Week 25: Dog Lichen (‘Peltigera’)

Dog Lichen was @SpeciesofUK from 2^nd to 8^th June, 2013.

Peltigera, the 'dog lichens,' is a genus of about 91 species of lichen. Peltigera is from 'pelta' meaning small shield, in reference to its shape.[1]

Dog Lichen
[Source: Flickr Creative Commons © amadej2008]

Dog lichen can occur on moss, trees, rocks, but most often you'll see them growing directly on soil.[2] They are just one grouping within the diverse and wonderful world of lichens!

Week 24: Lapwing (‘Vanellus vanellus’)

The Lapwing was @SpeciesofUK from 26^th May to 1^st June, 2013.

The lapwing is from the Charadriidae family (plovers/dotterel/lapwings), which contains around 65 species. A lapwing is kind of a large plover.[1]

It is a very familiar bird, often seen in farmland across the UK.[2] In fact, the lapwing is the UK's commonest breeding wader.[3]

The Lapwing
[Source: Wikimedia Commons © Alpsdake]

Aside from in the UK, the lapwing is found across Europe, Asia and North Africa. It's quite a widespread bird.[4] Across the whole of Europe there are somewhere between 1.1 and 1.7 million breeding pairs of lapwing. Globally there are as many as five million.[5]

Week 23: Large Blue Butterfly (‘Phengaris arion’)

The Large Blue Butterfly was @SpeciesofUK from 12^th to 25^th May, 2013.

The large blue is one of the UK’s 59 species of butterfly. It became extinct in the UK in 1979, but has since been successfully reintroduced.

Large Blue
[Source: Flickr Creative Commons © Lynkos Natura]

Our large blue is one of five species of large blue across Europe, all from the genus Phengaris in the Lycaenidae family, the second largest family of butterflies with about 40% of extant species.[1] The large blue is also one of 15-20,000 individual species of butterfly across the world![2]

Week 22: Hogweed (‘Heracleum Sphondylium’)

Hogweed was @SpeciesofUK from 5^th to 11^th May, 2013.

Common hogweed, Heracleum sphondylium, is found all across Europe (except Iceland) and into Asia and North Africa.[1]

Hogweed is commonly found in UK hedgerows, meadows and woods. Indeed, it's familiar even to many who don't know its name.[2]

Hogweed, a common British plant
[Source: Flickr Creative Commons © Rhisiart Hincks >>> IPERNITY]

The genus name Heracleum refers to the Greek mythic hero Heracles, on account of the plant’s size. The species name sphondylium means 'vertebrae' and refers to the shape of its segmented stem.[3]

Week 21: Great Crested Newt (‘Triturus cristatus’)

The great crested newt was @SpeciesofUK from 28^th April to 4^th May, 2013.

The great crested newt is the UK's largest newt and its most threatened.[1] Sadly, the population has been in decline across the last 40 years.[2]

Great Crested Newt
[Source: Flickr Creative Commons © Mike Richardson and Sarah Winch]

They are mainly active at night, spending the day at the bottom of ponds or hidden in vegetation.[3]

Week 20: Wood ants ('Formica rufa' group)

Wood ants were @SpeciesofUK from 21^st to 27^th April, 2013.

What is a wood ant? Well, first, what is an ant? Ants (Formicidae) are social insects that form complex colonies.[1]

There are possibly more than 20,000 species of ants (they're still all being classified) in a multiplicity of subfamilies.[2] It’s thought that ants make up at least 15% of terrestrial animal biomass. They're a rampantly successful group of animals![3]

Wood ants
[Source: Flickr Creative Commons © Walter-Wilhelm]

Wood ants are part of the Formica ant genus, a genus that is also made up of other mound ants, thatching ants and field ants. Wood ants as a general rule live in wooded areas and create impressive thatched mounds.[4]

Week 19: Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

Bluebells were @SpeciesofUK from 14th to 20th April 2013.

Bluebells are one of the truly British wildflowers. Almost half the global bluebell population is found in the UK. Yes, half![1]

Bluebells in the UK
[Source: Flickr Creative Commons © Richard Parmiter]

Aside from the UK, bluebells are native to Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Portugal and Spain.[2]

Week 18: Pike (Esox Lucius)

The Pike was @SpeciesofUK from 7^th to 13^th April 2013.

There are seven species of pike and pickerel, which make up the genus 'Esox.' The UK’s pike, Esox lucius, ‘Northern Pike’ or just 'pike,' is the most widespread and well known of these.[1]

Northern pike, 'Esox Lucius'
[Source: Flickr Creative Commons © katdaned]

Pike are found in fresh (and occasionally brackish) water throughout the northern hemisphere, across America, Europe, and Russia.[2] It is a large freshwater predator renowned for its hard-fighting qualities.[3]

Week 17: Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)

The woodpigeon was @SpeciesofUK from 31^st March to 6^th April 2013.

The woodpigeon is a member of the Columbidae family, which contains all 310 species of doves and pigeons.

Woodpigeon
[Wikimedia Commons © Nick Fraser]

The woodpigeon appears right across the UK and according to RSPB data is our seventh most common bird.[1] In fact, it’s such a common sight now that in 2005 it even topped the BTO’s list of the UK’s most commonly seen birds.[2]

Week 16: Kelp (Laminaria)

Kelp were the @SpeciesofUK from 17^th to 30^th March 2013.

Kelp are an extremely important UK species. They are the backbone of our rocky, wind and wave-swept western coastline, and provide an important habitat for many other species, just as forests do on land.

Most people in the UK are familiar with kelp from finding washed up pieces on the seashore. Aside from going diving, live kelp can be most easily seen by visiting a rocky shore at low tide and spotting the fronds sticking out of the water.[1]

Kelp Fronds at Low Tide, Scotland
[Source: Wikimedia Commons © Anne Burgess]

Over the years kelp has served many uses, from providing kelp ash and iodine in times gone by, to kelp alginates in foodstuffs today.