Nature
Species of the Week: It’s not a twig, but an Archimantis Latistyla
Sara Dawkins is an active nanny as well as an active freelance writer. There are a variety of mantid subspecies currently residing on the planet Earth. While some may have a frog-like look to them, others blend into their background increasing their efficiency for hunting. Archimantis latistyla is one such mantis that is plentiful in … Continue reading
World Forum on Natural Capital: valuing ecosystems
Guest post by Caroline Vevers, Event Manager at the World Forum on Natural Capital, where the Society of Biology‘s Natural Capital Initiative special interest group is organising two sessions. Against a backdrop of increasing international interest in how we value the economic benefits we derive from our natural environment, business leaders, policy makers and sustainability … Continue reading
Looking Good – the value of beauty in science
Guest blog by Anthony Lewis, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, who discusses the importance of aesthetics to scientific research. Science is about hard, cold facts, right? Data laid out in black and white, the information speaks for itself, no frills or fancies needed. Who would want distracting colours, eye-catching graphics, and big photographs cluttering up our … Continue reading
Help us name the House Spider Survey app
Each autumn there’s a sudden increase in the number of house spiders we see indoors, and this year we are developing an app to record their arrival. We now need your help to name the app. All suggestions are gratefully received in the comments below or vote in the poll. [yop_poll id=”2″]
Species of the week: celebrating the original Pacman
By Jenni Lacey, Marketing Assistant at the Society of Biology Ornate horned frogs (Ceratophrys ornata) are affectionately known as the Pacman frog due to their characteristic wide mouth and large rotund stomach. They are sedentary amphibians and notorious for their gluttonous eating habits. Their behaviour echoes the 80’s arcade game they take this nick-name from: … Continue reading
The plight of Tasmanian devils
Guest post by Cecile Lamy, who has an MSc in Wildlife Biology and a lifelong passion for conservation, and has worked for animal charities as well as wildlife hospitals and rehabilitation centres Tasmanian devils are carnivorous marsupials native to the Australian island state of Tasmania. They are known for their extremely loud and disturbing nocturnal … Continue reading
Weird and wonderful species adapted to their hostile habitats
By Amy Whetstone, Qualifications and Skills Officer at the Society of Biology The yeti crab and axolotl are two bizarre but brilliant species that are rarely in the limelight, but I believe deserve to be. So broaden your animal lexicon and spread the word about these peculiar aquatic species, who have adapted to cope in … Continue reading
World Biodiversity Day
Caroline Bellingan, a student at Wimbledon High School, shares her thoughts on World Biodiversity Day Biodiversity is the term given to the degree of variation in life forms with in a given species or ecosystem and it is a hot topic that is being flagged up very frequently at the moment amongst those in the … Continue reading
Species of the week- The Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Lauren is a recent graduate in microbiology interning at the Society of Biology until June 2013. She is interested in a career in science communication and writes for her own blog, Science Says as well as for the Student Hubs blog. The long-awaited spring is finally here. And what better to bring with it than … Continue reading
Species of the week: the parasitic barnacle Sacculina
Krystal Deutsch describes a parasite which chemically castrates its host Sacculina is a parasitic barnacle that depends on crabs for its growth and reproduction. A female Sacculina larva finds a crab, sheds its hard outer layer and injects her soft inner body through a joint in the crab’s shell, entering the crustacean’s body and using … Continue reading