Dear Readers, once upon a time we were so familiar with insects and other invertebrates that every region had their own name for the creatures that they saw right throughout the summer. So for this week’s quiz, let’s see if you can match the vernacular name to the animal! I have tried to pick names that are nice and descriptive. Some scientists are giving common (i.e non-scientific) names to insects such as hoverflies, in the hope that it will make the creatures themselves more acceptable. I suspect, though, that the names that stick will be the ones that are given to the animals by the people who see them most often, and know them best.

In the quiz below I have tried to choose vernacular names that will give you a clue as to the invertebrates that they represent. Let’s see how successful I’ve been! All the names come from ‘Bugs Britannia’ by Peter Marren and Richard Mabey, a positive cornucopia of insect folklore. Fascinating stuff.

As usual, the quiz will be open until next Saturday (30th July) at 5 p.m. UK time, and the answers will be published on Sunday 31st July. And where did July go? Gosh. Put your answers in the comments if you want to be marked, and I will acknowledge them and disappear them as soon as I see them. If you have trouble commenting (and WordPress has been very flaky lately), you can also enter via my Bugwoman Facebook page if you pop your answers into a message.

So, for example, if you think the animal in Photo 1 is ‘God’s Little Pig’, your answer is 1) A.

Onwards!

The Names

A) God’s Little Pig (Somerset)
B) Jock wi’ the monyfeet (Scots)
C) Vibrating Spider
D) Devil’s darning-needle
E) Bog mole
F) Summer snowflake
G) Bella Donna
H) Horse-pincher
I) Red-coat (Scotland)
J) Dumbledore (Cornwall)

The Invertebrates

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10)