Coccinella 7-punctata - A Ladybird.

I just happened to look out of the window this morning at my over grown grass that needs cutting and there to my surprise was one solitary ladybird, a beetle that I haven't seen for a couple of years and perhaps because of the rain.

So I nipped out with my camera and took a  macro shot of this delightful creature to share with you all.

A few facts that I have gleaned are :-

That this particular type is probably at least as widespread as the 14-spot ladybird in Ireland though less common in upland areas and more generally scarce in heather moorland. It is worth saying that we do live in an upland area!

Ecology
It was recorded mainly from herbaceous swards (12 occasions), and to a much lesser extent on conifer (2) or broadleaf (1) foliage or in heather (1).  Larvae have been found by sweeping in overgrown, floriferous, mainly legume-dominated swards (2) or on Cirsium arvense (3) in semi-improved pasture.

Variation

The intensity of ground colour may vary and the relative size of spots, but otherwise variation is limited.

My hope is that this sighting is an omen which will give us a splendid summer !

UPDATE !
Gender identification of ladybirds is extremely difficult and virtually impossible on live ladybugs even for the experts.

Behavioural and ecological research on H. axyridis, including examination of its positive and negative impacts, could benefit from in-field techniques for sexing this coccinellid. As mentioned by Majerus (1994), the sex of coccinellid adults can be easily determined through dissection, but more efficient techniques for sexing live adults are necessary. 

Non-destructive sex determination in coccinellids is generally difficult, with no characters applicable across the taxon (Majerus 1994; Hodek and Honek 1996). Despite the lack of all encompassing characters for sex determination, sexual dimorphism does appear to exist within most species. For many species, males are smaller with lighter pigmentation on the anterior portion of the head and slightly longer antennae (Hodek and Honek 1996). .

The Burren revisited pt 1

We were suffering from cabin sickness the other weekend and the remedy for this malady is long drive, on roads which at this time of the year are relatively deserted and free from tourist traffic. So we headed west with a flask of coffee, freshly made rolls and our four legged companion Toby to the Burren in west Clare.

To see the best of this area it is necessary to drive along the narrowest tarmac road that you can find, for it is on them that gems are hidden.

In one of the folds of the Burren limestone sits an almost cottage type industry known as The Burren Perfumery, which is a great draw for tourists as well as the indigenous population who are looking high quality organic perfumes, many of which are made from plants that grow in this remarkable area.

The perfumery is well sheltered from the winds by the spindly trees that surround this unique place and the approach from it's small car parks are via twisty paths which terminate on a large level courtyard.

The shop is light and airy with plenty of space for visitors to roam around and inspect the various products, all of which have testers so that you can find perfect scent for you.

What I find particularly good is that the staff are warm and very friendly, you feel as if you have known them for years.

Shop entrance

On the opposite side of the courtyard is the cafe where various beverages are served, among which are the mouth watering, delicious homemade cakes and fruit tarts, all of which are organic. Even the milk that goes into your tea or coffee comes from an Irish organic farm.

For further information please visit:  http://www.burrenperfumery.com

The Rock of Dunamaise, a possible rumour ?

The Rock of Dunamaise is to be demolished.

Last month’s heavy storm force winds, which contributed to the destruction of the castle at Coolbanagher, has severely undermined the foundations of the Rock of Dunamaise.

Works commenced today (Tuesday) demolishing the historic landmark, on health and safety grounds because of its current unstable and fragile condition.

So un-secure are the remaining medieval dry stone castle walls that the Department of Public Buildings issued an immediate notice to demolish the entire castle at the beginning of March. At least four British-based salvage companies competed for the tender. London-based company Solid as a Rock Ltd received the contract, as well as €1,675,000 from the department to carry out the work.

The Laois Nationalist has learned that the company intends dismantling the Rock brick by brick and transporting each one to Britain and America for resale. Experts in the salvage trade said that the castle bricks, because of their huge historical significance, could fetch up to $35 dollars each on the American market. They say that Solid as a Rock stand to make millions of euro if they pitch the rocks at the right market.

The weakening of the Rock, which proved a favourite location for many Hollywood blockbuster movies, including Darby O’Gill and the Little People, comes despite some €1.6m being spent on its preservation and strengthening eight years ago.

The company has begun advertising for 65 part-time positions to be filled under various job internship schemes, including JobBridge.

Over its historical past, the Rock, which is an internationally acclaimed architectural treasure, has been plundered, pillaged, racked and ruined, but still held firm against all-comers.

A group of local amateur historians have drawn up what they describe as “battle plans to defend the Rock.”
© The Laois Nationalist

MY APPRECIATION TO YOU !

I occasionally check the Google statistics to see how many people are viewing my blog postings and who is following them. As I have three blogs covering different subjects it can be interesting. The Druid blog gets quite a bit of attention, despite it being the least updated,similarly with my Poetry blog which is only updated when I compose something new; I have my dry times when nothing flows and my experience is that  it best not to contrive.
My general blog, A Heron's View,covers all manner of subject matter.

Earlier this week I collated a list of the various countries where my readers come from :-

Argentina,Australia,Austria, Brazil,Canada,Chile,China,

Columbia,Czech Republic,

Denmark,France,Germany,Greece,Holland,Honduras,India,Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, 

Latvia,Malaysia,NewZealand,Peru,

Philippines,Poland,Romania,Russia,Sweden,Switzerland,

Ukraine,United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela

To you all, my appreciation and thanks for stopping by to read my words, this especially includes those of you who are Followers and those who find the time to leave a comment on the individual blogs. Thank You!

A VERNAL SHEARING

Last night in celebration of the Vernal Equinox or in high hope of a sunny summer my dear Mrs H a shearing and took twenty years off me in the process.

Her reward for doing so, was that this morning I found on the bathroom floor her missing ear stud and I shall look for my reward later......

Wishing you all the joys of a wonderful Spring and a great Summer.

TONY BENN, An english republican.

Tony Benn
Socialist and Republican

Tony Benn, a true Socialist in every aspect of the word. It is not what he achieved politically, rather the principles of what he held fast to all of his life and that made him great!

I see little point in rewriting what others have already written about him (Tony Benn) and so therefore I direct you to the following links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Benn

http://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/uk/tony-benn.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/movingwords/celebritychoice/tonybenn.shtml

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/may/31/thewitandwisdomoftonybenn

Tony at The Glastonbury Festival

Finally, let the words of another notable republican socialist fill your heart and mind.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has described Tony Benn as a true friend of the Irish people following his support for a united Ireland.

His republicanism and dealings with Sinn Fein long before IRA and loyalist ceasefires which ended the Northern Ireland conflict in 1994 provoked controversy, particularly his invitation to Mr Adams to come to Westminster.

The former West Belfast MP said: "Tony was a true friend of the Irish people.

"A principled politician and activist, he spoke up passionately for the idea of a united Ireland. He remained an avid supporter of Irish freedom throughout his life."

Mr Benn met the Sinn Fein leader on numerous occasions. He invited Mr Adams to a meeting in 1983 during the height of the IRA's campaign when the republican party's tolerance of violence was anathema to most in Great Britain.

After a visit by Mr Adams was blocked in 1993 he correctly predicted that he would eventually visit Downing Street, to become a regular occurrence during peace process negotiations under the Blair administration.

Mr Benn,once campaigned to have the Queen's head removed from stamps. He was a republican, advocating an end to the monarchy.

His interest in Northern Ireland was long-standing and helped keep the issue on the Westminster agenda.

Mr Adams, now a public representative in the Irish parliament, added: "Tony was a champion of the downtrodden and the voiceless in Britain, in Ireland and throughout the world.

"I met Tony many times over the years. He was a thoughtful and highly intelligent human being and a genuinely nice man, whom I will greatly miss."

In 2002, when the peace process was gridlocked over IRA arms decommissioning, the upper-middle class and nonconformist radical called for joint authority to be introduced by London and Dublin.

Ireland's foreign affairs minister, Eamon Gilmore, said he was a man of great integrity and determination.

"Tony was a most principled and respected parliamentarian and was also a great friend of Ireland.

©belfasttelegraph 2014

Sign of Spring

When these purple crocuses encircle this small standing stone in my garden. Them I know for absolute certainty that the earth is warming and that Spring in all it's glory will soon be blooming forth.

The next sign will be when the daffodils bloom to create a big yellow splash of fire, bright enough to burn the eyes.

A Helpful Resident !

Damhnán Alla

or in English

A SPIDER!

The damhnán alla or spider may not be your favourite creature to look at, but you have to admit they are fascinating. There is no shortage of wonderful facts about them that get them noticed either.

All spiders have 8 legs. They arthropods which are invertebrate insects  having an exoskeleton (external skeleton) , a segmented body, and jointed appendages.

Spiders spin webs that they use to catch food in. They have glands that make silk.The silk that they make is stronger than steel and as yet science has yet replicate anything similar.

They are the largest order of Arachnids and are 7th in the world when it comes to diversity among their populations.

Antarctica is the only continent in the world where you can't find spiders.

They don’t have antenna which is what separates them from insects.

There has only been one species identified as vegetarian the rest are all carnivores.

Within the home they consume about 2,000 smaller insects and mites per year. So love them or hate them, they are an important part of our ecosystem by helping to keep the insect population in check. It is estimated that the spiders in 1 acre of woodlands consume 80 pounds of insects a year.

Spider superstition: Never kill a spider or you will invoke bad weather.

The Spider's webs were used to stop bleeding when de-horning cattle and they were also used in wound care in ancient Ireland.
ref: The Tadhg Ó Cuinn (1415) manuscript.

SPRING WEATHER

Birds in a snow storm and on the right a clutch of hardy greenfinches

at 1515 hrs

Two minutes later snow has lessened

photo at 1517hrs

Photo taken five minutes after the first one

in sunshine

Aged Hoodie & Spiders

One of the quirks of living in a centuries old cottage, is the amount of spiders who share themselves liberally around the place. So much so that I spend a lot of time looking at their regular web sites (no pun intended) Mrs H used to have a pet spider in the bathroom called 'Itsy' which I fear may have been inadvertently sucked up by the dyson !

All of our rooms have wooden ceilings. Our front room, which was the old kitchen until I relocated that function to the rear of the cottage; it has a hipped ceiling which is donkey's years old. Twenty-three years ago when I first moved in it sagged a little, so I stiffened it up with a few equally spaced small beams which gave it adequate support.

This is our turf (peat block) basket which our small cat Squeaky frequently adopts as a sleeping nest. She is very fortunate in that I always check the basket before tipping in a bucket of turf.

I acquired this colourful hoodie for five Euros yesterday in a Birr charity shop, it had been sitting there for several weeks and is brand new. I can only presume that it is too loud for the average person in this area. It is light in weight and keeps me warm which to my mind is the sole purpose of clothes.