Stratford Guild TALK Wed 12 November REVIEW

Brilliant Mini Beasts - Speaker Juliet ten Doeschate

A fascinating introduction to the amazing and intriguing world of invertebrates including wasps, butterflies, ladybirds, flies and many more.

Some are very familiar and common visitors to our gardens, but others are so tiny (a mere 3mm) and so well hidden that we are not aware of them.

Juliet concentrated principally upon those which inhabit her garden of 2 acres which is half woodland and half garden. Many are parasitic feeding off other species. For example the spider eating wasp will sting and paralyse a spider then bury it with one of her eggs. The larvae will then feed on the living but immobile spider, whilst keeping it alive as long as possible to meet its needs. The parasitic wasp will lay its eggs in a ladybird, the larvae then feed on the still living ladybird. A chemical is also introduced into the ladybird by the wasp. The chemical is mind altering and causes the ladybird to start twitching if a predator is near which deters the predator.

This interdependence for survival not only involves one species feeding off another, but will also involve the use of the nests of others. The Cuckoo wasp, like its avian namesake, will lay its eggs in the nests of other solitary bees. When the larvae hatch they will eat whatever food, including the eggs,  were left by the original tenant.

Some species will use a more mobile species as a means of transport. The pseudo scorpion mite, which is tiny, will attach itself to a fly to move around. Bumble bees carry mites which help to keep their nests clean. The Scorpion Fly, which is not a true fly, is the dustman of the fly world eating dead insects.

Many of these ‘mini beasts’ play a vital role in pollination. As they move from plant to plant they carry pollen with them. The two banded wasp hover fly is described as a wonderful pollinator. Others play an important part in devouring pests such as aphids. Some species of hover fly guard the females although it is not unusual for a honey bee to be guarded by mistake.

The variety of behaviour patterns and the variety of species is quite overwhelming. There are 9,000 different species of wasp in the UK. Juliet has identified three different species of social wasp in her garden. Differentiating between male and female can be difficult where the male has a single segment more on the antenna than the female!

There are 46 different species of ladybird in the UK. Twenty-six of them are easily identified as ladybirds with the seven spot being the most common. However, many are dark in colour and without the familiar spots.

There are 280 species of Hover Fly in the UK. And there are many more types of mini beasts which Juliet touched upon, some of which she has found in her garden - butterflies, moths, hornets, dragonflies, damsel flies, shield bugs. To find them needs patience, observation and sometimes the use of a magnifying glass. It is worthwhile to look on grasses, under leaves, on wood and even in nail holes on posts which is where Juliet spotted a Yellow Faced Bee living alongside a Cuckoo Wasp in a second nail hole.

It is said that these invertebrates are vital if life as we know it is to exist. Therefore encouraging them into our gardens plays an important role in nurturing a healthy  and abundant planet.

Juliet suggests growing as wide a variety of plants as possible including wild flowers and grasses as well as cultivated plants. Having areas of grass kept long, but also areas of short grass to encourage mining bees and preferably not too tidy. Bird’s foot trefoil is an important food plant for many moths, butterflies and bees. Scabious plants are the food plant for the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly plus beetles, bees and hover flies.

Juliet’s enthusiasm and her love and understanding of her subject was infectious. The importance of these “mini beasts”  cannot be overstated.

Judith Kennard