Updates on the Killer Shrimp

Photo: Environment Agencyhttps://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/alerts/index.cfm?id=3

Dikerogammarus villosus, sometimes known as the 'killer shrimp', is an invasive non-native species that has spread from the Ponto-Caspian Region of Eastern Europe. As a voracious predator it kills a range of native species, including young fish, and can significantly alter ecosystems. It is present at three locations across England and Wales and has not yet been discovered elsewhere.

A new briefing note to keep stakeholders informed of developments relating to the Killer Shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus) is now available. In addition, the Environment Agency has compiled a factsheet summarising the most relevant facts about this species. CEFAS have also reported on biosecurity treatments used for the killer shrimp. All updates available through weblink above.

Scottish Mink Initiative new website!

http://www.scottishmink.org.uk/

The Scottish Mink Initiative aims to create a 20,000 sq km safe haven for native wildlife in rural Tayside, Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Cairngorms and the Highlands. The initiative aims to protect native wildlife, such as water voles, ground nesting birds and economically important populations of salmon and game birds.

There are five full time members of staff - four locally based Mink Control Officers who recruit and coordinate volunteer effort and a Coordinator who oversees the day to day running of the project:

Project Coordinator: Hollie Walker 07825 183 037 hollie@rafts.org.uk
Aberdeenshire: Sarah Atkinson 07825 180 319 sarah@rafts.org.uk
Cairngorms & Moray: Cat Robinson 07825 185 178 cat@rafts.org.uk
North Tayside: Ann-Marie MacMaster 07825 186 043 ann-marie@rafts.org.uk
Highland: Gunnar Scholtz 07825 184 080 gunnar@rafts.org.uk

The Deveron,Bogie & Isla Fisheries Trust along with the Cromarty Firth Fisheries Trust are taking on the project within their areas:
Deveron, Bogie & Isla: Alastair Fenn 07850 328 382 alastairfenn@deveron.org
Cromarty Firth, Black Isle & Kyle of Sutherland: Meryl Norris 07828 140 392 merylnorris@gmail.com

PHD Student from the University of Aberdeen
West Coast (Kyle of Lochalsh & Gairloch): Elaine Fraser 07801 953 436 elaine.fraser@abdn.ac.uk


If you are keen to volunteer with the project please contact your relevant project officer.

Himalayam balsam in a riparian woodland

It was definitely a wet woodland today.......

Around a field margin.....

Is'nt it bonny...?

Japanese knotweed by the Tay.

Update on the taxonomy of Rhododendron ponticum

New research by James Cullen and the Botanical Society of the British Isles finds that naturalised populations commonly identified as R. ponticum in fact represent parts of a complex variable hybrid swarm involving that species and R. catawbiense and R. maximum, and perhaps R. macrophyllum.

The name R. x superponticum Cullen is proposed.

Find out more at: http://www.bsbi.org.uk/blog.html

http://www.bsbi.org.uk/

VIDEO: Japanese knotweed above Pitlochry

The thing about invasives is that the more you look, the more you find. This source is at Moulin, above Pitlochry. Fragments had been found further down in the town itself, possibly/ probably coming from this source. Japanese knotweed really is a problem in towns where it can affect buildings and is very expensive to put right any damage that it causes.

By the Tay

The photos below are from a survey for invasives along the Tay between Aberfeldy and Kenmore. The dominant invasive is himalayam balsam, which is extensive but still containable. Small areas of Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and white butterburr are also present, along with a small area of the garden escapee Lambium. There are several thousand square metres in total over a length of about 6 miles.

We are looking for a way of funding eradication of these species.

Intermingling with other riverside vegetation

VIDEO: Himalayam Balsam mapping

Giant hogweed leaves.

Butterburr

This plant is becoming establsihed in the area between Kenmore and Aberfeldy, in this case, constraining a footpath.

Japanese knotweed below Kenmore

Lower down....

VIDEO: An invasives source

Garden escapee

This pretty little planr is called Lambium, and is threatening to become invasive in many areas of the country.