7 nature stories that happened this week
Hello! Here's what you need to know this week.
1. Portuguese man-of-war have been washing up in abundance
The organisms have been found on beaches across Cornwall and Wales. Cornwall's Wildlife Trust says it has counted 114 on the county's beaches in the last few days. The Marine Conservation Society responded, saying it's the highest number for five years. It is thought the sudden surge is related to strong westerly winds driving the creatures toward the British coastline. People have been warned not to touch them because, whilst they look beautiful, their sting can be extremely painful and in rare cases prove fatal.
The combination of a warm, dry spring, followed by July and August rains, has led to an abundance of berries in our hedgerows, according to horticulturalists. Great news for wildlife and jam makers alike!
3. Tree of the Year finalists decided
The Woodland Trust has shortlisted contenders for its Tree of the Year scheme. Amongst the hopefuls is a spruce pulled from the mud of Passchendaele during World War One. Voters have until December to make their choice. The winning tree will be announced at the Scottish Parliament at the end of the year.
4. Meet the man collecting litter around 5,000 miles of British coastline
Wayne Dixon is walking the length of the British coastline to collect litter washed up or left behind by beachgoers. Wayne has given up his job to take on the mammoth task and says he isn't sure how long it is going to take him. In the past 18 months he has covered 2,000 miles, with a trusted husky by his side. Well done Wayne, you're a hero and we love what you're doing!
5. Who knew there are so many names for woodlice?
Slaters, Chuggy Pigs or Cheesy Bugs? How about Moch Coed, Woodywigs and Pishamares? These are just some of the different name for woodlice that have been getting social media users talking. A map featuring the names of species has been posted by Twitter user Jan Freedman, who curates the natural history collection at Plymouth museum. He says he is collecting a list of names from different British dialects.
6. Where do birds go in winter?
For the most part, we know where birds migrate to during the cooler months. However did you know that, in the 17th century, people thought they flew to the moon, or even hid at the bottom of a lake? Yes, really! The fascinating theories have been revealed by BBC Radio 3's Essential Classics.
7. "Lizard" trapped under bed turns out to be something quite different...
A family in Coventry called the RSPCA to raise concern over an "unidentifiable lizard" trapped under a bed in their home. Officers from the organisation attended and investigated. Officer Vic Hurr became perplexed when the "lizard" did not appear to move. On closer inspection, Ms Hurr realised it was not a lizard, but a dirty sock. The family were said to be "mortified" upon realisation.
Now if only there were a TV show that focused on British wildlife to educate people about this stuff... Oh, wait!
