Sandwich Island Saga 51. Cacti at Kapi'olani Community College

Flowers of Oahu 96. Mimosa pudica

This is a touch-sensitive plant

Flowers of Oahu 95. Stachytarpheta cayannensis)

Flowers of Oahu 94. Akia (Wikstromia uva-ursi)

Flowers of Oahu 93. Beach vitex (Vitex rotundifolia)

Flowers of Oahu 92. Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternetea)

Flowers of Oahu 91. Golden trumpet (Allamanda cathartica)

Flowers of Oahu 90. India tulip tree (Chespesia populnea)

Flowers of Oahu 89. Shephard's needle (Bidens pilosa)

Flowers of Oahu 88. Velvet mesquite (Proscopis velutina)

Flowers of Oahu 87. Tree heliotrope (Heliotropium arboreum)

Flowers of Oahu 86. Ganges primrose (Asystasia gangetica)

Sandwich Island Saga 50. Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay is a fringing reef in a flooded crater. It was, in the past a popular location where hoards of tourists came to feed fishes with frozen peas etc. This location and its organisms became very seriously damaged. The nature park is now much more regulated, with folk charged for daily limited entrance tickets and parking. People are firmly instructed how to behave and prevented from damaging activities. This location is, in no sense, wild but the organisms now thrive much better.

 

The Suicide of Science?

Science is a philosophy that's improved the lives of millions of humans. Human health/survival, transport, communications etc. have all benefitted from the approach. Science was formerly carried out largely by technocrats, operating in scientific communities. Science has never been perfect, as it's always been impacted by human foibles like greed, ambition, personal bias etc. It has, however, until recently, been kept relatively honest by self-policing. Two of science's own creations are now changing this.The world wide web was supposed to make information more generally and quickly available.  It has done this but it's also amplified conspiracy hypotheses and weird ideas. Wholly unqualified folk have leapt into the frey. Another creation, Artificial Intelligence, also has beneficial applications but has the disadvantage of being largely based on current or most prominent 'knowledge'. New thinking may not be able to 'evolve' as in days of yore. Biases can also be inappropriately pushed by self interests. One can argue that, with recent developments, science may have "cut its own throat".

 

Sandwich Island Saga 49. Depopulation

As with many other remote human populations, that of the Hawaiian islands showed a marked decline after its first contacts with the external world. Hawaiians were very susceptible to introduced diseases, including leprosy. 

 

Sandwich Island Saga 48. Moon children

Polynesian folk in Hawaii didn't have annual birthdays. They linked their birth to the phases of the moon. The phases were also said be predictors of appropriate times to plant certain crops, go fishing etc.

Sandwich Island Saga 47 Red letter day?

The former Hawaiian royalty had a major impact on bird species with red feathers. Their ceremonial helmets and capes required many, many feathers. There was a price on their donors heads!

A Bum Steer?

Ultraprocessed foods may be the tobacco of the 21st Century. The evidence isn't yet definitive but there seems to be a link between their intake and the currently growing incidence of early onset colonorectal cancer. These cancers can occur in folk with normal BMIs. So it may be what is eaten even if their lifestyle is otherwise healthy.

Flowers of Oahu 85. Jaggery palm (Caryota urens)

Flowers of Oahu 84. Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)

Flowers of Oahu 83. Jungle geranium (Ixora coccinea)

Flowers of Oahu 82. Tahitian gardenia (Gardenia taitensis)

Flowers of Oahu 81. Golden trumpet tree (Handroanthus crysotrichus)

Flowers of Oahu 80. Turk's cap mallow (Malaviscus arboreus)

Flowers of Oahu 79. Buttonbush (Cephaloanthus occidontalis)

Flowers of Oahu 78. Sky flower (Duranta erecta)

Flowers of Oahu 77. Cape plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)

Flowers of Oahu 76. Giant crinum lily (Crinum asiaticum)

Flowers of Oahu 75. Spotted spurge

Flowers of Oahu 74. Pikake (Jasminum sambac)

No Flies On Us 35. Narcissus fly (Meridon equestris) Bynea, South Wales

 

Last of the flies.

Flowers of Oahu 73. Chinese hat plant (Holmskioldia sanguinea)

Flowers of Oahu 72. Horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis)

Flowers of Oahu 71. Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)

Flowers of Oahu 70. Beach naupaka (Scaevola taccada)

Sandwich Island Saga 46. Modern iteration

Modern fibreglass versions the the canoes used by Polynesians to reach the Hawaiian islands. Now used for sporting contests.

Sandwich Island Saga 45 Introducing the Gold Dust Day Gecko (Phelsuma laticauda)

This reptile is a native of Madagascar but has been introduced to the Hawaiian Islands. 

No Flies On Us 34. Midge (Chaoborus crystalline) Oud loosdrecht, Netherlands

 

The bane of campers.

No Flies On Us 33. Lesser housefly (Fannia caniculans) North Gower, South Wales

 

Lesser but just as pesky.

Not So Much Extra Energy As a Big Slug of Caffiene?

No Flies On Us 32. Hoverfly (Xanthogramma pedissequum) Llangennith, South Wales

 

On the wild roses.

No Flies On Us 31. Hoverfly (Volucella pellucens) Bynea, South Wales

 

On the nettles.

Flowers of Oahu 69. False bird of paradise (Heliconia psittacorum)

Flowers of Oahu 67. African iris (Dietes bicolor)

No Flies On Us 30. Hoverfly (Volucella bombylans) Neath Valley, South Wales

 

Bee-like hover fly.

No Flies On Us 29. Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii) Holland Park, London

 

A London fly.