Seeing the Changes 564

In Penclacwydd, the earliet Hawthorn (Crateagus monogyna) was blooming.  In Bynea, the first Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) was in flower, along with Changing forgetmenot (Myosotis discolor) and Ramping fumitory (Fumaria capreolata). Saw my first Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria tircis) of the year in Loughor.

Echos of Vietnam?

News that English Nature is to attempt to tackle the possible infestation of woods around Pangbourne with Oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) larvae by two bouts of spraying insecticides incorporating Bacillus thuringiensis is redolent of the spraying of Vietnamese forests with Agent Orange in the infamous Asian war (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/06/pest-caterpillars-helicopter-blitz-insecticide)! The action is a bit contentious. The larvae certainly denude Oak trees and their irritating hairs (a defence mechanism used by the moth) can cause skin and breathing problems in people and their pets but the woods are home to rare and important populations of butterflies and moths that could also be eradicated by the treatment. The claim is that the Oak processionary moth outbreaks are difficult to detect in woodlands (are they there or not?) but personally I would like to see more of a ground based attempt to focus treatments.

Seeing the Changes 563

A strangely hot Bank holiday, Spent the day at Oxwich. Lots of rather stunted Cowslips (Primula veris) in bloom as well as Bluebell (Endymion non-scriptus) and Hedgerow cranesbill (Geranium pyrenaicum) that are presumably a hang-overs of previous woodland in the area. There was also Birds foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) in places. Critters included early nymphs of Great green bush-crickets (Tettigonia viridissima), Bumble bees (possibly Bombus hypnorum) and a relative of the St Mark's fly ( Bibio sp). In Bynea, Black medick (Medicago lupulina) was flowering.

Seeing the Changes 562

Soon after the blooming of the Cuckoo flower, saw my first male Orange tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) of the year in Bynea. There was also lots of activity by hoverflies (Melanostoma scalare).

Seeing the Changes 561

Noted, in Bynea, that the Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) was unfurling. In Loughor, the Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) was finally coming into flower and noted a strange encounter by a hungry snail.

Marching Through the Woodlands of Olde England

There are reports that outbreaks of Oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) larvae are spreading in Southern England (http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-74CE39). The caterpillars live together in large groups and have the habit of following each other as they move from location to location. They also have extremely irritating hairs which can damage humans and animals and are major defoliators of oak trees. Their actions can certainly greatly damage infested trees and can even kill them. The loss of oak productivity can endanger birds and mammals that feed on acorns.

Rat-arsed?

The European horse meat scandal pales into relative insignificance with a report from China where it is claimed that rogue meat traders have disguised meat from rats, foxes and mink as mutton (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/03/china-meat-offence-rat-mutton?INTCMP=SRCH). They apparently did this by using gelatin and colouring agents. This action, of course, has the same origins as the European scandal namely the ability to make big profits by avoiding any of the normal public safety controls associated with foods. Substitution of one species for another is clearly big business and takes some time to detect. One of the issues that people have not dwelt on to a great extent are the possibilities that the substitutions may well introduce viruses, bacteria and worm parasites into the the human populations that consume them. They may even play a role in generating new pandemic diseases as some of these agents change in their new hosts. And what about the possibility that warfarin could be added to the human diet in this way?