Meeting tomorrow’s recorders at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live Show
Given the UK’s wonderful historical pedigree of biological recording, we may be forgiven for thinking that everyone automatically records and reports the various flora and fauna encountered on a daily basis…
The truth is that whilst the public are increasingly aware of environmental issues and ‘what’s out there’, there is still every need to encourage all levels of interest and all generations, especially future generations, to get involved in recording. Indeed, it can easily be argued that with increasing threats to our environment – in the form of climate change, habitat fragmentation/degradation or introduced species – the need for accurate biological recording is more acute than ever.
Jody Peyton, CEH Field Ecologist, discussing the UK Ladybird Survey activities at a very busy stand at the BBC Gardeners’ World.
To coincide with the launch of the now highly acclaimed Ladybird Atlas, the UK Ladybird Survey team (led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) worked with the Royal Horticultural Society to put on a sizable display at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live event at the NEC Birmingham, from 15-19 June 2011.
The aims of the stand were to:
• Demonstrate the beneficial ‘biocontrol’ inputs that ladybirds can have in a garden – an ‘ecosystem service’ they provide
• Educate people about how to encourage ladybirds in to gardens
• Highlight the spread of Harlequin Ladybirds across the UK and the wider problems of invasive non-native species (RISC Project)
• Raise awareness of the plight of some native species
• Encourage everyone, from Grandson to Granny, to send through their records to the UK Ladybird Survey website (www.ladybird-survey.org)
• Encourage biological recording across all taxa
With over 100,000 keen gardeners and potential recorders to engage with at the event, stand staff, from CEH, Anglia Ruskin University, University of Hull, University of Cambridge and Rothamsted Research, were all kept extremely busy answering questions, explaining life-cycles and providing ideas for promoting ladybird diversity in gardens. Further activities during the five days included some ‘Gardening for Wildlife Q & A’ sessions, lively Gardeners’ Green childrens’ activities and demonstrating the online ladybird survey site.
Many other activities for children, including ladybird card games, colouring sheets and identification aids, were held alongside the main UK Ladybird Survey stand. Here Dan Jefferies, University of Hull, is introducing tomorrow’s generation of keen recorders to the various ladybird activities on display.
Of course, to many, ladybirds are already one of the very few charismatic of ‘bugs’ that have a popular and acceptable face when met in the flower border or vegetable garden. Although familiar to all, it was undoubtedly the live larvae and adults of several ladybird species, seen munching through copious quantities of aphids, that stole the show – special thanks are certainly due to CEH’s Richard Comont for putting this part of the display together.
Coinciding with the atlas launch, the stand was another opportunity for ‘ladybird publicity’ – the UK Ladybird Survey team certainly opt for a proactive approach to the press – with coverage included within national and regional press together with radio interviews and social media offerings.
CEH’s Helen Roy used the show to present Simon King, natural history film-maker and TV personality, with a copy of the new Ladybird Atlas.
The result of all this media attention has been another impressive surge in ladybird records to the UK Ladybird Survey website – hopefully there are a few more of tomorrow’s generation that have had their natural history imagination sparked by the fascinating stories behind the UK’s ladybirds.
All of this can only be good for forming a detailed picture of our ladybirds species and other animal and plant taxa – and that can only be good for developing robust science to address threats to our nation’s biodiversity.
Ross Newham – Centre for Ecology & Hydrology