Seeing the Changes 529

There was an impressive Bolete-style fungus in Singleton Park, Swansea. Continuing the caterpillar theme, a Knotgrass moth (Aronicta rumicis) sprinted over the cycle track at Bynea.

The Beast of Essex?

A frenzy of excitement in the media concerning multiple reports of lion sightings near Clacton in Essex (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/26/lion-on-the-loose-in-essex?CMP=NECNETTXT8187&google_editors_picks=true). Unlike some earlier claimed spottings of big cats, this present event led to a search by armed police supported by a helicopter. Big cats were kept as status symbols in parts of the UK some decades ago and the subsequent passing of the Dangerous Wild Animals legislation might well have resulted in some ill-advised releases of 'pets'. Having said that, all species of big cat need very substantial ranges and it seems to me unlikely that viable breeding populations could be easily established. Lions also generally go in for group hunting, so a lion on its own would be at a disadvantage. Apparently, no paw prints or fur traces were found and the police have given up the search. People can easily have their eyes tricked by distant animals appearing larger especially as the sun goes down. Perhaps it's a large moggie covered in Essex spray tan?

Under the Bridgewater!

Just returned from Worsley, outside Manchester, where the Bridgewater canal still flows near Worsley Old Hall where I spent weekends as a child. This canal was dug by hand on the orders of the first Duke (who lived at the hall) to carry coal from his mines to fuel the Industrial Revolution. It flows past the old Courthouse and has now been 'gentrified' as an amenity. In deed, the canal now has waterlilies in spite of littering and attracts birds such as Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). Topically, given the fact that I will be returning to Sikkim next month, the alien Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera).

Seeing the Changes 528

The Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) is in flower in Loughor and a Grey dagger moth (Acronicta psi) larva appeared in the garden . The larva is much easier to distinguish from the Dark dagger (Acronicta tridens) than is the adult insect.

Tiger, Tiger

Confused goings on in India where courts have ruled an, at least temporary, embargo on tourists going to areas to view tigers (Panthera tigris)(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/20/tiger-population-india-tourism-ban?INTCMP=SRCH). The move has been condemned both by some conservationists and by locals whose livelihoods depend on tourist income. It cuts across efforts to encourage people to tolerate endangered, but potentially dangerous animals, because of the benefits they bring in (otherwise people are tempted to kill the beasts and sell the materials to the Chinese folk medicine proponents). The reasons for the ruling were, however, understandable as the person complaining (a conservationist) was concerned that people were not respecting legal rules banning tourists from areas where tigers were breeding and were putting too much pressure on the reserves (numbers of tigers have fallen here) by packing vehicles with visitors. Strangely enough, the same newspaper that had the article was advertising trips to India with tiger watching as a highlight.

Buyodiesel?

Somewhat disturbing news from Jena University in Germany where academics have demonstrated that biodiesel made from rapeseed oil rarely achieves the 35% saving in greenhouse gases claimed by its enthusiasts in the EU (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/19/biofuel-fails-eu-sustainabilty-test?INTCMP=SRCH) . They interestingly point out that 3 of the largest EU producers of rapeseed are France, Germany and Italy, all countries with large car-manufacturing industries. They also opine that much of EU policy on further reductions in greenhouse gas release appear to be based on plans for increasing biodiesel when its efficiency in terms of savings is in doubt. If one takes this in conjunction with the claim that 40% of US corn is ear-marked for conversion to car fuel, one can see why some people think that biodiesel production is driving up food prices in parts of the world.

Seeing the changes 257

What appears to be a somewhat unusual visitor to Loughor. The moth looks very much like an Orange swift (Hepialus syvina).