Species of the week

The Giant Squid (Architeuthis dux): After finishing up Other Minds (Peter Godfrey-Smith), a book about alien intellect and cognition in cephalopods, as well as taking a tour of the NHM’s spirit collection which houses one of the only caught Giant Squid in the world (affectionately known as “Archie” despite probably being female), I was compelled […]

Peregine – watch the next at Winchester cathedral now! http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/peregrine-falcons-at-winchester-cathedral/ (thanks for the tip Bjorn!)  

Bluebell https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/identify-bluebells  

Bee fly https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/insects-invertebrates/bee-flies/  

The foxglove – in Norse mythology, foxes wear the flowers to travel silently http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/digitalis.htm  

Madagascan Christmas orchid – Darwin predicted a pollinator with a tongue long enough to teach the nectar https://www.theguardian.com/science/lost-worlds/2013/oct/02/moth-tongues-orchids-darwin-evolution  

Snowdrop https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/snowdrop  

The nightingale https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-last-song-of-the-nightingale?fbclid=IwAR0555LWcSyLSZjNAYt5cGRQwyrzOohcM3O89QM_IRc7ymyICwZlwqbKFnk  

It’s national tree week, download the woodland trust’s twig ID guide https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives/activities/2015/09/twig-id/    

A newly discovered amphipod Epimeria frankei takes the title of species of the week – finding new species of amphipod is now unusual in the North Sea, and this discovery shows us there’s still much we don’t know! https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180502104053.htm