Bruichladdich Rockpooling Galore 5 July 2012

Niall, Lynda, Isi and I had a fantastic time wandering the shallows and turning over rocks at Bruichladdich on Thursday. Niall particulary enjoyed chasing after Common gobies while encountering countless Hermit Crabs, while Lynda, Isi and I discovered lots of mysterious creatures under rocks, many a challenge to identify. We spent the lowest part of the tide at Bruichladdich before continuing to Port Mor.



Hymeniacidon perleve - often found alongside Breadcrumb sponge.





Ascidiella aspersa - sea squirt




Corella parallelogramma - sea squirt




The star ascidian - our most beautiful species of sea squirt.




Eggs of the Nucella lapillus (pictured next to edible periwinkle.)




My favourite - the Breadcrumb sponge! There is something about its little craters and squidgy texture I find endearing.



Complete Species List

Common starfish, 15 spined stickleback, paddle worm, ragworm, lugworm, chiton, common limpet, periwinkle, flat winkle, rough winkle, dog whelk, common mussel, sandhopper, common acorn barnacle, butterfish, common goby, worm pipefish, flatfish, sprat, shore crab, snakeslock anemone, beadlet anemone, breadcrumb sponge, common prawn, common shrimp, oppossum shrimp, common hermit crab, common jellyfish, coiled tube worm, keel worm, star ascidian, nucella lapillus (eggs), corella paralellogramma, ascidiella aspersa, common saddle oyster (empty).

Lorna

First of our Family Activity Sessions is tomorrow - 5th July

Out on a Bug Hunt last year

Our first Family Activity Session is tomorrow - meet Fiona at Port Mor at 2.00 pm for Rockpooling!!

Peacock Butterfly Caterpillars

The rock pooling was impossible today due to high tide, but we followed Malcolm's advice and searched through the nettles at Port Mor, looking for Peacock Butterfly eggs which I told everyone looked a bit like tiny gooseberries. Darcy was the first person to find them, but they weren't eggs anymore, they had just hatched into tiny black caterpillars, lots of them. It was a very exciting moment.

But there was more to come when Darcy (again) called over that she'd found more caterpillars that looked a bit different. This time they were Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars which also feed on nettles. I was ecstatic! The ones shown above are the Peacock caterpillars; the Small Tortoiseshell ones didn't come out but I'll try again tomorrow.

We have taken a few of each species to put in our butterfly pavilion at the centre. Do come and have a look when we open next week.

Becky