Pond Playlist

For our final episode, Jules is joined by the fantastic Miranda Lowe, Principal Curator of Crustacea at Natural History Museum, London. We talk about freshwater hog lice and water shrimps and how cool crustaceans are! Miranda talks about why crustaceans are so good at colonising new places and, in a moment of loveliness, how cute their little babies are. At the end, Jules gives a fond farewell and a massive lengthy THANK YOU! to every scientist that has given their time for the show.

Jules is joined by senior curator of birds at the Natural History Museum (based in Tring), the brilliant Dr Alex Bond. We talk about garden birds - how often they use ponds, what their water requirements are and how to keep visiting birds safe from cats. Alex is on Twitter at: @thelabandfield

Jules is joined by Hana Ayoob, science communicator, trainer and science-y curator legend. We talk about a grey squirrel that visited the pond, plus the perception of grey squirrels among the UK public. We also talk about another "invader" - the ring-necked parakeet. Hana's website is hanaayoob.co.uk and her Twitter is @hanaayoob.

Professor James Logan of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine joins Jules to talk about mosquitoes, their life-cycle and their presence in the little pond. We also talk about the changing distributions of mosquitoes and the value that the British public can play in monitoring the spread of problem mosquito species, such as the Asian Tiger mosquito.

The website to find out about monitoring projects for invasive mosquito is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mosquito-surveillance/mosquito-nationwide-surveillance

Jules is joined by biologist and author Dr Dani Rabaiotti, based at the Institute of Zoology at the Zoological Society of London. As well as talking about the splendour of wild dogs, the two talk about the unbelievable number of cats that visit the tiny pond and the impacts they might be having on other pond wildlife.

More about Dani -including her books- here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_Rabaiotti

Jules is joined by Professor Sheena Cruickshank of the University of Manchester to talk about a very brave mouse spotted drinking at the pond edge. We talk mostly about the parasitic organism called toxoplasmosis and its impact on mouse behaviour, plus a bit about university life.

The summer break continues. Jules talks to an audience at Green Man Festival in August 2019 about the wonder of ponds for microscopic organisms. There's also a run-through of the animals that have visited the Pond Playlist so far. ENJOY!

No scientists in this edition while the summer break continues! Here's a special bonus edition recorded on Saturday 3rd of August at Wilderness Festival 2019. Jules talks in the Books Tent about the reproductive exploits of pond animals. Nothing too explicit (and no swears) but younger listeners should ask their parents to listen first partly for guidance and also to improve my podcast download statistics.

It's the summer holidays so Jules is struggling to find a friendly scientist to interview! Thankfully two young people (my bored offspring on their summer holidays) have stepped in to explore water fleas (Daphnia sp.) with the use of the microscope that sits in the corner of our kitchen. Normal service will resume in due course! Thanks for all your kind comments on this podcast - you are so lovely x

Jules speaks to Martin Fowlie, the RSPB's Media Relations Manager - a man with a (not-so) secret life as a beetle-lover. We talk weevils and how to find beetles in your garden. Martin's brilliant blog, called Of Moths and Men, is found here www.mothsandman.blogspot.com