Bugs, bees and beasties- Bio-diversity matters

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Humans are a bit smarter than plants ( although it's questionable; I certainly do not subscribe without fuss to the evolutionary faction who believe in an empirical superiority ) They have not got legs mate.....

Anyone can break the law . If you want it enough. I turn oin the tube and watch Howard Marks on Never mind the Buzzcocks, or turn over and Keith Richards is talking about a lifetime of drug addiction....NO PROBLEM.

 

Tim, do you honestly believe that a plant passport system is effective against little bugs and microbes? you aint that Naive, as long as we have holes in our backsides and imports, we will have invasions from offshore, pets, plants and foods, even furniture for christ sake, all this transportation is whats giving us these issues, people want fancy pants plants, exotic foods and pets and as long as we allow it, were going to have to live with the consequences, and nobody is going to be able to stop it, passports are as useless for plants as they are for folks!

[Bundle 2]

Ha ha...there is certainly no point trying when Holland deliberately imports the critters to make a few extra bucks.....

I suppose you have read of the decision to control Japanese Knotweed here in the uk by biological control? There's no point in a Plant Passport scheme when those writing the rules move the goal posts to suit. Political mumbo JUMBO ........!

And dont tell me you are against a scheme that seeks to prevent the importation of Rainforest hardwoods and plants like the Tree Fern? Effective? not entirely. Plaudable..? Most definitely!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

If I had my way, NOTHING living would pass our boundary, ive lost some of the critters that taught me about natural history as a boy, the great diving beetle, the white claws i used to catch as a boy, a lot of this is down to modern practice high pressure high yield societies, and limited space.

 

but just as much through invasive species, like the signal crayfish, and now balsam is ripping through my beloved wood what it will do to the ecology i dont know, but its now completley swamped a once pristine chalk pit that was RICH in aquatic life.

[Matthew Arnold]

I hate Himalayan Balsam. We have a big patch of it on one of the sites i manage. We spray it each year but have now decided to do one big spray in june then pull up the rest as we go through the year. My other two invasive nemisis' are Japanese Knotweed and Grey Squirrel.

[RobArb]

Do these count??

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Do these count??

 

if that shot was NOT a set up or digitaly altered its probably worth money to somone!

[Taupotreeman]

Sorry, not the best photos I'm afraid. I was out walking the mutt and only had a crappy phone camera with me. It's a Gum emperor moth and seemed to be a long way from home as there aren't too many Gums around this neck of the woods.

[John Russell]

There's a heated argument going on about the eagle owl in the UK.

 

Eagle owl spreads across British Isles and divides conservationists | Environment | The Observer

 

QUOTE: "A potential cull of the largest owl in Europe has placed the government at the centre of an increasingly bitter row between conservation groups. There are fears that the eagle owl, a non-native species seen in growing numbers in the British Isles, poses a serious threat to established wildlife. Some groups say the formidable predator must be protected. Others claim it could disturb the UK's existing wildlife balance and, as a non-native species, should not be afforded protection."

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

There's a heated argument going on about the eagle owl in the UK.

 

Eagle owl spreads across British Isles and divides conservationists | Environment | The Observer

 

QUOTE: "A potential cull of the largest owl in Europe has placed the government at the centre of an increasingly bitter row between conservation groups. There are fears that the eagle owl, a non-native species seen in growing numbers in the British Isles, poses a serious threat to established wildlife. Some groups say the formidable predator must be protected. Others claim it could disturb the UK's existing wildlife balance and, as a non-native species, should not be afforded protection."

 

Peak predators like the eagle owl are essential in maintaining healthy populations. We have rabbits squirells and foxes coming out of our ears, the owl is the perfect balancer.:thumbup1:

[sean freeman]

The moth picture made me remember this very engaging encounter a month os so back between me and a magpie ~ Gymnorhina tibicen when the monochromic chap thought I was going to take away his mothy meal...