21st Jan 2022
YCV Post Friday 28th January 2022
Finishing The Wood Chip Path
Removing The Old Tree Shelters
Finishing The Wood Chip Path
3 more wheelbarrow loads of woodchip were taken down to the footpath by Pig Drain, to make it safer for walkers as they approached the bridge.
Removing The Old Tree Shelters
With a pen knife, hatchet, secateurs or snips, we removed all the old plastic tree shelters from the trees along the protective tree belt on Burgess farm land, which was an extremely satisfying job! We did have to find alternative homes for a few hibernating snails though! Sadly, Grahame and Josie left early before this photo was taken. Apologies to them.
Biodegradable Tree Guards
There were some interesting conversations about whether it was possible to buy compostable or biodegradable tree guards / shelters now and a quick Google search showed an impressive array of alternatives to plastic, which was very pleasing! Here’s an example below . . .
How Very Galling !
Grahame Found Some Galls!
On a couple of trees, Grahame found some fascinating galls on the bark which were quite large. None of us knew what it was that was forming them; usually insects, but a quick Google search suggests that they may be a Crown Gall.
What is a Crown Gall?
Plants with crown gall have swollen knots, called galls, near the crown and sometimes on the roots and twigs as well. The galls are tan in colour and may be spongy in texture at first, but they eventually harden and turn dark brown or black. As the disease progresses, the galls can totally encircle the trunks and branches, cutting off the flow of sap that nourishes the plant. The galls are caused by a bacterium (Rhizobium radiobacter) that lives in the soil and enters the plant through injuries. Once inside the plant, the bacterium injects some of its genetic material into the host’s cells, causing it to produce hormones that stimulate small areas of rapid growth.
Woolly What?
Reg Found Some Woolly Aphids !
You will not see the small, brown or greyish-purple aphids, but rather their woolly protective coating which is white and waxy. This coating looks rather like a fungus, especially when the woolly aphids cluster together in large numbers. Woolly aphids feed on sap and are attracted to younger, woody shoots and damaged areas such as pruning wounds. Unsightly galls form where aphid colonies have attacked. These can split, letting in diseases such as apple canker. Woolly aphids don’t attack the roots, but they can infest the base of the trunk
Mystery Larvae?
Reg thinks that these must be the larvae of some kind of insect. I have searched and searched and I cannot identify them. Any thoughts? If you zoom in, they have bristles down their sides. Too long for Crane Fly larvae??? We may need to send this photo to Bug Life in Peterborough for identification. Rare maybe?
Reed & Weed Cutter / Pig Drain
The previous week, we were lucky enough to watch the Reed / Weed Cutter Boat on Pig Drain, keeping the edges clear and providing plenty of nesting material for the pair of swans which were a bit further along the way. Wonderful!
Fish & Chip Lunch At The Cuckoo Clearing
Reg had the WONDERFUL idea of having Fish & Chips after all our hard work and we chose the Cuckoo Clearing as our restaurant! I was so busy enjoying my fish and chips, I forgot to take a photo and Grahame had left! Sorry Grahame. I shall catch you next time! Thanks to Charlotte who was our Courier! Excellent service.
The Scribble Hive or Seasonal Musings ???
Matt had a wonderful idea that we could include a seasonal quote or poem for our website on a regular basis? I have thought of the names above, but maybe you could think of some better / other names for this section? We would also LOVE you to contribute please?
Quote of the week
The flowers of late winter And early Spring Occupy places in our hearts Well out of proportion to their size
(Gertrude S. Wister)
More Ideas - thoughts?
1. How about a page for environmental or wildlife tips from members?
2. A page for member’s favourite photos or pictures?
Favourite Member’s Photo 2021
We suggest that we could all choose 5 interesting / funny photos from 2021 and then we could ask members to vote for their favourite photo and then announce the winner later? (Photos sent to Odette please). Here are Matt’s 3 favourite photos . . . for submission.
