A week ago, I begrudgingly returned home from a spur of the moment family holiday in Crete – a part of Europe I had yet to visit which, in retrospect, turned out to be rather beautiful. The week was marked by blissful temperatures, great food, a lively local culture and numerous excursions on foot toContinue reading “Dipping a Toe into the Natural History of Crete”
Tag Archives: Invasive Species
An hour in the company of aliens
Britain’s cities have served as the epicentre for countless invasions over the years. Landing sites, if you would, where species from far-flung destinations – East Asia, North America and closer to home, in Europe – gain first a toe-hold before beginning their creeping advance across the land. Here, in the city, the wheels of countlessContinue reading “An hour in the company of aliens”
The exotic heart of London
Hailing from the North East of England, to me, a visit to London is much like a visit to a dystopian future. One where geographical boundaries blur and species which naturally should never have encountered one another, stand cheek by jowl in an odd assemblage of the tropical and tenacious. From squirrels, birds and fishContinue reading “The exotic heart of London”
Top 10 Facts: Surprising UK Non-Natives
American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus. Around twice the length of our native Common Frog, American Bullfrogs are most often identified by their loud, deep calls. Deemed a risk to British wildlife due to their tendency to prey on everything from small mammals and ducklings to other amphibians, Bullfrogs may also spread Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis – a form of ChytridContinue reading “Top 10 Facts: Surprising UK Non-Natives”
Half-Penny: aliens and interlopers
There are many words used to describe species which, through human intervention, have found themselves existing far outside of their historic, natural range. Terms such as invasives, aliens, invasive aliens and nonindigenous species are quite familiar; while a glance at social media often reveals myriad more unflattering phrases: pest, nuisance, menace, vermin – I particularly loatheContinue reading “Half-Penny: aliens and interlopers”