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That could've been caterpillars rather than spiders - some of the ermine moths have larvae that spin communal webs on trees & shrubs, and sometimes can defoliate entire trees. Have a look here for more info & pics: http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=4475

The guy you're thinking of is CJP Ionides. There's a book about him here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000CM33N

It's definitely a larva of some sort. It looks similar to the Lobster Moth caterpillar (found in the UK), which you can see here: http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=838 As you can see, the second and third pairs of true legs (as opposed to the prolegs) are elongated, like those of your...

True, many hoverflies are wasp mimics, but none have the long antennae that this beast has. If it's not a Bembix, then it may be a sawfly (which includes woodwasps).

Looks like it could be a Bembix, one of the family Sphecidae. Have a look here and see what you think: http://www.faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=223

Sorry, but your suspicion is entirely correct. I know it's fashionable aongst us late 30-somethings to wax nostalgic about the programmes of our childhood, but the fact is they were better - is there anything nowadays like the opening lines of Noggin the Nog? "In the lands of the North, where...

There is a photo in Paul Devereux's book "Earthlights" of a "black ray of light" emerging from a cloud, and striking the ground, in Antartica. I wonder if this is what you mean. Interestingly, the black ray seems to be reflected back from the ground.

I found this on another forum: Confession of Gum Swallower: This is the confession of a gum-swallower. I admit it. For as long as I can remember, I have always swallowed my bubble gum instead of throwing it out. This used to be a major subject of contention with my mother when I was a...

This site has some articles on the relationship between birds and dinosaurs (admittedly argued from the point of view that birds are descended from dinosaurs), including two which deal with the problem of dinosaur and bird hands: http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/jdp.htm

Good question. I did a google on horseshoe crab, and found this: http://www.horseshoecrab.org/anat/anat9.html From the diagram it looks like horseshoe crabs have extensor muscles (is there anyone who knows about anatomy who can confirm or deny this?), so maybe the same was true for...

Tarantulas also have book lungs, but one of the factors limiting their maximum size is to do with the way they move. The leg of a tarantula (and spiders in general) only have flexor muscles - in order to extend the leg, the spider uses blood pressure (in the same way a high pressure hose will...

An old name for the Kestrel was 'Windfucker'. If fuck meant to strike or beat against, this describes perfectly how a Kestrel is able to hover.

I remember that story, although I recall the tatoo reading "F*ck Off And Die", and when it went to court, his defence counsel suggested (not entirely seriously) that he have the words "Please Don't" tattoed in front, so it would no longer be threatening!

We three kings of Orient are selling knickers 10 pence a pair they're fantastic, no elastic that's why our bums are bare

Wasps of the family Chrysididae use this strategy, and are known as cuckoo wasps. Most of the UK species prey on solitary wasps and bees, laying their eggs in the hosts nest. When the eggs hatch, the larva eats the host egg or young larva, then devours the hosts food store. This particular...

I was told a similar story by a colleague who heard it first hand from a colleague of his in his previous job. Apparently this guy used to be a copper in the vice squad, and was called to some public toilets (ladies) in Redcar. What had happened was that some guy had stuck his knob through a...

Sounds like a Beautiful Demoiselle, a type of damselfly. The British Dragonfly Society, at http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/frameset.htm?home&home has plenty of info & pictures

The largest dragonfly in the UK is the Emperor, with a wingspan of up to 150mm, and a body length of up to 84mm. Formerly found only in the south of the country, they have spread northwards (global warming?), and are a regular sight on Teesside, where I live. I work as a Nature Reserve warden...

Yes, I remember this - wasn't it oranges from Israel, which had been poisoned by Palestinian terrorists? I recall that I wouldn't eat oranges for some time afterwards.

"The Edge of Darkness", it's available on DVD.

I think it's a Scorched Wing - this photo isn't brilliant, but the illustration in my "Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland" looks more like it.

Some years ago, the GF and I were approached in a local park by a woman who asked us if we were "Gothics". God knows why, at the time I had long hair, a nose ring, and was probably wearing combat trousers and big DMs, while the GF may have had one item of tie-dye - hardly Morticia Adams. Anyway...

Camel spiders, aka sun spiders or wind spiders can be bought as pets - take a look at this link http://www.bugsdirectuk.com/otherinverts.html Although I keep tarantulas, and have bred them in the past, I've never tried one of these as they are supposed to be difficult to keep in captivity...

My initial thought was that it's a "hot-rock", an artficial stone with a heating element inside it, used by reptile keepers to heat their animals, like this one: http://www.zoomed.com/html/rock_heaters.php If it is though, it's a fairly poor one, as it would need a separate plug and lead...

Neil did this gag in episode of "The Young Ones"

If you look at this photo, it looks like there's algae (blanketweed or similar) on them, which might have obscured the "joins" between the individual frogs. Michael was spot on right from the start - it's 3 frogs in amplexus.

Apparantly, 87% of statistics are made up.

Well, in 1977 palaeontologist Michael Raath suggested that a single pair of side-by-side footprints implied that Syntarsus rhodesiensis hopped (quoted in "Predatory Dinosaurs of the World" by Greg Paul), but the more obvious answer is that these were from a standing animal, or two similar-sized...

There are a few, "Dinosaurs of the Air, by Greory S. Paul" is very good, though heavy going (at least it was for me). There's also "Mesozoic Birds, eds. L.M. Chiappe & L.M. Witmer", which I haven't read yet. And due out, there's "Feathered Dragons: Studies on the Transition from Dinosaurs to...

I think you may mean Alan Feduccia, who wrote "The Origin and Evolution of Birds". As you say, he is violently against the idea that birds evolved from dinosaurs, but seems to devote his time in picking flaws in the dinosaur -> bird theory, rather than proposing any viable alternative. One taxon...

Parthenogenic - they can reproduce without the need for males, laying eggs which develop without fertilisation and hatch into females only, which mature and repeat the process. This site has a lot of usefull info: http://www.earthlife.net/insects/phasmida.html

This report is in this morning's Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/indonesia/Story/0,2763,1113948,00.html with a photo of it in the paper. They state that the snake is 85cm in circumference - this would give it a diameter of only 27cm, extremely thin for a snake of this (alleged) length...

I've been told that this applies to Carlin How in East Cleveland - a lot of the inhabitants seem to be from the shallow end of the gene pool.

Try reading it on the toilet though.

Oops! The first line of my previous post is a quote from one of David Raven's earlier posts. I managed to delete the bits that say "quote" when I edited it. Sorry David, just call me Mr. Thicky!

The face seemed 'flat' and it had very pointy little ears. Then it legged it. The pointy ears identify this as a "small" cat, ie of the genus Felis, rather than a "big" cat of the genus Panthera eg leopard or jaguar, as these have rounded ears. Note that the puma is classified as a small cat...

Did a quick google and found this: http://www.evolutionnyc.com/IBS/SimpleCat/Product/asp/product-id/889589.html

Most mammals have a bone in their penis - I think humans are one of the few exceptions to this (too lazy to do a google for the others), so it was probably a raccon penis bone used as a toothpick. In the UK, an otter's penis bone was a popular tie-pin amongst country folk, when it was still...

I wonder if this is similar to my tongue, in which the frenulum continues right to the front of my mouth, so I am unable to fully stick my tongue out. Instead, when I try the tip of my tongue just curls back underneath itself. This has never caused me any real speech problems except that I cant...

If they were ichneumons (which seems likely) then they will have been searching for Woodwasp larvae ( or its american counterpart) within the treetrunk, then using its long ovipositor to bore into the tree (this is what the one in my photo is doing). If N. American woodwasps have a similar...

"Motorway to Roswell" by Pixies

And this one is the Ichneumon Wasp which parasitises it (Rhyssa persuasoria), which is even longer, but much more slender and delicate looking.

Thought I'd post a couple of my photo's. This is the Horntail, or Woodwasp (Uroceras gigas), which is about 45mm long, and lays its eggs in dead trees, using its ovipositor to drill into the timber. The larvae feed on the timber, taking a couple of years to reach full size before pupating. When...

Me too. It is in fact physically impossible to have too many books.

True, but this is described as an atypical ladybird. It's only about 3mm long, with an elongate body, so most people wouldn't consider it a ladybird. This site has some good pics of ladybirds - http://www.ladybird-survey.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/londonla.htm

Spotless ladybirds are ones that have just emerged from their pupa. The wingcases (elytra) are soft, and pale orange at first. It takes a couple of hours for them to harden, and to develop the familiar colour pattern.

Apparently all Golden Hamsters are descended from 3 individuals captured in Syria in 1930 (Shuker, "The Lost Ark"). It would be difficult to imagine a group of animals more inbred, yet I don't think they suffer any particular defects. On the other hand, cheetahs have low genetic diversity due to...

Apparently all Golden Hamsters are descended from 3 individuals captured in Syria in 1930 (Shuker, "The Lost Ark"). It would be difficult to imagine a group of animals more inbred, yet I don't think they suffer any particular defects. On the other hand, cheetahs have low genetic diversity due to...

When it was first shown on TV I managed to miss the last episode, and I've waited untill now to see it. Definitely well worth the wait - the closing shot will stay with me for a long time.

Yes, the Ace of D**kheads!