© STEPHEN TROTTER
© ANDREW WALTER
© MALCOLM_STOREY
© ALAN PRICE
Insects, arthropods and molluscs
Te many nooks and crannies are home to a multitude of insects, including spiders, beetles, ants and earwigs, which form the largest group of animals living in dry stone walls. Whilst some species are active year- round and don’t have specific habitat needs, others have more niche requirements. Te woodlouse is a terrestrial crustacean, related to crabs and shrimps, so is oſten found in warm, damp walls. Likewise, slow-moving snails and slugs require moist, hummus-rich conditions. During winter honeybees and other insects hibernate in the cavities.
Striped millipede.
Cumbria’s Common lizard. LLS
A longer article on the wildlife of dry stone walls will feature in a future edition of Cumbrian Wildlife.
Lichens Yellow map lichen.
As lichens are able to colonise surfaces that are unsuitable for flowering plants, they are oſten found on walls, where they form colourful crusts or growths with leaf-like lobes. Tere are around 1,800 species of lichen in the UK, and whilst they are intriguing and beautiful to look at, they are also important indicators of air quality and local environmental conditions. Amongst the many species to look for, yellow map lichen is an upland species that’s widespread in Cumbria. It has a distinctive cracked appearance and grows in patches, giving the appearance of a map.
Reptiles and amphibians
Whilst sun-warmed wall-tops provide prime basking spots for lizards, slow-worms and adders in summertime, nooks below can offer much-needed shade. In winter these same openings can remain relatively warm compared to the outside environment, offering reptiles and amphibians a place to hibernate.
Cumbrian Wildlife | November 2025
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