is sometimes included within Mergus but is probably more closely related to the Goldeneye. Their normal habitat is further North than the mergansers but occasionally one or two may winter somewhere in the UK. The male in breeding plumage is almost entirely white. I have seen one or two winter visitors at the Cotswold Water Park but they keep their distance at the far side of lakes – too far away for useful pictures.

[227] Melilotus officinalis, Yellow Sweet Clover

[227] Melilotus officinalis, Yellow Sweet Clover

Introduction

Melilotus officinalis, Yellow Sweet Clover, is a widespread wildflower. It has attractive but small bright yellow flowers.

It is also known as Sweet Yellow Clover or just Sweet Clover. Other names include Common Melilot, Yellow Melilot and Ribbed Melilot.

Other species of Melilotus may be called Sweet Clover or Melilot. Sweet Clover may be spelled as Sweetclover or Sweet-clover.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Fabales

Family – Fabaceae (Legumes)

Subfamily – Faboideae

Tribe – Trifolieae

Genus – Melilotus

Scientific Name – Melilotus officinalis

Name

Melilotus is in the Clover tribe, Trifolieae, and is named for its sweet smell. The Latin mel- means honey or sweetness and you will recognize -lotus from [214] Bird’s-foot Trefoil.

You will also have seen officinalis a few times, a species epithet used to mean common.

Description

Melilotus officinalis is an annual or biennial plant that grows to two metres in height, often in clumps.

Its leaves have three leaflets as for most clovers.

It produces spikes (racemes) of small, bright yellow flowers.

Habitat and use

Melilotus officinalis is native to Eurasia and has been introduced elsewhere, where it can become invasive.

It has been used as a typical legume for nitrogen fixation. (See [214] Bird’s-foot Trefoil.)

In North America it is used as a forage crop and it is also used as a green manure. (This means that it is allowed to grow and die in order to fertilize the land.) It has also been used for phytoremediation – to improve soil contaminated with toxic contaminants.

Cultivated varieties are available.

Other Notes

I have been lucky with a few species and this is one of them. Until the middle of June I was beginning to wonder whether I had enough pictures for a blog post. While I was looking out for it, I couldn’t remember where I had seen it or what it looked like.

Then I passed a clump about two metres wide and two metres tall. All of it was in flower!

And, of course, over the next day or two I saw it again and again on my walks.

See also

[198] Sweet pea and Bird’s-foot Trefoil are related but not similar in appearance. The same is true for [343] Clovers, which I am sure you will recognize.

[210] Yellow Toadflax and [283] Yellow Corydalis are some more yellow wildflowers but not related.

[226] Melanargia galathea, Marbled White

[226] Melanargia galathea, Marbled White

Introduction

Melanargia galathea, the Marbled White Butterfly, usually just called a Marbled White, may look superficially white in flight but it is actually a patchwork of black and white (or brown and white).

It shares its common name with Hesperocharis graphites from Central America and Nyctemera coleta and Nyctemera adversata from southeast Asia.  Hesperocharis graphites doesn’t look like our version and the last two are both moths with light brown patterns a bit similar to Melanargia galathea.

The other twenty species of Melanargia, each with smaller local geographical distribution, are also called Marbled White.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Lepidoptera

Family – Nymphalidae

Subfamily – Satyrinae (Browns)

Tribe – Satyrini (Graylings and Ringlets)

Subtribe – Melanargiina (Only Malanargia)

Genus – Melanargia

Subgenus – Melanargia

Scientific Name – Melanargia galathea

Name

Although it may be predominantly brown this butterfly looks almost white when in flight.

I’m having to guess for the scientific name but melano- is an Ancient Greek root meaning black; Argus or Argia are Greek names in mythology associated with the town of Argos; and Galatea was a mythological figure named as milky-white. (Remember [154] Snowdrop.)

Description

The wings have a roughly chequered pattern on the wings. On the upper surface this is almost bleck and white, while the lower surface may have black or dark brown markings. Males and females are similar in appearance but generally males are black and females brown.

Caterpillars feed on various grasses. You will remember from [176] Yorkshire Fog that we have many species of grass. Wikipedia notes that the genera used by Melanargia galathea for its food include Phleum, Poa, [146] Festuca, Bromus,  Dactylis,  Brachypodium,  Agrostis,  Elytrigia, Holcus, [345] Triticum and Agropyron.

Habitat

The Marbled White is found across Europe apart from Scandinavia and the Iberian Peninsula, and Asia Minor.

In the UK it is more or less restricted to the south of England, generally in unimproved grassland areas.

See also

We have more butterflies to come. The Browns are the nearest relatives but visually this is more similar to [267] the Large White and Small White.

[225] Mareca strepera, Gadwall

[225] Mareca strepera, Gadwall

Introduction

Mareca strepera the Gadwall, is a duck that is widespread but relatively rare over Britain. Until recently it was classified as Anas strepera.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Anseriformes (Waterfowl)

Family – Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans)

Subfamily – Anatinae (Dabbling ducks)

Tribe – Anatini (Extant dabbling ducks)

Genus – Mareca (Wigeon and Gadwall)

Scientific Name -Mareca strepera

Originally known as Anas strepera

Name

This duck has been known as a Gadwall since 1666 but the origin of the name is unknown. We met Mareca yesterday. Strepera from the Latin means noisy.

Description

Although it comes from the same genus as [224] the Wigeon, it does not look similar. They are monogamous and often seen as a pair, which can show their sexual dimorphism.

The male Gadwall is a mottled grey colour with a black bill and rear end and a white speculum. The wings have a dark brownish pattern. The fine mottling has an attractive appearance if you can get close enough to appreciate it.

The female has the same mottled brown appearance as many female duck species, but can be identified by her orange-edged bill, white speculum and white underparts.

In eclipse (non-breeding) plumage the male looks more like the female bird but remains greyer with less orange on the bill.

Habitat and use

The Gadwall breeds normally from northeast Europe to the far east and in parts of North America. It is migratory and winters farther south, including north-eastern Africa and Central America.

In Britain it is a scarce winter visitor and breeds rarely.

Other Notes

This bird is relatively rare in Britain. I often see a pair at the usual wetland sites but there are rarely more than two birds. I suspect that some of those I see are introduced or semi-tame.

See also

We saw [224] Wigeon yesterday.

[224] Mareca penelope, Wigeon

[224] Mareca penelope, Wigeon

Introduction

Mareca penelope, the Wigeon, is a duck commonly seen in Britain as a Winter visitor. Until recently it was classified as Anas Penelope.

There are three types of Mareca called Wigeon so Mareca penelope is the Eurasian Wigeon.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Anseriformes (Waterfowl)

Family – Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans)

Subfamily – Anatinae (Dabbling ducks)

Tribe – Anatini (Extant dabbling ducks)

Genus – Mareca (Wigeon and Gadwall)

Scientific Name -Mareca penelope

Originally known as Anas Penelope until recently.

Name

Wigeon (sometimes spelled as widgeon) comes from Old French vigeon or vingeon, from vignier, to whine or to shout, from its whistling call.

Mareca comes from Portuguese marreca, wild duck.

In Greek mythology Penelope was the wife of Odysseus (Ulysses in Roman mythology.) Hesychius of Alexandria, c 500 BC, included Penelope as some kind of seabird, possibly linked to this Penelope, and Linnaeus arbitrarily assigned the name to the Wigeon, originally Anas penelope, in 1758.

Note that modern taxonomic usage does not capitalize proper names as species epithets just as it does not capitalize (Latinized) country names.

Description

The male bird has a grey back and flanks, pink breast and a chestnut brown head with a creamy yellow central stripe. Its tail is black with white breast and rear flanks. The speculum, often not visible, is dark green.

The female is orange brown on her sides, dark mottled brown on her back and tail, with a dull brown head. In eclipse the male looks very similar to the female but retains the white wing marking.

The following two pictures show a mixture of male and female. (See also the header picture.)

They feed by dabbling for submerged plant food or grazing rapidly on grassland besides water.

Outside the breeding season they are very gregarious and form large flocks.

Habitat and use

The Eurasian Wigeon breeds in the northern parts of Europe and Asia including the far North of Scotland and sometimes parts of North England. In winter it migrates to North-eastern Africa, the Far East of Asia and all of the British Isles.

(The two other species of Wigeon are found in North America.)

It is found in wetlands or marshy areas.

Other Notes

Wigeon are generally seen at Slimbridge as winter visitors. They are gregarious and spend most of their time on the waterside grass, eating. The flocks are generally noisy with their familiar whistling calls. They don’t often come near enough for good pictures.

See also

See [225] Gadwall, coming tomorrow.