The Retaliation of Mousedom

With all the concentration on Scrape activities recently, it's time for us to take a look at the small world of the mouse for a change.  These little chaps, so often relegated in our story as nothing more than Kestrel snacks, inhabit a world in and around the bushes along the trails and get to see all sorts of bugs and creepy crawlies far too difficult for us to get at.  So, with the latest miniaturized camera technology in paw, I sent off our intrepid explorer to see what was around

Strange flies inhabit this miniature world, making it easy to see where some of the all time famous film nasties originate

But prettier insects can be found, like this False Oil Beetle, making the most of the sunshine on the wildflowers

Damsels flit around the bush, alighting briefly every now and again to rest their wings

And the sharp eyed mouse spotted a glow-worm making her way across the path to safety

Deadly looking Ichneumons wasps (Ephialtes manifestator I think) can be spotted nearby, they're particularly keen on finding bees or wasps filling up bug hotels, where they can use that extra long ovipositor to leave their own eggs

A Flavous Nomad Bee landed nearby

Nomads are another species that like to pinch someone else's food stash for their own young - there seems to be a lot of that going on in the insect world

The little Click Beetle was better behaved

And the mysteriously named Froghopper was no trouble

The little spider decided to take matters into its own jaws though, lunch was served

Which reminded me it was nearly time to recover the camera and head for some food of my own, leaving the Mouse just enough time to grab a last minute pic of a Wasp Beetle

and the beautifully marked Longhorn Moth

before I left the miniature world of the sunny bushes behind.