Flowers of Oahu 7. Mimosa (Acacia)

Sandwich Island Saga 13. wildfires

The vegetation and dry conditions means that wildfires are a serious risk in parts of Hawaii. There was a particularly awful fire at Lahaina that killed many people and destroyed heritage buildings. 

Sandwich Island Saga 12. Haleakala Silversword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense macrocephalum)

This is plant unique to the Hawaiian Islands.

Sandwich Island Saga 11. Laevicaulis alte

This dehydration -resistant slug is only slimy on its ventral (foot) surface.

Flowers of Oahu 6. Pseuderanthemum sinuatum

Sandwich Island Saga 10. Electricity provision

Wind turbines on Maui. The Hawaiian Islands were very early and extensive adaptors of wind and solar power. It was  otherwise, very expensive to bring in coal, oil and gas to produce electricity. Scope for geothermal?

Sandwich Island Saga 9. Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) on Maui

These butterflies are very active in the Hawaiian Islands. Although not native, these are strong insect migrators.

Sandwich Island Saga 8. Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis)

These birds have lots of alternative employment on the islands. They scavenge food around shopping malls.

Sandwich Island Saga 7. Breakfast time in Maui

A Common myna comes to check the veranda 

Flowers of Oahu 5. Golden shower tree (Cassia fistula)

Flowers of Oahu 4. Creeping oxeye (Sphagneticola trilobata)

Flowers of Oahu 3. Rainbow Shower tree

This tree is a hybrid of the Golden shower tree and the Pink shower tree.

Sandwich Island Saga 6. Cycad

This is the plant with the world's biggest seed pod.

Flowers of Oahu 2. Callistemon speciosus

This is a type of bottle-brush

Flowers of Oahu 1.Bougainvillea spectabilis

Tropical flowers from all over the world bloom in the Hawaiians. I will detail examples I come across. This is Great bougainvillea from South America.

Sandwich Island Saga 5. Wild chickens

Chickens (Gallup’s domestics) have become feral in Honolulu.  They strut around as if they own the place.

Sandwich Island Saga 4. Koko Head crater

Oahu has lots of extinct volcanoes.  The only currently active ones are on the Big Island and emerging from the sea bottom

 

Sandwich Island Saga 3. Orher small birds exploiting humans

These are Zebra doves (Geopelia striata).

Sandwich Islands Saga 2. Birds at outdoor picnic stations

Very different from the pigeons and sparrows in the UK

Bee Threats

 

A Reading University study has identified the many current threats to Honey bees. Honey bees are essential pollinators as well as being suppliers of honey. Threats include wars, causing film to reduce their planting of a range of flowering crops. Another threat are streetlights. Their artificial illumination reduces the bee’s visits to flowers. Micro plastics are also a danger. High concentrations have been found in many hives.

(https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/20/bees-threats-war-microplastics).

Oiling the 'Green'?

 

As one might predict, European ‘green’ investments such as Sustainable Global Stars and Europe Climate Pathway hold billions in oil and gas shares. It’s estimated they have more than £33bn in fossil fuel investments (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/18/revealed-european-green-investments-hold-billions-in-fossil-fuel-majors). Investment companies are designed to maximise their profits. Claiming to be motivated by environmental issues is consequently a marketing tool. It’s effectively ‘greenwashing’ in its purest sense!

Weight Loss Revolution?

 

Semaglutid and tizepatide are active ingredients in the so-called 'weight loss' drugs. They basically mimick  glucagon-like peptide -1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 is a natural hormone helping to control of blood glucose levels (and, hence diabetes mellitus). It also markedly suppresses appetite. Reduced food intake naturally generates a weight loss (https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/may/17/weight-loss-drugs-altering-views-how-body-brain-work). Helping folk to attain a healthy weight is obviously beneficial. It reduces the incidence of diabetes, strokes and cardio-vascular disease. 'Weight loss' drugs are also big money-spinners for their manufacturers. Having said that, one can't stress too strongly the view that medicalising all weight loss has its downsides. Folk may well get a sub-optimal diet. There's really no substitute for a healthy life-style, with a balanced intake of foods and appropriate levels of exercise.

Consumption Gazumps Recycling

 

A report has found that the amount of recycled material used annually by the global economy continues to decline. Currently, less than 7% of the material used to make stuff comes from recycled sources (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/16/global-recycling-rates-have-fallen-for-eighth-year-running-report-finds). This means that most people are continuing to behave as if the supplies of materials are infinite. That's clearly not true, given the current obsessions with rare metals. 

Invasion of the Chinese Vapes?

 

The Good News: the UK is banning single use vapes. The Bad News: the US-China 'tariff wars' is likely to result in a UK influx of almost indistinguishable notionally 'reusables' (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/19/uk-vapes-e-cigarettes-chinese-imports-tariffs-trade). Nicotine is highly addictive and can become a very expensive (in terms of money and health) habit. The only real legitimate use of vapes is to wean cigarette addicts off a more damaging obsession. The UK is banning single use vapes because they a) are clearly targeted at children; b) waste enormous amounts of lithium and other metals; c) are a fire hazard and d) are difficult to recycle. Re-chargeable vape kits would still be allowed. Most vapes are produced in China. China is, on health grounds, cutting its home sales. That country's vape producers are now also finding it more difficult to export their products to the US. It's predicted this will drive sales towards the lucrative UK market. They're likely to get round the single use ban, by producing ever-cheaper re-chargeable vape kits. These look almost identical to single use vapes. Research suggests that recharging 'pods' for these devices aren't widely available. There's, consequently, every possibility that users will discard these new items onto UK streets in exactly the same way single use vapes. 

Recoding a Baby

 

Doctors at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, appear to have successfully used gene editing to treat a baby with a severe genetic condition. That condition generally kills 50% of infants in early infancy. The doctors completed the complex design, manufacture and safety testing of the baby's personalised therapy in a mere 6 months. The baby has received several infusions of the therapy and currently appears to be in a healthy condition (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/may/15/us-doctors-rewrite-dna-of-infant-with-severe-genetic-disorder-in-medical-first ). This seems to be the first example of gene editing being successfully used to 'rewrite' a child's DNA. The baby concerned will, of course, need to be monitored for an extended period to ensure the benefits persist. Using gene editing in this way is labour-intensive and requires fast action. 

Sandwich Islands Saga 1. Introduction

 

The Hawaiian Islands, when they were under British control, were known as the Sandwich Islands (after the lordly inventor of the sandwich, who wanted to avoid interrupting his activity at the gaming table). The state flag, still bares the union jack in one corner. I'm hoping to return shortly to Hawaii, after an absence of about 30 years. Whilst on leave from darkest Wales, I hope to note some of the changes that have occurred, as well as continuing to post on topical scientific issues. Posts are likely, as a consequence, to have more of an American flavour. 

Pressure Cooking?

 

Ultra-processed foods are clearly linked to human obesity and ill-health. Retail offers, like BOGOFF (buy one get one free), should consequently not include such  unhealthy items. Minimally processed and nutritious foods, including fruit, vegetables and whole grains, as well as fresh meat and fish would be better candidates for money-saving offers. The  UK government had planned to get retailers to make just such a switch. This would have made it more affordable for poorer families to improve their diets. Retailers will be tasked with reducing offers on fatty and salt-laden foods. Pressure from the Food and Drink Federation  has, however, caused the government  to ditch its ban on ultra-processed food offers (https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2025/may/17/uk-government-drops-healthy-eating-push-after-lobbying-by-ultra-processed-food-firms). The Food and Drink Federation is a well-funded lobby group set up by the big ultra-processed food producers. Bowing to its pressure, will have severe financial consequences for the NHS and poorer families.

Seeing the Changes 2172

 

Lots of critters around at the Penclacwydd-Bynea border. Spotted a female Common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerm); a male Oedemera nobilis beetle; lots of Parsnip moth (Depressaria radiella) larvae and a female Brimstone butterfly (Gonopteryx rhamni).

Seeing the Changes 2171

In Loughor, Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) were in bloom.

Retro-Ufit?

 

It's all very well encouraging the building of new homes but having to retrofit them with energy-saving features is very expensive. This is clearly illustrated by UK new-builds over the last 7 years. The plan to require new-builds to be equipped with energy pumps; solar panels and high grade insulation, was abandoned in 2016. This was after builders lobbied government, claiming these requirements would make their houses too expensive to sell. Fitting those energy-efficiency changes is estimated to cost between £5000 and £8500. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit believe abandoning the energy-saving changes collectively costs new-builds £5bn per annum. That's around £1000 per annum on the annual energy bills for each new home (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/16/energy-bills-for-uk-new-build-homes-higher-due-to-poor-construction-standards-analysis-shows). Dropping the energy-saving requirements for UK new builds was clearly false economy. Government seems to have ignored the fact that UK house-builders have always routinely driven up the cost of houses, by delaying building on land with planning permission. They often 'bank' such land and sell it to each other at inflated prices. 

Seeing the Changes 2170

 

In Bynea, Buckshorn plantain (Plantago coronopus) and Nipplewort (Lapsana communis) were in flower.

Bye-Bye Blackbird?

 

Climate change is now posing a threat to the UK Blackbird (Turdus merula). Global heating encourages the spread of the mosquito. These biting insects are vectors for the Usulu virus, that's currently deadly to these much-appreciated song birds. Blackbird mortalities from Usulu infections, are now spreading in southern England  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3x6v05ly6o#:~:text=Infected%20insects%20can%20spread%20the%20deadly%20Usutu%20virus,been%20linked%20to%20declines%20in%20some%20blackbird%20populations.). UK birdwatchers are being encouraged to monitor their area's blackbirds. It's hoped that, eventually, resistant bird strains will emerge. It's not, of course, just blackbirds who will be subject to new diseases as a result of rampant climate change. 

No Smoke...?

 

Single-use vapes are a complete anathema. They do nothing to curtail cigarette smoking. They are targeted at the next generation (children) of nicotine addicts. Single-use vapes litter the streets. They are a fire hazard, difficult to recycle and waste enormous amounts of lithium and nickel. Sensibly, Wales is banning single-use vape sales from 1st June 2025.(https://www.gov.wales/environmental-protection-single-use-vapes-wales-regulations-2024). This ban isn't before time. Its's environmentally and medically appropriate. Until now, new vaping stores have been springing up like mushrooms. 

Seeing the Changes 2169

A Volucella bombylans basked in a Swansea garden.

Seeing the Changes 2168

On the Bynea-Penclacwdd border, noted Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) and the first of the Southern marsh orchids (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) in bloom. Also saw my first Common bluebutterfly  (Polyommatus icarus) male of the year.