Tag Archives: indicator species

Butterflies in Britain, summer 2013

Posted on December 9, 2013 by argylesock

Lewis at woodlands.co.uk announced the results of the Big Butterfly Count for summer 2013. Here’s his blog post about it. It’s good news on the whole. This confirms a report of conservation successes for some kinds of insect and some … Continue reading →

Posted in ecology | Tagged arthropod, butterfly, conservation, data, indicator species, insect, lepidopteran | 4 Comments

Big Butterfly Count

Posted on July 18, 2013 by argylesock

If you’re in Britain, Butterfly Conservation invites you to take part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count. This will be fun. Also it will be useful because butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) tell us what’s happening on the land. That is, … Continue reading →

Posted in ecology, knowledge transfer | Tagged arthropod, butterfly, climate, conservation, data, ecosystem, indicator species, insect, lepidopteran, moth, research, weather | 10 Comments

Lepidopteran of the month: Small tortoiseshell butterfly

Posted on June 7, 2013 by argylesock

Here’s my Lepidopteran of the Month series, back after a few months’ hibernation. You might choose to follow my ‘butterfly’ tag for other posts in this series. Today, in June, let’s admire the small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) which I … Continue reading →

Posted in ecology | Tagged alien species, arthropod, butterfly, climate, data, dipteran, ecosystem, Europe, farm, fly, forest, indicator species, injurious weed, insect, insecticide, larva, lepidopteran, native species, nettle, parasitoid, pesticide, plant_dicot, ragwort, research, small tortoiseshell butterfly, stinging nettle, Sturmia bella, weed, wild parsnip, woodland | 1 Comment

Tree of the month: Alder

Posted on April 26, 2013 by argylesock

The moon was full last night. So according to my favourite version of the Ogham ‘tree calendar’, we’re now halfway through the Month of the Alder. You might choose to follow my ‘ogham’ tag for other posts in this series. … Continue reading →

Posted in ecology | Tagged alien species, ancient woodland, bacterium, bird, bryophyte, catkin, disease, emerging disease, Europe, finfish, flood, flower, forest, fungus, garden, history, indicator species, invertebrate, land reclamation, land use, lichen, mammal, map, mollusc, moss, mould, myth, native species, ogham, pathogen, Phytophthora alni, plant_dicot, seed, seed dispersal, spring, symbiosis, tree, vertebrate, water, waterway, wetland, wildlife, woodland | 5 Comments

Wood anemonies

Posted on April 24, 2013 by argylesock

Spring is late here in the Northern Hemisphere. That’s not the reason for my lateness in writing my monthly blog posts about a tree, a crop and a butterfly, but I’ll write those when I get chance. Meanwhile the plants … Continue reading →

Posted in ecology | Tagged ancient woodland, Europe, flower, forest, indicator species, native species, perennial, plant_dicot, spring, wood anenome, woodland | Leave a comment

Celebrating beneficial weeds on Weed Appreciation Day

Posted on March 28, 2013 by argylesock

Originally posted on Sciencelens:
Today, 28 March, is Weed Appreciation Day. Not ‘weed’ as in cannabis, but rather in the Merriam-Webster sense of the word, “a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous…

Posted in agriculture, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged conservation, ecosystem, Europe, farm, foraging, garden, indicator species, invasive species, knowledge, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, weed, wild food | Leave a comment

First International Forest Day

Posted on March 21, 2013 by argylesock

Originally posted on The Hollywood Forest Story : An EcoSocial Art Practice | Co. Carlow Ireland:
Holly looking forward, Dec 2010. Photo Cathy Fitzgerald “Making films is the contemporary art form really, essentially you can put across a lot of facts about…

Posted in ecology | Tagged alien species, art, bluebell, ecosystem, forest, indicator species, landscape, native species, plant_dicot, plant_gymnosperm, plant_monocot, tree, woodland | 2 Comments

Bluebells in ancient semi-natural woodland

Posted on March 14, 2013 by argylesock

The Woodland Trust tells us about ancient semi-natural woodland here in Britain. These woods are precious and irreplaceble. If you’re in Britain, where’s your local ancient woodland? I’ve just realised that I’m not sure of my own answer to that. … Continue reading →

Posted in ecology | Tagged alien species, ancient woodland, bluebell, flower, forest, indicator species, invasive species, landscape, native species, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, weed, woodland | 7 Comments

Hedgehog population in decline

Posted on March 7, 2013 by argylesock

Adam Vaughan at the Guardian tells us that the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is fast becoming rarer in British gardens, parks and hedges. It’s comparable to the declining populations of endangered species such as tigers. If you’re in Britain, you might … Continue reading →

Posted in ecology | Tagged breeding, conservation, data, ecosystem, garden, gardener, gastropod, habitat fragmentation, hedge, hedgehog, indicator species, mammal, metaldehyde, native species, pest, pesticide, poison, rare species, slug, soil, urban park, vertebrate, wildlife | Leave a comment

History of the uses of nettles

Posted on January 22, 2013 by argylesock

Originally posted on changinglifestyleblog:
History of the uses of nettles Fabric woven of nettle fibre has been found in burial sites dating back to the Bronze age. A Bronze Age (2200 – 700 BCE) body was discovered in Denmark wrapped…

Posted in ecology, horticulture | Tagged food, foraging, history, indicator species, native species, nettle, paper, plant_dicot, stinging nettle, textile, weed, wild food | Leave a comment