The great Mediterranean indoors.

[urbpan]

My last "More Urban Species" post begs a bit of illumination.

The pseudoscorpion, looking as it does like a tropical or desert animal, seems an unlikely candidate for New England residence. And it might be, were it not for the constant temperate to tropical conditions found inside buildings in our region. Indeed, warm enclosed spaces, heated and

Comments

[sin_agua]

This is a really interesting list - thanks for posting it.

Btw, to what do YOU attribute the alleged drop in honeybee populations? How does their relation to commercial agriculture negate the possibility that their disappearance is related to "nature"? I was confused by your comment. Are you saying you feel the disappearance is not real, or that it's not a "natural" occurrence, but rather man-made, or...?\

eta: I'm still astounded to learn that before Europeans arrived, there were no earthworms in North America. I guess I'd thought that they lived wherever there was dirt.

[urbpan]

Earthworms were present in some parts of North America, but were gone from those places covered by glaciers during the last ice age (including all of New England).

My bee comment is mild snark. When honeybee collapse disorder was the news story of the week, I fielded a lot of "nature" questions about it, which kind of irked me. The collapse, as far as I can tell, affects mainly those large scale bee colonies which travel on trucks from field to field during the growing season. These bees are under a variety of stresses, including lack of consistent territory, having to sleep on a moving truck, and being exposed to lots and lots of pesticides.

Native pollinators are not collapsing. Not that it isn't a serious problem, it's just not a problem that has much to do with nature. It's analogous to the imminent extinction of the Cavendish banana. It's a big problem, but it's an agricultural problem.

[sin_agua]

"gone from those places covered by glaciers"

Ah, okay now that does make more sense to me. Thanks for helping me with my dumb. ;)

Also that's really interesting about the bees - I had not realized they traveled on trucks! Again, this does make more sense.

And now I'm off to learn more about Cavendish bananas....

[perspicuity]

what's the current reckoning on "introducted species" as percent of critters found in the USA? i seem to recall it was something like 1/3? it was a lot.

and don't forget those earth worm eaters... the LONG flatheads? mmm.

and snails!

and ... a host more...

#

Right you are sir.

[urbpan]

How could I forget our beloved landchovy?

[temeres]

Lithobius forficatus is widespread in Britain (well north of the Mediterranean) and, as far as I know, indigenous. Likewise a number of other species you describe as Mediterranean are - again, as far as I know - indigenous to the UK, such as the Starling and the Rock Pigeon. There is a Mediterranean species of Starling, the Spotless Starling S unicolor, but vulgaris is spread right across Europe into Siberia.

[urbpan]

I was unsure about the garden centipede; I'll give you that one.

The European starling and pigeon were (as far I my readings have indicated) originally restricted to Southern Europe but spread to Northern Europe Great Britain with the Roman Empire and the resulting larger scale agriculture.

I recently learned that the European Rabbit also had a very limited range originally and was also deliberately introduced to Great Britain and other Northern European places.

[temeres]

It might be worth distinguishing between introduction per se - species deliberately or inadvertently carried to a new home - and human-assisted range expansion, in which the species carry themselves. The Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto, for example, underwent a massive pan-European range expansion in the first half of the 20th Century, reaching the UK in about 1954, but it was never to my knowledge introduced to anywhere - it took itself. (Though it's now apparently established in the US, where it is presumably introduced

[urbpan]

The distinction between introduction and assisted range expansion is a tricky one. They're both caused by human activity, but I suppose range expansion tends to be more gradual. Similar causes, similar results.

Why is it important to make the distinction?

[gemfyre]

Indian Meal Moths

The bane of my kitchen. Especially as I have a heap of baking gear. They even get into sealed containers the buggers!

[elainetyger]

I don't see how they can get into sealed containers if the containers are made of hard plastic, glass, or metal. They may come in with the product.

One time inspecting a store with hundreds of pounds of spices in plastic boxes in the basement, my boss and I found several boxes completely inundated with beetles. It turned out that there were 3 small round holes in each of 2 handles on each box.

I see moths get into sealed paper sacks such as with flour or, less commonly, pet foods on neglected retail shelves. Besides those insects that chew holes through the paper, it looks as though the moths might eat the glue holding the flaps down and then scoot under the flaps.

[wirrrn]

Any invasive Australian species in the US of A? The Australian Cockroach, perhaps?

Pseudoscorpions are so cute. Love the way they hitch rides on other arthropods *g*

[urbpan]

I am planning an entry on the Australian cockroach, but I haven't done any research on it yet. :)

[temeres]

Pseudoscorpions are so cute. Love the way they hitch rides on other arthropods *g*

Something I didn't know about until I inadvertently photographed it.