After all the snow and freezing temperatures, today seems almost hot in Cardiff at 10 degrees Celsius. My bulbs must have noticed too - because they have already started to grow! It really cheered me up to see some life returning to my garden!

Ysgol Porth Y Felin reported: "Now the snow has cleared we can see that the plants are growing. It is getting warmer!" Excellent news! Let me know if the bulbs in your school have started to grow or if you have seen any other signs of spring locally? Send me photographs if you have any.

At this time of year all schools taking part in this spring bulb investigation should be busy collecting weather records for a chance to win a trip and checking your bulbs daily for signs of growth. Please use the resources below to be sure to know what you are looking for and how to record properly.

• Keeping flower records
• Video diary http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/1762/
• Win a trip http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/2505/

My favourite question of the week comes from Bishop Childs C.I.W Primary. They asked: "If you plant your bulb at the same time as your partner will they open their flowers at the same time?"  Let me know what you think the answer is and I will reveal next week....

Lots of rain & floods. Unfortunately, many areas of Wales are now suffering with floods, including our museum at St Fagans. Maesycwmmer Primary School reported that they have had "A very wet week!" with over 100mm of rain in one day. Take a look at our recent weather reports sent in from schools to see how much rain they are getting. 

Across the world, many countries are suffering very badly from flooding. In Brazil, Australia and Sri Lanka floods have affected the lives of many people. Although you can't make a direct link between the recent floods and climate change, they do hold a warning for the future: Scientists predict such extreme weather events will increase both in intensity and frequency as the planet warms.

This is why the work that each spring bulb school is doing is so important - so please keep up the good work!

Professor Plant

Thousands of pupils enjoyed getting their hands dirty on Wednesday 20th of October as part of the Spring Bulbs for Schools - climate change investigation.

Many were really excited to plant their 'baby' bulbs which they will nurture until next spring. Next week, the schools will begin to gather weather records and complete challenges set by Professor Plant to work towards their Super Scientist Certificates.

This project is not only an excellent opportunity for learning outside the classroom but also a great way for Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales to share scientific knowledge and resources with schools all across Wales.

The stats...

5.4% of Welsh primary schools are taking part this year, that’s 2,681 pupils from 71 schools across Wales.

60% of the schools are more than 30 miles away from National Museum Cardiff, which is hosting the investigation. 

42% of the schools are based in North Wales, 33.8% in South East Wales, 16.9% in West Wales and 8.4% from Mid Wales.

38% are in communities 1^st areas and 40% are Welsh speaking or bilingual.

37% are in the 1^st year of the project whilst 63% have been doing the project for two years or more.

Final Natural History Open day – Wednesday 27^th October 2010

Members of the public will be given an intimate insight into the museum’s natural history collections next week. As part of the International Year of Biodiversity, the departments of Biodiversity and Systematic Biology along with Geology have been holding open days throughout the year to showcase the work that they do.

Museum experts in a wide range of fields, from bugs to beetles, dandelions to diatoms can all be found in the main hall along with a crazy array of critters from the national collections. Visitors can also sign up for a wide variety of behind the scenes tours where they will be able to find out more about the incredible collections that the museum holds and the research that we do.

I will be running tours of the large shell collection, showcasing some of the 2 million shell specimens that we hold as well as explaining some of the work that is carried out by our researchers. Other tours will take you round the Welsh National Herbarium, the amazing vertebrate collections with their primate skeletons and stuffed animals, the insect collections with butterfly specimens over a hundred years old, and the vast array of pickled animals in jars in our marine lab.

This is to be the final open day for this year, so don’t miss your chance! Come and meet the experts and take the opportunity for a unique trip behind the scenes. Book your tour place on the day - numbers are limited to 10-12 people on each tour. Tours are suitable for ages 8 and over, but unfortunately are unsuitable for people with limited mobility because of the stairs involved.

Jennifer Gallichan

Ben Rowson reports on a recent Bioblitz day:

On 22 May, "Bioblitz" species recording events were taking place nationwide. I led a snail and slug search as part of Swansea City Council’s Bioblitz at Bishop’s Wood Local Nature Reserve (Caswell Bay, Gower). We found several species, a few of which I’m now checking the identity of at the Museum, although there must be many others present in this old woodland. I suspect the dry weather is to blame for the slim pickings, showing the importance of timing and return visits. Always nice to see the "land winkle" Pomatias elegans though, and several people were surprised to discover just how tiny the adult "dwarf snail" Punctum pygmaeum is. At 1.5 millimetres, more than 10,000 would fit in a matchbox!

Take a look at the series of photos of our nesting Great Tit family taken by the nest cameras!

Thanks to everyone who came to the Moth Night last Saturday. It was the first time we've had a moth night at St Fagans and I found it very interesting. I'll definitely like to do more in the future!

My personal favourite moths on the night were the Lunar Marbled Brown and the Nut-Tree Tussock. Here's a list of all the species we found - thanks to Dave at SEWBReC for this!

Micropterix thunbergella

Eriocrania subpurpurella

Agonopterx cf heracliana

Capua vulgana

Dark-barred Twinspot Carpet

Small Phoenix

Golden-rod Pug

Mottled Pug

Brimstone

Coxcomb Prominent

Lunar Marbled Brown

Flame Shoulder

Common Quaker

Hebrew Character

Nut-tree Tussock

Pictures and loads more info on moths can be found at UK Moths