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Dead rhino lands on car windscreen
Posted by Graeme Lyons , Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:29
But fortunately for me it was a Rhinocerous Beetle. A dead one at that. I was on my way to start some quadrats at Furnace Meadow, part of Ebernoe. Highlight was the rather unusual record of a pair of Snow Geese flying north east over the meadow. I wonder if they are breeding anywhere? Not wanting to be distracted too much with insects, I tried only looking at things I encountered in quadrats. I took this photo of the Knapweed feeding tortrix Eucosma hohenwartiana but I have seen this before. I did get one new bug in a quadrat though, Orthocephalus coriaeceus.
Earlier, Frances Abraham showed me the difference between two sedges that have been bugging me for some time, Wood Sedge and the scarcer Thin-spiked Wood Sedge (both are ancient woodland indicators). The first photo shows Wood Sedge at the top left and the larger leaved Thin-spiked Wood Sedge at the bottom right. The other photo shows Thin-spiked Wood Sedge. I'm really glad I have sorted these out and another new species for my list. I think I like sedges even more than grasses.
Finally, I have been watching this ugly brute by the side of the main road for the last week, it's the notorious alien Giant Hogweed. I was not familiar with the leaves and initially thought it was going to be Gunnera until it flowered. I have been meaning to get a photo but I was surprised to see it 'coned-off' today. I hope its days are numbered, it's not something I have ever seen in Sussex but the last thing we need is another alien. Especially one so dangerous it needs four cones and some barrier tape to stop it from attacking passing cars! I imagine because of photophytodermatitis there are all sorts of health and safety regulations about controlling it.
UPDATE 16/06/11: Thanks to Kingsdowner I have also been made aware that Giant Hogweed has inspired men to do other odd things over the years too. I'm not a Genesis fan but you'll see why I've included this...
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The authorities have obviously heard the Genesis song (oh sorry, Graeme, that's long before your time!)