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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 SEPTEMBER 2023 7 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 882. Geranium bronze SADLY, we don't have many species of butterflies in Malta, and the constant pesticide war doesn't help. But in recent years a new spe- cies appeared on the scene: the geranium bronze (M. farfett tas-sar- dinell) – no prizes for guessing this customer's foodplant! Neither showy nor large, it is mostly dark brown and would just about cover a 10c coin, but the little newcomer has certainly not been idle. Since its first sighting in June 2007, the geranium bronze has spread rap- idly and has established itself quite well. It is not a Mediterranean species, nor even European: it originates in South Africa. But this was no feat of migration, it most probably arrived as eggs attached to leaves of imported garden plants. And since the climate in South Africa is very similar to ours, getting used to living here cannot have been particularly traumatic. September Plant of the Month: Maltese Salt Tree (MT: Xebb) Salsola melitensis A palaeoendemic which chose our islands to settle in, the Maltese Salt Tree is a relict species from the Ice Ages. Mostly overlooked due to its lack of flashy flowers, this cliffhanger of limestone cliffs often is the only greenery to be seen all year round along the coast. It especial- ly prefers Globigerina Limestone coasts but inland it is also found on hills such as the Citadel in Gozo. Highly adapted to harsh drought, high salinity and extreme vertical surfaces with very little to hold on to, the Maltese Salt Tree is a true showcase of the resilience of plants. Growing as a shrub, it forms a thick sturdy trunk with trailing stems and spreading roots for strong anchorage. The canopy of dense foli- age consists of cylindrical succulent leaves which enable it to tolerate saltiness (as the generic name Salsola indicates) and get by with a very low water budget. It would be very interesting to study the diversity of creatures, from insects to birds, that must make use of its canopy's shelter and cooler microclimate – especially in such harsh exposed sites where it surely provides numerous ecological roles. Research on past human uses of this endemic plant seems to be lacking despite it being such an ancient component of our landscape. Victor Falzon, Desirée Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 767: Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay updated - https://foemalta.org/get-in- volved/newsletters-signup/ Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Don't miss this AURA - Musical In The Dark 12-15 September Place: Esplora Interactive Science Centre Get ready for a wonderful queer musical experience in the dark! Teatru Malta is proud to present AURA, a musical in the dark, produced in collaboration with Europride and Esplora. With award-winning music composer Luke Saydon at the helm, this multi-sensory immersive experience will take you on a journey to Aura, a magical island where anything is possible. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member The Official EuroPride Valletta Concert 16 September Place: Fosos, Floriana Christina Aguilera, a renowned artist with global fame and immense popularity within the LGBTIQ+ community, will grace Floriana's legendary Fosos with a captivating performance this September. The show marks an extraordinary conclusion to the EuroPride 2023 festivities and will be completely free, delighting thousands of fans in the iconic venue. A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK An oil sketch by John Constable missing for 40 years has been discovered in a private collection in Guernsey. The sketch shows Willy Lott's House at Flatford, which appears in The Hay Wain, the most famous work by the 19th Century English landscape painter. TV drama The Idol - which had some of the worst reviews of the year - has been cancelled. The music industry satire, starring Lily-Rose Depp and Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, was blasted by critics when it was released. Its location was last recorded in 1979, when it appeared in a rare Italian scholarly publication listing Constable's work. Audiences were also unimpressed, and rumours of the show's cancellation began before its finale had even aired.