Now for a local issue or two. We have had an unusually wonderful summer here. Moderate to high temperatures, regular rainfall and a great growing season. Youd think that the Hallrahans of this world (Well all be doomed) that city folks sneer at would have no place in Goulburn at the moment. But good growing seasons bring their own special downsides. Two such examples are a massive plague of Christmas beetles causing major defoliation of high nutrient species of eucalypts, such as ribbon gums, cabbage gums and other red gums, sometimes even in young apple boxes. Other people in NSW have complained that they havent seen Christmas beetles for years, but this defoliation seems to be occurring like this throughout the Southern Tablelands. The other big issue around here at the moment is the massive proliferation of rabbits. Shooting is perpetually ineffective and poisoning brings its own problems. The trouble is that rabbits are evolving to beat myxo and khaleesi, not just by immunity, but by changing their behaviour. Instead of burrowing there is an increase in the reporting rates of bush bunnies, rabbits that dont live in warrens or burrows and so are less likely to be in the close proximity required to catch these diseases. Quite a bit of a quandary. Good for eagles I suppose. Here are some wampaging wascally wabbits at my place.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 06:52:36 +0000
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