Snakes and Snakebite
There are only 3 indigenous snake species in the UK as well as a legless lizard (also called a slow worm) that might be mistaken for one. It is possible that you might also encounter an exotic species that has … Continued
Who can tell what a trout is eating
In early September I fished Llynnau Gamallt Mawr Lake, which is one of my favourite places to fish. Tackling up at the carpark, the weather was miserable and it was tempting to head off and try somewhere else. However, the … Continued
Frogs, Toads and Tadpoles
There are two frog and two toad species in the UK as well as number of exotic species that may have been released. They are widespread and found in a variety of habitats and can be predominantly green or brown … Continued
Life cycle of the trout
I started collecting materials to write a post about the life cycle of the trout and then discovered this page from the Wild Trout Trust. It is very comprehensive and worth a read …. why reinvent the wheel if someone … Continued
Anatomy of a fishing hook
This is a short article about that part of our fishing tackle at the business end of our setup. Most modern hooks a made from wire that is shaped into a hook, with the thickness of the wire being referred … Continued
Hunting for Bibionidae
One of my goals for this year was to search for specific insects that I have blogged about or would like to write about and take my own photos for the articles. One of the early season target species was … Continued
Grasshoppers and Crickets
There are 27 species of Orthoptera in the UK (not counting invasive species arriving in the UK), these include grasshoppers, groundhoppers, bush crickets and true crickets. They tend to have large hind legs which they use to jump long distances. … Continued
Water Beetles
Water beetles are insects belonging to the Order Coleoptera. There are around 250 species of water beetles in Britain which spend part or all of their life cycle in water. They prefer shallower margins of a wide range of aquatic … Continued
Dragonflies and Damselflies
There are 36 dragonflies (Anisoptera) and 21 damselflies (Zygoptera) in the UK. They both tend to have long thin bodies, a pair of wings and while many are brightly coloured they are not all. Damselflies tend to be more delicate, … Continued