Rob Hopkins reminds us that the oil our world depends on is steadily running out. He proposes a unique solution to this problem -- the Transition response, where we prepare ourselves for life without oil and sacrifice our luxuries to build systems and communities that are completely independent of fossil fuels.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the Sixth Sense wearable tech, and Lost producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at
Wall Brown Butterfly
Wall Brown butterfly filmed on July 29th, 2014. I don't see this species very often, so I was pleased to see this slightly tatty individual at the top of Swansea Beach. As the name suggests, it spends a lot of time perching on walls, not doing very much!
Adonis Blue Butterfly Polyommatus bellargus male feeding on salts
In the UK Adonis Blue Butterflies Polyommatus (formerly Lysandra) bellargus favour the warm south-facing slopes of chalk downland. Their distribution is therefore restricted to those areas in southern England where the climate and geology are suitable including the North Downs. Another requirement is the presence of colonies of the red ant Myrmica sabuleti as there is a symbiotic association with the butterfly's larvae (i.e. the production of a sugary secretion by the caterpillars in return for ant-protection). The bright blue ground colour of the upperwings and the black and white chequering of the wing margins help the observer to identify the males. Female Adonis Blues also have the chequering (but so do female Chalkhill Blues Lysandra coridon) and the ground colour is brown in most individuals although there are forms with varying amounts of blue on the upper-side. Male blue butterflies often visit animal dung or other noxious substances during periods of hot weather in order to extract vital salts and minerals.