UQ has a very interesting series of lectures called Briscience. Last night we had the pleasure to listen to Dr Matthew Holden a mathematician, who lived in a shared house in Annerley ( an urban suburb ) over the Covid Years. His interest predated Covid but it was during that time, this trio of academics, a mathematician, a taxonomist and a photographer decided to conduct a research project on how many species they could find in their house and garden. I always said boredom/ covid restrictions is a sure way to be creative and curious!

Dr Holden presented us with a humorous and engaging account of how many species they found over a year while joking that it was best not to share this information with the landlord!

He talked about beautiful moths and butterflies, ( interestingly the most prolific category ) bees, wasps, ants, worms, plant species, many weeds, (again sssh don’t tell the landlord ) mosquitoes, possums, spiders, snakes, birds, fungi, everything visible to the naked eye. The tally was a remarkable 1168 !

Now I know I am lucky enough to have many critters and insects in my house too – perhaps I should start on a quest to find out how many live here and compare suburbs…

Dr Matthew Holden is an applied mathematician using modelling to improve environmental outcomes. His research spans biodiversity conservation, ecology, fisheries, and natural resource management, with a focus on improving human well-being at least cost to biodiversity. Dr Holden is President of the Resource Modelling Association and Deputy Director of Research for the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science (CBCS).

An academic with a sense of humour, a turn of phrase, an ability to present surprising information to a general audience and have us all participating in games and guesses. Keeping our minds alive as well as counting our species.