Some of My Favourite Pictures of Lepidopteran Pupae

Butterfly and moth pupae from the UK and India.

Plants We Used to Use 475. White bryony

White Bryony (Bryonia cretica) is poisonous. Extracts, however, are said to be effective for treating inflammation of the lining of joints; the chest and the abdomen. They've been given for osteoarthritis and rheumatism.

Plants We Used to Use 474. Welsh poppy

Like all other poppies, Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica) seeds are edible. In traditional medicine, its also been used to treat skin complaints.

Plants We Used to Use 473. Weld

Weld (Reseda luteola) was used, since ancient times, as the source of a bright yellow dye. It was also claimed to have pain-relieving; antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Thanks a Million!

I know well that a million reads is actually very 'small beer', compared to the astronomical hits received by 'influencers'. It's also taken my blog about 20 years to reach this milestone, with its very modest number of followers (thanks). I console myself, however, with the observation that professorpbrainsblog is concerned with science and natural history, rather than little songs, dances, lifestyle 'advice' or 'japes'. Science also needs to be approachable but free from misuse. I've tried to be both topical and honest, steering away, I hope, from posting 'clickbait'. I'd like to thank everyone again (follower or not), who has read at least one of my posts. Perhaps they've informed? It's kept me feeling modestly relevant, as I approach my dotage.

About Face on the Boat Race?

The famous Oxford versus Cambridge Boat Race, used to culminate, with the winning team hurling their cox (steerer) into the Thames. There was always much post-race splashing about! No more. The crews have now been instructed not to enter the river and immediately go to special shower units. This turn of events is predictable. Since 2010, England's hospital admissions for waterbourne diseases, have increased by 60% (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/29/hospital-admissions-for-waterborne-diseases-in-england-up-60-report-shows). Common UK waterbourne diseases include dysentery; typhoid and Weil's disease. They can all cause long-term health damage and are sometimes life-threatening. Most of the people contracting waterbourne diseases in the UK, have been engaged in canoeing; fishing; surfing or 'wild water' swimming. It's not unreasonable to link these hospital admissions, to the increased release of raw sewage into rivers and coastal waters. Privatised Water Companies have progressively discharged more human waste, in this way, from 2010-2024. Human waste, of course, contains pathogenic micro-organisms. Such raw sewage release is only supposed to happen, when there's a flooding risk. The Water Companies, however, save money, by not treating the sewage before release. This boosts their profits. It turns the old Yorkshire adage on its head. It should now read "where's there's brass, there's muck".

Plants We Used to Use 472. Wayfaring tree

Wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantra) berries are poisonous to humans, causing vomiting. This tree's stalks were used, however, to tie hay bales. In Europe. its straight wood may have been used to fashion arrows.

Plants We Used to Use 471. Watercress

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is eaten raw as a leafy green salad. It's been used to treat acute bronchitis; 'flu; arthritis; baldness and constipation. Watercress is even claimed to be an aphrodisiac.

Plants We Used to Use 470. Water pepper

Young leaves and growing tips of Water pepper (Polygonum hydropiper), can be added to cooking dishes, as a pepper substitute. This herb has also been used to treat digestive problems; skin conditions and fevers.

A Chilling Suggestion From BORIS

'BORIS' is the acronym for the Swedish Childhood Obesity Treatment Register. Academics, from Stockholm's Karolinska Institute, used its data. They wanted to further assess the suggestion that, having a high Body Mass Index (BMI) in adolescence, increases the risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is a condition, where progressive scarring of neuronal (nerve) myelin sheaths, can lead to motor and sensory impairments. It obviously can (and does) produce serious disability in later life (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/28/obese-children-multiple-sclerosis-study). In the study, the academics compared 21,600 obese children (who had started treatment at an average age of 11), with more than 100,000 'controls' (children with 'normal' BMIs). These two cohorts were followed for up to 6 years. Although the tracking time is currently very limited, the data suggests obese children are twice as likely to develop early onset MS. The age of MS onset (23) was, however, the same in the two groups. This study reinforces the view that childhood obesity can have lasting health impacts into adulthood. This message needs amplifying!

Plants We Used to Use 469. Water mint

As with other mints, Water mint (Mentha aquatica) leaves, can be added as flavouring to cooking and drinks. They also produce a herbal 'tea', as well as mentha citrata oil, an ingredient in some perfumes.

Plants We Used to Use 468. Water forgetmenot

Water forgetmenot (Myosotis scorpioides) leaves are edible and can be added to salads. Plant extracts have also been used to treat respiratory problems; digestive issues and skin conditions.

Plants We Used to Use 467. Water dock

Water dock (Rumex hydrolapathum) leaves are edible. Its roots yield an olive-yellow dye and a poultice for iron-deficiency anaemia. In traditional medicine, this plants also been used to treat constipation; diarrhoea; fever; jaundice etc.

A New Type of Money Laundering?

Thames Water is the UK's biggest privatised (thank you, Mrs Thatcher!) water company, with around 15 million customers. All such water companies have effective monopolies- a 'licence to print money'. For many years, Thames Water and sister organisations, have routinely under-invested in necessary upgrades to their systems, designed to deliver freshwater and dispose of human waste. That urgency is now even greater, given the impacts of climate change. Water company incomes have, however, largely gone to shareholder dividends and CEOs. The companies have been able to further boost income, by flooding rivers and the sea with untreated sewage. In 2023, Thames Water, itself, increased its hours of raw sewage discharge by more than 160%. Under political pressures, the water companies have now been forced to commit to spending more money on upgrades (not before time). Thames Water was supposed, over a decade, to find around £500m from its shareholders for this purpose. The shareholders (including my pension fund) have refused to deliver. They want the customer watchdog, Ofwat, to first agree a 40% increase in user charges, lower fines for illegal sewage dumping and continued dividends for shareholders (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/28/fresh-crisis-for-thames-water-as-investors-pull-plug-on-500m-of-funding). Thames Water shareholders seem to be holding a (water)pistol to Ofwat's head. The ultimate 'threat' is temporary renationalisation?

Some of My Favourite Pictures of Lepidopteran Larvae

Caterpillars of moths and butterflies from the UK and India