tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47757300379585481122024-02-19T00:22:04.667-08:00Maltese NaturePaul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-90496634249549619082015-10-19T09:07:00.000-07:002016-04-07T03:06:21.643-07:00The Onion Weed<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxO-ig2JDGv2yg294R1tkvFLJhLB-R4Up8VgglcuEVmX8mLVr0KeMKB2LJzTVoT3Bo2keK0MAaoWmL8EOapay7fYkc7HMtU96tyW7iMvt8vrj_QAdg9M3qBNP_K8P6a52qL1DHCKBaUcI/s200/Asphodelus+fistulasus.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="128" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: left;">Onion Weed - <i>Asphodelus fistulosus</i> </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxO-ig2JDGv2yg294R1tkvFLJhLB-R4Up8VgglcuEVmX8mLVr0KeMKB2LJzTVoT3Bo2keK0MAaoWmL8EOapay7fYkc7HMtU96tyW7iMvt8vrj_QAdg9M3qBNP_K8P6a52qL1DHCKBaUcI/s1600/Asphodelus+fistulasus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The onion weed is a spring-flowering plant
of the lily family. It is found in Mediterranean countries but has been
introduced in many areas with a Mediterranean climate particularly in <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state>, <st1:state w:st="on">Arizona</st1:state>, <st1:state w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:state>, <st1:state w:st="on">Texas</st1:state> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
It has also been introduced in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the Maltese islands it is a rare species
that can be found only in a few localities. I have seen in growing mostly on
the walls of the bastions at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Argotti</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Batonic</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Gardens</st1:placetype></st1:place>
in Floriana and at Sa Maison Garden in Pieta’. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Maltese it is known as <i>berwieq żgħir</i>. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In non-Mediterranean countries it has
become a pest and measures are taken to try to eliminate it. This is a common
situation where plants are introduced in areas where they are not indigenous.
In <st1:place w:st="on">Malta</st1:place> this has occurred with many species
the best known being the <st1:place w:st="on">Cape</st1:place> sorrel which in
Maltese is known as the <i>ħaxixa ngliża</i>.
</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The onion weed is an asphodel. It is
related to the very common species known as the branched asphodel. Both plants
are very similar except for a big difference in size. The branch asphodel can
grow up to 150 cm while the onion weed rarely reaches a height of fifty centimetres.
</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This plant is an annual
or short-lived perennial. It reproduces by seed which can be dispersed by wing
water, machinery or agricultural produce. The seeds can also be carried around
by mud attached to animals and vehicles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The very common and
larger branch asphodel flowers in winter and early spring. It grows in most
habitats but is more common in rocky steppe. In some places, especially in
areas that are regularly burnt, it can become the most common flowering plant. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 23 April 2015, </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-60047983996901917812015-10-19T09:01:00.002-07:002016-03-31T03:22:49.736-07:00Mason Bees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLVb5-4qvlWXqQ0w9WxN8vTmWrc9d-EbFlZnHIKfIvqWllgfG_soEpOaXaHxdtLYwVpAp6QnG4JTFf7LJe1Gnx8sovGKDRe8v7YssgLWSERSkLIjlvpfWoue-gJ3xUhObMtAHRKdOWBI/s1600/Mason+bee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLVb5-4qvlWXqQ0w9WxN8vTmWrc9d-EbFlZnHIKfIvqWllgfG_soEpOaXaHxdtLYwVpAp6QnG4JTFf7LJe1Gnx8sovGKDRe8v7YssgLWSERSkLIjlvpfWoue-gJ3xUhObMtAHRKdOWBI/s320/Mason+bee.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mason bee is common in spring. It can
easily be identified by the thick layer of reddish brown hair that covers its
thorax, the hairless blackish brown abdomen and reddish legs. Females have an
abdominal broom. This is a structure formed by fringes of hair which is used to
collect pollen.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This species is found in western counties
of the Mediterranean including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Malta as well
as North African counties as far east as Libya. In <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>
it is restricted to southern <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>,
<st1:state w:st="on">Sicily</st1:state> and <st1:place w:st="on">Sardinia</st1:place>.
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Maltese the mason bee is known as <i>naħla tal-koppla</i> because of the rounded
structure of its nest which looks like a church dome. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mason bees are solitary bees but at this
time of the year several can be seen close together on the ground especially in
rocky areas, collecting gravel and small stones which they use to build their
nests.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Females the building material collected
from these places and cement it by mixing it with a secretion from their labial
glands to form a mud. The mud is used to build rounded nests which are attached
to walls or rocks. The labial secretion makes the dried mud impervious to water
and the nest can last for many years. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The internal structure of the nest consists
of several elongated cells which are filled with honey and pollen. An egg is
laid in each cell. The larva forms a pupa which overwinters inside the nest.
The adult bee emerges in early spring to start nest building and to collect
pollen from flowers </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mason bee belongs to a family known as
megachilid. Most bees belonging to this family are known either as mason bees
or leafcutter leaves depending on the material they use to build their nests. A
small number of species which collect plant or animal hairs and fibres are
known as carder bees. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">About fifteen species of megachiclid bees
are found in the Maltese islands. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Megachiclid bees are inefficient pollen
collectors. They have to visit several plants to collect sufficient pollen for
their needs and this makes them very important pollinators. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 16 April 2015. </span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-9586254902689697482015-10-19T08:57:00.000-07:002016-03-31T03:25:08.061-07:00Every bird shot in spring is one nest less<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqv_aGiXLhrmFWIRm7Kk-k4RcBmmoooZ7lrqShNuXqRQslqbZRQynr40IJizIZz6h_riFWPxd0urwwK04F3l0ICAaQO9syQM5GUDdDlC3-ePN9s2zvRTv8A7_eusnidL2PtuWY36WGh0/s320/Turtle+Dove.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turtle dove</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqv_aGiXLhrmFWIRm7Kk-k4RcBmmoooZ7lrqShNuXqRQslqbZRQynr40IJizIZz6h_riFWPxd0urwwK04F3l0ICAaQO9syQM5GUDdDlC3-ePN9s2zvRTv8A7_eusnidL2PtuWY36WGh0/s1600/Turtle+Dove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There a many reasons for voting no in next
Saturday’s referendum one of the main ones being that those who do not hunt
want to be able to visit the countryside at the best time of the year without
feeling threatened by the presence of thousands of hunters who behave as if
they have an exclusive right to be in the countryside. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is above all another reason which we
should not forget; the protection of turtle doves and quails when they are on
their way to breed. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These two species have been hunted in many
parts of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> for centuries. In the past
animals were hunted to augment the amount of meat available to eat especially
for country people who could not afford to buy other sources of protein. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With today’s high standard of living nobody
needs to hunt to have meat on the plate. Hunting is carried out solely for
pleasure to which there are alternatives such as bird watching and bird
photography. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The hunting of birds is no longer necessary
especially in spring when every bird is about to breed. Every bird shot in
spring is one nest less. If Maltese hunters were not blinded by their obsession
they would realise that they should stop killing turtle doves. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The population of turtle doves is
decreasing. Since 1970 declines occurred in up to 60% of the countries for
which trends are known and the declines are continuing. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maltese hunters who have been hunting since
the 1970s or early eighties are fully aware of this decrease in numbers. Thirty
years ago turtle doves used to migrate in large numbers. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nowadays the turtle
dove is not common at all. Hunters try to justify their pastime by saying that
they shoot only ‘small’ numbers of turtle doves but do not say that they shoot
fewer birds than they used to because year after year the number of migrating
turtle doves is less and less. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The alarm bells have been ringing for many
years. Hunters should have taken their heads out of the sand a long time ago
and since they did not the time has come for all responsible Maltese citizens
to make them stop this destruction before it is too late. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 9 April 2015.</span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-28476644236084121112015-10-19T08:45:00.001-07:002015-10-19T08:45:30.557-07:00Collared Dove<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQvEIgsj9LnkRZSBPPS9rHGehWrYXK1F2Ojjsz5dmNxRHmCnpY7sLVnMoZV1X7zyfyZ_GdyDWjngunlBmAWpQhNOYU83T_v2VmKi5lGu70sdsZGuSlyKzzCTT718g2By2Tq-YpkqWTZE/s1600/Collared+dove+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQvEIgsj9LnkRZSBPPS9rHGehWrYXK1F2Ojjsz5dmNxRHmCnpY7sLVnMoZV1X7zyfyZ_GdyDWjngunlBmAWpQhNOYU83T_v2VmKi5lGu70sdsZGuSlyKzzCTT718g2By2Tq-YpkqWTZE/s320/Collared+dove+2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The collared dove is a regular breeder in
the Maltese islands. It bred for the first time in 2003 at Santa Marija Estate
in Mellieħa. Now it is breeding in many other areas. It builds its nest in trees
close in urban areas, often close to buildings. The best places to see collared
doves are at San Anton Gardens and the President’s kitchen garden, the
Addolorata Cemetery, Buskett Gardens, and at the Għadira Nature Reserve and surrounding
fields.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Maltese the collared dove is called <i>gamiema tal-kullar</i> because it is closely
related to the turtle dove which in Maltese is called <i>gamiema</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collared doves have a long breeding season
and remain faithful to each other. At this time of the year they are busy
courting and building their nests. During courtship the male climbs vertically
close to a female and then glides downward in a circle holding the wings held
under the body in the shape of an inverted V. At this time you can also hear
collared doves cooing, a sound that in some places has become synonymous with
spring. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The collared dove is non-migratory but has
been expanding its range since the beginning of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. It
first appeared in Eastern Europe and by 1945 it reached <st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place>
and in 1956 bred for the first time in <st1:place w:st="on">Great Britain</st1:place>.
By the end of the last century it was breeding throughout <st1:place w:st="on">North
Africa</st1:place>. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although the collared dove is closely
related to the turtle dove they differ from each other because while the
collared dove is a resident species the turtle dove is fully migratory and
flies all the way from Europe to Africa and back every year. They also differ
because the collared dove breeds close to buildings where hunting is not
allowed while the turtle dove prefers more rural habitats where shooting is
allowed.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because of this the turtle dove has never
become a breeding bird and although it has tried to breed several times it
never managed to so because of spring hunting. <a href="mailto:portelli.paul@gmail.com"></a> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This aricle was published in the Times of Malta on 2 April 2015.</span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-89340345154925429302015-10-19T08:42:00.000-07:002015-10-19T08:46:12.330-07:00The Scarlet Pimpernel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceCZJ7HibFO6oSVWsta3j_zfllRUk8syhbTxBlqQFReEB8Xr36XZiltqw6dqD4Ld66mK6lJJ46LgcFZ1avT0HsJpfo5gnPiTCOyu-adJBmSoDzxrC1guh3CLjACyFMnEkN9W3_jbdAFE/s1600/Scarlet+pimpernel+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceCZJ7HibFO6oSVWsta3j_zfllRUk8syhbTxBlqQFReEB8Xr36XZiltqw6dqD4Ld66mK6lJJ46LgcFZ1avT0HsJpfo5gnPiTCOyu-adJBmSoDzxrC1guh3CLjACyFMnEkN9W3_jbdAFE/s320/Scarlet+pimpernel+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The scarlet pimpernel is a small indigenous
plant with beautiful red or blue flowers. It is found in central and southern
Europe, in North Africa and in western <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>.
It has been introduced accidentally or as a decorative plant in many places
including North and South America, Central and East Asia, the Indian sub-continent,
Australasia the <st1:placename w:st="on">Pacific</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Islands</st1:placetype> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>. In some areas where
it has been introduced it has become a pest. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malta</st1:place></st1:country-region> the pimpernel flowers from
March to May. Further north it flowers later in spring and in some areas it
remains in flower throughout most of the summer. The flowers grow singly on a
thin stalk. The flower is made up of five petals with a small purple spot at
the bottom part of the petals which form a circular shape at the centre of the
flower. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flowers are very sensitive to light.
They open up only after the sun is bright enough and close down as soon as the
sun disappears behind a cloud. The plant has been called the poor man’s
barometer, the poor man’s weather glass and the shepherd’s clock although I
doubt whether it has ever been used to tell the weather or time as it is much
easier to look up at the sky and check whether the sun is shining than looking
at the ground to check if the tiny flowers are open or closed. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Maltese the pimpernel is known as <i>ħarira ħamra</i> or <i>ħarira kaħla</i> although the second name is nowadays being used for
another very similar species whose flowers are always blue. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The English name comes from a late Middle
English word which itself comes from the Middle French word <i>pimpernelle</i> meaning small pepper. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the past the pimpernel was used
medicinally as a diuretic, and as an expectorant and to relieve depression. It
is toxic to livestock and can be poisonous.
</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #252525;">The plant is the </span><span lang="EN-GB">emblem of Emma Orczy’s fictional character Scarlet Pimpernel, an
aristocratic hero who rescued condemned victims from the guillotine during the
French Revolution. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.75pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 26 March 2015. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.75pt;"> </span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-62744612293617666602015-10-19T08:39:00.000-07:002015-10-19T08:39:28.518-07:00Bay Laurel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkIjYArvfwOZ6BGN0bTXKHf_OpHm0N3Svhmi-xwfptGIR6t4ERVa2TgDJTj_RM6JI3M3yy2PRrmuSJ5AX2vWWg9rkcbmJ6pHGIeBP2qZCa4D57EdE-Xf9u7NeyrE2WbpHBaEwjeWYuE0/s1600/Bay+laurel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkIjYArvfwOZ6BGN0bTXKHf_OpHm0N3Svhmi-xwfptGIR6t4ERVa2TgDJTj_RM6JI3M3yy2PRrmuSJ5AX2vWWg9rkcbmJ6pHGIeBP2qZCa4D57EdE-Xf9u7NeyrE2WbpHBaEwjeWYuE0/s320/Bay+laurel.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There can be no doubt that the bay laurel
is an indigenous tree. Fossilised imprints of its leaves have been found in
Pleistocene deposits, that is, rock formations from the Ice Age period. They
formed thousands of years before the first humans arrived in the Maltese
islands and so they could not have been brought over by humans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bay laurel is an evergreen tree with
dark green leaves and light yellow flowers. It flowers from February to April
and although it is already mid-March do not be surprised if you find trees that
are not yet in bloom. The persistent wintery weather seems to be causing trees
and plants to flower later than usual. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Maltese the bay laurel is known as <i>sigra tar-rand</i>. It is found in maquis habitat but very few
wild specimens are left in nature. A good number have been planted in gardens
and public areas but more should be planted. It is much better to have an
indigenous tree than an alien species growing in the countryside. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indigenous trees <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> are well adapted for local conditions and
provide food and shelter for indigenous fauna thus helping to maintain a rich
biodiversity. Alien species take up space that would be much better utilised by
native trees. They do not provide a habitat for many species of animals and so
can be called a faunistic desert.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moreover indigenous species often have a
rich cultural legacy which is a result of centuries of interaction between
humans and nature. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bay laurel is used in medicine and
cooking and is a well-known symbol. The leaves are used to flavour
Mediterranean soups and stews. In Malta it is an important ingredient of rabbit
sauce. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Classical times the Greeks used laurel
wreaths to symbolise victory and to bestow a high status on the person wearing
it. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bay laurel is also used medicinally. An
essential oil produced from it is used in massage therapy to alleviate
arthritic and rheumatic pain. Laboratory studies have shown that high
concentrations of a chemical extract can inhibit skin cancer cells from
proliferating. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was publshed in the Times of Malta on 19 March 2015. </span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-41888585709636020002015-10-19T08:34:00.001-07:002015-10-19T08:34:41.960-07:00A New Spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmJMR6cLpo-mtCzc7G7s5bWjUTirs7nQ3saGk1UM3KdF1PoNLWXFyAJgpefwyxCB26QyyueLKZAhuoYxKzEufQa_RLVIl4emA_fLRVCRBroKjmtKLW2WygYSJHs-M__gX4EvVgc8UoWQ/s1600/Hoopoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmJMR6cLpo-mtCzc7G7s5bWjUTirs7nQ3saGk1UM3KdF1PoNLWXFyAJgpefwyxCB26QyyueLKZAhuoYxKzEufQa_RLVIl4emA_fLRVCRBroKjmtKLW2WygYSJHs-M__gX4EvVgc8UoWQ/s320/Hoopoe.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year it seems that spring will be
coming late. At this time of the year the sun normally shines much more often
and the temperature on average is higher. When spring finally arrives it will
no doubt be welcomed with open arms.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This spring could be also be welcomed for
another reason. If the referendum against spring hunting results in a majority
voting no many would be welcoming a new spring for Maltese nature. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A no vote will stop the killing of turtle
doves and quails on their way to breed. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Protected birds will be able to continue on
their journey from their wintering grounds in Africa to their breeding areas in
<st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> without being shot and everybody will
to see more in the countryside. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A no vote will also mean that the Maltese
and visitors will be able to visit the countryside without being intimidated by
gun wielding bullies and without fearing being hit by pellets. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A no vote will bring about the anarchy that
requires a large number of policemen to bring under some semblance of control. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No other country allows the shooting of
turtle doves and quail in spring and by voting no the Maltese will align the
Maltese islands with the rest of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the start of the referendum campaign
the hunters have been noticed by their absence. They are hiding themselves
hoping that we will forget what the vote is really about. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They got themselves a spokeswoman to
convince us to vote yes or to lull us into not voting. This is nothing but a
real life version of the Biblical story about the wolf that covered itself in a
sheep skin to gain the trust of the shepherds. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the hunters’ ruse succeeds on the 12<sup>th</sup>
of April they will throw off their skin and all hell will be let loose. The
annual killing of migrating birds will start again with impunity. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only way to bring about this new spring
is for a majority of the Maltese voters not to be lulled into compliancy and on
the 11<sup>th</sup> of April to vote no. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The April 11<sup>th</sup> referendum is an
opportunity to vote in a new spring. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 12 March 2015. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-46607971956271272112015-10-19T08:05:00.002-07:002015-10-19T08:05:52.530-07:00Mediterranean Painted Frog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTB8iaCKS7mzrBRxMoQFX39jyUlwwU4EaNBdzq2H8FStOkMUIlWI9tSx1xrFBTKYG2ykb9MXbLVWTg5uLtAZ2HaZ6ox9UF3AJqAvqespAuts7Eig4PlyV5T38PExih21TvyC3mq993eM/s1600/Painted+frogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTB8iaCKS7mzrBRxMoQFX39jyUlwwU4EaNBdzq2H8FStOkMUIlWI9tSx1xrFBTKYG2ykb9MXbLVWTg5uLtAZ2HaZ6ox9UF3AJqAvqespAuts7Eig4PlyV5T38PExih21TvyC3mq993eM/s320/Painted+frogs.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February seemed to be wetter than usual. It
rained most days and by the end of the month I was hearing a lot of people complaining
that they were fed up of the rain even though they all knew that in this
country we should welcome every drop of water.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rain water percolates through the limestone
to replenish the over-extracted water table. It also forms streams and rivulets
that occasionally rush and at other occasions meander through the valleys. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rain water collects behind dams built in
valleys allowing farmers to water their crops during the drier months. It also
fills in the innumerable depressions in rocky areas providing habitat for
several aquatic plants and animals such as the Mediterranean painted frog. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mediterranean painted frog is the only
indigenous amphibian in the Maltese islands. Although this species can be found
in other parts of the Mediterranean the race found in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region> is found only here and in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sicily</st1:place></st1:state>. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This species of frog is protected by
European and local legislation. It is illegal to catch or in any way disturb
this species without permission. The frog needs all the protection it can get
but listing it as a protected species is not enough. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To protect it properly and effectively one
needs to known as much as possible about its biology and ecology. One has to
know the size of its population, whether it is increasing or decreasing and one
has to monitor its habitat and important breeding sites. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Up to a couple of decades ago one could see
many children collecting frogs and tadpoles from Wied il-luq in Buskett,
Chadwick Lakes and. Frog catching is not widely practiced anymore but we now
need to move a step ahead. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being close to nature and viewing animals
closely is good in many ways and if done properly it instils a love for nature
and subsequently it would give rise to a strong conservation ethic and to future
environmentalists. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One way for this to happen is for all
schools to create nature areas in their grounds. These areas should provide
habitats for indigenous species of flora and fauna. These areas should include
a wild-life pond in which one introduces plants and animals including frogs. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If every school had to have a nature area, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place>
would have many more children who would become more aware of the natural
environment. These sites would also create a network of habitats for nature
throughout the islands. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 5 March 2015. </span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-25574387290190973812015-10-19T07:59:00.002-07:002015-10-19T07:59:42.020-07:00Carob Trees are in Peril<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrNNDalB1DyYlxAHqyiyU_S03ZEhzjoUFF0bZFXY5oEoqs01n4QZbo_0VehDYdbTOCb-dvn0UAj0i0E1QHKbKTYuoWGrRjlsyUOmCXi_Kesj2ftJfdbRwwp5pBDwL2yO-F9V2OXJkrnw/s1600/Carob+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrNNDalB1DyYlxAHqyiyU_S03ZEhzjoUFF0bZFXY5oEoqs01n4QZbo_0VehDYdbTOCb-dvn0UAj0i0E1QHKbKTYuoWGrRjlsyUOmCXi_Kesj2ftJfdbRwwp5pBDwL2yO-F9V2OXJkrnw/s320/Carob+trees.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Plant Health Directorate last week issued a statement to inform the public that
carob trees are falling victim to a beetle known scientifically as <i>Apate monachus</i> and in English as the
black borer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
beetle species is native to <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place> from where
it has spread to many parts of the world including the Mediterranean region. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
attacks several specie of plant including grapevine, peach, apple, pear,
avocado and ornamental trees. In the <st1:place w:st="on">Mediterranean</st1:place>
it has been found feeding mostly on pomegranate and carob trees. The damage is
caused by adult beetles which bore into the living wood to feed. The larvae
live in dead wood and do not cause any damage to living trees. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
black borer is not a new arrival in the Maltese islands. It was first recorded
in 2004 and has been recorded regularly since then. It is a nocturnal species and
most of the records are of specimens attracted to light in the north of <st1:place w:st="on">Malta</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
beetle is one of several beetle species that arrived in Europe and in <st1:place w:st="on">Malta</st1:place> from other parts of the world. The most notorious
of these are the red palm weevil and the mulberry long-horned beetle both of
which are alien pests which caused considerable damage to trees. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
carob tree is not indigenous to the Maltese islands. It was probably brought to
the Maltese islands thousands of years ago and has become one of the most
common trees, especially, in agricultural areas. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the
past it was cultivated for the pods which were fed to livestock especially
horses, sheep pigs and goats. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carobs
have decreased in importance as they no longer provide fodder. Farmers do not
plant it anymore and many old specimens have been uprooted to give way to roads
and buildings but the disappearance of the carob tree from the Maltese
countryside would change completely the Maltese landscape and the way we think
about nature. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Land
would look more barren especially in summer when carob trees create a patchwork
of green in a land that has been parched dry by lack of rain and scorching
sun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 26 February 2015.</span></span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-27606977807653016312015-10-19T06:13:00.002-07:002015-10-19T06:13:47.451-07:00Mediterranean Cowry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8ztXSFZIcz-lvG2NKd_L8FiKhL-d8OXMeCC-ubA2tZJLPvSlN2kGIExn1wW7rnMWV61qo3vfaOGD8cn3meuvpLNP6WLKawh2rjrEMXacLNYayAeu-xZYTxMR1JLollmPkD-qalfYlNs/s1600/Mediterranean+cowry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8ztXSFZIcz-lvG2NKd_L8FiKhL-d8OXMeCC-ubA2tZJLPvSlN2kGIExn1wW7rnMWV61qo3vfaOGD8cn3meuvpLNP6WLKawh2rjrEMXacLNYayAeu-xZYTxMR1JLollmPkD-qalfYlNs/s320/Mediterranean+cowry.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visiting the beach after storms can be very
rewarding. Waves can throw up interesting creatures and deposit them on the
sand or in rock pools. A few days ago while looking in a rock pool at Pembroke
I found a Mediterranean cowry trapped inside. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This species of cowry has very specific
needs and would definitely have died in the pool after a few days so after
photographing it I threw back to the sea from where it had come. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mediterranean cowry is not easy to
find. It does not like light and spends the daylight hours hidden under a rock
or in a cave. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not much is known about its feeding habits.
It feed on sponges possibly on just one species – the yellow tube sponge. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This species is restricted to the
Mediterranean Sea and to those parts of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to it namely
along<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> the </span></span>Cape
Verde,<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> the </span></span>Azores,<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> and the </span></span>Canary
islands and<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span>West
African coast south to Senegal<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span>Angola. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cowries have very shiny shells which have
fascinated humans by their beauty. In many parts of the world they were used as
jewellery and as currency.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mediterranean cowry is one of several
species of cowries that can be found in the seas around the Maltese islands. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the Maltese islands Mediterranean
cowries were used to cure ringworm. A live cowry was dipped in oil and then
rubbed on the affected part of the skin while a few lines that sounded like an
incantation were recited. If a live cowry was not available a shell was
dissolved in vinegar or lemon juice and the resulting liquid spread over the
affected part. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Maltese the Mediterranean cowry is known
as <i>baħbuħa tal-għajnejn.</i> <i>Għajnejn</i> could mean a pair of eyes
because of the cowry’s shape but more likely it refers to a belief in the
ability of this mollusc to protect against the evil eye. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many years ago in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Tunisia</st1:country-region> I saw a young girl who had a cowry
attached to her shirt with a safety pin. When I asked her why she was wearing
the shell she replied that her mother put it there to protect her from the evil
eye (<i>għajn</i>). </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region>
a caged blue rock thrush (<i>merill</i>) was
sometimes protected from the evil eye by placing a cowry in its cage. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 19 February 2015.</span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-65718541042552813912015-10-19T05:47:00.002-07:002015-10-19T05:47:51.218-07:00Along Came a Green Spider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewS6gDCk5t0swihOFwwiyXACaIq4CIir6oFfMMOX089drw_lsbK0sBK7gfQTHWe4ybxoqFYXyTe8mFXUyA9sGA0Ei2FRae5Cz1mbY4-wkqtuEvazsP-MwYC-iqAf84Q8OTspqamTBMrE/s1600/Green+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewS6gDCk5t0swihOFwwiyXACaIq4CIir6oFfMMOX089drw_lsbK0sBK7gfQTHWe4ybxoqFYXyTe8mFXUyA9sGA0Ei2FRae5Cz1mbY4-wkqtuEvazsP-MwYC-iqAf84Q8OTspqamTBMrE/s320/Green+spider.jpg" width="224" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The green spider
is an indigenous member of the huntsman spider family. This family got its name
because of its fast active hunting habits. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is
characterised by its bright green colour which perfectly camouflages it in the
green vegetation in which it lives. Females can grow up to 14mm while males do
not exceed 9 mm. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Maltese it is
called known as <i>brimba</i> <i>ħadra</i> which I assume is another name
given by naturalists as like many species that are not common it does not have
a popular Maltese name. The green spider is found around the Mediterranean and
in Central Asia. In Europe it can sometimes be found further north including in
Great Britain where it has been introduced. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adult green
spiders can be found in the Maltese countryside as early as mid-winter. They
lay eggs in February which hatch within one month. The female shelters herself
by tying the edges of a large leave together and spins a cocoon inside. She
then seals herself in the cocoon to protect herself and her eggs. While inside
the cocoon she does not feed. When the eggs hatch the spiderlings are immobile
and remain so for about a week when they change their first skin. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They then
leave the nest to start hunting independently. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this stage the
adult female spider dies although sometimes she survives for some more time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further north,
where winters are colder than in Malta the adult spider appears in late winter
and the young hatch in early spring. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The huntsman
family of spiders consists of more than a thousand species most of which are
found in warm temperate and tropical parts of the world. They do not build webs
and hunt for other insects and other invertebrates running up and down vertical
faces and down walls.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> Like most spiders they immobilise
or kill their prey by injecting it with venom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 12 February 2015.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-15994538111821822992015-10-19T05:31:00.001-07:002015-10-19T05:31:27.308-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXs-aKkVyVUjq2PNjgd45Fc9yg_FJ5YWNQBhoSIimCA9-mfnNLo2E8eDy5kHiKpD1UXM3KUUKY-aACs3DSJtkhHfeUvQOofa2ey6QMf86TrFQJMvgsW5PwNXqH4ie9fpKE_pz0i4j4n0/s1600/Wood+blewit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXs-aKkVyVUjq2PNjgd45Fc9yg_FJ5YWNQBhoSIimCA9-mfnNLo2E8eDy5kHiKpD1UXM3KUUKY-aACs3DSJtkhHfeUvQOofa2ey6QMf86TrFQJMvgsW5PwNXqH4ie9fpKE_pz0i4j4n0/s320/Wood+blewit.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wood blewit is a scarce mushroom that
grows under both coniferous and deciduous trees in places such as Buskett and
the Simar Nature Reserve in Xemxija. It is a saprophytic species that feeds on
the fallen leaves of trees. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like most other mushrooms, wood blewits
appear after the autumn rains but continue to be found in winter long after
other mushroom species disappear.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This species is found in Europe and North
America and has been also been introduced in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region></st1:place> where it is increasing in
number. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wood blewits are edible and are widely
collected and cultivated in many parts of Europe where they are generally much
more common than they are in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place>
which lacks large tracts of woodland. They are very popular in <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region>
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Portugal</st1:country-region></st1:place>.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They
have a faint smell of aniseed and a pleasant taste especially when cooked. Some
individuals are allergic to wood blewits which can give rise to indigestion and
more serious problems especially but not only if eaten raw. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wood blewit was first described
scientifically by the French physician and botanist Jean Baptiste Francois
Pierre Bulliard in 1790. Jean Baptiste dedicated much of his time to describing
mushrooms managing to add 393 species to the important science of mycology. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wood blewit varies in colour from lilac
to purple-pink. It usually becomes darker and flatter as it becomes older. Wood
blewits can be boiled to make a green dye. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="taxonomichistory"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="identification"></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wood blewits can be propagated by placing
the fruiting body (the part we see above ground) in a jar full of hardwood
sawdust. After some time the fruiting body can be removed and one just have to
wait for mycelia which look like very thin roots to start forming. Once the mycelia
start to form the whole thing can be placed in leaf-rich compost outside and
one just have to wait for the mushrooms to appear above the ground. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 5 February 2015. </span></div>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #837c44;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span></h2>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-79582456890946629312015-10-19T05:25:00.002-07:002015-10-19T05:25:29.337-07:00Where have the flamingos gone?<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDKAlYkfPTwTbIj582wQNnkYabs6PKFO_pDvTXFXnSI47kx1Pp5HZlZlj5JnpHVNxai2dhmGTWgcz7RA2tf9mUH9RhBdQ8GUEzPASioBbRTi0e0usrMBetNuIEZ4M3lBEQJfIRZKTmJs/s1600/Flamingoes+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDKAlYkfPTwTbIj582wQNnkYabs6PKFO_pDvTXFXnSI47kx1Pp5HZlZlj5JnpHVNxai2dhmGTWgcz7RA2tf9mUH9RhBdQ8GUEzPASioBbRTi0e0usrMBetNuIEZ4M3lBEQJfIRZKTmJs/s320/Flamingoes+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last November I wrote an article about a
pair of immature flamingos that were released at the Ghadira Nature Reserve in
early September. The two birds landed in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place> because they were too weak to
continue with their journey south with the rest of the flock. They were picked
up by BirdLife <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place>
volunteers and released in the reserve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The two flamingos were doing very well.
They spent most of the time walking with their head close to the water feeding.
They were never far apart from each other and it was easy to imagine that they
were in love and that they would breed in the reserve once they became adults.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pair of flamingos was the highlight for
the hundreds of school children and families who visited the reserve during the
past five months. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alas, the flamingos are no longer in the
reserve. On Saturday morning the birds were not to be seen. A search around the
reserve provided evidence that there was a break-in during the night. Everything
indicated that somebody entered the protected area to get the birds. The storm that
was blowing made it easy for whoever it was to enter the reserve without being
detected. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The argument that the two birds could have
left the reserve does not hold water. Birds do not normally choose to migrate
on stormy nights. Secondly, it is not a coincidence that somebody broke into
the reserve on the same night that the two birds disappeared. A hunters’
association said that some of its members saw the two flamingos migrating. I do
not believe this.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The disappearance of the two flamingos was
a repetition of the same old story. Every time an interesting bird decides to
spend some time in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region> it
ends up a stuffed trophy in somebody’s cabinet. Whoever entered the reserve did
not only disturb or kill protected birds. He also robbed hundreds of visitors to
the reserve the pleasure of watching two beautiful birds.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope that the police will soon find out whoever
broke into the Ghadira Nature Reserve and if found guilty he is punished
severely enough to deter anybody who is tempted to break the bird protection
laws. <a href="mailto:portelli.paul@gmail.com"></a> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 29 January 2015.</span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-35862655576112292372015-10-19T05:18:00.001-07:002015-10-19T05:18:30.082-07:00Rockin' Robin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIEvIxQ7YdvHrU37fMRdb8CFJEGVXvY6R_uS_yZenNI5GnsDlD0yWvSc6chcjHDQk96vaJySkesENNQKjcsyxaipIj52qk9FWs_YJb9NXjWaO0NRsLfJbceGzqnvjf3THUUDss2elneY/s1600/Robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIEvIxQ7YdvHrU37fMRdb8CFJEGVXvY6R_uS_yZenNI5GnsDlD0yWvSc6chcjHDQk96vaJySkesENNQKjcsyxaipIj52qk9FWs_YJb9NXjWaO0NRsLfJbceGzqnvjf3THUUDss2elneY/s320/Robin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The robin is one of the most common birds
wintering in the Maltese islands. It is well known and probably easily
recognised by everybody. It is also very tame and regularly visits gardens even
in the most built up areas. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Up to a couple of decades ago robins were
ruthlessly trapped by thousands of boys and men of all ages. To catch them they
exploited the fact that robins are very territorial birds. Each robin takes up
residence in a patch of land and defends it against all other robins. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
characteristic orange breast, song and call evolved to help them to establish
and maintain their territory.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The song and call are enough to inform
other robins that a particular area is already occupied by another robin. If a
robin ignores the audio warning and does enter into an occupied territory, it
is confronted by the territory’s own robin. Here the orange breast is used to
full effect. If this still does not work it launches itself against the
intruder and attacks it. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Robins used to be trapped by being tricked
into attacking a robin placed in a cage trap called <i>trabokk</i> in Maltese. If it was the beginning of the trapping season
and no robin were available to be used as a decoy they placed a red cloth or a
halved pomegranate fruit inside the trap. Each and every trapper caught several
robins every season. Most of them died within a few days or weeks because being
insectivorous birds they could not live in cages. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily robin trapping is a thing of the
past thanks to years of educational campaigns that thought children that it was
much better to enjoy robins in the countryside than to trap them. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slowly
attitudes changed and today children would not recognise a robin trap if they
saw one.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the trapping of robins stopped <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place>
became a safer place for the robin and it became possible for everybody to
enjoy the sight and song of this bird. On April 11<sup>th</sup> the Maltese
will be called to make <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place>
even safer for birds by voting against the hunting of turtle doves and quails when
these birds are on their way to breed. This is an opportunity not to be missed
as each and every citizen will be able to take positive action for birds. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 22 January 2015.</span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-12096186888794351562015-10-19T05:13:00.001-07:002015-10-19T05:13:45.437-07:00The fagonia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqDy0K5zQAvgfXZlNajor7zlsIJjpet78zy-IPibxo8GDl2iIM_dZXAkysa7aCm3iq27Hb3MkZ1a-En5jJYrvXLxLvTliHfk7RZGkkTG7sYS72CzBIhnBltC6Ln3zz_7cuPCN86Tyovk/s1600/Fagonia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqDy0K5zQAvgfXZlNajor7zlsIJjpet78zy-IPibxo8GDl2iIM_dZXAkysa7aCm3iq27Hb3MkZ1a-En5jJYrvXLxLvTliHfk7RZGkkTG7sYS72CzBIhnBltC6Ln3zz_7cuPCN86Tyovk/s320/Fagonia.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">The fagonia is a Mediterranean flowering plant species found in most
countries from </span><st1:country-region style="line-height: 107%;" w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region><span style="line-height: 107%;"> to </span><st1:country-region style="line-height: 107%;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="line-height: 107%;"> along
both the northern and southern shores of the sea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It grows in dry, stony and rocky habitats, garigue, often on calcareous
soils. In <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region> it is rare
as it is restricted to the clay slopes along the north western coast of the <st1:placetype w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">island</st1:place> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Malta</st1:placename></st1:placetype>.
It is not found on Gozo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Maltese it is known as <i>fagonja</i>. This name is derived directly
from its scientific name <i>Fagonia cretica</i> from which even its English
name is derived. This indicates that this species probably did not have a folk
name because the people were not familiar with it because of its rarity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Its bright magenta flowers
appear in spring usually between March and May but this year it is already in
flower possibly because of the warm days we have been having this winter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fagonia belongs to the caltrop family. The name was given because
of the shape of the fruit of members of species belonging to this family. A
caltrop is an antipersonnel weapon that had two or more sharp nails positioned
in a way that when the weapon is thrown on the ground one of the nails always
points up. Caltrops were used to stop or slow the advance of horses, elephants
and humans. Nowadays caltrops are used to stop vehicles with pneumatic tyres. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only other member of the caltrop family in the Maltese islands is
the Maltese cross which is known in Maltese as <i>għatba</i>. This is a scarce
plant of dry open habitats which got its name because its fruit resembles a
Maltese cross and because of this in the past it was erroneously said to grow
only in Fort St Angelo although it probably did grow inside the fort as it is
still found mostly in disturbed habitats in the harbour area. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">As with other members of the caltrop family the Maltese cross has
five-spiked fruit which when stepped upon by an animal it becomes embedded in
its foot, an ingenious way of dispersal which can be painful to those animals
helping in its dispersal. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 15 January 2015</span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-51429903379404511102015-10-19T05:10:00.001-07:002015-10-19T05:10:14.876-07:00Wolfbane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiB83iJcIO82I4WcpEa5yGIx5_QKY0mvdheQqzezLuAxnEUKvbR_UMuFPuHp8uoeckStse62B0m1znuBG_zff8CJjSJoPTSZP7-l1_Dk2bCA62_VaeLrQCysSJZubpY8xGU1IbEse2tA/s1600/Wolfbane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiB83iJcIO82I4WcpEa5yGIx5_QKY0mvdheQqzezLuAxnEUKvbR_UMuFPuHp8uoeckStse62B0m1znuBG_zff8CJjSJoPTSZP7-l1_Dk2bCA62_VaeLrQCysSJZubpY8xGU1IbEse2tA/s320/Wolfbane.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wolfbane is an indigenous shrub found mostly
in North Africa but which can also be found in other parts of the Mediterranean
particularly in Sicily, Crete, Syria and on some Spanish islands.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">In Malta it is usually found in maquis, and
garigue habitats. In some localities the wolfbane is very common but as it is
not widespread in the Maltese islands it is considered as a scarce plant. I
have recently seen it at Għar Lapsi, in the vicinity of </span><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;">Ċ</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">irkewwa and at Park
tal-Majjistral. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wolfbane is well adapted for dry habitats.
It is a deciduous plant with small thick leaves. The leaves store water while
reducing transpiration. But, as in dry
habitats storing water in the leaves and reducing water loss is not enough, in
summer the wolfbane loses its leaves and goes to sleep. This is in contrast
with deciduous plants which live in colder climates which lose their leaves in
winter when the ground is froze and because of this they cannot take up water
through their roots. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flowers of the wolfbane are very unusual. To
describe the flower accurately one would have to use technical terms which are
unintelligible to non-botanists. The flower looks like a five armed star with
five curled tendrils growing from the base of the arms. The base colour is pale
green which is painted over by a wine colour which varies in amount and
intensity from plant to plant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flowers appear at the end of autumn and the
plant continues to flower until the end of winter. The seeds are also
interesting. The seeds are produced in pairs of horn-like structures which
break open in summer. Each seed has several fine white silk-like hairs at one
end. The threads are very light and easily away by the wind taking the seeds with
them. This helps the seed to disperse far and wide and partly explains how this
plant can spread quickly from one area to another if the conditions are right. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">The hairs attached to the seeds gave rise to the
wolfbane’s Maltese name - <i>si</i></span><i><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;">ġ</span></i><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">ra
tal-ħarir </span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">which means silk tree.</span><i><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">The wolfbane used to be a pro</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">tected species <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>as it was a rare plant. Its scarcity was probably due to
grazing by sheep and goats but as it is now more common it has been removed
from the protected-species list. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 8 January 2015. </span></span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-2075568047921400482015-10-19T04:42:00.002-07:002015-10-19T04:42:55.949-07:00The ichneumon wasp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBQMSRqSxlaWXAykMRiMnxOrdT22HeAgrQm4GIngQrjIjM0H-1UlYDuMxH2mLgddgIlXvRHQ_XUcfUi2XUge4WOKAWdy_LveCTH2eEQWUjC01p6QtIHDi-Sy9O1wAMxlU6u_Jl_IzIfo/s1600/Ichneumon+wasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBQMSRqSxlaWXAykMRiMnxOrdT22HeAgrQm4GIngQrjIjM0H-1UlYDuMxH2mLgddgIlXvRHQ_XUcfUi2XUge4WOKAWdy_LveCTH2eEQWUjC01p6QtIHDi-Sy9O1wAMxlU6u_Jl_IzIfo/s320/Ichneumon+wasp.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ichneumon wasps are solitary insects. They
are parasites and parasitoids of other insects especially of butterflies and
moths. The difference between the two types is that parasites live in or on
other species feeding on them without killing them. Parasitoids end up killing
their host. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are even some ichneumons which are
hyperparasitoids that is they are parasitoids of parasitoids. These have very
complicated life cycles which are difficult to study and unravel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ichneumons are well adapted to live on the
caterpillars of butterflies and moths and play an important role in controlling
their numbers. Some species have been recorded as living on other insects including
beetles, aphids and spiders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being hymenopterans ichneumons share many
features with sawflies, bees, wasps and ants. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ichneumon family is a species rich family
with over 36,000 species. Just twenty nine species have been recorded in Malta
although many more are bound to be discovered as few studies of this family
have been carried out in the Maltese islands. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is understandably a diverse group of
insects. They vary in size from just three to one hundred and thirty
millimetres long. Most are slender with the females having a long ovipositor
which is used to drill into the host and to lay eggs inside its body. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While some ichneumons lay their eggs in a wide
variety of host species others are very specific and target just one or two
related species. Some of the latter species are used as biological control
agents. These controlling agents are bred specifically to be released in areas
where its host species has become a pest. Biological control systems replicate
nature and for them to be successful pesticides should not be used as these
could kill both the pest <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>species as well as its
controlling agent. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 1 January 2015</span></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-49261342563601306102015-10-19T04:32:00.001-07:002015-10-19T04:32:33.527-07:00The Devil's Coach Horse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJpXlaR3mNYsPeuIDjGeo0yTGL-D7GZIzg-K0Uicfc9_SW4w3m1wU7WWehu-1Fym8xzkSzCiuKc88UZQ84Xpa5fmKV48U_TbL8-luiKtsfRZQ-EcKNyvw0wQXojIigqgKayPGXEkP7HM/s1600/devil%2527s+coach+horse+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJpXlaR3mNYsPeuIDjGeo0yTGL-D7GZIzg-K0Uicfc9_SW4w3m1wU7WWehu-1Fym8xzkSzCiuKc88UZQ84Xpa5fmKV48U_TbL8-luiKtsfRZQ-EcKNyvw0wQXojIigqgKayPGXEkP7HM/s320/devil%2527s+coach+horse+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The devil’s coach-horse is an unusual
looking beetle as unlike most other beetles it’s wings do not completely cover
its abdomen. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a relatively large beetle common
throughout most of Europe, including <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place>, but not often seen as it
spends most of the day hidden under a stone or under vegetation and is active
mostly during the night.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a predatory species hunting
invertebrates such as worms and woodlice and carrion. It seizes its prey in its
strong jaws and uses its front legs to cut off pieces of flesh which it
masticates into a bolus before swallowing it. Having a devil’s coach-horse in
your garden is good as like other predators it helps to keep pests under
control. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have not found any information about the
biology of this species in the Maltese islands. In the rest of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> in autumn it lays eggs in the soil which hatch
about one month later. The young live mostly under the soil surface. Their
feeding behaviour is similar to that of the adults. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Irish mythology the name devil’s
coach-horse ate sinners and could cast a curse by raising its abdomen. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Maltese the devil’s coach-horse is known
as <i>Katarina-għolli-denbek</i> (Catherine
raise your tail). The name comes from this insect’s habit of raising its
abdomen like a scorpion when it feels threatened. This habit has given rise to
another English name, cock-tail while its association with corruption and the
devil gave rise to other names such devil's
footman,<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span>devil's coachman<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span>devil's steed. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The devil’s coach-horse belongs to the rove
beetle family, a large family represented in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place> by about one hundred and seventy
species including one known in Maltese as <i>kappillan</i>.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The devil’s coach-horse does not sting but it
has strong pincer-like jaws with which it can bite if handled from the wrong
end. It also has a pair of glands on its abdomen which they emit a odorous
liquid strong enough to warn potential predators to back off. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 18 December 2014.</span></span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-79841577846441511332015-10-19T04:26:00.001-07:002015-10-19T04:26:57.124-07:00The Orinetal Hornet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyM_5-VSOay4DhqONUqYomGKy7lP50Ge_GD1HWH2TF6vwfhaoOjlD26o-gnopg4qr2L3Q4VkR8SXoYhB0e8ZDP7GyH7X6Q3LXwhFSSfpDUa9VmscR6MtMNjuGPx-wueq7SNN8WE6mnFk/s1600/Hornet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyM_5-VSOay4DhqONUqYomGKy7lP50Ge_GD1HWH2TF6vwfhaoOjlD26o-gnopg4qr2L3Q4VkR8SXoYhB0e8ZDP7GyH7X6Q3LXwhFSSfpDUa9VmscR6MtMNjuGPx-wueq7SNN8WE6mnFk/s320/Hornet.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The oriental hornet is an indigenous wasp
that can be found in southern Europe and North Africa, the Middle East and
further east as far as <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
It has also been introduced in other countries such as <st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Madagascar</st1:country-region>
and parts of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In central and northern </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" w:st="on">Europe</st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
it is replaced by the common hornet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Specimens can be anything between 25 and 35
mm long. Compared to other local wasps the oriental hornet is relatively large
although it is dwarfed by tropical species such as the giant Asian hornet. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The large size of the hornet can be
frightening. If they feel that their nest is threatened by an animal or person
moving within two or three metres of their nest they will sting but otherwise
they are safe and they have been called the gentle giants. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A single hornet can sting multiple times
and although the sting may be painful, for those who are not allergic to bee
and wasp venom, their sting is not more dangerous than that of the honey bee. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Up to fifty or sixty years ago hornets were
relatively common in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malta</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and Gozo. It then started to decrease probably because of a number of factors
foremost amongst which was human persecution. Country people used to destroy
its nests whenever they met them.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A friend of mine who is in his seventies
recalls helping his father to stuff the opening of a nest with paper and
setting them on fire to destroy the colony. Such an attitude is not restricted
solely to the Maltese islands. In parts of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>
the common hornet has decreased and in some areas it is endangered. Hornets are
probably the only insects that have become endangered because of human
persecution. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily this species did not become extinct
in the Maltese islands. A small number of colonies continued to exist in Gozo
and one or two colonies survived in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malta</st1:place></st1:country-region>. In the past few years the
number of colonies in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region></st1:place>
started to increase with colonies established in new localities.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This summer some local media gave
sensational coverage to the discovery of a colony in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malta</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> which led to its destruction.
It is a pity that such attitudes continue to exist in this day and age. In some
parts of Europe including Germany hornets are legally protected and one may not
destroy or damage a nest without permission from the competent authorities. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in the Times of Malta on 11 December 2015.</span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-19700033651433650012014-12-07T10:00:00.000-08:002014-12-07T10:00:15.568-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XD9S1NuDSKxLclmmKG3CHtln_DLGI5aVxTlofFv4kQYt-D77qhLPWK2mAkysBRvK5ysTtgnQz8zH7mQYwoME-PBDlT_gpVKys2GmTFRwuHgGDVayRo0_JfkJrCIwk-VkiebWlqokdDg/s1600/fly+on+carob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XD9S1NuDSKxLclmmKG3CHtln_DLGI5aVxTlofFv4kQYt-D77qhLPWK2mAkysBRvK5ysTtgnQz8zH7mQYwoME-PBDlT_gpVKys2GmTFRwuHgGDVayRo0_JfkJrCIwk-VkiebWlqokdDg/s1600/fly+on+carob.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A carob tree is either male or female and
when it flowers the male tree needs an insect to transfer the pollen to the
flowers of a female tree. Nothing unusual in this because the majority of
flowering plants make use of insects to ensure that pollination takes place. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carob trees rely on flies. They attracting by producing a strong scent of
rotting vegetation which can be smelt from several metres away. Flies are
probably equipped to detect the odour from further away than we can.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When a fly lands on a male flower it starts
walking about and in the process ends up with the carob’s pollen attached to
its body. If it visits the flowers of a female tree some or all the pollen
grains on its body are detached and if they are in the right spot fertilise the
flower. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not all plants rely on animals for
pollination. About ten percent of all flowering plants rely on physical factors
such as wind. Wind pollination is mainly used by grasses and conifers. Most
aquatic plants depend on the surrounding water to transfer their pollen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Together plants make use of at least
200,000 species of animals to pollinate them. They cannot rely on chance for an
insect to land on them so they have evolved special traits to attract them.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most flowers have coloured petals that make
the flowers more visible to insects. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many petals have patterns which are only
visible under ultraviolet light. Humans cannot see UV light and what looks like
a mono-coloured petal to us looks like an airport runway to an insect with lines
which lead the bees to their nectar and pollen. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Night-flowering plants usually have large
white flowers which are shaped like a funnel. They are usually strongly scented
flowers to attract bats and moths. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plants that are pollinated by birds are
usually red and do not produce any scent as most birds have a weak sense of
smell. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plants that are visited by a wide variety
of insects often risk wasting their pollen as after visiting a flower of a
particular species an insect might visit the flower of another species. Some
plants, such as the orchids, have become specialised to attract just one
species of insect. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bees, of which the honey bee is but one of
thousands of species, are the most important pollinators of cultivated plants.
It has been estimated that thirty percent of the food that we need depends on
honey bees for pollination and if honey bees were to disappear we would find it
very difficult to find produce enough food. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published on 4 December 2014, </span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-17667688046669887752014-12-07T09:45:00.000-08:002014-12-07T09:45:02.406-08:00In search of mushrooms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kp-qTWrppujRUgKFrS3fCyrcLCCxJKpoHeenqQ_MaGLaTuzyzJh9I1t7SAbIib0dSBGeXdjA2SPPagPisnmJOqvg2AnC7lmgnpPM7mqKVsdKEcgdzpjY4u67qUP_9bmjPVrSjbPtvlo/s1600/Fungus+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kp-qTWrppujRUgKFrS3fCyrcLCCxJKpoHeenqQ_MaGLaTuzyzJh9I1t7SAbIib0dSBGeXdjA2SPPagPisnmJOqvg2AnC7lmgnpPM7mqKVsdKEcgdzpjY4u67qUP_9bmjPVrSjbPtvlo/s1600/Fungus+(1).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the best
time of the year to visit the countryside in search of fungi. Armed with a
simple camera one should be able to find a good number of species especially in
wooded areas such as Buskett Gardens and Wied il-Luq. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mid-autumn is a
good time to find mushrooms because the soil is wet and the air is still
relatively warm. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About 100,000
fungi have been identified although it is estimated that there can be up to
five million species most of which are still to be identified. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About three
hundred species of fungi can be found in the Maltese islands. They grow on a
wide range of substrates both in the countryside and on man-made objects.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people assume
that fungi are members of the plant kingdom. Fungi are sessile, they have what
look like roots and reproduce by means of spores. In fact this was the belief
until in the late sixties it was discovered that fungi are closer to animals
than to plants which led to them being assigned a kingdom of their own. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cell wall of
fungi is composed of chitin. Chitin is the main component of the external
skeleton of arthropods such as insects and lobsters and is also found in some
mollusc structures. Plants do not produce chitin. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fungi consist of
an array of tiny filaments that look like plant roots, known as hyphae. The
hyphae are hidden in soil, wood or other organic material on which the fungus
can feed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hyphae produce
acids and enzymes which digest the food outside the cells. The organic material
is broken down into simpler compounds which are then absorbed into the cells. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fungi can live on
a very wide range of living or dead organic material. Fungi play an important
role in the recycling of nutrients breaking down dead plants and animals into
compounds that can be absorbed and utilised by plants. On the other hand fungi
that feed on living plants and animals often cause disease or death. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mushrooms with
which we are familiar are nothing but a fruiting body whose function is solely to
produce spores and to release them in air so that they drift as far as possible
from the parent fungus. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in The Times of Malta on 26 November 2014. </span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-10681519144360482612014-12-07T09:29:00.003-08:002014-12-07T09:29:59.388-08:00Beautiful Flamingos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMgBr7G4lsMicBTaxgb7nSmf0vvGtbGU_RwMjmBGlUQ0z1xol0FVbLojbYa3GfP_XvbZctkiooeSVQEZrJQJ6sMOIZQ1MdNMzhXGB5q4tTqfaL7MLvAePaIztdFgvOEab-dy-7EfRWcA/s1600/Flaminoes+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMgBr7G4lsMicBTaxgb7nSmf0vvGtbGU_RwMjmBGlUQ0z1xol0FVbLojbYa3GfP_XvbZctkiooeSVQEZrJQJ6sMOIZQ1MdNMzhXGB5q4tTqfaL7MLvAePaIztdFgvOEab-dy-7EfRWcA/s1600/Flaminoes+2.jpg" height="204" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Għadira Nature Reserve is again open to
the public. Those visiting the reserve last weekend had the pleasure of
watching two juvenile flamingoes feeding and flying around the protected
wetland.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The two flamingoes are the ones that were
saved by BirdLife in early September. The two birds were migrating south but
probably could not keep up with the rest of the flock and had to land. The
first bird landed at Paradise Bay on September 4<sup>th</sup>. The second bird
was found in a private garden at Birżebbuġa five days later. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the past few years flamingoes made it
several times to the headlines usually because one or more were shot while
migrating over the Maltese islands. Flamingoes used to be rare migrants in the
central Mediterranean but now we are seeing several flocks every year
especially in early autumn.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What we are seeing is the result of new
flamingo colonies which are establishing themselves in various wetlands just to
the north of Malta in Sicily. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian ornithologists, monitoring the
island’s birds have, after an absence of many decades, found flamingos breeding
again in saline marshes along the south-eastern coast of Sicily. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ornithologists said that within a year
of stricter bird protection laws coming into force and better enforcement the
number of species of birds breeding in Sicily increased tenfold. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Italy hunting is permitted as long as it
does not conflict with the needs for the conservation of wildlife and does not
cause actual damage to agricultural production. Hunting for most birds is
allowed only from the first of October until the end of December. A few species
can be hunted from the last Sunday of September and for a small number hunting
is allowed till the end of January. No hunting is allowed in spring when the
birds are preparing to breed. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian legislation, as stipulated by EU
Directives prohibits all forms of bird trapping. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Furthermore the law allows the prohibition
of hunting of certain species if their populations are declining or if they are
threatened by sudden environmental conditions such as bad weather or disease. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In spite of what Maltese hunters say local
bird protection legislation is too liberal and furthermore enforcement still
leaves much to be desired. Spring hunting and bird trapping are presently the
two main threats to Maltese birdlife and the rest of nature. Hunting in spring
kills birds returning to breed and every bird shot in spring is a nest less.
Moreover the presence of hunters disturbs birds attempting to breed even if
these are not shot at. <a href="mailto:portelli.paul@gmail.com"></a>
</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in The Times of Malta on 6 November 2014. </span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-39544374674395172162014-12-07T09:18:00.000-08:002014-12-07T09:18:10.007-08:00Solid as a rock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpA4XirzkQvMjiggx-MfAWduPDnAakwNQC1YAYYfUsOi41I89AYtyTp30SVERWowbjh-X9BEAmDhSs-c3n9SwJ0i6Ut6hFkTtCiHTP2OwQojmu9zSqmkHMmhMXgKM-sYyGtspJWzJK0FM/s1600/Pembroke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpA4XirzkQvMjiggx-MfAWduPDnAakwNQC1YAYYfUsOi41I89AYtyTp30SVERWowbjh-X9BEAmDhSs-c3n9SwJ0i6Ut6hFkTtCiHTP2OwQojmu9zSqmkHMmhMXgKM-sYyGtspJWzJK0FM/s1600/Pembroke.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a few localities around the Maltese
islands it is possible to find what looks like mounds of reddish-brown soil
with stones and pebbles embedded in it. On close inspection one realises that
what looks like soil is a solid structure as hard as the surrounding rocks. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These geological features were formed after the Maltese islands emerged from
beneath the surface of the sea were they were formed. One can find such
structures among other places at Wied Magħlaq and Pembroke.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Maltese islands are made up of five
layers of sedimentary rock. The oldest layer started to be deposited thirty to
thirty five million years ago making the Maltese islands relatively young in
geological terms. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The topmost layer, therefore the most recent
layer to be formed is known as upper coralline limestone is usually more 150
metres thick. The second layer which is made up of Greensand is absent from
many areas and which is nowhere thicker than thirteen metres. This is followed
by the blue clay layer underneath which one finds the globigerina limestone
which can be as thin as 20 metres in some places and thicker than 100 in
others. The oldest layer is the lower coralline limestone which is very similar
to the upper coralline limestone and which like it is very thick. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beneath these five layers are even older layers
which cannot be seen without drilling through the lower coralline limestone. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The
emergence of the Maltese islands above the surface of the sea did not mean the
end of rock formation. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rocks which formed after the emergence
of the islands from the sea are known as quaternary deposits because they were
formed during the quaternary period. This period started just over two and a half
million years ago. It s defined by a number of ice ages with warm periods in
between. This period is divided into two - the Pleistocene which ended about
twelve thousand years ago and the Holocene, the period in which we are living.
The Holocene is considered as the most recent interglacial warm period. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the Quaternary sea levels went up
end down depending on the temperature. During Ice Ages evaporated water
precipitated as snow and ice and formed thick glaciers leading to lower sea
levels. In higher temperatures the glaciers melted and sea levels became
higher. The low water level uncovered the sea bottom between <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malta</st1:country-region>, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Sicily</st1:state></st1:place>
and the Italian mainland creating a large continuous landmass. T</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he weather was
also characterised by heavy precipitation and the creation of several valleys
which were formed by large amounts of flowing water which carry with them large
quantities of sediment and debris including soil, pebbles rocks as well as
small and large organisms. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The quaternary deposits were carries down
such valleys although it is possible that many of them were formed during the
Holocene period. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article wsa published in The Times of Malta on 30 October 2014.</span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-14301550139370267852014-12-07T08:46:00.000-08:002014-12-07T08:46:07.620-08:00The common grass eggar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQvLu_9Lki3T2HleRyBNboX7Tj6r5zQYyIGhLK5aktW56g-W8LSpOnUN__LqwcGbA9zdfgp2_LKrwDujEQhwlqN3jWSkVJYKatXg_E1ea4ul_W04vz0_yiqzejYFgakaW2JELrZjSv6Q/s1600/Grass+eggar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQvLu_9Lki3T2HleRyBNboX7Tj6r5zQYyIGhLK5aktW56g-W8LSpOnUN__LqwcGbA9zdfgp2_LKrwDujEQhwlqN3jWSkVJYKatXg_E1ea4ul_W04vz0_yiqzejYFgakaW2JELrZjSv6Q/s1600/Grass+eggar.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The grass eggar is a common moth. It can be seen
from October to November especially in areas where grasses and plants of the
pea family grow. In Maltese it is known as <i>baħrija
tas-silla</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The grass eggar belongs to a family of moths
known as Lasiocampoidea in which we also find the oak eggar, which is known in
Maltese as <i>baħrija tal-ballut</i> and the
rare lackey moth which is known in Maltese as <i>malakosoma</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this family the females are generally
noticeably larger than the males a characteristic we find in all three species
found in the Maltese islands. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The grass eggar is found throughout Europe,
North Arica, and the Near East as far as southern Russia but is missing from
high altitudes. In some parts of its range, particularly in Central Europe, it
has become endangered because of eutrophication, agricultural intensification,
abandonment of grazing areas and fragmentation of habitat. In other parts of
its range especially around the Mediterranean it is still common. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In colder countries the moths are seen in the
warmer months especially in August and September. Wherever it occurs it prefers
nutrient-poor habitats with low-growing grass especially in dry limestone area
and thus finds a good habitat in the Maltese islands. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The female lays its eggs on the ground before
winter. The eggs hatch when the days start getting warmer and the caterpillars
form a cocoon before summer to hatch in autumn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like that of the oak eggar, the caterpillar is
covered in protective hairs. It feeds on a variety of grasses and plants of the
pea family. When the caterpillar is older it tends to change its diet to eat
more plants of the pea family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The closely related oak eggar has a similar life
cycle but the adults can be seen flying in August and September. It is common only
in the Buskett area. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 17.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in The Times of Malta on 23 October 2014. </span></span></div>
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Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4775730037958548112.post-36430822919336701112014-12-07T08:29:00.003-08:002014-12-07T08:29:50.624-08:00Digging their way out of soil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipeivfgsHoL1LZjttfYE8p7flLJ-1z39FarOPi58Pfq9bueSmQhQJIuzFeF3c9RTUyT2jVMDZ7BogQCaFQ3zoLBVp_0rQAfc2eNc58ontpZutrrXpQvrQHgwSRdQ2Lxr7Ch4jVZ8_89Q/s1600/Beetle+2+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipeivfgsHoL1LZjttfYE8p7flLJ-1z39FarOPi58Pfq9bueSmQhQJIuzFeF3c9RTUyT2jVMDZ7BogQCaFQ3zoLBVp_0rQAfc2eNc58ontpZutrrXpQvrQHgwSRdQ2Lxr7Ch4jVZ8_89Q/s1600/Beetle+2+(2).jpg" height="212" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Autumn marks the appearance of large
numbers of fairly large brown beetles with a noticeable horn like that of a
rhinoceros on their head. The beetles appear after sunset and disappear before
dawn. In some areas these insects concentrate in such large numbers that
anybody passing by would find it difficult not to notice them. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This beetle, which belongs to the scarab family
known scientifically as <i>Phyllognathus
excavatus</i><span class="apple-converted-space">. This species is found in
southern Europe and North Africa and to the east in Asia all the way to <st1:place w:st="on">Crimea</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB">They
emerge from beneath the soil surface usually in the days following the first
rains of the season. After mating they dig their way back into the soil using
their shovel-like front legs to dig their way in. by dawn they all disappear except
for those which find themselves on a hard surface such as </span></span><span lang="EN-GB">roads and tiled areas. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once back in the soil the female lays its
eggs in rotting vegetation. The eggs hatch after about two weeks and the soft-bodied
white larva which emerges grows slowly in the soil taking about two and a half
years to reach a length of five centimetres. When it is fully grown it is ready
change into a pupa inside which the body of the larva breaks down completely
and rebuilds itself into a six-legged winged adult. The whole process is known
as metamorphoses. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The scarab family is represented in the
Maltese islands by more than thirty species. These include the rhinoceros
beetle, known in Maltese as </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">buqarn
kbir</span></em><em><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">, the dung beetle known as </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">ħanfusa barri tad-demel</span></em><em><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">
and the chafer called the </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">għawwar dehbi</span></em><em><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">
because of its golden coloured body. <o:p></o:p></span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In Maltese the general term for beetles is </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">ħanfus</span></em><em><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. Over
the years entomologists have coined descriptive names for the many species that
did not have a common name but they seem to have missed giving a name to this
species of beetle for which the name ħ</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">anfusa tal-qarn</span></em><em><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> seems to be very appropriate. <o:p></o:p></span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article was published in The Times of Malta on 16 October 2014. </span></div>
Paul Portellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572248801116207584noreply@blogger.com0