27dec2023

TREE BRANCH FALL ANIMALS
The most visible animals photographed on fallen branches are:
slug
snail
millipede
ant
Of these taxa only the ant is a known inhabitant of the branch before it fell. The ant colony was inside the fallen pine branch and came from a considerable height up the pine tree which is several dozens of feet tall.
The other taxa are common as ground fauna on the property and are not found on branches that fell over night Slugs, snails and the millipede and probably the other ant species represented by single individuals are presumed and likely to secondarily inhabit the fallen branches. Fallen branches are an important food and shelter resource for these animals most likely.

Posted on December 27, 2023 01:31 PM by ingrid_kaatz