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What to do with all this wildlife and identity

RoseVillaRoseVilla Posts: 44
in Wildlife gardening

I have several frogs in various sizes all over in the too long grass I keep trying to mow over the last few months. A group of nettles and turf which we’ve accidentally created which also house these caterpillars is like to identify and some sort of lizard or newt that was too quick!

we do want to create a pond and wild meadow area but feel bad about disturbing the current wildlife.

I’m thinking leave the grass and nettles and Turf area for now and maybe all these things will migrate to our pond and then we can tidy up?

Posts

  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    edited October 2023
    I linked your post to the moth thread so hope one of the experts will be able to identify your caterpillar.
    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1064328/moth-trappings#latest

    Good Luck with your new pond and meadow.
    I think you have to try not to feel too bad, you can only do your best to not disturb or damage too much .
    But in the longer run and scheme of things you will be creating and helping so much more.

    (I always apologize to the worms when I turn out the compost bins or disturb anything I did not mean to, anyone overhearing must think I am mad....)

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    @Rubytoo  It's not just you, I do that too!
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Thanks for the prompt @Rubytoo
    I suspect this might be a Spectacle moth caterpillar https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/abrostola-tripartita/larva-4/
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • RoseVillaRoseVilla Posts: 44
    wild edges said:
    Thanks for the prompt @Rubytoo
    I suspect this might be a Spectacle moth caterpillar https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/abrostola-tripartita/larva-4/
    Thankyou. That seems right as we have seen one of those moths in the garden
  • RoseVillaRoseVilla Posts: 44
    Saw this little one yesterday rescued him from our bulb planting and popped him back in the wild area! He was too quick last time for me to identify properly!
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    Lovely , I wish we had those...Newts?
    I am not very up on identity of them.  But whatever the kind lucky you :)

    I can do a good imitation after a bottle of wine.
  • RoseVillaRoseVilla Posts: 44
    Rubytoo said:
    Lovely , I wish we had those...Newts?
    I am not very up on identity of them.  But whatever the kind lucky you :)

    I can do a good imitation after a bottle of wine.
    😂 😆 😝 
  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    What you've got there is a newt (beautiful!)..  though I couldn't tell you whether it was a smooth newt or a palmate newt.  They like damp areas, and if you have a pond you may see them in the water in spring and early summer.  It will hibernate once daytime temperatures start dropping into single figures.
  • RoseVillaRoseVilla Posts: 44
    borgadr said:
    What you've got there is a newt (beautiful!)..  though I couldn't tell you whether it was a smooth newt or a palmate newt.  They like damp areas, and if you have a pond you may see them in the water in spring and early summer.  It will hibernate once daytime temperatures start dropping into single figures.
    Thankyou. We are going to build a pond!
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