Category Archives: Uncategorized

Malaria deaths: twice what we thought

Posted on February 3, 2012 by pehatcher

In the book we suggest that deaths from malaria, mainly from Plasmodium falciparum infection, could be far greater than those recorded by the World Health Organisation (WHO), due to the recording methods used and the large errors inherent in estimating … Continue reading →

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The Kraken ate my homework

Posted on December 13, 2011 by pehatcher

The Kraken is or was a gigantic sea monster said to have dwelt in the North Atlantic, off the coast of Iceland and Norway.  Although sea-dragons and worms have been reported since the ancient world, the term Kraken was not … Continue reading →

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Silkworm Update 4

Posted on November 28, 2011 by pehatcher

Soon after my last update the first of the silkworms started to show signs of wanting to spin a cocoon.   I had prepared an insect rearing cage for them, and placed the plastic boxes containing the larvae into the … Continue reading →

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Insight into eel decline

Posted on November 10, 2011 by ahsbatte

I talked in the lecture on ‘Sargassum and the Sargasso Sea’ about the mysterious migration of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla): its putative spawning in the Sargasso Sea and then the return of the young eels (Leptocephali) to European rivers. … Continue reading →

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Silkworm update 3

Posted on November 8, 2011 by pehatcher

  I think I was a little premature last week in saying that most of the larvae were entering their fifth and final instar, as larvae have been moulting all this week, although I think now they are all in … Continue reading →

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Silkworm update 2

Posted on November 1, 2011 by pehatcher

It is almost two weeks since the silkworms arrived at Reading as first or early second instar larvae.  The larvae feeding on mulberry leaves are now entering the fifth and final instar, and some are over 5 cm long and … Continue reading →

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Medicinal honey

Posted on October 31, 2011 by pehatcher

The medicinal properties of honey have been known for many thousands of years, the oldest records of medicinal use being from a Sumerian clay tablet of 2000 BC.  Indeed, in cultures where other sweeteners were available the main use of honey … Continue reading →

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Silkworm update

Posted on October 25, 2011 by pehatcher

The silkworms are growing well and some have now entered the third instar. It is now clear that the ones feeding on mulberry leaves are growing faster; many of these are now in the third instar, whereas few of those … Continue reading →

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Silkworms at Reading

Posted on October 21, 2011 by pehatcher

Every year we try and obtain some silkworms, Bombyx mori, for the insects practical in Exploiters and Exploited, but we usually cannot find any for sale, as they are usually reared in the spring.  This year we were luckier; I … Continue reading →

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The Swarm

Posted on October 17, 2011 by pehatcher

For more than 20 years scientists have known that a swarm of killer bees has been heading for the United States. Now Warner Brothers presents Irwin Allen’s The Swarm   Its size is immeasurable, its power is limitless, its enemy … Continue reading →

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