stewartwillsher
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2017
- Messages
- 1,111
- Reaction score
- 98
- Points
- 48
- Location
- Western Spain and Costa de la Luz
WAFFLE about all creatures great and small.
OR as Monty Python would have it:
All things dull and ugly,
All creatures short and squat,
All things rude and nasty,
The Lord God made the lot.
Each little snake that poisons,
Each little wasp that stings,
He made their brutish venom.
He made their horrid wings.
All things sick and cancerous,
All evil great and small,
All things foul and dangerous,
The Lord God made them all.
Each nasty little hornet,
Each beastly little squid--
Who made the spikey urchin?
Who made the sharks? He did!
All things scabbed and ulcerous,
All pox both great and small,
Putrid, foul and gangrenous,
The Lord God made them all.
Following a "I ran away.." photo in another thread, I thought I would share a bit from our world.
We get some interesting critters, here in Western Spain.
Our land is about a hectare (couple of acres) and is on a terraced hillside, so one end (North) is on eight levels, but t'other end (South) is only three.
Each level is up to two metres different from adjacent terrace, with stone wall supporting it.
The Romans designed it, including irrigation channels (one of which crosses our land), for cultivating olives and grapes, with the Moors coming a few centuries later with the figs.
So, we have approx 65 olives, 500 vines, 45 figs; producing in a good year a ton and a half of olives, over half a ton of grapes and nearly a ton of figs.
There are about 25 assorted fruit/nut trees and few areas of indigenous oak, about 50 trees.
We are at 550 metres above sea level, and the mountains a few kilometres to the North of us (Sierra de Gredos) rise to several peaks higher that 2,000 metres.
With a micro-climate bordering on subtropical, and excellent soil, much vegetation will grow well and easily at our altitude.
All of which provides an excellent home for wildlife, some of which is not overly friendly.
The scariest insect is one of the least harmful, the Mammoth Wasp.
It rarely attacks humans and is preoccupied, sadly, hunting the larvae of the Rhinoceros Beetle, of which we have a few, in dead tree trunks.
The Mammoth is indeed a big bu99er and emulates a Lancaster quite well.
For some reason it flies low and fairly fast around my/our legs which is a bit disturbing, to say the least!
The nastiest is actually the Paper Wasp; I know, and read up on the sod just after inadvertently disturbing a small nest under our barbecue.
Don't look too troublesome, but looks are definitely deceiving in this case.
It stung below the first joint of first finger on left hand.
Whole hand and wrist swelled up like a boxing glove and hurt like hell.
Rating at 3 on the Schmidt pain index, difficult to describe what to do with yourself until it backs off a bit!
Thanks to anti-histamine tablet, and some liquid support (hic!) I relaxed quite quickly.
Next up are Tabaras, which are large native hornets of Spain.
Supposedly friendly, but get nasty if they think, or know, their nest is in danger.
Both wife and I have been caught out, innocently upsetting them and been stung.
Not as bad as the Paper wasp but still high "ouch" factor.
Common wasps are annoying and if indoors get swatted, sprayed, or stupidly visit the UV light and high voltage zapper.
Mossies (mosquitoes) are always finding me tasty, despite zappers, sprays and plug in thingies being deployed for much of the year.
Lumps appear, and I am shouted at to "don't scratch".
Ants come in all sizes and colours (well, mainly black or red) and rarely the flying type thank goodness.
They are one of the most deceptive creatures, because the biggest (about a centimetre) cause no problem and are rarely seen in the house.
The real sods are the minute ones that, if not checked with an excellent powder I get locally, get everywhere and have a taste for wife's ankles especially.
She gets very cross and it is my fault, as always, that the ground around the washing line area is not ant-free!
Have had a number of scorpions (Mediterranean species) but they are only dangerous to very young, very old or those unfortunate to be allergic to stings of any sort.
Just keep away from the arched tail with the stinger.
Being only a few centimetres long, a well aimed shoe deals with them with a satisfying crunch; they are arachnids (relatives of spiders) so get similar treatment.
There are spiders of all shapes and sizes here, and I am not aware of any that are dangerous, but I guess, like ants, can be an irritant.
We get the occasional snake, most over a metre but their babies only about 30cms long.
Whatever type, her ladyship insists it be dispatched; sharp spade applied behind head does the job quick and neat [to snake, not wife!].
Cadena (Chain) or Horseshoe Whip Snake are the most common here, from my observation; never cause concern, except to er-in-doors. Seen many babies but not adults, but they must be lurking somewhere.
Ladder Snakes can be bad tempered but not venomous; had one snuggling up behind our boiler (in an out-house), so let it be (didn't tell wife) in the hopes it would keep our unwelcome rodents in check; they find them tasty apparently, but still had rodents so not that good at predating them.
Grass Snakes are harmless and rarely seen as they seem to get into the smallest of gaps in rocks like lizards do.
Montpellier are potentially the nastiest here, but I've only had to deal with three. They were about a metre long, so not fully adult, but fat and ugly with a nasty venomous bite; not fatal, similar to a bee sting, but can make young, old or infirm peeps quite ill.
Harmless critters, however, far outnumber the nasty ones, so it is a wonderful environment for nature lovers or just those observing.
For example, to see metre or more wingspan kites whizzing past our windows is an everyday occurrence.
Even an occasional vulture or eagle soaring above is no big deal.
Takes a bit of getting used to, to see a gecko nipping up the lounge wall, but they get rid of insects, so are let be.
The last time I saw and RCZ in this neck of the woods, was many years ago!!! :?
Hmmmmmmm!
Rare critters, eh? :shock:
OR as Monty Python would have it:
All things dull and ugly,
All creatures short and squat,
All things rude and nasty,
The Lord God made the lot.
Each little snake that poisons,
Each little wasp that stings,
He made their brutish venom.
He made their horrid wings.
All things sick and cancerous,
All evil great and small,
All things foul and dangerous,
The Lord God made them all.
Each nasty little hornet,
Each beastly little squid--
Who made the spikey urchin?
Who made the sharks? He did!
All things scabbed and ulcerous,
All pox both great and small,
Putrid, foul and gangrenous,
The Lord God made them all.
Following a "I ran away.." photo in another thread, I thought I would share a bit from our world.
We get some interesting critters, here in Western Spain.
Our land is about a hectare (couple of acres) and is on a terraced hillside, so one end (North) is on eight levels, but t'other end (South) is only three.
Each level is up to two metres different from adjacent terrace, with stone wall supporting it.
The Romans designed it, including irrigation channels (one of which crosses our land), for cultivating olives and grapes, with the Moors coming a few centuries later with the figs.
So, we have approx 65 olives, 500 vines, 45 figs; producing in a good year a ton and a half of olives, over half a ton of grapes and nearly a ton of figs.
There are about 25 assorted fruit/nut trees and few areas of indigenous oak, about 50 trees.
We are at 550 metres above sea level, and the mountains a few kilometres to the North of us (Sierra de Gredos) rise to several peaks higher that 2,000 metres.
With a micro-climate bordering on subtropical, and excellent soil, much vegetation will grow well and easily at our altitude.
All of which provides an excellent home for wildlife, some of which is not overly friendly.
The scariest insect is one of the least harmful, the Mammoth Wasp.
It rarely attacks humans and is preoccupied, sadly, hunting the larvae of the Rhinoceros Beetle, of which we have a few, in dead tree trunks.
The Mammoth is indeed a big bu99er and emulates a Lancaster quite well.
For some reason it flies low and fairly fast around my/our legs which is a bit disturbing, to say the least!
The nastiest is actually the Paper Wasp; I know, and read up on the sod just after inadvertently disturbing a small nest under our barbecue.
Don't look too troublesome, but looks are definitely deceiving in this case.
It stung below the first joint of first finger on left hand.
Whole hand and wrist swelled up like a boxing glove and hurt like hell.
Rating at 3 on the Schmidt pain index, difficult to describe what to do with yourself until it backs off a bit!
Thanks to anti-histamine tablet, and some liquid support (hic!) I relaxed quite quickly.
Next up are Tabaras, which are large native hornets of Spain.
Supposedly friendly, but get nasty if they think, or know, their nest is in danger.
Both wife and I have been caught out, innocently upsetting them and been stung.
Not as bad as the Paper wasp but still high "ouch" factor.
Common wasps are annoying and if indoors get swatted, sprayed, or stupidly visit the UV light and high voltage zapper.
Mossies (mosquitoes) are always finding me tasty, despite zappers, sprays and plug in thingies being deployed for much of the year.
Lumps appear, and I am shouted at to "don't scratch".
Ants come in all sizes and colours (well, mainly black or red) and rarely the flying type thank goodness.
They are one of the most deceptive creatures, because the biggest (about a centimetre) cause no problem and are rarely seen in the house.
The real sods are the minute ones that, if not checked with an excellent powder I get locally, get everywhere and have a taste for wife's ankles especially.
She gets very cross and it is my fault, as always, that the ground around the washing line area is not ant-free!
Have had a number of scorpions (Mediterranean species) but they are only dangerous to very young, very old or those unfortunate to be allergic to stings of any sort.
Just keep away from the arched tail with the stinger.
Being only a few centimetres long, a well aimed shoe deals with them with a satisfying crunch; they are arachnids (relatives of spiders) so get similar treatment.
There are spiders of all shapes and sizes here, and I am not aware of any that are dangerous, but I guess, like ants, can be an irritant.
We get the occasional snake, most over a metre but their babies only about 30cms long.
Whatever type, her ladyship insists it be dispatched; sharp spade applied behind head does the job quick and neat [to snake, not wife!].
Cadena (Chain) or Horseshoe Whip Snake are the most common here, from my observation; never cause concern, except to er-in-doors. Seen many babies but not adults, but they must be lurking somewhere.
Ladder Snakes can be bad tempered but not venomous; had one snuggling up behind our boiler (in an out-house), so let it be (didn't tell wife) in the hopes it would keep our unwelcome rodents in check; they find them tasty apparently, but still had rodents so not that good at predating them.
Grass Snakes are harmless and rarely seen as they seem to get into the smallest of gaps in rocks like lizards do.
Montpellier are potentially the nastiest here, but I've only had to deal with three. They were about a metre long, so not fully adult, but fat and ugly with a nasty venomous bite; not fatal, similar to a bee sting, but can make young, old or infirm peeps quite ill.
Harmless critters, however, far outnumber the nasty ones, so it is a wonderful environment for nature lovers or just those observing.
For example, to see metre or more wingspan kites whizzing past our windows is an everyday occurrence.
Even an occasional vulture or eagle soaring above is no big deal.
Takes a bit of getting used to, to see a gecko nipping up the lounge wall, but they get rid of insects, so are let be.
The last time I saw and RCZ in this neck of the woods, was many years ago!!! :?
Hmmmmmmm!
Rare critters, eh? :shock:
