Heatwaves, Crayfish and Bees, Oh My!

Advances in technology have meant that we can use tools, such as remote underwater video (RUV), to rapidly assess waterbodies and gain an insight into crayfish populations. Using RUVs I have been able to rapidly assess the River Calder to determine the extent of an invasive non-native crayfish population and identify key locations that can be used to slow their spread. RUVs have also observed the natural behaviour of these native crayfish. This can be used to provide guidance for rearing and reintroducing native crayfish into the wild, at locations where they had become extinct.

Honeybees are amazing little creatures. The workers, as soon as they are adults work non-stop, looking after the queen, collecting food and defending the hive, and are responsible for 30% of the UK's pollinating needs. The queen's and male bee main role is to breed and lay hundreds of eggs a day. However, climate change and the decades-long use of pesticides have dwindled our honeybee populations, and we are only now seeing the long-term impacts honeybee colonies have had to deal with. 

"Climate change drove an estimated 16,500 additional heat-related deaths across 854 cities in Europe in the summer of 2025. But how do scientists determine this? And why does it matter?

This talk will explain how researchers investigate if extreme weather events were influenced by climate change, and how these findings are being used to hold governments and fossil fuel companies to account for climate-change-related damages. It will also briefly introduce ongoing research linking climate change to negative maternal and child health outcomes, due to extreme heat exposure. "