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Don’t kill the curl grubs in your garden – they could be native beetle babies

<figure><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tanya-latty-132">Tanya Latty</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-reid-1402564">Chris Reid</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></figure> Have you ever been in the garden and found a large, white, C-shaped grub with a distinctive brown head and six legs clustered near the head? If so, you’ve had an encounter with the larva of a scarab beetle (family: Scarabaeidae) also known as a “curl grub”. Many gardeners worry these large larvae might damage plants. So what are curl grubs? And should you be concerned if you discover them in your garden? <h2>What are curl grubs?</h2> Curl grubs turn into scarab beetles. There are more than 30,000 species of scarab beetles worldwide. Australia is home to at least 2,300 of these species, including iridescent Christmas beetles (<a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetle/">Anoplognathus</a>), spectacularly horned rhinoceros beetles (Dynastinae), and the beautifully patterned flower chafers (<a href="https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/aus_museum/flower_chafers/key/Cetoniinae/Media/Html/key.htm">Cetoniinae</a>). While the adults might be the most conspicuous life stage, scarabs spend most of their lives as larvae, living underground or in rotting wood. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A bird holds a curl grub in its beak." /></a><figcaption>Curl grubs make an excellent meal for hungry birds. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <h2>Scarab larvae can help the environment</h2> Soil-dwelling scarab larvae can aerate soils and help <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.library.sydney.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0006320708001420">disperse</a> seeds. Species that eat decaying matter help recycle nutrients and keep soils healthy. Most scarab larvae are large and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684676/">full of protein and fat</a>. They make an excellent meal for <a href="https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2018/08/12/organic-control-of-curl-grubs-in-lawn/#:%7E:text=The%20most%20useful%20natural%20enemies,digging%20them%20out%20of%20lawns.">hungry birds</a>. Besides being important for ecosystems, scarabs also play a role in <a href="https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=entomologypapers">cultural celebrations</a>. For example, the ancient Egyptians famously worshipped the sun through the symbol of the ball-rolling dung beetle. In Australia, colourful Christmas beetles traditionally heralded the arrival of the holiday season. Sadly, Christmas beetle numbers have <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetles/">declined</a> over the last few decades, likely due to habitat loss. <h2>Are the curl grubs in my garden harming my plants?</h2> Most scarab larvae feed on grass roots, and this can cause damage to plants when there’s a lot of them. In Australia, the <a href="https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/517487-Cyclocephala-signaticollis">Argentine lawn scarab</a> and the <a href="https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/olives/african-black-beetle-horticulture">African black beetle</a> are invasive pest species that cause significant damage to pastures and lawns. Native scarab species can also be pests under the right circumstances. For example, when Europeans began planting sugar cane (a type of grass) and converting native grasslands to pastures, many native Australian scarab species found an abundant new food source and were subsequently classified as <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/1/54/htm">pests</a>. Unfortunately, we know little about the feeding habits of many native scarab larvae, including those found in gardens. Some common garden species, like the beautifully patterned <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/fiddler-beetle/">fiddler beetle</a> (Eupoecila australasiae), feed on decaying wood and are unlikely to harm garden plants. Even species that consume roots are likely not a problem under normal conditions. Plants are surprisingly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-011-2210-y">resilient</a>, and most can handle losing a small number of their roots to beetle larvae. Even while damaging plants, curl grubs may be helping keep soil healthy by providing aeration and nutrient mixing. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="manicured grass and garden" /><figcaption>Most plants can handle losing a small number of their roots to beetle larvae. </figcaption></figure> <h2>How do I know if I have ‘good’ or ‘bad’ beetle larvae in my garden?</h2> Unfortunately, identifying scarab larvae species is challenging. Many of the features we use to tell groups apart are difficult to see without magnification. While there are identification guides for scarabs larvae found in <a href="https://cesaraustralia.com/pestfacts/scarabs-and-cockchafers-identification/">pastures</a>, there are currently no such identification resources for the scarabs found in household gardens. Since identification may not be possible, the best guide to whether or not scarab larvae are a problem in your garden is the health of your plants. Plants with damaged roots may wilt or turn yellow. Since most root-feeding scarabs prefer grass roots, lawn turf is most at risk and damage is usually caused by exotic scarab species. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Unfortunately, identifying scarab larvae species is challenging. </figcaption></figure> <h2>What should I do if I find curl grubs in my garden?</h2> Seeing suspiciously plump curl grubs amongst the roots of prized garden plants can be alarming, but please don’t automatically reach for insecticides. The chemicals used to control curl grubs will harm all scarab larvae, regardless of whether or not they are pests. Many of the most common treatments for curl grubs contain chemicals called “anthranilic diamides”, which are also <a href="http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/chlorantraniliprole.html#howwork">toxic</a> to butterflies, moths and aquatic invertebrates. And by disrupting soil ecosystems, using insecticides might do more harm than good and could kill harmless native beetle larvae. So what to do instead? Larvae found in decaying wood or mulch are wood feeders and are useful composters; they will not harm your plants and should be left where they are. Larvae found in compost bins are helping to break down wastes and should also be left alone. If you find larvae in your garden soil, use your plant’s health as a guide. If your plants appear otherwise healthy, consider simply leaving curl grubs where they are. Scarab larvae are part of the soil ecosystem and are unlikely to do damage if they are not present in high numbers. If your plants appear yellow or wilted and you’ve ruled out other causes, such as under-watering or nutrient deficiencies, consider feeding grubs to the birds or squishing them. It’s not nice, but it’s better than insecticides. Lawns are particularly susceptible to attack by the larvae of non-native scarabs. Consider replacing lawns with <a href="https://www.sgaonline.org.au/lawn-alternatives/">native</a> ground covers. This increases biodiversity and lowers the chances of damage from non-native scarab larvae. Scarab beetles are beautiful and fascinating insects that help keep our soils healthy and our wildlife well fed.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191771/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image credit: Shutterstock <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tanya-latty-132">Tanya Latty</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-reid-1402564">Chris Reid</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor in Zoology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-kill-the-curl-grubs-in-your-garden-they-could-be-native-beetle-babies-191771">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

Sneezing with hay fever? Native plants aren’t usually the culprit

Hay fever is a downside of springtime around the world. As temperatures increase, plant growth resumes and flowers start appearing. But while native flowering plants such as wattle often get the blame when the seasonal sneezes strike, hay fever in Australia is typically caused by introduced plant species often pollinated by the wind. <h2>A closer look at pollen</h2> Pollen grains are the tiny reproductive structures that move genetic material between flower parts, individual flowers on the same plant or a nearby member of the same species. They are typically lightweight structures easily carried on wind currents or are sticky and picked up in clumps on the feathers of a honeyeater or the fur of a fruit bat or possum. Hay fever is when the human immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. It is not only caused by pollen grains but fungal spores, non-flowering plant spores, mites and even pet hair. The classic symptoms of hay fever are sneezing, runny noses, red, itchy, and watery eyes, swelling around the eyes and scratchy ears and throat. The problem with pollen grains is when they land on the skin around our eyes, in our nose and mouth, the proteins found in the wall of these tiny structures leak out and are recognised as foreign by the body and trigger a reaction from the immune system. <h2>So what plants are the worst culprits for causing hay fever?</h2> Grasses, trees, and herbaceous weeds such as plantain are the main problem species as their pollen is usually scattered by wind. In Australia, the main grass offenders are exotic species including rye grass and couch grass (a commonly used lawn species). Weed species that cause hay fever problems include introduced ragweed, Paterson’s curse, parthenium weed and plantain. The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102629/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">problematic tree species</a> are also exotic in origin and include liquid amber, Chinese elm, maple, cypress, ash, birch, poplar, and plane trees. Although there are some native plants that have wind-spread pollen such as she-oaks and white cypress pine, and which can induce hay fever, these species are exceptional in the Australian flora. Many Australian plants are not wind pollinated and <a href="https://blog.publish.csiro.au/austpollinatorweek/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use animals</a> to move their clumped pollen around. For example, yellow-coloured flowers such as wattles and peas are pollinated by insect such as bees. Red- and orange-coloured flowers are usually visited by birds such as honeyeaters. Large, dull-coloured flowers with copious nectar (the reward for pollination) are visited by nocturnal mammals including bats and possums. Obviously Australian plant pollen can still potentially cause the immune system to overreact, but these structures are less likely to reach the mucous membranes of humans. <h2>What can we do to prevent hay fever attacks at this time of the year?</h2> With all of this in mind, here are some strategies to prevent the affects of hay fever: <ol> <li>stay inside and keep the house closed up on warm, windy days when more pollen is in the air</li> <li>if you must go outside, wear sunglasses and a face mask</li> <li>when you return indoors gently rinse (and don’t rub) your eyes with running water, change your clothes and shower to remove pollen grains from hair and skin</li> <li>try to avoid mowing the lawn in spring particularly when grasses are in flower (the multi-pronged spiked flowers of couch grass are distinctive)</li> <li>when working in the garden, wear gloves and facial coverings particularly when handling flowers consider converting your garden to a native one. Grevilleas are a great alternative to rose bushes. Coastal rosemary are a fabulous native replacement for lavender. Why not replace your liquid amber tree with a fast growing, evergreen and low-allergenic lilly pilly tree?</li> </ol> <h2>If you do suffer a hay fever attack</h2> Sometimes even with our best efforts, or if it’s not always possible to stay at home, hay fever can still creep up on us. If this happens: <ul> <li>antihistamines will reduce sneezing and itching symptoms</li> <li>corticosteroid nasal sprays are very effective at reducing inflammation and clearing blocked noses</li> <li>decongestants provide quick and temporary relief by drying runny noses but should not be used by those with high blood pressure</li> <li>salt water is a good way to remove excessive mucous from the nasal passages.</li> </ul> Behavioural changes on warm, windy spring days are a good way of avoiding a hay fever attack. An awareness of the plants around us and their basic reproductive biology is also useful in preventing our immune systems from overreacting to pollen proteins that they are not used to encountering. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/sneezing-with-hay-fever-native-plants-arent-usually-the-culprit-190336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

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How to attract more birds to your garden

Turn your garden into a flurry of feathered activity by choosing a selection of plants that will produce an abundance of food over a long period of time. <a href="https://www.bhg.com.au/australian-native-plants">Australian natives are a great choice as they are available in colours known to attract wildlife</a>, and are particularly laden with nectar and seeds – both of which birds love. Here are six native plants known to seduce our feathered friends. <h3 dir="ltr">Grevillea</h3> Many <a href="https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-grow-grevilleas">grevillea species are highly desirable to birds</a> because of the nectar produced. To attract a variety of bird species, consider planting both large- and small-flowered cultivars. Grevillea ‘Fire Sprite’ has large, showy flowers offering plenty of nectar, while Grevillea ‘Scarlet Sprite’ is a smaller variety providing plenty of protection. <h3 dir="ltr">Banksia</h3> These are like a buffet for nectar-feeding and seed-eating birds, such as wattlebirds and cockatoos. Many species also flower in winter, when other natural food sources are scarce. Try Banksia ericifolia, which produces orange flower spikes through autumn and winter, providing ample nectar for many bird species. <h3 dir="ltr">Kangaroo Paw</h3> <h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 23pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you don’t have room for a small tree or shrub, consider this option. Kangaroo paw used to be hard to grow in some locations, but modern breeding has meant varieties will now flourish just about anywhere. All species have strap-like leaves and tubular flowers that attract honeyeaters. Try the Bush Gems range, which is compact and free-flowering, or the red and green kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos manglesii), which features flowers borne on 600mm stems.</h3> <h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"></h3> <h3 dir="ltr">Bottlebrush</h3> Bursting into bloom from early spring, bottlebrush delivers rich pickings for birds. They also provide shelter and nesting material and attract insects. Tree shapes and sizes vary considerably, so there’s one suitable for just about any garden. Plant crimson bottlebrush to lure nectar-feeders, or the weeping bottlebrush, which gives excellent protective cover for small birds and an abundance of nectar for honeyeaters. <h3 dir="ltr">Wattle</h3> <h3 dir="ltr">A bird magnet! Insectivorous birds, such as robins and some honeyeaters, use these trees for shelter, while cockatoos, rosellas and native pigeons favour the seeds. <a style="text-decoration-line: none;" href="https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-grow-wattle">Several wattle varieties</a> have nectar glands on the leaf stalk, such as Sydney golden wattle Acacia longifolia, which attracts small honeyeaters and insects.</h3> <h3 dir="ltr">Eucalyptus</h3> These trees often have hollows in the trunk or branch forks, which provide shelter. Eucalypts, such as scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma), also bear nectar and fruit so you might find honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds enjoying the blossoms, and cockatoos and rosellas feeding on the fruit. Image: Shutterstock

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Why dingoes should be considered native to mainland Australia – even though humans introduced them

Dingoes are <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cz/article-abstract/57/5/668/5004458">often demonised</a> as a danger to livestock, while many consider them a natural and essential part of the environment. But is our most controversial wild species actually native to Australia? Dingoes were brought to Australia by humans from Southeast Asia some 4,000 years ago. Technically, this means they are an introduced species, and an “alien” species by <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-abstract/68/7/496/5050532">classic ecological definitions </a>. By contrast, most legal definitions consider dingoes native, because they were here before Europeans arrived. Though it sounds academic, the controversy has real consequences for this ancient dog lineage. In 2018, the Western Australian government declared dingoes <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-wa-government-is-wrong-to-play-identity-politics-with-dingoes-102344">were not native fauna</a> due to crossbreeding with domestic dogs. This potentially makes it easier to control their numbers. In a <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-abstract/41/3/358/472935/An-eco-evolutionary-rationale-to-distinguish-alien">new research paper</a>, I find dingoes do indeed fit the bill as an Australian native species, using three new criteria I propose. These criteria can help us answer questions over whether alien species can ever be considered native, and if so, over what time frame. <h2>Why does alien or native status matter?</h2> Humans have been moving animal species around for millennia. Thousands of years ago, neolithic settlers <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2907.1992.tb00129.x">moved rabbits</a> to Mediterranean islands, traders unwittingly took black rats from India to Europe and Indigenous Southeast Asian people took pigs to Papua New Guinea. The rate of species introductions has ramped up with the movement and spread of people, with many recent arrivals posing a major threat to biodiversity. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435486/original/file-20211203-25-eianud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435486/original/file-20211203-25-eianud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Pigs were introduced to Papua New Guinea by Indigenous people thousands of years ago. Does that make them native? Shutterstock Researchers often distinguish between alien and native using the year the species was introduced. There are obvious problems with this, given the dates used can be arbitrary and the fact perceptions of nativeness can be based on how much <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0309132507079499">humans like the species</a>, rather than its ecological impact. For example, there has been strong opposition to killing “friendly” hedgehogs in areas of Scotland where they are introduced, but less cute animals like American mink get no such consideration. For conservationists, alien status certainly matters. <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2006.0444">Alien species act differently</a> to native species in their new environments, which can give them an advantage over locals in terms of competition for food, predation and spreading new diseases. This can cause native population declines and extinctions. As a result, species considered alien in their ecosystems are often targets for control and eradication. But species considered native are usually protected even if they have extended their range significantly, like eastern water dragons or the Australian white ibis. Native status is, of course, a human construct. Past definitions of nativeness have not directly considered the ecological reasons for concern about alien species. This is what <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-abstract/41/3/358/472935/An-eco-evolutionary-rationale-to-distinguish-alien">my new research</a> seeks to address. <h2>An ecological definition of nativeness</h2> What I propose are three staged criteria to determine when an introduced species becomes native: <ol> <li> has the introduced species evolved in its new environment? </li> <li> do native species recognise and respond to the introduced species as they do other local species? </li> <li> are the interactions between introduced and established native species similar to interactions between native species (that is, their impacts on local species are not negative and exaggerated)? </li> </ol> For dingoes on mainland Australia, the answer is yes for all three criteria. We should consider them native. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435474/original/file-20211203-23-1o19jql.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435474/original/file-20211203-23-1o19jql.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Dingoes on mainland Australia meet the criteria for native status. Peter Banks, Author provided Firstly, dingoes are not the same dogs first brought here. Dingoes are now <a href="https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4564.1.6">quite different</a> to their close ancestors in Southeast Asia, in terms of behaviour, how they reproduce and how they look. These <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-14515-6">differences have a genetic basis</a>, suggesting they have evolved since their arrival in Australia. Their heads are now shaped differently, they breed less often and have better problem solving skills than other close dog relatives. Second, it is well established that native prey species on mainland Australia <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2018.0857">recognise and respond to dingoes</a> as dangerous predators – which they are. Finally, dingo impacts on prey species <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-abstract/41/3/338/447847/Introgression-does-not-influence-the-positive?redirectedFrom=fulltext">are not devastating</a> like those of alien predators such as feral cats and foxes. While hunting by dingoes does suppress prey numbers, they don’t keep them as low (and at greater risk of extinction) as do foxes and cats. Of course, dingo impacts were unlikely to have always been so benign. Dingoes are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1191/0959683603hl682fa">linked to the extinction</a> of Tasmanian tigers (Thylacines), Tasmanian devils and the Tasmanian flightless hen, which disappeared from mainland Australia soon after the dingo arrived. In my paper, I argue such impacts no longer occur because of evolutionary change in both dingoes and their prey. We can see this in Tasmania, which dingoes never reached. There, prey species like bandicoots still show <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0161447">naiveté towards dogs</a>. That means we should not consider dingoes to be native to Tasmania. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435484/original/file-20211203-23-101r65w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435484/original/file-20211203-23-101r65w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Native prey species on the mainland recognise and respond to dingoes. Shutterstock <h2>Alien today, native tomorrow?</h2> This idea challenges the dogma alien species remain alien forever. This is an unsettling concept for ecologists dealing with the major and ongoing damage done by newer arrivals. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-abstract/62/3/217/358332">Some argue</a> we should never embrace alien species into natural ecosystems. This makes no sense for long-established introduced species, which might now be playing a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-dingo-fence-from-space-satellite-images-show-how-these-top-predators-alter-the-desert-155642">positive role</a> in ecosystems. But it’s a different story for recently introduced species like cats, given not enough time has passed to get past the exaggerated impacts on local species. These ideas are not about considering all species present in an ecosystem to be native. Introduced species should still be considered alien until proven native. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435482/original/file-20211203-27-1atm2p2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435482/original/file-20211203-27-1atm2p2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Cat sitting in the outback" /></a> Cats are a bigger threat to Australian wildlife than dingoes. Shutterstock This approach suggests ways of classifying species which might be native to a country but have moved to new places within the country through mechanisms like climate change or re-wilding. For example, we can’t simply assume returning Tasmanian devils to <a href="https://theconversation.com/bringing-devils-back-to-the-mainland-could-help-wildlife-conservation-43121">mainland Australia</a> more than 3,000 years after dingoes drove them extinct there would count as reintroducing a native species. Defining nativeness in this ecological way will help resolve some of the heated and long-running debates over how to distinguish alien and native species. How? Because it targets the key reason conservationists were worried about alien species in the first place – the damage they can do.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172756/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-banks-7272">Peter Banks</a>, Professor of Conservation Biology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-dingoes-should-be-considered-native-to-mainland-australia-even-though-humans-introduced-them-172756">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

“It broke my heart”: Native Americans outbid to buy back their own sacred site

Over 290 prehistoric Native American glyphs that depict people, animals, and mythological figures adorn the walls of Picture Cave in eastern Missouri. The cave has been deemed an “ultimate sacred site” by the Osage Nation, who were pushed out of the land as a consequence of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Since the 1950s, the land has been owned by the extremely wealthy Busch family, who mostly used it as a hunting ground. When the Busch family announced last year that they would be selling the cave, and the 43 acres of land surrounding it, the Osage Nation began a campaign to procure their land back. They teamed up with the Conservation Fund, as well as Fish and Wildlife Services, on the account of endangered bats living in the cave. Despite their mammoth efforts, the Osage Nation could not gather enough money to buy their sacred land back. “[Picture Cave] is our ultimate sacred site,” says Andrea Hunter, a member of the Osage Nation and director of its Historic Preservation Office. “It was our land to begin with and we then had to resort to trying to buy it back. “And we’ve got landowners who don’t understand the history of the place they live in and whose significance doesn’t amount to more than monetary value [for them].” The Busch family sold the land to an anonymous buyer for $2,200,000USD, just $200,000 more than the Osage Nation offered. “Watching it get to $2 million stopped my heart,” said Hunter. “It broke my heart.” Hunter and her team are currently trying to contact the anonymous bidder from Nashville to explain the historical and cultural significance of the land. So far, they have not been successful in their communications. Image credit: Youtube - Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers

Art

Should we keep native Australian animals as pets?

<h2>Should we keep native Australian animals as pets?</h2> <h2>If we turn Australian mammals into pets on a large scale, will it help or hinder their survival in the wild?</h2> <div class="copy"> This article first appeared in Cosmos Weekly on <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/new-south-australia-park-preserves-dawn-of-time-creatures/" target="_blank">23 </a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/home-truths/" target="_blank">July </a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/new-south-australia-park-preserves-dawn-of-time-creatures/" target="_blank">2021</a>. Mike Archer has opened his home to possums, flying foxes, quolls and wallabies. But although he’s a renowned biologist, he’s no wildlife carer. The native Australian animals have been his pets. “I’ve had so many wonderful native animals that have shared my house and my backyard,” Archer tells me. “I think we’re nuts for just feeling we have to stick with the introduced alien species as pets.” The adoption of native Australian mammals as pets is a divisive topic. My introduction came with sugar gliders. When a friend said they were thinking of getting pet sugar gliders I was quietly horrified. It’s not illegal – you can keep sugar gliders in Victoria, the Northern Territory and South Australia if you have a licence – but it didn’t sit right with me. They should remain in their natural habitat, I thought. They’re wild animals after all. But as Archer points out, many native animals are not doing too well in their diminishing natural habitat. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-right"> Our mammals live in a world of fractured national parks and narrow corridors between human cities, towns and farmland, where they’re vulnerable to hungry cats and foxes. </blockquote> “We’re squeezing these animals into ever tinier corners,” he warns. “Wildlife is increasingly not safe in the wild.” And it’s true. In Australia, where most of our mammals are endemic (found nowhere else), we’ve managed to eliminate over 30 species since the arrival of Europeans – the highest mammalian extinction rate in the world. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2014/06/australian-endangered-species-list/" target="_blank">Many more species are endangered</a>. “We need every strategy we can find to give these animals a chance to survive into the future,” Archer says. “Keeping native animals as pets is going to mean having breeding facilities, it’ll mean a population of them as a safety net that won’t go extinct, and it will enhance people’s interest in them.” Our mammals live in a world of fractured national parks and narrow corridors between human cities, towns and farmland, where they’re vulnerable to hungry cats and foxes. The smaller the population, the less resilient it is after bushfires, droughts, or flooding. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12682" target="_blank">A research paper published in 2019</a> found that the Australian government spends $122 million a year on threatened species recovery. That’s about a tenth of what the US spends, and according to the researchers, it’s around 15% of the amount that’s actually needed to recover Australia’s threatened species. Archer has been keeping native mammals since the 1970s. In 2015 he recruited Senator David Leyonhjelm to the cause, with Leyonhjelm suggesting to the Senate that “the quoll may replace domestic cats”. This may sound crazy, but it’s a decent point – there are 3.8 million pet cats and another few million feral cats in Australia, and each one kills <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.nespthreatenedspecies.edu.au/media/eeufmpqx/112-the-impact-of-cats-in-australia-findings-factsheetweb.pdf" target="_blank">between 200 and 800 native animals a year</a>. But many don’t agree. “WIRES strongly believes that [keeping native pets as animals] will not lead to better conservation outcomes,” says WIRES campaigns manager Kristie Newton. “I fear that young people will have a disconnect with the animals in the wild. How can they understand they are threatened by extinction, for example, when you can go buy one at your local pet shop?” As was starkly highlighted in the lockdown TV series hit Tiger King, there are at least <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/5-things-tiger-king-doesn-t-explain-about-captive-tigers" target="_blank">5,000 captive tigers</a> in the US (most are privately owned), which is significantly more than the number remaining in the wild. But allowing people to keep tigers has done very little to help conservation of their wild brethren. Many of the “pet” tigers have inbred or mixed genetics, which makes them <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/is-ohio-zoo-slaughter-a-setback-for-tiger-conservation-3926" target="_blank">unhelpful for breeding</a> programs. Plus, the regulations are so lax that there’s no way to even count how many privately owned tigers are in the country, let alone a system to plan for their conservation. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-left"> The Australian government spends $122 million a year on threatened species recovery. That’s about a tenth of what the US spends, and around 15% of the amount actually needed to recover Australia’s threatened species. </blockquote> Another exotic species increasingly popular as a pet in the US is the sugar glider – legal to own in nearly every state, though a licence is required to breed them. Websites advertise their purchase for around $800 each. These animals require specialised care, and although there is a community of owners who love having these marsupials as pets, many animal rights groups and conservation organisations are unimpressed. “There has been evidence in the US of gliders kept as solitary pets developing behavioural issues, refusing to eat or self-mutilating through over-preening,” says Newton. “They are very prone to stress. Most vets lack training or experience with these species, so diagnosing and treating health issues can be difficult.” Many animal researchers fall somewhere in the middle. Three quoll scientists wrote an article for <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/pet-quolls-are-practically-useless-for-real-world-conservation-39039" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> a few years ago, saying that although quolls could make good companion animals and reducing cats in Australia would be ideal, they think that pet quolls – in the same vein as US tigers – would be practically useless for conservation reasons. <img style="width: 354px; height: 199px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843967/native-pets-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e33422983647440a84676a75d66ee377" /> Dingo researcher Kylie Cairns agrees. “It could increase knowledge about the plight of our native animals in Australia and engage the public better in caring for our native animals,” she says. However, “it is more likely that the captive animal population would become domesticated over time and follow selective breeding for easier-to-handle ‘pets’. “It is unlikely that captive animals kept as pets would be bred in a manner that would allow them to be returned to the wild, or used for rewilding projects, and so their utility for conservation is limited.” But there’s another question here, too. Apart from the small number of native pet owners we already have, do most people really want to replace their cat or dog with a native animal? In a number of states around Australia you can already obtain licences for keeping quolls, gliders, wallabies and dingoes. Once you have a licence to keep a native animal, most of the time you don’t need a separate licence to breed them. But in my home state of Victoria, once you spend the hundred dollars on a licence, you need to find someone to sell you an animal. On online sales site Gumtree, there is a waitlist for sugar gliders – and one squirrel glider for sale for $600. Which isn’t always easy. “The availability of mammals varies widely,” explains Nicholas Petropoulos, a wildlife presenter and breeder. “If you wanted, say, hopping mice or sugar gliders you could find some for sale today. Ringtail or brushtail possums you’d likely have to wait until spring when babies are being weaned. For others, like quolls, you’d likely need to go on a waiting list for a breeder. “To actually get them you’d join marsupial societies, get to know licenced breeders on social media, and contact zoos about their surplus lists.” It seems that even if I wanted to replace my cat with a quoll, there are limited systems in place to acquire one. And most people, like me, are probably still uncomfortable with the idea of locking up native animals in our homes. Perhaps it’s easier to keep them out of sight and out of mind, imagining them in idyllic native surrounds, far from humans, cats or foxes. Although native animal researchers might have significantly different views when it comes to keeping native animals as pets, all agree that not enough is being done to protect them in the wild. Even Archer is adamant that keeping native mammals as pets is just one step in a much larger conservation project – but one that he believes is critical. “No animal we’ve ever put our arms around has ever gone extinct. They go extinct when we ignore them on the other side of the fence.” This article first appeared in Cosmos Weekly on 23 July 2021. To see more in-depth stories like this, subscribe today and get access to our weekly e-publication, plus access to all back issues of Cosmos Weekly.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=160176&title=Should+we+keep+native+Australian+animals+as+pets%3F" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/native-animals-as-pets/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jacinta-bowler">Jacinta Bowler</a>. Jacinta Bowler is an accomplished science journalist who has written about far-flung exoplanets, terrifying superbugs and everything in between. They have written articles for ABC, SBS, ScienceAlert and Pedestrian, and are a regular contributor for kids magazines Double Helix and KIT. </div>

Family & Pets

Five reasons to downsize to one of the hidden gems of retirement living

When it comes to moving house, not only do we have to consider where we will be moving to, but also how big or small our next home should be – especially when we’re looking to settle down more permanently. Our lifestyle and needs also change as we grow older, so finding a home that fits a variety of needs can be overwhelming. Whether you want a smaller garden that can be easily tended to or you are looking for more support to look after your health, choosing to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/3-crucial-things-to-consider-before-downsizing-or-in-other-words-rightsizing" target="_blank">rightsize</a> your next home can help you set up the life of your dreams. Retirement living is built with those nearing retirement in mind, offering the lifestyle and practical benefits many of us are looking for as we head into retirement. As for where to settle down, why not consider Penrith, just 50km west of the Sydney CBD? As one of the hidden gems of retirement planning, Penrith is home to plenty of rightsizing opportunities – such as <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/kingfisher-grove/" target="_blank">Kingfisher Grove Retirement Living by Lendlease</a> – that offer outstanding retirement living options and a multitude of other benefits. Kingfisher Grove provides the best of both worlds: Bordered by Wianamatta Regional Park, residents can experience the bush right outside their home, while having the convenience of Woolworths shopping centre, medical centres, gyms and cafés just across the road. All homes are architecturally designed to take advantage of natural light and give a sense of space, with open-plan layouts, air-conditioning and quality appliances. But above all, residents are surrounded with a great community of like-minded neighbours with exclusive access to the resort-style Community Centre. The Community Centre will feature an indoor pool, cinema, gym, bar, library, craft room and dining area. Still unsure? Here are five more reasons why you should set your sights on Penrith. 1. A strong sense of community Staying connected to your friends, family, and local community is part of what makes retirement so enjoyable. Since we are social animals, having a strong sense of community and avenues to connect with others not only helps you feel good, but also helps with mental and physical health. That’s why retirement villages like Kingfisher Grove establish such a strong sense of community in their areas. Whether you would prefer to live in a villa or an apartment, you will get to interact with your neighbours in your day-to-day comings and goings, as well as when you visit the exclusive clubhouse and other facilities. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/kingfisher-grove/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840919/pool-shot_hires.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/42b42f1988284a3fa963336ba0cd8257" /></a> Outside of the retirement community, there are still plenty of ways to connect with your community. Joining community groups such as the local <a rel="noopener" href="https://directory.wayahead.org.au/service/6976/" target="_blank">Men’s Shed</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="https://ownnsw.org.au/get-involved/join-group/penrith/" target="_blank">Older Women’s Network</a>, historical societies, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.probussouthpacific.org/microsites/penrithcity" target="_blank">Probus club</a> gives you the opportunity to meet new people, share skills and have a laugh over a cuppa. Or you can head down to <a rel="noopener" href="https://penrith.panthers.com.au/" target="_blank">Panthers Penrith</a> and join in on the club’s regular bingo, trivia nights, and raffles. 2. Everything you need at your doorstep Just 7km away from Penrith CBD, you will find Jordan Springs. As one of Penrith’s newest suburbs, this suburb is situated right between Penrith and St Marys. With hospitals nearby – including the newly redeveloped Nepean Hospital – you can find all of the resources and care you’ll need. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/kingfisher-grove/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840917/kingfisher-04.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9aec3b30b46444eaa7f8acd217fa77bd" /></a> What about when family comes to visit, or if you need to travel to Sydney? Whether you prefer to drive or travel by public transport, it’s easy to get around. Jordan Springs is close to both St Marys and Penrith train stations for those who choose the 45-minute trip into the city, and it’s just a 15-minute drive from the entrance to the M4. At Kingfisher Grove there is a bus stop just outside the village and Woolworths shopping centre with a breadth of shops, medical centres, pharmacies and cafés just across the road! 3. Low-maintenance living As we start thinking about settling down for retirement, finding the right-sized home to suit our needs becomes even more crucial. Retirement communities often offer a variety of different housing options to suit everyone’s needs. For example, Kingfisher Grove offers a combination of single storey, level access villas featuring two or three bedrooms, with single or double garages. The village will also offer one, two or three bedroom apartment layouts across three low-rise buildings, all of which have exquisite views over Wianamatta Regional Park. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/kingfisher-grove/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840916/kingfisher-02.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/465cafe79fc54065afce2ed37a6efe3d" /></a> For those who need extra care, Kingfisher Grove has partnered with Catholic Healthcare to build an aged care facility right next door. Once completed, this facility will offer the right level of care for those who need it. 4. Surround yourself with picturesque landscapes Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city can become more and more appealing as we get older. Luckily, Penrith offers the perfect mix of urban living and proximity to nature. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/kingfisher-grove/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840915/kingfisher-03.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fd3ff0e9e4c74a14aa1504c6eb3e7c32" /></a> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div class="Maincontent"> Situated in Jordan Springs, Kingfisher Grove offers 17 hectares of gorgeous parks and open space, including a huge lake at the heart of the community, for you to wander through and reconnect with nature. 5. Plenty to do There are plenty of things to do in and around Penrith. From shopping to staying active mentally and physically, you’ll be spoilt for choice. If you’re the outdoorsy type or take pleasure in walking while enjoying the scenery, Penrith is home to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/facilities-recreation/outdoor-recreation/great-river-walk" target="_blank">The Great River Walk</a>. Following the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, the Great River Walk is a great spot for picnicking, bird watching and learning about the history of the local area. Along the way, you can also catch free contemporary art at the Penrith Regional Gallery and take a break at its café. Or, if you are looking to learn some new skills or follow academic interests, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.u3apenrith.org.au/" target="_blank">The University of the Third Age (U3A) Nepean-Blue Mountains</a> offers courses specifically for seniors. These courses are available in a range of subject areas, from arts and crafts, language and acting to philosophy, hospitality and computing. Penrith council also runs two senior centres that host social events and are home to bridge, dance, and computing clubs. So what are you waiting for? To beat the rush to this hidden gem of retirement living on Sydney’s doorstep, visit <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/kingfisher-grove/" target="_blank">Kingfisher Grove</a> Retirement Village for more information, or book a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/tea-and-tour/nsw/" target="_blank">Tea and Tour</a> for an up-close inspection. Kingfisher Grove is now taking expressions of interest for brand new apartments in their Stage 2 Release, with prices ranging between $430K – $735K. Don’t miss out this incredible opportunity! This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.retirementbylendlease.com.au/kingfisher-grove/" target="_blank">Kingfisher Grove</a> Retirement Living by Lendlease. </div> </div>

Retirement Life

Prince William reveals George's role in school nativity play

Mere months after starting school, Prince George has reached another exciting milestone – participating in his first nativity play. The Duke of Cambridge revealed his four-year-old son’s adorable role in the performance while visiting the Children’s Global Media Summit in Manchester yesterday. “I went to my boy’s nativity play," he told a group of kids at the event. “It was funny. He was a sheep." Could this be the start of an acting career? Last month, <a href="/news/news/2017/11/prince-george-set-to-star-in-his-favourite-tv-show/" target="_blank">it was reported</a> that George would be making a cameo in a special “royal" episode of his favourite animated series, Fireman Sam. “We’re going to celebrate Fireman Sam’s 30th anniversary by introducing a very special episode,” producer Ian McCue said. “We heard that we have a very famous fan in Prince George, so we thought it would be really fun to bring a royal family to Pontypandy and see how the community reacts to that.” We bet soon-to-be aunt Meghan Markle would happily share some tips!

News

Meet Nepal’s oldest native

Villagers believe in the hills of Nuwakot lives Nepal’s oldest native who may even be one of the oldest women in the world. According to her ID, Batuli is 112-years-old but villagers think that she may be older than that age. The centenarian leads an active life by working hard and believes that this lifestyle has helped her live for so long. When asked about the key to longevity she said, “People of this modern age who don’t work and are useless or idle won’t live long. The ones who study a lot and work hard are likely to live a longer life.” Batuli is breaking stereotypes through her work ethic in her old age and spending the money she doesn’t give away on cigarettes and biscuits. During the Nepal earthquake Batuli never left her house even though it was damaged. She explained, “Later I found the walls were collapsed. The pillars too were not straight.” Other villagers said, “She never left her destroyed house. She refused to shelter at a straight house.” Video credit:YouTube/TIG Media via Storyful

Retirement Life

Amazing Australian native garden designs

Australia has an array of native plants, <a href="http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-flora" target="_blank">roughly 24,000 species in fact</a>. Distinct and diverse, some of these plants have been a source of food, medicine and aesthetic appeal for millennia. Today, many of these plants are used for native garden design ideas, from sustainable pioneers to patriotic horticulturists, green thumb wizards experimenting with different plants to botanical gardens keen to promote Australia’s beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers. A brief history of Australian native plants For upwards of 40,000 years, Aborigines have used the land and resources at their disposal, including the plants. According to Beth Gott, at least <a href="https://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/visiting/exploring/aboriginal-trail/index.html" target="_blank">half of food eaten by Aborigines came from plants</a> – fruits, grains, greens and roots. Australian native plants have many common uses beyond food too. Grasses and sedges make baskets, mats and nets; tree bark makes buckets, dishes, even canoes; the gum from the eponymous eucalyptus trees aids burns and ailments; native mints act as remedies for colds and coughs. Europeans were introduced to <a href="http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-flora" target="_blank">Australia’s native plants in the 1700s</a>, first through illustrations then samples and specimens. And as the Australian population and culture changed, so too did the landscape, bringing about the destruction of many native species. Luckily, though, conservation efforts and greater awareness have helped combat this. Now, many species once in danger of eradication are being cultivated… Planting seeds for the future We Aussies are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking native species to include in our garden designs. Often known for their resilience and beautiful looks, Australia’s plants can bring your native garden alive with colour, awash with lush greens or bathed in a canopy of rich foliage. Australia’s flora ranges drastically depending on their location. Like most plants, each Aussie native favours certain garden conditions. For example, the climate, soil and tropical conditions in Queensland assist the growth of tropical, fruit-bearing trees whereas South Australia is conducive to root vegetables. Whatever your <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au/garden-design-ideas/" target="_blank">garden design ideas</a>, native plants can certainly add another dimension. Pretty much anything’s possible. Maybe you’d like to add some native ground cover, separate your borders with a line of shrubs, create a centrepiece of majestic orchids, fashion a tree-lined grove for a shady reprieve or perfect a vibrant flowerbed. Basically, no matter the size or scope of your garden, whether rundown or pristine, manicured or wild, you’ll be sure to find some truly stunning Aussie plants waiting for you. To find the right plant for your garden conditions, make sure you check out <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au/australian-native-plants/" target="_blank">our Mega Guide to Australian Native Plants</a>. You can browse through a plethora of native trees, shrubs, flowering plants and orchids, view picture galleries of each species and read the best methods for planting and maintaining each one. It’s a fantastic guide, which even allows you to filter by favoured weather conditions, growing difficulty and types of plants, to cater to your exact needs and have you reaping exactly what you want to sow. Native Australian garden design ideas This wouldn’t be much of a post without including some images of great Australian native garden designs. So here we’ve picked some of our favourite native gardens - flip through the gallery above to take a look. Hopefully they’ll give you some ideas and inspirations! Tell us in the comments below, which of these gardens is your favourite? Written by Alex Kuchel. First appeared on <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Outdoor Living</a>. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/concealing-your-backyard-eyesores/">Concealing your backyard eyesores</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/why-you-should-never-make-your-bed/">Why you should never make your bed</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/how-to-make-a-no-dig-garden/">How to make a no dig garden</a>

Home & Garden

How to grow Australian native orchids in your backyard

People often think that when <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au/garden-design-ideas/" target="_blank">designing a garden</a> with native Australian plants you must sacrifice colour. In fact there are 24,000 species of native plants and that includes 800 native orchids. Orchids are much loved because of their beautiful assortment of colours and scents. Australian native orchids are a perfect addition to any Australian garden. There are registered hybrids to choose from and whole garden nurseries dedicated to offering plants and advice. If you are a passionate gardener and want to try your hand at growing these beautiful specimens, this guide may be a help to you. Growing Australian native orchids It’s important to look for orchids that are native to your area or will suit the climate where you live. While a lot of orchids prefer the tropical environments, there are many that will grow in a colder climate. If you really want to grow a variety that won’t take to your region’s climate, you can always invest in a greenhouse or cold room. Orchids usually love coastal, humid environments. They need a lot of light and ventilation to thrive. Don’t let them sit out on a windy day or in the rain during winter. Place them in pots under a shade cloth or on your verandah. <img width="500" height="349" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/24886/image-1_500x349.jpg" alt="Image 1 (1)"/> The two types of orchids: 1. Terrestrials Terrestrials are the most common type of Australian native orchids and make up 75 per cent of our native orchids. They grow in the ground and are usually deciduous, meaning they diminish to an underground tuber during the dry, Australian summer and then flower in cooler, moist periods. Terrestrial orchids are well known for being a challenge for the average gardener, but there are easier varieties like the colourful Diuris varieties, which are great plants for hanging planters. 2. Epiphytes There aren’t as many varieties of Epiphytic orchids as there are terrestrial, but they are the most popular type to plant and grow. Epiphytes, otherwise known as tree huggers, attach themselves to trees and rocks and use them as support. They grow mostly in the eastern coastal region, from northern Queensland to Tasmania. Growing epiphyte orchids is much easier than growing terrestrials. To begin you should use something with good drainage like gravel, wood chips or charcoal. Avoid soil and your average potting mixes. Tie the orchids onto rocks and trees that don’t shed too much bark. You can even grow your epiphytic orchids on wood slabs and they will root themselves onto the host. If you live in a temperate climate, epiphytic Dendrobiums have many hybrids and are perfect for your climate. To propagate Dendrobiums, divide the root clumps with your fingers and keep four or five stems for each clump. <img width="499" height="275" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/24885/image-2_499x275.jpg" alt="Image 2 (1)"/> Choosing orchids <ul> <li>When choosing epiphytic orchids take a look at the Dendrobium Bardo Rose. It has pink and mauve flowers with a beautiful perfume. It grows on almost anything and works well in temperate climates.</li> <li>Rock Orchids (Dendrobium Speciosum) have white and pale yellow flowers that bloom in spring while Pink Rock Orchids (Dendrobium Kingianum) are the most popular epiphyte and can come in a variety of colours, from pink, white and red to purple.</li> <li>The Tongue Orchid (Dockinillia Linguuformis) has white and cream flowers. It isn’t suited to pots and grows best on a wood slab or cork.</li> </ul> Looking after orchids <ul> <li>Fertilise epiphytic native orchids from October to April with a dedicated orchid fertiliser or slow release fertiliser in pellet form.</li> <li>During summer you should water native orchids daily, but in winter try to only water them once every couple of weeks.</li> <li>Don’t overwater them! Make sure they avoid getting too much rain during winter, otherwise their newly forming buds may drown.</li> <li>Spray your orchids with aphicide to keep aphids from eating your flower buds. Also spray them with scale control spray to prevent scale from taking over.</li> </ul> Australian native orchids can certainly offer a splash of colour and beauty to <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au/australian-native-garden-designs/" target="_blank">your native garden</a>. They can also be a great way to get maximum beauty for minimum effort, since they may already be well adapted to the climate. And that makes them a perfect addition to your garden. To find more great tips on gardening and design, please visit the Australian Outdoor Living <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au/" target="_blank">website here</a>. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/how-to-make-your-home-more-sustainable/">8 ways to make your home more sustainable today</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/houseplants-that-can-survive-dark-corners/">Houseplants that can survive dark corners</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/tips-for-gardening-on-uneven-ground/">Tips for gardening on uneven ground</a>

Home & Garden

Food artist creates Nativity scene out of cheese

Prudence Staite, a food artist from Gloucestershire in the UK, has created the Nativity scene entirely out of cheese. It took Prudence five days and 40 kilograms of cheddar to carve the scene containing two donkeys, two sheep, a cow and Three Wise Men carrying Branston Pickle gifts for the baby Jesus. “Creating the whole sculpture was a real challenge as it’s so intricate. Sculpting the faces of Mary and Joseph was very difficult and fiddly, but I’m very pleased with how it’s turned out,” she said. Prudence used a tiny magnifying glass to ensure all the details on the face were as accurate as possible. She even used shaved cheese to make a straw. The nativity scene was commissioned by cheese company Pilgrim's Choice, who are displaying it at the Chill Factore in Manchester. A Pilgrims Choice spokesman said: “We wanted to have some fun and create the ultimate Christmas nativity scene from our mature cheddar cheese.” Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/01/sweet-potato-chips/">Healthy sweet potato chips</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2014/12/banana-date-and-walnut-cake/">Banana, date and walnut cake with cream cheese icing</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/03/flourless-hazelnut-chocolate-cake/">Flourless hazelnut chocolate cake</a>

News

6 native plants that thrive in winter

For some of us, the garden can quickly get overlooked in the cooler months. When it’s cold, wet or windy the desire to get outdoors and get your hands dirty might not be there. But winter can actually still be a time for enjoying colourful native plants – so long as you know which ones actually thrive in winter. Big Red This is a fast growing, medium sized Lillypilly. The tips of the new growth are a lovely deep red, which really sets the plant apart in a sea of green. It’s a great option for a hedge it could hide a dated garage or give you some privacy from the neighbours. <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/6490/big-red_500x333.jpg" alt="Big Red"/> Limelight The lovely bright lime colour of ‘Limelight’ makes it a popular choice for both modern or traditional gardens. It’s a dwarf form of Acacia cognataand is both compact and dense. <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/6491/limelight_500x333.jpg" alt="Limelight"/> Fore Shore This is a great option for a low hedge, and is a potential alternative to the traditional English Box hedge. This plant is more than able to tolerate the salty winds and rain on the coast. With it’s grey-green foliage and bronze new growth, Fore Shore is a good option for homes by the sea or if you are looking for something to live by the pool. <img width="500" height="254" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/6492/l_foreshore_n_500x254.jpg" alt="L _foreshore _n"/> Fire Cracker If you’re after some colour that lasts from late April to October, the Grevillea Fire Cracker is a great option. It is quite soft to the touch, and the bright reds and yellows make for a stunning splash of colour. <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/6493/grevillea_firecracker_500x375.jpg" alt="Grevillea _firecracker"/> Deuagold Grevillea Deuagold has a rich gold flower that adorns the plants for much of the year, peaking over winter. It’s a hardy plant that performs well in tough conditions. <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/6494/grevillea_deuagold01_500x375.jpg" alt="Grevillea _deuagold 01"/> Canberra Bells The official plant of the Centenary of Canberra, Correa Canberra Bells is a bright and colourful option. You could enjoy the colourful red and cream bells from March into the beginning of winter. <img width="500" height="254" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/6495/canberra-bells_500x254.jpg" alt="Canberra Bells"/> Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/gardening/2015/06/winter-gardening-checklist/">Gardening checklist for winter</a> <a href="/lifestyle/gardening/2015/05/vegetables-to-grow-in-winter/">Veggies that grow well in winter</a> <a href="/lifestyle/gardening/2015/05/most-beautiful-gardens-in-world/">8 of the most beautiful gardens in the world</a>

Home & Garden

The Aussie native foods you should be cooking with now

We love the variety of cuisines on offer here in Australia, except one: our own true blue Australian native foods.These foods have sustained populations for tens of thousands of years, but despite the foodie boom, it still seems we’re a bit reluctant to tucker down on some “bush foods”.“There is certainly a lot more interest and excitement about native foods, it's hitting the media a lot more, and people are starting to think a bit more about what is growing naturally in this country and how they can use it,” Jude Mayall from The Outback Chef told ABC.More and more farmers are believing in native and growing foods such as quandong, finger lime, and lemon myrtle. This not only reduces the miles your food has to travel but it helps maintains Australia’s botanical diversity.“It's still a very young industry, but we're trying to do as much as we can as far as getting scientific research done, and we also deal a lot with people in remote areas and communities, and working with our indigenous advisory group,” Mayall says.Ben Lethbridge, the president of South Australian Native Food Association, says the popularity of native foods is cyclical.“It was very popular in the 1990s, then it waned a bit after the Olympics and I think it's coming back again,” says Lethbridge. He acknowledges that native foods do suffer from a “cultural cringe” factor, but that could be overcome through marketing and education.Mayall sums it up telling ABC, Australian native foods are a fundamental part of our heritage and should be part of our identity.Here are their top Aussie native food picks to try:<ul><li>Finger lime</li><li>Warringal greens</li><li>Lemon myrtle</li><li>Quandongs</li><li>Bush tomato</li><li>Snowberries</li><li>Sea parsley</li><li>Macadamias</li><li>Samphire</li><li>Kangaroo </li></ul>

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Don’t kill the curl grubs in your garden – they could be native beetle babies