Research
Slugs: Citizen engagement and identification accuracy
New research study shows how effective citizen scientists are in accurately identifying species and gathering reliable ecological data.
Wildlife
Blackbird facing rapid decline
Experts believe blackbird numbers in Greater London and southern England have plummeted on account of the Usutu virus, first detected in UK in 2020
Wildlife
Trees for bees at Wakehurst
Wakehurst is using citizen science to help discover the trees most favoured by pollinators and how to make cities more pollinator-friendly.
Research
Native vegetation does not impact insect biodiversity in small urban gardens
Research in small urban gardens in the Netherlands found that insects were just as abundant in gardens planted with exotic plants as in those filled with native plants
Wildlife
Purple Emperor Butterflies at Knepp
The Knepp estate now hosts the UK’s largest population of the magnificent, elusive Purple Emperor butterfly.
Environment
RHS Wisley installs floating ecosystems
A floating ecosystem by Biomatrix Water has been installed at RHS Wisley to aid habitat creation, waterscaping, water quality and waste management
Wildlife
2024 Big Butterfly Count reopens in July
The Big Butterfly Count 2024 reopens on the 1st July ready for the main event, which runs between 12th July and 4th August.
Environment
Restore Nature Now march
Over 300 organisations will be attending the Restore Nature Now march, which takes place in Central London from 12 noon until 1pm on Saturday the 22nd of June.
Wildlife
Longhorn cattle and Hungarian pigs to rescue rare butterfly on Exmoor
In the aid of the endangered High Brown Fritillary, Longhorns and Mangalista pigs will be creating potential breeding habitat by ‘mowing’ through Exmoor.
Wildlife
Corporate biodiversity in Henley
Global asset management firm Invesco provides an update on the progress made with their climate mitigation strategies at their EMEA head office in Henley on Thames.
Good stuff
Five-star luxury for pollinators at the Erddig estate
A rather grand new home for local pollinators of the National Trust’s Erddig hall…
Environment
Wildlife Trusts Great Big Nature Survey is live
The UK’s largest people and nature survey run by the Wildlife Trusts seeks to understand how public opinion on surrounding nature is changing over time.
Wildlife
Latest Breeding Bird Survey reveals severe Swift, Curlew and Turtle Dove declines
The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) revealed healthy Red Kite and Nuthatch populations, but also severe declines for birds such as Swift, Turtle Dove and Curlew.
Wildlife
Making bird feeding safer for wild birds
When it comes to supplementary feeding and the use of bird feeders, what exactly are we doing?
Dick Woods
Wildlife
Hedgehog conservation initiaves
To mark the upcoming Hedgehog Awareness Week (5th – 11th May), thedirt.news sheds light on the various conservation campaigns and initiatives working to halt their decline.
Health
New compulsory bird registration rules
Regardless of the size of the flock, Defra has announced compulsory registration requirements for all bird keepers to combat avian influenza outbreaks.
Wildlife
Further insect declines highlighted in 2023 Bugs Matter citizen science survey
The Bugs Matter Survey report reveals that the abundance of flying insects sampled on vehicle number plates has fallen by a staggering 78% since 2004.
Wildlife
Dutch National Bee Count
Similar to our equivalent Big Butterfly Count, the people of the Netherlands are counting bees to help assess the health and prevalence of wild bee populations in the country.
Wildlife
Often misunderstood, bats are essential for the environment
Despite their maligned reputation, bats carry out important work and contribute to the health of our ecosystem.
Wildlife
Oxford wood’s Great Tits are adapting their breeding to climate change
Research conducted in Wytham Woods near Oxford suggests that great tits (Parus major) have been able to manage the effects of climate change.
