Sunday, December 23, 2012

Wood Pile Habitat

One easy way to provide habitat in the backyard is to build a wood pile, even if one isn't intending to use the wood. We happen to use the wood, which brings discovery of just how varied and inviting are all the protected spaces these highrise hotels create.

Wooly bear caterpillars curl up inbetween logs.

This beetle liked a particular furrow in the bark.
Little ant hamlets, with ants larger than the variety that invade the home but much smaller than carpenter ants, cluster on small hollows in the split wood.

And a spider looked to be spending the winter sprawled protectively over its well webbed brood tucked in a knothole.

All this microlife makes naturalists slow wood gatherers, given the need to at least try to spare these animals, there homes set aside where they can remain through the winter.

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