On the Red List! The capercaillie is threatened.  Its numbers in Scotland have roughly halved (between 2010 and 2020).  It was once widespread, but now it is found in the pine forests of the Highlands - notably the Cairngorms National Park.  It is a red listed species. The decline in numbers is associated with poor breeding success, poor weather in early summer when the chicks are developing, another problem is predation by species such as the pine marten, foxes and crows.  The Game and Wildlife Conservation Centre (GWCT) has identified another issue that these birds face - namely collisions with deer fences.     These fences are created to keep deer out of particular areas.  However, when the capercaillie (and black grouse) impact on these fences, they are injured or killed.  Marking these fences, reduces the number of collisions but does not stop them.  Unmarked fences are still killing adult birds.  Marking of these fences or their removal would help with the survival of the capercaillie, though removal would  mean trees and shrubs would be unprotected from deer. Mosquitoes! There are some 36 different species of mosquitoes to be found in the UK, which  are generally harmless (though they bite).  But that may change.  With longer and warmer summers, the UK may become a venue for other species such as the tiger mosquito.   This insect has been found in ‘traps’ (monitored by the UK Health Security Agency) at ports and rail terminals.  This insect is known to transmit various diseases, such as dengue fever.  The mosquito was found in Italy in 1990 and it is spreading on the continent. A species of Culex has also been found in some areas of the Thames estuary - which can spread the West Nile Virus. This virus can result in flu-like symptoms.  Outbreaks have been been mainly in the warmer areas of the Mediterranean, but with climate change and the potential for very hot summers here - vigilance will be needed. Floral defences. Many flowers release a distinctive scent.  The scent serves to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, or  it may ward off pests that would feed upon the plant.. Many of the chemicals that contribute to scents are terpenes.  Recent research has investigated how these chemicals can affect the growth and development of butterflies - using painted lady butterflies.  These butterflies feed on a wide range of plants and hence are exposed to a variety of scents / terpenes. For these experiments, the researcher (at the University of Centra Florida) used four common floral terpenes  Limonene :  which has a fresh, citrus like smell Linalool. : has a floral scent, reminiscent of lavender Cineole : has a camphor-like smell, slightly medicinal contributes to eucalyptus oil. β caryophyllene : this has a spicy / woody fragrance. Different amounts of these terpenes were fed to caterpillars of the painted lady butterfly, and the subsequent development of the caterpillars was monitored and the size of the adults recorded.  The experiment was also conducted at different temperatures.  Temperature affects scent release by flowers. Higher levels of terpenes has significant affects on the survival of the caterpillars, especially when combined with the higher temperatures.  The caterpillars took longer to enter into pupation when given high levels of terpenes, though the size of the adults that emerged from pupation was unaffected.  If longer and warmer summers become more common, the combined effects of terpenes and heat could become important determinants of development. `

Ragwort is a common wild flower.  Its common names include, common ragwort, stinking willie and tansy ragwort (though its resemblance to true tansy is rather superficial).  It is not particularly a woodland plant, it is found in dry, open places - on waste land, waysides and (grazing) pastures.  It is not a plant favoured by land owners because it has toxic effects on cattle and horses.  It is generally considered to be a biennial, but can persist for some years. The stems are erect, straight, basically hairless.  The actual plant may grow to a height of two metres.  The leaves are lobed in a ‘pinnate’ fashion and have a distinctive smell that has lead to some of its common names - such as stinking willie.   The ragwort is a member of the daisy family (Compositae, now the Asteraceae), and its flowers are massed together into dense, flat topped clusters.  Each ‘flower’ is made up of many small, individual florets.  In the centre are the disc florets whilst around the edge are the ray florets.  The latter have a large lip or flap, which serves to increase the visibility of the plant to pollinators.  During the flowering season, a plant may produce many thousands of seeds.  The seeds have hairs attached to them, which help in dispersal. Ragwort is a plant that is much loved by pollinators - bees, flies, moths and butterflies.  It is generous in its nectar production, and has been placed in the top ten of nectar producers by one survey.   The plant also provides home and / or a food source for many invertebrate species, some of which feed on ragwort exclusively*, including some species on the IUCN RED LIST.  One species that is reliant of this plant is the cinnabar moth, whose status is described as ‘common and widespread, but rapidly declining”.  Interestingly, the cinnabar moth feeds on the plant absorbing the alkaloids and these make it distasteful to its predators . However, important as the plant is in ecological terms, it is toxic as it contains a number of alkaloids.  These are poisonous to various animals, such as horses and cattle.  The bitter taste is a ‘disincentive’ to much of the plant being eaten.  However, because of the alkaloids, it is one of the five plants (in the UK) named as ‘an injurious weed’ [as defined by the Weeds Act of 1959].  Some people may suffer an allergic reaction after handling the plant, experiencing a form of dermatitis. [caption id="attachment_38929" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Cinnabar moth, image courtesy of mcbeaner on Pixabay.[/caption] Further information on the Ragwortis available on WoodlandsTV, see below [embed]https://youtu.be/esfLW0nIvNo?si=DQ2Uokq7U1pAJYMZ[/embed] [caption id="attachment_38599" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cinnabar caterpillar[/caption] [caption id="attachment_38566" align="alignright" width="300"] Leaves of Ragwort[/caption]  

It is a sad fact of life that the plant sciences do not receive much attention, indeed university botany departments and herbaria have been ‘lost or subsumed’ into faculties of biological sciences.  Like some species included on The Red List of threatened species, the botany degree is seemingly on the road to extinction.  Study of herbarium specimens can provide valuable information about climate change.  For example, a study comparing the distribution of olive stomates of present day plants and preserved herbarium specimens has shown that the number of stomates per unit area of leaf has declined as carbon dioxide levels have increased.  Herbaria can also yield information about the changing distributions / ranges of plant species, and the phenology of flowering and similar events.  Despite the declining profile of botany within universities, the fact is that without plants, we would not be here.   Plants not only provide us with oxygen [as a ‘by-product’ of photosynthesis] but also Read more...

Jayne Ivimey and Julia Blackburn have put together an amazing exhibition that makes grown ups cry.  It describes the plight of wild birds in the face of human activities from oil spills and pesticides to loss of habitat from climate change.  The official RED LIST is the list of seriously endangered species and the number of birds on it has recently grown from 36 to 70, so that extinctions now seem almost inevitable for some with humans as the perpetrators.  But this is more than just a lament: it is also a celebration of what the authors call the "miracle of the gift of flight" and the magic of birdsong.   Woodland birds play an important role in the roster of the 70 birds that Jayne has recreated in clay. Read more...

According to the British Arachnological Society, there are some 654 different species of spider in the U.K.   However, a recent survey they undertook (in conjunction with Natural Resources Wales) suggests that 16% of our spider species are threatened.   Eighteen of these species are critically endangered and eighty four species are classified as vulnerable or endangered. The terms used are based on those of IUCN Red List categories, so critically endangered means Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Read more...

They are on the move! Who ? The Norfolk cuckoos that were fitted (last Spring) with solar powered 5G satellite tags.  Through these devices, the cuckoos were followed back to their ‘winter homes’ in Africa.  The tags transmit for about 10 hours at a time, then they go into 'sleep mode' whilst they are recharged by the light - ready to broadcast the position of the birds some time later ☆. Read more...

Season's Greetings.    The robin, frequently pictured on Christmas cards,  is making something of a “come back”.  Its numbers have increased by roughly 50%, compared to when it was first recorded back in 1970. The RSPB has suggested that milder winters and earlier Springs have contributed to its increased numbers; and it is estimated that there are now some 5 - 6  million breeding pairs of robins in the U.K.  However, its populations can be ‘knocked back’ by hard winters – such as we have experienced recently.  A small bird, such as the robin, can rapidly lose much of its body mass through a short succession of cold nights and days - burning its reserves (of fat) to generate heat energy  to maintain its body temperature.  They also use up energy in the search for food, which is often in very limited supply under cold conditions. Read more...

Reptiles and woodland The first time I came across a Grass Snake in our newly bought wood I almost trod on it, it was a real surprise and I was so lost in my own thoughts it really startled me. I had not thought the woodland provided a very suitable habitat for reptiles and in many respects, it didn’t. Read more...