Monday, 5 August 2024

Something To Chew On?

Chinese scientists, in Frontiers of Plant Science, found that all night street lighting, made leaves too tough for insects to chew. There was a distinct difference between herbivory of the same tree species in urban and rural areas (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/05/all-night-streetlights-make-leaves-inedible-to-insects-study-finds). This may be yet another reason for the marked insect decline seen in many urban areas. Perhaps it's not all down to insecticide use, climate change etc?

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Birder's Bonus 241

Noted a Curlew ( Numenius arquata ) on the Loughor estuary at Bynea.