Stop Varroa’s Post

We often think of vultures, bats, and hyenas negatively, but these clear up species and many others do yeoman work for the wellbeing of all, and are another critical aspect of the interface between humans, naimals, plants, and the ecosystem, One Health. The link below goes into this: https://lnkd.in/eJnrBjzZ

After we accept a pest has become established, what happens next? First we try to limit its spread - then we learn how best to live with it. Here are some articles of transitioning to live with varroa mite. The takeaway lesson is that biosecurity preparedness can't stop at the incursion response and limiting spread - it must continue into recovery and adjustment. Community looking for effective varroa treatments: https://lnkd.in/gPXgW3cc Lessons on living with varroa from New Zealand: https://lnkd.in/gCzVKiav State efforts to prevent the spread of varroa:

In the intricate web of marine ecosystems, one particularly fascinating organism stands out: the parasitic isopod known as Cymothoa exigua. This species exemplifies a unique and rather gruesome relationship with its fish hosts, primarily targeting species of fish found in tropical and subtropical waters. Cymothoa exigua enters its host through the gills, where it attaches itself to the fish's tongue. Once established, it proceeds to sever the tongue from the fish, effectively replacing it. This remarkable adaptation allows the isopod to assume the role of the fish's tongue, utilizing the host's food resources for its own sustenance. As a result, the fish becomes a mere vessel, unable to feed itself properly, leading to malnutrition and eventual starvation. The relationship between Cymothoa exigua and its host is a striking example of parasitism, where one organism benefits at the expense of another. As the isopod thrives, the fish suffers, highlighting the often harsh realities of survival in the natural world. Interestingly, there are instances where the fish can seek assistance from a cleaner shrimp species known as Palaemonetes, commonly referred to as "cleaner shrimp." This shrimp plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of its marine neighbors by removing parasites and dead tissue. When a fish is infested with Cymothoa exigua, it may exhibit behaviors that attract the cleaner shrimp, which then removes the parasitic isopod, offering the fish a chance at recovery. This remarkable interplay between predator and prey not only underscores the complexities of marine life but also emphasizes the delicate balance of ecosystems. The story of Cymothoa exigua serves as a reminder of the intricate relationships that exist in nature, where survival often hinges on the delicate balance between parasitism and mutualism. #Marinelife #parasite

Our ancestors survived on meat, animal fat, and furs. Long before the controlled use of fire. “Another important limitation stems from the fact that we as a species have only recently developed a universally controlled use of fire. By most accounts, this did not occur before fifty thousand to one hundred thousand years ago. Although scattered evidence of fire exists from as far back as three hundred thousand to four hundred thousand years ago, it is unlikely that the sophisticated development of cooking practices occurred much before the use of fire became more universal and commonplace - sometime after Cro-Magnon man migrated into Europe. (The oldest known pottery dates only as far back as 6800 BCE, incidentally). What makes the use of cooking especially significant is the toxicity of most plant species. Wild plants contain any number of toxic compounds that would have made their use as food in any significant quantity perilous. Cooking is the only means by which many of these “antinutrients” can be neutralized.” - Nora T. Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT, Primal Body, Primal Mind

Comparison of Predatory Performance among Three Ladybird Species, Harmonia axyridis, Coccinella septempunctata and Hippodamia variegata, Feeding on Goji Berry Psyllid, Bactericera gobica #agriculturalentomology #insectchemicalecology https://lnkd.in/g4tBaA-k

IT'S W🌍RLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY 2024‼️ Theme: The importance of insects for migratory birds The World Migratory Bird Day campaign in 2024 will focus on the importance of insects for migratory birds, and highlight concerns related to decreasing populations of insects. Insects are essential sources of energy for many migratory bird species, not only during the breeding seasons but also during their extensive journeys and greatly affect the timing, duration, and overall success of bird migrations.

October is Bat Appreciation Month! It may be spooky season, but we think bats deserve some gratitude. Bats not only provide an invaluable pest removal service by consuming nightly insects, but they also pollinate over 300 species of fruit, including agave, figs, and cacao, providing an estimated economic benefit of 3.7 to 22.9 billion dollars annually in North America alone. Insect removal, pollination, and seed dispersal are also important ecological roles that bats have filled for 50 million years. More recently, bat populations in North America have been greatly diminished due to human driven habitat loss and the fungal disease “white-nose syndrome”. With the increasing number of bat species being added to the endangered species list, we think they should be appreciated and valued all year long and protected for future generations to be able to do the same. If you have projects with endangered bat species compliance needs, feel free to reach out to us. You can contact our Lead Bat Biologist Benjamin Smith at Ben@BioSurveyGroup.com.

It's Pollinator Week! Let's talk about the good, the bat, and the ugly. The good: More than 500 different species of bats serve as pollinators for some of our favorite plants - mangoes, bananas, guava, and agave for tequila. The key species of bat that pollinates agave, the lesser long-nosed bat, was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2018. The bat: Bats are often preferred pollinators compared to the bee as they can carry more pollen for longer distances and are more reliable visitors to flowers. This encourages genetically different organisms to reproduce, strengthening the species. The ugly: There is none! Look at that cute face. #pollinatorweek #pollinators

Multiple methods of diet assessment reveal differences in Atlantic puffin diet between ages, breeding stages, and years - Frontiers in Marine Science: Introduction: Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica, hereafter "puffin") reproductive success in the Gulf of Maine (GoM) has declined following a recent oceanographic regime shift that has led to rapid warming and increasingly frequent marine heatwaves. Concurrent changes in both the regional forage fish community and puffin chick diets and provisioning rates suggest that inadequate prey resources may be driving this decline. Traditional, noninvasive methods of diet assessment, however, are unable to determine seabird diet at many age classes and breeding stages.