New British moth found in Hembury Woods is world first

A moth new to science and found nowhere else in the world has been formally recognised as living in the UK. The 3mm-long micro moth, which lives in Hembury Woods in Devon, was recognised as a new species this year. This week, the biologist who discovered it is presenting the Natural History Museum of London with one of the first known specimens. The receipt of this "type" specimen will mark the official acceptance of the moth's existence in the country. The tiny micro moth, which has a wingspan of just 6mm, was first spotted in 2004. At that time, amateur naturalist Bob Heckford sighted the unusual bright green caterpillars of this tiny leaf-mining moth on oak saplings within Hembury Woods, a site managed by the National Trust.

In January this year, the moth was officially recognised in the journal Zookeys as a new species, named Ectoedemia heckfordi after its discoverer. It is not known to live outside of the UK. Official presentation Now Mr Heckford is presenting the Natural History Museum with the original specimen.

That is important, because it marks the official acknowledgement by the scientific world of the specimen as the "type" for that species, against which any future finds will be compared and determined.

"We hear so much about the losses to the natural world, and less about the gains; which makes this find, however small, so important," says Matthew Oates, an adviser on nature conservation at the National Trust. "Amateur naturalists have a wonderful window on the wildlife world and nature continues to amaze us and throw up surprises even in the UK." There are well over 2,000 species of micro moth in the UK. They come in various shapes and sizes, but many are extremely pretty, though only appreciated under magnification. A few are actually larger than some larger, so-called macro moths.

Their biology varies. Most are plant feeders, with larvae often mining galleries in leaves, between the leaf surfaces. A few mine stems. Some, though, breed in fungi and a few have aquatic larvae. Most are nocturnal but quite a few also fly by day. Caterpillars of the new species are found mostly on oak saplings and low growth of oak in the shade. The mines they make are quite dark and the caterpillars are bright green which is quite unusual for micro moths. The adults lay their eggs on the underside of the leaf.

Give heroin on the NHS, says nursing leader

Drug addicts should be prescribed heroin on the NHS, a nursing leader says. Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said the move would drive down crime rates while helping people off the drug. But the views of other nurses at the RCN's annual conference in Bournemouth were mixed. Mr Carter's backing came after positive results from NHS pilots in London, Brighton and Darlington. The trials, involving 127 users, showed crime was cut by two-thirds, while three-quarters also "substantially reduced" their use of street drugs after being offered a range of support, including psychological therapy. Mr Carter said: "I do believe in heroin prescribing. The fact is heroin is very addictive. "It might take a few years but I think people will understand. "If you are going to get people off heroin then in the initial stages we have to have proper heroin prescribing services. "Critics say you are encouraging drug addiction but the reality is that these people are addicts and they are going to do it anyway." Mr Carter also said drug consumption rooms where users could get needles and inject in privacy should be looked into. He said Australia and the Netherlands had found they stopped users injecting in school playgrounds and stairwells. Debating the issue at the RCN's conference, several nurses agreed with the more radical approach. Claire Topham Brown, from Cambridgeshire, said providing heroin on the NHS could stop or reduce illegal drug use and crime, cut the transmission of viruses like HIV and hepatitis and provide a "stepping stone" to get people off heroin and on to the heroin substitute methadone.

But Gail Brooks, from the RCN's UK safety representatives committee, opposed the idea, saying: "Where would this stop? "Cannabis, cocaine, crack cocaine...other substances?" Harry Shapiro, of Drugscope, said heroin prescriptions could provide an important service. "This is not some heroin free-for-all, there is proper medical supervision."

(my view)-Doesn't it just piss you off that people are SO stupid and UNEDUCATED....most days i wake up..read the news and think to myself"why don't the government.....well the public...all the public put my as global president or even a pm here"........because EVERYONE knows i will be the PERFECT man for the job,if i was pm/GL-President i would make HISTORY from day one!and give this world back.....TO THE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.....like it should be

The Biggest And Most Expensive mistake WE have made

The Biggest And Most Expensive mistake WE have made The one eyed Scottish freak loser MUST go!-he has wasted TAX-PAYERS to the WHOPPING 4 Trillion and rising and RISING peoples health in the process and HAS KILLED MILLIONS ALREADY,ALSO Brown'buried'a report showing £2.5bn wasted on defence-and once again....its rising

THIS FUCKER HAS GOT TO GO AND NEVER FUCKING RETURN

Newborn stallion weighs in at just six pounds

If baby animals are "cute," then how does one describe Einstein the newborn pinto stallion? Super-incredi-adora-cute? Weighing in at just six pounds, the New Hampshire-born foal may be the world's smallest horse. Dr. Rachel Wagner, Einstein's co-owner, says the Guinness record for the smallest newborn horse is 9 pounds. Wagner notes Einstein shows no signs of dwarfism, unlike the current record holder. Photos of Einstein standing next to a young child and a bemused Saint Bernard really put the horse's 14-inch frame in perspective. All together now: "Awwww!"

Thankyou Max For This Lovely Article