Springwatch Unsprung: Why Do Robins Have Red Breasts?. Jo Stevens

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СКАЧАТЬ groups and construct their characteristic tents from silk. They bind leaves together in loose webs and feed on the leaves within them or nearby. As they run out of leaves, the caterpillars extend the tents to cover new areas of tree or bush. If the caterpillars venture beyond the safety of the web, they can leave a trail of chemical pheromones to find their way back.

      The tents provide protection from predators – few birds would risk getting caught up in the silken webs. The layers of silk also act as insulation, retaining heat and encouraging the caterpillars to remain huddled together. The caterpillars need warmth for their digestion to work efficiently. Once they have grown large enough, the caterpillar will pupate and transform into an adult moth.

      The plants that the caterpillars feed on may be stripped of leaves. Some ermine moth caterpillars can be minor agricultural pests but generally the plants affected soon recover. After all, it wouldn’t be in the moths’ interest for the caterpillars to destroy their host plant as they will be returning as adults a few weeks later to lay their own eggs on it.

      Spring Quiz

      1. If you were offered a plate of wallfish, what would you be eating?

      A. Crayfish

      B. Wild strawberries

      C. Garden snails

      D. Mussels

      2. Spring sees the arrival of many of our migrant birds, but which travels the furthest?

      A. Swallow

      B. Swift

      C. Osprey

      D. Arctic tern

      3. Which of the following reptiles lay eggs?

      A. Adder

      B. Common lizard

      C. Grass snake

      D. Slowworm

      4. A flock of goldfinches is delightfully known as a ‘charm’, but which animals gather in these more ominous-sounding groups?

      A. An unkindness

      B. A siege

      C. A smack

      D. A scream

      5. If a dog is described as canine, which animal is vulpine?

      A. A vole

      B. A fox

      C. A peregrine falcon

      D. A red squirrel

      6. Which iconic spring flower is also known as the Lent lily?

      A. Wild daffodil

      B. Primrose

      C. Wild garlic

      D. Bluebell

      Spring Quiz Answers

      Question 1 Answer:

      C. Wallfish is a traditional name for garden snails.

      Question 2 Answer:

      D. Despite their name, Arctic terns fly from the Antarctic pack ice 20,000 kilometres away and have the longest recorded migration of any bird on the planet. Swallows arrive from South Africa about 9,500 kilometres from the UK, swifts return from spending the winter in central Africa about 6,500 kilometres away and ospreys migrate more than 5,000 kilometres from west Africa.

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