With all of the bad weather recently, I have struggled to find much to write about this month. However, on a bright morning at Bagworth Heath just before Christmas we were delighted to see this Peacock butterfly enjoying the sunshine before looking for a sheltered spot to spend the winter. It always amazes me that five species of butterfly overwinter as adults in this country however bitter the weather. In addition to Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Brimstone and Red Admiral all stick out the cold weather in their adult forms in sheds, attics, tunnels or amongst thick vegetation. In this way they get a head start on all of the other species as they are ready to breed as soon as the weather starts to warm and flowers begin to produce nectar. All of our other native species spend the cold weather in a dormant state as eggs, caterpillars or pupae and have a lot of growing to do before they can produce next year’s generation.

If you can’t get out and about there is always the wildlife that chooses to spend the winter inside with you to look at. Increasingly over the last few years we are finding Cellar Spiders or Daddy Long-legged Spiders in our house. They are almost always found indoors, preferring ceiling corners in houses, garages and sheds. As with all of our native invertebrates, they are harmless and even beneficial as they catch flies, small pests and larger spiders. They evolved in warmer climes, probably southern Asia, but have spread in human company over much of the world. They prefer a habitat where the temperature exceeds 10 degrees C throughout the year, so they tend to be less common in Northern Britain. They prefer dark areas as well, so perhaps under the bath may be a good place to look for them – or to avoid if spiders are not your thing.

One other species that you might find sharing your house with you this winter is the Harlequin Ladybird. This is an invasive Asian species that first arrived in the UK in 2004 and is now found throughout the country. They are voracious eaters of aphids, but they also eat a variety of other insects including our native ladybirds. They are very variable in appearance, both in colour and the number of spots, but they are usually identifiable by the cream section behind the head that has a black M mark. The hibernate from October to April and frequently choose our houses as a suitable warm space to see out the winter, where they can occur in their hundreds. They are completely harmless.

This is my last Nature Note as The Journal will no longer be produced after this edition. I hope you have enjoyed these articles over the last 10 years and I wish you all the best for your future wildlife adventures.