No End to the Rainbow?

Concerned about local customers being fobbed off with Rainbow trout when buying salmon? The Chinese answer is to officially classify both salmonid fish as 'salmon' (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/14/china-rainbow-trout-and-salmon-the-same-thing). This is in spite of the two species having completely different life-styles, one being a migrant between salt and fresh waters and the other limited to riverine/lake environments. I suppose it makes as much sense to reclassify wheat and barley as 'rice' (after all, all are grains)?

It's An Ill Wind?

The hot UK summer of 2018, whilst being problematic for farmers, gardeners and fish, has been a boom time for archaeology (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/aug/15/millennia-of-human-activity-heatwave-reveals-lost-uk-archaeological-sites), revealing, from the air, unsuspected locations of farms, settlements, burial grounds, Roman manors et cetera. This is due to slight variations in the heights and types of vegetation occurring in such locations, creating patterns that can be viewed from slow flying aircraft. As at least four more years of hot summers are predicted, this will only increase our knowledge of human activity in these islands.

Seeing the Changes 1359

In Bynea, Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) was coming into fruit. Visited by a 14-spot ladybird (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) in Loughor.

White Out!

Although warming of the seas around the UK coasts have resulted in the sighting of 10 new shark species new to our waters, it has been predicted that we will not be welcoming the Great white to our shores (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/12/warming-seas-10-new-shark-species-british-waters-great-white). Although this is in some senses disappointing (the top predator is an impressive beast), it might at least stop our newspapers going ballistic about the dangers to innocent tourists. The shark is much less dangerous to humans rather than vice versa.

A-salting?

It may be controversial but a new paper claims that salt levels in our foods are not as damaging as has been claimed (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/aug/09/salt-not-as-damaging-to-health-as-previously-thought-says-study). People have been trying for some time to get food producers (who use the compound as a taste enhancer) to greatly reduce the salt content of their products. They have done this because it has been claimed that salt increases blood pressure, a risk factor in both coronary heart disease and stroke. The study suggests that the benefits of reducing salt are only evident in countries with very high levels of salt in their foods (such as China). In countries with less salty food (like the UK), it is claimed that there is little point in seeking the elimination of this compound (I am sure this will go down well with many food producers).

Seeing the Changes 1358

More blooms spotted on travels. Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) was seen in Mumbles and Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) in Gorseinon.

Seeing the Changes 1357

Late summer in Broughton on the Gower. Dwarf mallow (Malva neglecta); Harebells (Campanula rotundifolia); Lady's bedstraw (Galium verum) and Cnidium (Cnidium dubium) were all in flower. The berries on Black bryony (Tamus communis) hips on the Burnet rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia) had also appeared. The pupae of Six-spot burnet moths (Zygaena filipendulae) were all over the vegetation and there was a large gathering of Bloody-nosed beetles (Timarcha tenebricosa). A large bumble bee made the most of a break in the weather.