A casual study of science and nature
A recent article in the Independent suggests that as a direct result of Brexit, it will no longer be legal to rehabilitate and release grey squirrels and muntjac deer. This change in regulations means that any rescued individuals will have to be euthanised. This is not always the case under current regulations, as at the … Continue reading A Brexit Death Sentence for Grey Squirrels and Muntjac Deer?
When an animal is exposed to a stress, it produces hormones that elevate its blood pressure, allowing it to quickly respond in a "fight-or-flight" scenario. When these hormones are produced in a pregnant female, they can be transferred to the foetus, changing the environment in which the embryo develops, therefore causing physiological and behavioural changes … Continue reading The Effects of Maternal Stress on Zebrafish and their Offspring
People seem to love bees but hate wasps, so why is there a difference in perception between the two? If I had a penny for every time I heard the question "what's the point of wasps?" I'd have at least enough money to buy a Freddo (well, back in the good old days of cheap … Continue reading In Defence of Wasps
In the UK butterflies are synonymous with hot summer's days with plenty of sunshine. To sit and watch such beautifully coloured insects flit from flower to flower is a true delight of the British summer. It may surprise you then, that Britain is also home to one species of butterfly that prefers a harder life. … Continue reading The Mountain Ringlet – Britain’s Toughest Butterfly?
Nature's Mark 