Nature's Signs Of Winter

[ZONE 51]

Thicker than normal corn husks

Woodpeckers sharing a tree

Early arrival of the Snowy owl

Early departure of geese and ducks

Early migration of the Monarch butterfly

Thick hair on the nape (back) of the cow’s neck

Heavy and numerous fogs during August

Raccoons with thick tails and bright bands

Mice eating ravenously into the home

Early arrival of crickets on the hearth

Spiders spinning larger than usual webs and entering the house in great numbers

Pigs gathering sticks

Insects marching a bee line rather than meandering

Early seclusion of bees within the hive

Unusual abundance of acorns

Muskrats burrowing holes high on the river hank

“See how high the hornet’s nest, ‘twill tell how high the snow will restâ€

Narrow orange band in the middle of the Woollybear caterpillar warns of heavy snow;

Fat and fuzzy caterpillars presage bitter cold

The squirrel gathers nuts early to fortify against a hard winter

Frequent halos or rings around sun or moon forecast numerous snow falls.

Signs Of a Cold Winter/Nature

we dont have raccoons over here, so i dont know what applies for the uk in the list?, but its an idea anyway.

Thicker than normal corn husks

Unusual abundance of acorns

The squirrel gathers nuts early to fortify against a hard winter

(these three i would say for certain for the uk..)anyone think any others in the list applies to the uk?

Edited September 18, 2010 by nimbilus

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Anyone got a Walnut tree in their garden?? If so, when's the best time to pick them??

If I leave it too late the squirrels have the lot. However, I tried a couple today and they were so bitter, I had to have 3 cans of Strongbow just to wash the taste out !!

[jethro]

They're usually ready to harvest when the Green hulls split, I believe Sloe Gin is better at cutting through the bitterness.

[Turnedoutniceagain]

They're usually ready to harvest when the Green hulls split, I believe Sloe Gin is better at cutting through the bitterness.

Mmmmm Sloe Gin......not long now

In addition, the green hulls have stained my hands with an almost unscrubbable green juice/dye !!

[Turnedoutniceagain]

I'm still a Daddy Longlegs free-zone. House is usually heaving with them by now !!

[Snow Cat]

I'm still a Daddy Longlegs free-zone. House is usually heaving with them by now !!

I'd been wondering what happened to them too, there are usually lots and I haven't seen any.

[in the vale]

I was walking across the fields by me the other evening and there were clouds of Daddy Long Legs - every step saw 5or 6 of them lift off into the air. Magic!

[jethro]

That's the stuff of nightmares for me

[in the vale]

My six year old daughter thought it was magic too.....    

And you (don't) want to see the spiders we get around here at this time of year - genuine monsters they are. We have even had entomologists here to look at them. Something to do with the local soil & geography, apparently.

Edited September 28, 2010 by in the vale

[jethro]

Spiders are fine, it's just Daddy Long Legs which make me come over all girly and shrieks lots. Oh and Rats, horrible things.

[in the vale]

A new sign of Winter then - Jethro shrieking!

[Andy Bown]

And you (don't) want to see the spiders we get around here at this time of year - genuine monsters they are.

We have even had entomologists here to look at them. Something to do with the local soil & geography, apparently.

Would love to see photos of them please? Or a link to any entomologist report?

[in the vale]

Never saw any report from the entomology folk - not even sure they were writing one. I just got chatting to them a few years ago as they were walking down the path past my house. I am sure I have pictures from previous years - I will have a nosy when I get a mo. Put it this way, may of them are big enough that it is hard to trap them with a pint glass for fear of damaging their legs. And not just one or two - I recall coming in from work one day and there were 6 or 7 of these on the walls in one room. One of my cats (now deceased) used to have great sport catching and crunching them up. That was not particularly nice to watch.

[ZONE 51]

The warmth is bringing out some insects, seen a small butterfly,wasp,bees yesterday(tue) had not seen these for a while since it was colder most likely, and pears going strong.

[ZONE 51]

Loads of Ladybirds have been invading my windows, at least 20 between two windows, they started appearing on thursday, not seen this many at all since last year, must be the warmth, they only show in the afternoon.

Edited October 9, 2010 by nimbilus

[cyclonic happiness]

There's been a couple of mornings when i'm going to work that i've smelt that 'frosty' smell in the air...i love that

(is 'smelt' a word?? oh well, it is now)

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Loads of Ladybirds have been invading my windows, at least 20 between two windows, they started appearing on thursday, not seen this many at all since last year, must be the warmth, they only show in the afternoon.

Me too, must've hoovered up about 200 today. As you say, the windowframes seem particularly favoured !!

[jethro]

Don't hoover them, collect and put in the garden, it'll pay dividends in the pest control stakes.

[RichardR]

There's been a couple of mornings when i'm going to work that i've smelt that 'frosty' smell in the air...i love that

(is 'smelt' a word?? oh well, it is now)

smelt

¹â€“verb (used with object) 1. to fuse or melt (ore) in order to separate the metal contained. 2. to obtain or refine (metal) in this way.

Edited October 9, 2010 by RichardR

[jethro]

smell verb ( DISCOVER )

/smel/ v (smelled or UK ALSO smelt, smelled or UK ALSO smelt) • [T] to notice or discover something using the noseCome and smell these flowers!Can you smell something burning?[+ (that)] Didn't you smell (that) the pie was burning?I can smell something nasty in the bottom of the fridge.

[ZONE 51]

Don't hoover them, collect and put in the garden, it'll pay dividends in the pest control stakes.

nimbilus - yes put them safe-ladybirds eat the tiny things that eat your plants, the ones im seeing are the normal ones(coccinella)red with 7spots, but i once had an invasion of another type in my last home, i think they were called haliquins? i was told their the ones thats the problem?

[Snow Cat]

How long do the swallows hang around for? There's a chill in the air but I've been watching a group of 10-20 darting about over the sky here this afternoon.

I also saw some geese.

[knocker]

How long do the swallows hang around for? There's a chill in the air but I've been watching a group of 10-20 darting about over the sky here this afternoon.

I also saw some geese.

As far as I'm aware (and I'm certainly no expert) they should have gone last month on the short hop to Africa.Just had a quick loook on the web and it appears a few stragglers may hang around into October.

Edited October 14, 2010 by weather ship

[Turnedoutniceagain]

How long do the swallows hang around for? There's a chill in the air but I've been watching a group of 10-20 darting about over the sky here this afternoon.

I also saw some geese.

Long gone from here !

[ZONE 51]

The last few days i have seen flocks of birds dont know what they are? heading from south to north, high up they are in big numbers and fly in groups at least what looks like 20 or more, their wings flap quite slow to fast, not duck speed not swan speed, inbetween really, and they are not small and a bit long, maybe not geese they fly low far as ive seen. anyone know?

Edited October 15, 2010 by nimbilus