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DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
31 January 2023 17:35:04
Daffodils in yellow bud and about to open here; just in time for a Beasterly
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
Roger Parsons
04 February 2023 05:33:21
More evolution than gardening - but interesting. [You must have burying beetles in your compost heap.] No obvious alternative thread - do we need one? R.
Animals that care for young may have more mutations and evolve faster
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356853-animals-that-care-for-young-may-have-more-mutations-and-evolve-faster/ 
 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Bertwhistle
23 February 2023 19:07:04
 At last mature February is here- and the snowdrops are in full splendour. My hundreds of crocuses that have graced the north lawn for years seem to have entirely given up the ghost.
Mini daffs blooming, a single primrose and the 'elephant' garlic shoots are up.
Bertie, Itchen Valley.
Retire while you can still press the 'retire now' button.
Bolty
27 March 2023 14:13:41
First proper gardening day for me. I've mowed and edge trimmed the grass, started some chilli and cherry tomato plants in seed trays, re-potted a Canadian spruce from Tesco and tidied up a bit. Always love the re-awakening feel you get in early spring.
Scott
Blackrod, Lancashire (4 miles south of Chorley) at 156m asl.
My weather station 
DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
24 April 2023 06:12:23
My ceanothus is out - but where are the bees? They're usually all over it, so I hope it's just a matter of time before a scout bee spots it.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
28 April 2023 07:51:24
Last night in the damp and wet after a rainy day I went out on my first slug and snail pogrom of the season.
I've been growing some prize hostas in containers for the last few years and after a bad mollusc attack I try to be especially proactive at the time the new leaves are unfurling. 
Last night was the first time it felt like proper growing weather, so as soon as it was getting dark I was outside with a headlamp collecting the offending molluscs. 

This year I'm also going to try spreading a line of Vaseline covered in a layer of salt around the tops of the pots to deter the creatures from reaching the foliage. 

 
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
DEW
  • DEW
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01 May 2023 21:50:14
A week's gone by, the ceanothus could scarcely have more flowers, and today there was one solitary bumble bee. In previous years the honey bees were all over it.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
06 May 2023 07:44:10
It's a year with what I call good growing weather. Something I've missed for several years. Not everyone's happy though.
I've a wisteria coming into flower which has a striking array of blooms this year. I guess the dry conditions  last summer contributed to this florabundance.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
26 May 2023 07:29:00

My ceanothus is out - but where are the bees? They're usually all over it, so I hope it's just a matter of time before a scout bee spots it.

Originally Posted by: DEW 



Not just the honey bees; I have an excellent display of foxgloves this year but where are the bumbles?

OTOH I'm told that the mining bees at West Dean Gardens are doing well after some suitable habitats were provided for them.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
Roger Parsons
26 May 2023 07:47:10
Related posts in the Environment thread, David, relating to weather and insects. Feel free to move them across.
BTW - I replied to your PM - thanks - did to see it?
Roger
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
04 June 2023 14:14:06
Geranium macrorrhizum as good as ever and three bumble bees on pink/mauve flowers which is an improvement. Honey bees still rare here. A few more hoverflies though.
I filled a new (old galvanised) tank today after sealing and painting with a pond paint. Planted a dwarf water lily, Nymphaea tetragona
(syn. Nymphaea pygmaea Alba ) on a raised pot so it's a short hop to the surface. Hopefully it will take off this summer and add interest to the pool. This will be the dragonfly/damselfly pool. The others are fish pools. Looking almost tropical in the courtyard area as the summer foliage develops. I bought another parasol earlier that tilts to shade the suntrap at midday and late afternoon. The red bricks of the office wall hold the heat so well, that in the evening after sundown, the place radiates warmth making it a pleasant spot to chill out. In the winter another story as from November this spot never sees any sun till mid February.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Roger Parsons
04 June 2023 14:47:53
Had a 1-2 hour walk along the River Witham [Water Rail Way] this afternoon south from Southrey village. Large "drifts" of pink petals from the Hawthorn were scattered on the track, looking like a "Stop The Oil" protest. Perhaps it was in a botanical way! 😬 Quite a lot of plants in flower but few insects seen other than Odonata [dragonflies and damselflies] - near the river and drains. I counted 6 bumblebees on the entire walk, plus 5 Brimstones, a Common Blue, and Small White butterfly. 5 swifts were feeding overhead along with a few swallows and martins. No insects splatted on the windscreen going or coming back. 
Sustrans Water Rail Way link:
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-other-routes/water-rail-way/ 


 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Retron
04 June 2023 15:22:10

Had a 1-2 hour walk along the River Witham [Water Rail Way] this afternoon south from Southrey village. Large "drifts" of pink petals from the Hawthorn were scattered on the track, looking like a "Stop The Oil" protest. Perhaps it was in a botanical way! 😬 Quite a lot of plants in flower but few insects seen other than Odonata [dragonflies and damselflies] - near the river and drains. I counted 6 bumblebees on the entire walk, plus 5 Brimstones, a Common Blue, and Small White butterfly. 5 swifts were feeding overhead along with a few swallows and martins. No insects splatted on the windscreen going or coming back.
 

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


I went to the wolf centre last week (210 mile round trip) and it was noticeable just how mucky the numberplate on the car was when I got home - - plenty of splats! Not many on the windscreen though, but I put that down to cars being far more streamlined than they were.

As for today, aside from admiring the dog roses (which have erupted in an abundance of pink flowers in the past few days), I've been painting a bench in the garden - it's in the area which I've let go wild this year (i.e. is full of weeds), although in a couple of weeks there will be plenty of poppies on display.

I inherited a small potted plum tree from my neighbour last year and it's now in full leaf, safely planted in the ground. It's odd, though, as the upper half is definitely a plum, but there are two branches with completely different leaves - and no flowers - at the bottom of the main stem. My old neighbour (now in a nursing home) seemed surprised at this, she thought it was just a normal plum!

While I was out there I kept an eye on the insects - lots of hoverflies still, plenty of little midge-like insects, something that looked like a small horsefly, one wasp (first I've seen this year), two speckled wood butterflies, one small blue butterfly and one red admiral. No bees seen, although I did hear the telltale loud buzzing of a bumble bee. There have been swallows flying overhead, the odd gull and magpie, with a blackbird keeping a beady eye on me. As well, there were the usual resident (as in living in my eaves and in my trees) sparrows and woodpigeons.

I'm starting to really enjoy being out in the garden (if not the sunshine), and the plan over the next few years is to turn the 44ft by 50ft wild / wooded area into a nice mini woodland walk, with a Japanese theme. I've been trying to get hold of a cleyera japonica var japonica shrub (as found in Shinto shrines), but they're proving a devil to track down... I'm sure I'll find a supplier eventually.
Leysdown, north Kent
Retron
04 June 2023 15:35:54
A couple of before and after comparisons!

This time last year - my neighbour's garden, untouched for years. (She always declined any offers of help, sadly)

UserPostedImage
...and the view this year, with new fencing in place. The people that put the fences in removed most of the ivy, and I employed a tree surgeon to give the trees a once-over. It took two guys a whole week to sort out - it wasn't cheap, and they said it was refreshing to have a project where someone didn't want everything chopped down. There were a few dead ones in there which have been removed (I plan to use the logs from them to line the pathways in the garden).

UserPostedImage

I've also been busy in my garden. I had the 1950s caravan removed, which has been there for decades - it was mouldy and full of old junk, so was no great loss, and replaced it with a Japanese Torii gate, granite palisades and a Toro lantern - the latter all actually from Japan. I've planted red robin to act as a screen (which should be quite nice in a few years) and cotoneaster as ground cover. It'll form the gateway into the new garden, and there's more to come to supplement that entrance: I have something else coming from the Japanese garden company, and it's something nobody else has in the UK!

Here's the view last June...
UserPostedImage

...and the same several days ago.

UserPostedImage
Leysdown, north Kent
Roger Parsons
04 June 2023 15:59:24
On the subject of "insects splatted on windscreens", Retron, your streamlining point is quite right. Entomologists recommend exactly what you say for the same reasons: look at the numberplate, not the windscreen when counting dead insects. However I did also look at my wife's numberplate today and that was insect-free too - mostly - same as her windscreen. I have a jeep-type vehicle - much squarer/less streamlined - so I regard my own windscreen as an OK insect sampler. 🐝
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
fairweather
06 June 2023 10:14:30
I feel I am witnessing the mass extinction due to climate change in my garden alone. Nothing like the number of bees and dragon flies I would expect following my no mow May and my neighbour's garden totally rewilded with brambles and hawthorn after three years of the house being vacant. My blue tit nesting box is struggling. having failed and all chicks dying the last two years they have nested much later this year but the original 7 are now down to just three, which while now well developed the parent  is struggling to find food and the feeding interval can be over 30 minutes. An interesting observation was that we saw Yellow Wagtails and Pied Wagtails feeding in a small lane under an oak tree. This was because the caterpillars were being blown out of the tree by the strong wind onto the road. I fear their benefit may be the cause of my blue tits struggles. Since hatching there has been a constant very strong breeze and I don't think they are looking on the ground. I have read they struggle if there is lots of rain which has the same effect on the caterpillars.
 
S.Essex, 42m ASL
Tim A
19 June 2023 12:30:04
Has anyone else noticed a massive increase in tree sap/aphids this year?

It is really bad here this year, never known anything like it.   Our street was historically a wood, and still has a large amount of trees.   The amount of sap under the birch, beech and sycamore trees is incredible.   Having to wash thick coats of it off the patio whenever I want to use it, and it was so thick and sticky that the car window wouldn't open the other day.    Possible caused by a high number of aphids - honeydew?
 
Tim
NW Leeds
187m asl

 My PWS 
Bolty
19 June 2023 12:45:24

Has anyone else noticed a massive increase in tree sap/aphids this year?

It is really bad here this year, never known anything like it.   Our street was historically a wood, and still has a large amount of trees.   The amount of sap under the birch, beech and sycamore trees is incredible.   Having to wash thick coats of it off the patio whenever I want to use it, and it was so thick and sticky that the car window wouldn't open the other day.    Possible caused by a high number of aphids - honeydew?
 

Originally Posted by: Tim A 



I had some on the roses in my front garden a few weeks ago, and just recently I've had to spray the apple and apricot trees as they were starting to crawl on there too, but it doesn't seemout of the ordinary so far.
Scott
Blackrod, Lancashire (4 miles south of Chorley) at 156m asl.
My weather station 
Roger Parsons
19 June 2023 14:44:01

I had some on the roses in my front garden a few weeks ago, and just recently I've had to spray the apple and apricot trees as they were starting to crawl on there too, but it doesn't seemout of the ordinary so far.

Originally Posted by: Bolty 


Are you up to speed on the "symbiotic*" relationship between ants and aphids, Bolty? [*= mutualism]
Your garden ants may be farming your aphids!

Next topic - virgin birth.
"Of all mankind's most terrible menaces, one of the worst must be parthenogenesis!"

How Ants and Aphids Help Each Other
https://www.thoughtco.com/aphid-herding-ants-1968237 
 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
19 June 2023 15:04:03

Are you up to speed on the "symbiotic*" relationship between ants and aphids, Bolty?

  • Your garden ants may be farming your aphids!

    Next topic - virgin birth.
    "Of all mankind's most terrible menaces, one of the worst must be parthenogenesis!"


    How Ants and Aphids Help Each Other
    https://www.thoughtco.com/aphid-herding-ants-1968237 
     

    Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 



Since you've opened this can Roger how about hermaphrodites next?
Do not read if you are a stalwart Mail or Express reader, GB news follower or a fan of Finding Nemo.
https://allyouneedisbiology.wordpress.com/tag/hermaphrodite-wrasse/ 

 
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Roger Parsons
19 June 2023 15:15:32
There's a gremlin in the "reply with quote" function - but:
The slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata is one of my favourite examples of this. Great creatures!
I thought of posting a link to Gerry and the Pacemakers singing "How do you do what you do to me?" but it's too cheesy to inflict on the forum!

R.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
19 June 2023 15:22:23

There's a gremlin in the "reply with quote" function - but:
The slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata is one of my favourite examples of this. Great creatures!
I thought of posting a link to Gerry and the Pacemakers singing "How do you do what you do to me?" but it's too cheesy to inflict on the forum!

R.

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 



Great name. And an immigrant from the US too. 
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Roger Parsons
19 June 2023 15:40:26

Great name. And an immigrant from the US too. 

Originally Posted by: NMA 

Translates: "Noisy little feckers"?
There are some great cheeky names in biology, Latin and English. My favourite common plant name is that of the the houseleek [Sempervivum spp]: said to be the longest plant name in Botany.
"Welcome home husband be ye never so drunk" or "Welcome home husband however drunk you be!"
Photo:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Sempervirum_tectorum1.jpg/330px-Sempervirum_tectorum1.jpg 



.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Windy Willow
19 June 2023 15:46:31

There's a gremlin in the "reply with quote" function - but:
The slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata is one of my favourite examples of this. Great creatures!
I thought of posting a link to Gerry and the Pacemakers singing "How do you do what you do to me?" but it's too cheesy to inflict on the forum!

R.

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 

😂 and to NMA's post with the link to herm. fishes, comments😂 
We had fish tanks when I was a young teen so know all about fish changing their ways, as  it were 😉 plus I enjoyed Biology at school, had an awesome teacher and still remember a lot from those lessons,  after all these years.
South Holland, Lincs 5m/16ft ASL

Don't feed the Trolls!! When starved of attention they return to their dark caves or the dark recesses of bridges and will turn back to stone, silent again!
speckledjim
19 June 2023 16:05:57

Has anyone else noticed a massive increase in tree sap/aphids this year?

It is really bad here this year, never known anything like it.   Our street was historically a wood, and still has a large amount of trees.   The amount of sap under the birch, beech and sycamore trees is incredible.   Having to wash thick coats of it off the patio whenever I want to use it, and it was so thick and sticky that the car window wouldn't open the other day.    Possible caused by a high number of aphids - honeydew?
 

Originally Posted by: Tim A 


Yes very much so. Wondering too what the cause could be 
Edit: Just found this news report - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-65857128 
Thorner, West Yorkshire


Journalism is organised gossip
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