{"id":20307,"date":"2022-09-21T13:40:51","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T11:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=20307"},"modified":"2022-11-07T15:53:09","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T14:53:09","slug":"your-letters-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/2022\/09\/21\/your-letters-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Your letters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The beech marten is a crepuscular and nocturnal mammal <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Marvellous martens put on a midnight show<\/h3>\n\n

My son and his family live in southern Spain, between Malaga and Ronda, and last night he and my visiting nephew were treated to a wonderful spectacle of three beech martens on their neighbour\u2019s roof, probably young ones, just before midnight! My granddaughter of 13 woke up, and with great forethought took her phone camera, and got some good footage of the three martens. <\/p>\n\n

This was an animal that I had not heard of before, as it does not exist in the British Isles, though is closely related to our pine martens, just a little smaller and with a more extensive white bib (the pine marten\u2019s is cream-coloured). <\/p>\n\n

In all my years of reading your magazine, over 40 now, I have never seen mention of this animal, but Google of course was able to tell me about it \u2013 but the footage they have online was not as good as my granddaughter\u2019s, so I was thrilled to get her little video this morning. <\/p>\n\n

I presume it is not at all rare, though haven\u2019t yet spoken to anyone who has heard of it, including a Spanish person staying near me in Co. Westmeath. Is it unusual or, being nocturnal, just not common to see them? Very exciting to learn at my age (78!) of an animal I was not even aware existed.<\/p>\n\n

Anna Baggallay, via e-mail <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

LUKE MASSEY FROM WILD FINCA IN SPAIN REPLIES: <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

What a fantastic encounter it sounds like you all had. As you\u2019ve seen, beech martens are very similar to pine martens and confusingly, can also be known as stone martens. They\u2019re quite widespread across Spain, as well as much of mainland Europe and Central Asia. They\u2019re more adaptable than pine martens and can be found in a range of habitats, including relatively urban environments. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

My childhood nemesis <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

As a child, camping meant a simple canvas tent erected in the back garden, the sort with no ground cover and a wooden pole at either end. Part of the reason I disliked the experience was waking up to the inevitable clutch of earwigs that had crawled inside the tent during the night and climbed to the top of the poles! Moreover, they were always \u2018there\u2019 when a rock was dislodged in a rockery pile or among discarded bricks and rubble. Occasionally even in the house. <\/p>\n\n

A website search tells us they are \u2018common\u2019 but it\u2019s years since I last saw one! Are they in decline? Has anyone done a population study of earwigs in recent years? Although earwigs were my nemesis, I have great respect for them. The female is by all accounts a devoted mother and of course they play a key role in recycling nutrients in the soil. <\/p>\n\n

Philip Goulding, Sheffield <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

ENTOMOLOGIST KARIM VAHED REPLIES: <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Of the four native species of earwig in the UK, the common earwig (Forficula<\/em> auricularia) <\/em>is the most widespread. Looking at distribution maps of this species (eg bit.ly\/CommonEarwigDistribution<\/a>), there is no sign that its range has contracted. Furthermore, given anecdotal reports in the media of earwig \u2018outbreaks\u2019 in recent years, common earwig populations seem to be doing quite well. The species also seems to be thriving in North America, Australia and New Zealand, where it was introduced. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Slow travel <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Gillian Burke suggests that we should have a shorter working week and embrace slow travel (Wild Times, July 2022). <\/p>\n\n

Surely a shorter working week will only encourage people to travel more and further, and this publication is full of adverts encouraging people to do so. Surely the only environmentally friendly holiday is to stay at home, turn off the heating and the plethora of electrical and electronic devices that seem to be essential to modern living, eat and drink no more than is necessary to stay alive and bathe less frequently. <\/p>\n\n

If you do go out, walk and shun places of entertainment, eg theme parks where energy is used. I don\u2019t think many will do this; I won\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n

John Woods, via email <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

GILLIAN BURKE REPLIES:<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Doing less, as you rightly point out, inevitably uses less energy and resources. You might be surprised to learn, however, of a growing movement of climate sceptics who believe mandatory lockdowns, and the elimination of personal freedom, is the real endgame of the climate change narrative. A ridiculous notion, perhaps, but one that could gain enough traction to flip hard-won climate legislation with a single stroke at the ballot box. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

A gaggle of geese<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

At our local pond, I saw a juvenile greylag goose hanging out with two juvenile Canada geese. It seemed that the Canada geese parents were looking after the greylag juvenile as if it was their own, as there were no greylag parents near. Do geese ever adopt a youngster from a different breed? <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Krystal Hanley, Edinburgh<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

TOM STEWART FROM THE BTO REPLIES: <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Juvenile geese will often form \u2018creches\u2019 that can involve over 100 birds (safety in numbers!) and include individuals of different species. Canada and greylag geese are often found in the same habitats so it\u2019s no surprise to see these young birds together. Canadagreylag hybrids \u2013 sometimes known as \u2018Canadalags\u2019 \u2013 are relatively common, too. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

An amphibian arrival <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Having read your website pieces on UK frogs, I just had to let you know that I have a frog in my washing-up bowl pond! I don\u2019t have room for a big pond in my garden, but just felt that I had to have some kind of water wildlife feature. I collected some spawn from a friend and a few weeks later, I had tadpoles. <\/p>\n\n

After a couple of months, I had about 16 perfect froglets. I had seen one or two in the garden during much of summer, but in late August I was over the moon to find an adult frog back in my little pond. My little \u00a31.75 washing-up bowl pond worked, and I\u2019ve brought wildlife to my garden in the form of an amphibian. Happy days! <\/p>\n\n

Moira Reed, via e-mail <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

BBC WILDLIFE\u2019S MEGAN SHERSBY REPLIES: <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

How wonderful to welcome amphibians into your garden, I\u2019m hoping to do the same in mine. I would suggest making some steps or adding in a small branch so that small mammals that fall in can then climb out. <\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
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GET IN TOUCH<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Email <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

wildlifeletters@immediate.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post<\/strong> <\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

BBC Wildlife, <\/em>Eagle House Bristol, BS1 4ST<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By contacting us you consent to let us print your letter in BBC <\/em>Wildlife. <\/em>Letters may be edited.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

Photo: BEECH MARTEN: MANUEL ROMARIS\/GETTY<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Marvellous martens put on a midnight show My son and his family live in southern Spain, between Malaga and Ronda, and last night he and my visiting nephew were treated to a wonderful spectacle of three beech martens on their neighbour\u2019s roof, probably young ones, just before midnight! My granddaughter of 13 woke up, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":20381,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"110","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"110","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_110-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_110-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_external_id":"October-2022-110-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"October-2022-110-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000087236||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000087236||","purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.496","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"58d61955-0ac4-406c-83f1-ab6f21d86b70","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-09-22T08:31:56Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"9d64340e-b763-4cfe-8f30-749d2155e170","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-09-23T07:26:44Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABw==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AnWQ0DrdjTP6PMHSdIVXhcA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[29],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-scaled.jpg",2560,2458,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-300x288.jpg",300,288,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-768x738.jpg",768,738,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-1024x983.jpg",800,768,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-1536x1475.jpg",1536,1475,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1387158361-2048x1967.jpg",2048,1967,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Marvellous martens put on a midnight show My son and his family live in southern Spain, between Malaga and Ronda, and last night he and my visiting nephew were treated to a wonderful spectacle of three beech martens on their neighbour\u2019s roof, probably young ones, just before midnight! My granddaughter of 13 woke up, and…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20307"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20307"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20307\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21667,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20307\/revisions\/21667"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}