The new EEB blog!

The beach at Puerto Morelos.
[Photo: Paul Ramsay]

It's taken me a while to get round to this, but here is the new blog for the Biological Sciences  Group (BSG) at Plymouth University. It's a space for staff and students to tell each other, and visitors from outside our group, what's happening. Staff will be able to post news and events directly, but students will need to ask one of  the staff to post things on their behalf--at least initially. We will review this as the blog develops.

Of course, a blog only works if we fill it with interesting things: news, stories, photos, videos, achievements, and anything else that makes sense. The blog belongs to us all, so I hope we get lots of contributions from staff and students. Don't be shy!

Some of us will miss the usual New Year's Eve celebrations this year, because our field course in Mexico leaves early. I will be at Gatwick Airport in London as 2012 arrives. But to cheer myself up, and maybe lift the spirits of the others who will be at the airport with me, I thought I would post something from a previous trip. Although we will have this beach next to our hotel, we will be celebrating New Year (a day later than everyone else) in the Botanic Gardens in Puerto Morelos. It should be a night to remember. I'm guessing we will be posting some photos here sometime soon...

A giant huntsman spider in Puerto
Morelos Botanic Gardens.
[Photo: Paul Ramsay]

And if we get bored with the party, we can always step outside and enjoy another kind of nightlife, like this giant huntsman spider! It hunts its prey at night, relying on stealth and speed rather than a web. Quite often, it sits and waits on plants, particularly on flowers and tree trunks, and attacks unsuspecting prey. It's impressive, but not dangerous for us humans--though I didn't put my fingers in its chelicerae!

I hope all of you find something of interest here in the future. Welcome and come back soon!