Izzy's UEA Ecology blog

As the temperature drops, the leaves are browning, the birds are leaving and.. the ladybirds are invading? Autumn is very definitely here; I've been noticing and appreciating all the usual signs, but last week I saw something I hadn't in previous years. Sat at my desk in my uni room, I was distracted from my online lecture by the many ladybirds on the walls and window. After looking into ladybird identification, I found that most were likely to be harlequin ladybirds Harmonia axyridis , an invasive species in the UK. Native to eastern Asia, this species has spread around the world, and is now also present in North and South America, Africa and Europe. Harmonia axyridis was introduced to the US in the 1980s as a method of biological control for aphids, and was recorded in the UK in 2004, after being probably accidentally introduced. In 2015, it was declared the fastest spreading invasive species in the UK after spreading from Essex as far as Cornwall and the Shetland Islands in...

 The phrase 'virtual field trip' may seem a bit of an oxymoron, but in these strange times it's making the best of a difficult situation. On this occasion, we 'visited' Winterton-Horsey Dunes National Nature Reserve, with a focus on how the levels of paths have changed over the last few decades, and their influence on the cover of lichens. An introduction to the site The importance of Winterton-Horsey Dunes is made clear by it's multiple conservation designations; it's a National Nature Reserve (NNR), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC)(designated at a European level). The site has been granted these titles due to the presence of certain habitats and species; the primary habitats for conservation are Atlantic decalcified fixed dunes and humid dune slacks. There is a wide variety of habitats present, partially due to the changing conditions with increasing distance from the coast - shingle beach, embryo dunes, h...