Wow - a month since my last post - there has been no shortage of wildlife to write about, just no 'spare' time to do the writing. However, the paid stuff is quiet for a few days at least, so I thought I'd share some observations of the small and hidden, to be precise what I found lurking within a used-and-the-young-fledged robin's nest.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPxpKmDI8cHTQ-GUNGYX8DicQ2vUc2LJ0ovrSFoAtBp5Kzb7NCPr3GF8vcg6mYNAzM-h0CPyGEww9FeWNhLtRlHZJZO8nBQ-6f8HwynRuSMH3GfuXoT9EkyCtXlSubjUaIKrJAdKzTzam/s1600/rnest1a.JPG) |
The robin's nest before dismantling. |
You never know what'll be hiding in a nest (whether bird or mammal) - there's always the possibility of some under-recorded parasites, plus the array of small invertebrates that simply use the structure as their own. So, a white tray, various tweezers and pins and some time later, this is what I found, along with quite a few Collembola (springtails) and Psocoptera (barklice) which I didn't collect on this occasion as I knew I would have time to work through the identification.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMhrGCkAtgw9sfOtehk32k3ADobU0NUBAB66X3V9E-BmSDjK1g3d6suaBQX0XgOHLdTwFQGYVrwn5r8r7vqmVTgycddWhje7kRE1N7tsA09bP-U6GDlvs-x8j9rV7jAJi53RBun-_0EJT/s1600/rnest1b.JPG) |
One of three similar pupae a few mm long, currently in my hatchery. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCR4jfYYgFniCXWifSRX85W-H4JSuaxmGUX8LkewiwJmgA47DLslOe5_Sr4rjeuFPTeP_5hHrgIm-TUJdCzVDjUvU6Ktw2hQQYJKCBICITC5lxi3jA21fkjfXsll171TRLEkBjOyK2Rx8C/s1600/rnest1c.JPG) |
Another pupa, also a few mm long. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvzErTKfyDUM_5JoVMBb-zvBenSCcfykYlMJ-Zgtji2-KPgOm2xGqGf8-tjBAQho5Kbmc276x5GrPQYbaG_XARkLiI-aFvNlmH3DaOSWbNsMBjqYq2VK1erOj9VuotaWIfndD_A4IXY8z/s1600/rnest1d.JPG) |
A very young spiderling, highly active and I think one of the wolf spiders (Lycosidae) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2vuI1dndh0FxJOskomyTAIVNm6_YeSrZAyrVpxqBuRvBEHzuDbqU4im2WSR16gAF4Ku2SIIi-robo7C5yqACtXKevm4ZqQmLEXSjEhW4rsqa2rZlpXv7T36EZ-WvoOgUqSwfWlHQBgXH/s1600/rnest1f.JPG) |
A tiny dead wasp, probably one of the Pteromalidae, possibly predated by a spider. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4uwCzRgU_YvCcqaFEMHy3e50GWJ1gEZX422UvI4yuA7TcDR51aDwqzF-7aWJV3orsrUoERLxhyQmzOuzzHPa_ugqyeaKRZ7lfy1gY1m9oY3WpGfvVjtju9uLT3xwInlpwrOqveGY3_1o/s1600/rnest1g.JPG) |
The exuvia (skin) of, well, I'm not sure... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIh8ZFwXgGwiLRPrrWaodeo-lbbfzZ83KLxqQH1nTApt1xKcWOxdt55lVq6TCyroCyyyGqbhKSh6M3DHgd9ZlWQxTDy_1KtbVqcSNksBo8LUShC9DjEwlcmrIsZGw5FyECZ1-i5xI_zhPK/s1600/rnest1h.JPG) |
Alive and active, the larva of what is probably a 'carpet beetle' (Dermestidae). |
So, not much in the way of definite identifications - with juvenile stages, that tends to be difficult, though if any are successfully raised to adulthood, I will as ever update the post. Also, no parasites, but there was good evidence of a thriving community of small invertebrates potentially living out their whole life cycle in the structure of the nest with larvae, pupae, evidence of emergence, predators and prey.
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