F#24: Domestic Manticore Kitten

‘Beep’ Domesticated Manticore Mardyakhor Mansueti

 There are many reasons why people might rehome a manticore bred by Eliza Knights-Herbert of 23 Rose Street, Revery. Most of these reasons relate back to their finicky personailities, or the ability to dissolve things just by looking at them.

Beep, however, was left with us at the institute because she is blind. Her previous family were displeased with her lack of laser vision, and feared she would no longer be an effective burgalar deterrent- a legitimate concern.

Luckily, Beep has found a new forever home, and will only be staying with us briefly before travelling to Gloucestershire- our resident manticore Percy will miss her.

F#23: Wyrm Hatchlings

Wyrm Hatchlings (Northen European Wyrm) 

Dragon species

When we got the call about an ‘infestation of worms’, we might have reacted a mite too hastily with our stock (polite!) ‘we are a research institute, not Revery Pest Control’ response.

After the miscommunication was cleared up, we arrived at a small garden in the suburbs- only to find these week-old specimens of the European small wyrm causing havoc and destruction in their pursuit of a Sunday dinner.

These dragons are rarely found in built up areas (and almost never in the south of England) and there was no sign of the parent wyrm, who normally feeds young in the nest until they are a month old. It seemed as if the babies had been fending for themselves for a few days- feeding on insects and tearing up the garden in the process.

After a short (but chaotic) pursuit, Evelyn and I caught all three at the same time and took them back to the institute.

They have settled down in the break room in Keeley’s hat, whilst we contact the South West Dragon Centre to see if they have a spare pen…

F#20: Hekbune

Hekbune- Filauny Male

Fae

For the past couple of days Percy, our resident manticore, has been very interested in the little courtyard garden at the back of the institute. It took us humans a while to catch on- we were being watched.

This is our second encounter with a member of the reclusive filauny species, and after a patient couple of hours of Evelyn and I sitting outside and trying not to look threatening, he finally came out from behind the plant pots.

He introduced himself as Hekbune, still clutching a tiny slate knife and shaking a bit, and said he’d come to thank us for offering assistance to his little sister on her pilgrimage.

So we offered him a cup of tea, and got him to put down the knife (Jesper also offered him a piece of that shortbread Mrs T makes for him and he uses as a doorstop. Jesper is no longer allowed at diplomatic meetings).

We asked Hekbune to tell us more about his people, but he was unconvinced.

However, he said, he would talk to his elders and see what they thought about us meeting them.

He did say that Minluth had been successful on her journey, and is now a fully-fledged clan member.

We offered him a tour of the institute, and he seemed intrigued- but when we took him to the archives he didn’t even make it across the threshold before he backed out, his hands shaking, muttering about ancient evil.

Looks like the archives could do with another cleansing ritual…

F#16: Butterfly Dragon (Draconis Papilionem)

Name: Butterfly dragon (Draconis Papilionem)

Classification: Fauna

Designation: Neutral

Notes: A standard feature of greetings cards, the butterfly dragon is a shy creature that prefers a warmer climate and plenty of fruit and nectar. A great place to spot them is an orchard after the first windfalls; descending in large flocks to feast on the fruit and bask in the sunshine.

Wild cherries are another favourite food.

Many attempts have been made to domesticate this member of the dragon family, but aside from a butterfly dragon perching on your hand there is not much chance of this.

They are not a species that thrives in captivity; well known to ‘fade’ both literally, their bright colours becoming dull, and figuratively, a greatly reduced lifespan. It’s far better to watch them in your garden, and wait for them to return the following summer.

Entry Complied by: Keeley Claremont

F#15: Imps

Name: Imp

Classification: Fauna

Designation: Neutral

Description: No more than a couple of centimetres in length when fully grown, the imp comes in a variety of colours and markings. Their young are born with spotted fur, which begins to fade into their adult colouring at six weeks old.

A young imp, probably a week old

Notes: Imps are widely considered a pest, eating fruiting crops and raiding food stores- it is said that just one imp can decimate a larder of a large family!

Imps live in family groups, and have a short lifespan of at most five years. They reproduce, on average, twice a year; with litter sizes of one to four implets.

A small family group

An implet emerges from the nest behind a broken brick in our courtyard

Entry compiled by: Keeley Claremont

F#14: Tuft

Name: Tuft

Classification: Fauna (insect)

Designation: Neutral

Description: A fluffy green winged creature with a leafy face and shiny black eyes.

Notes: The tuft is possibly of fae origin, and is found in places where the skin between worlds is at its thinnest. When capture of one is attempted; the tuft appears to be able to manipulate its own corporeality, literally slipping through the fingers of its would-be captor.

Entry Compiled by: Evelyn Morris

 

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F#12: Puffmote

 

Name: Luminous Puffmote, Airbag Salamander*

Classification: Fauna

Designation: Neutral

Description: A Fully-grown male puffmote measures from 2-5cm long (nose to tail) with a dark coloured body and lighter, bioluminescent markings.

A Female or ‘Queen’ puffmote has a longer, snakelike body. She is typically white, with darker markings, and a more defined crest or ‘crown’.

*Misnomer, puffmotes are unrelated to salamanders

Notes: puffmotes emerge from sleep in the late afternoon; often to be found hovering around flowers in sun-warmed places. The ones you’ll see in the daylight are typically the males, collecting nectar which is then stored in an internal pouch.

Adult puffmote queen

Young puffmote queen (captured for study, later released)

The puffmote Queen anchors herself to a plant stem, and is much harder to spot during the day. However, at night she is far more noticeable.

Often mistaken for the light of a glow worm or firefly, puffmote have bioluminescent markings. Males have a small glowing crest, and markings down to their tails. Queens have a bright crown and body spots, which they use in a ‘dance’ to attract mates.

Puffmote queen with bioluminescent crown

Male puffmote with blacklight…

…and without.

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Entry compiled by: Thursday Madaki

F#10: Fungal Glum

Name: Fungal Glum

Class:  Neutral

Designation: Fauna

Description: A brown, hairy body with two large feet and large yellow eyes. Algae, fungi and moss grow in its fur, most distinctively the top of its head.

Notes: At first you might mistake it for a tuft of dead grass or a root-ball, but then you see its face, its eyes, its large feet…

The fungal glum gets its eponymous fungus by not moving very much. Once it finds a good spot in its preferred damp habitat- marsh, swamp, or dense woodland- there it stays.

It is a symbiotic relationship: the glum and the fungus provide each other with protection from their respective predators. Foxes, badgers and others that would eat the glum are put off by the poisonous toadstools and algae; and insects attracted to the fungus are eaten by the glum, which also provides a perfect growing environment.

Entry Compiled by: Thursday Madaki

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F#03: Roaming Flytrap (Nomas Muscipula)

Name: Roaming Flytrap Nomas Muscipula

Class: Neutral

Designation: Flora

Description: Similar in appearance to Dionaea Muscipula (Venus Flytrap), the roaming flytrap has four to seven stems from a central shoot. Each stem has two to three fleshy leaves, and end with the distinctive hinged lobes that it uses to catch and digest insects.

Nomas also has four bulbs underneath that it uses as appendages to move itself to new places. It is from these bulbs that roots emerge to supply water and nutrients to the plant.

More pictures below!