Dagnam Park has hundreds of deer who are destroying the natural habitat.1 The deer are so numerous that they are a visible threat to the environment amongst other challenges. The ecology of Dagnam Park is in constant flux. There are three ‘invaders’ which are now part of the beauty of the park. Purists hate invaders and sometimes they really are hateful.
Harlequin Ladybird
Originally from Asia, the harlequin ladybird first arrived in the UK in 2004, and has rapidly become one of the most common ladybirds in the country, particularly in towns and gardens. It is one of our larger species and is a voracious predator – it is able to out-compete our native species for aphid-prey and will also eat other ladybirds’ eggs and larvae. It can have multiple broods throughout the spring, summer and autumn, which also gives it a competitive edge.2
Spanish Bluebell
…just because it’s blue, bell-shaped and blooming in a wood in early spring it doesn’t mean it’s our native bluebell……a common favourite in gardens across the land – have been escaping into the wild for over 100 years. In fact, one in six broadleaved woodlands surveyed by Plantlife across the UK were found to contain a Spanish Bluebell or a hybrid between the two.3
Yellow Necked Terrapin
Habitat: Prefers still or slow-flowing water. Commonly found in urban parks…They are opportunistic omnivores and predate on invertebrates, fish and amphibians. They often use the banks of water bodies to bask, which can disturb the nests of waterfowl such as Moorhens and thus interfere with breeding.4
Conclusion
Dagnam Park, like parks across the whole world, is constantly evolving. Foreign invaders are easily identified, though they might not be easily dealt with. Other changes are driven by invisible factors. They include the climate emergency, pollution, mankind – housing, leisure, agriculture – and seasonal variations all alter the habitat. Foreign invaders are however especially important as the people of Florida have found out with their python problem.5
Notes
1 See Havering’s Deer Should be Culled – Politics in Havering
2 Harlequin ladybird | The Wildlife Trusts
3 Plantlife :: What’s the Difference Between Spanish and English Bluebells?
4 This quote is from Northern Ireland but it still holds good for Dagnam Park NIEA-ID-Guide-Trachemys-scripta-spp-Terrapins.pdf (invasivespeciesireland.com)
5 For the problems that Florida, USA has see The Burmese Pythons of Florida | Odeboyz’s Blog (oedeboyz.com)
Politics in Havering 