WELCOME TO THE CFZ BLOG NETWORK: COME AND JOIN THE FUN

Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

Search This Blog

WATCH OUR WEEKLY WEBtv SHOW

SUPPORT OTT ON PATREON

SUPPORT OTT ON PATREON
Click on this logo to find out more about helping CFZtv and getting some smashing rewards...

SIGN UP FOR OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER



Unlike some of our competitors we are not going to try and blackmail you into donating by saying that we won't continue if you don't. That would just be vulgar, but our lives, and those of the animals which we look after, would be a damn sight easier if we receive more donations to our fighting fund. Donate via Paypal today...




Tuesday, June 02, 2009

LATEST NEWS FROM SMALL TORTOISESHELL RESEARCH PROJECT

The picture is by Maxy, and the text is taken from the latest issue of the Entomological Livestock Group Newsletter:

Thanks to all the ELG members who helped us to our research into parasitoids of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies in 2008. Our research focused particularly on the arrival and spread of a 'new' tachnid fly, Sturmia bella, from the continent since 1998. We would like to ask for your help again in 2009 as our research continues. Some of the data from the 2008 are still being analysed, but a report of the main results can now be downloaded from our web site at the following address:


- To summarise:

* Small Tortoiseshells have declined by approximately 50% in the past decade
* Sturmia bella now has a wide distribution in southern Britain, at least as far north as Merseyside and Doncaster.
* Small Tortoiseshells have declined most dramatically in southern Britain but have
been declining in northern England and Scotland too.
* Sturmia bella is now the major parasitoid for Small Tortoiseshells (but not Peacocks)
* Sturmia bella is mostly recorded from caterpillars collected in late summer.
* Sturmia bella is an additional cause of mortality to the larval batches it parasitizes and may now be competing with native parasitoids.
* The overwintering strategy of Sturmia bella in the UK is still unknown.
* There is no evidence that local decline rates reflect the presence of Sturmia bella, but sample sizes are small.
Caterpillar samples of Peacock or Small Tortoiseshell collected from the same location as last
year would be extremely valuable, but we are also interested in samples from new sites. Samples from northern England and Scotland would be especially welcome.

Instructions and recording sheets (slightly updated since last year) are available at the project web site. Dr Owen Lewis & Dr Sofia Gripenberg, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford (Email: sturmia.bella@googlemail.com )

No comments: