Secret Life of the Undergrowth (S Devon Branch)

An illustrated talk by John Walters.

John is a life long naturalist who explores the natural world through field sketching, photography and video. He grew up on Hayling Island in Hampshire and has lived on Dartmoor since 1990. He works as an ecologist, artist and public speaker and is based in Buckfastleigh. He has published several books and guides including The Wildlife of Dartmoor and has appeared in many television and radio programmes.

This replaced, at very short notice, the talk that was to be given by Zac Showell: “Shaldon Wildlife Trust – The small zoo making a big difference”, due to his sudden indisposition.

DA members: £2, non-members: £4

Report on the talk

John Walters, local artist, author and cameraman, enthralled Branch members and friends with another of his fascinating talks about local wildlife. From mating, suspended slugs to long-tailed tits snuggling up together to keep warm, John used drawings, photos and video clips to show the activities of creatures sometimes unknown to us.

From an early age, John was interested in moths. First he drew them, then he painted them and now he draws, paints, photos and videos them, along with other wildlife.

He showed us creatures that live below ground, such as the shelled slug, and a flatworm that develops inside snails, is eaten by a bird and then lives in the gut of the bird – not all creatures are cute and fluffy!

From Exmouth we were shown leafcutter bees, just one of the 280 species of bees – now how many people know that? We were shown a wasp that hunts honey bees, a field digger wasp that catches flies and a jumping bean sawfly.

We watched as a caterpillar made itself a cocoon and learned that emperor moth caterpillars are the only British silk moths.

Finally, John took us to Lundy where there are three species only found there – the Lundy cabbage which is a yellow flower, the Lundy cabbage weevil and the Lundy cabbage flea beetle. These creatures live on the plant.

After asking questions and buying John’s beautiful cards, the audience went home thinking about the variety of creatures that make their home in Devon with us.

Chris Reader
January 2025