Woodlands.co.uk - Flora & Fauna
Ground Ivy or Alehoof
At this time of year, when walking through the bluebells and emergent bracken there is often a small labiate hiding in the herb layer – Ground Ivy. Like other labiates (that is, members of the Lamiaceae), it has square stems and flowers formed from petals that have fused together forming two lipped, ‘open mouthed’, or funnel shaped flowers. These flowers vary somewhat in colour from blue and violet, through to lavender.
The leaves are a dark green colour (with paler undersides) and are slightly downy; sometimes described as kidney shaped with regular but blunt teeth on the margins of the leaf. The young / immature leaves may have a purple or deep red colour on their edges. The leaves are stalked (have petioles) and arranged opposite to one another. The hairs on the leaves and stems can be seen in the jpg below. When crushed, the leaves emit a pungent smell. Read more…
Warfare amongst the ladybirds.
The asian or harlequin ladybird was used in commercial glasshouses / greenhouses to control aphids (greenfly / blackfly) – a single harlequin ladybird can eat up to 200 aphids a day. Unfortunately, some of the harlequin ladybirds escaped and their offspring have spread across Europe – endangering native species.
Recent research has shown that this invasive species has an impressive immune system – the body fluids of this animal contain a strong antibiotic compound (HARMONINE) and also small proteins (peptides) that have anti-microbial properties. Read more…
Hedges revisited …….
The work of Max Hooper established that not all hedges are ‘equal’ – they vary considerably in terms of their age and composition. Many thought of hedges as products of the Enclosure Acts of the C18th and C19th, that is, they were added to the landscape in these times – but many hedges / hedgerows (representing various boundaries) date back many centuries. There are significant differences between truly ‘ancient’ hedges and those established in more recent times.
Ancient hedges are generally species rich – in terms of the species in the herb, shrub and tree layers, and consequently rich in associated birds and insects. Ancient hedges are often associated with natural features or boundaries Read more…
Wood Anemone – Anemone nemorosa.
The official Latin name of the wood anemone is Anemone nemorosa but it is also known under many different and much more romantic sounding names – windflower, thimbleweed, wind crowfoot, smell fox or the helmet flower. These common names convey the affection in which this little woodland flower is thought of. This little perennial is referenced in many myths and legends including the anenome flower springing up where Aphrodite’s tears fell as she wept over the death of her lover, Adonis.
The flowers are predominantly white but the petals can be tinged with pink or purple tones with a red stem. A similar plant is the buttercup anemone which has yellow colouring. The underground creeping habit ensures colonisation of the woodland floor forming large clumps in shaded and damp areas. Read more…
Biochar and biofuels
Broadly speaking, Biochar is charcoal that is not used for heating, barbecues or blacksmithing. It is charcoal that is (often) used for soil improvement and carbon sequestration.
Charcoal is created by pyrolysis – that is, the incomplete burning of wood or biomass when oxygen /air is restricted. Typically, full-time charcoal producers have a large, steel kiln* about three metres in diameter and over a metre in height. This is loaded up with wood, mostly hardwoods such as oak, which have a very slow burn. The kiln is then sealed with a large lid. To make charcoal, the burn must be slow and incomplete so that the wood dries out and its structure and capacity for burning remains. This process – converting wood to charcoal – takes some 14-16 hours and produces ready-to-use lumps of charcoal. To watch the process of charcoal making, visit woodlands TV. Read more…
Gorses.
One plant that is currently adding a bit of colour to our lives is the Common Gorse – Ulex europaeus. Brooms (Genista sp), Whins (Cytisus sp) and Gorses (Ulex sp) are all evergreen shrubs, with yellow flowers. They are members of the Pea Family or Fabaceae – (formerly the Leguminosae). Many members of the pea family have root nodules – which contain symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria.
Whilst, the Common Gorse can be found in flower in late autumn and even in winter, it is in Spring that it flowers most strongly and profusely. The flowers are said to have a coconut aroma. Read more…
Red Squirrels
Anyone who has ever been fortunate to be able to watch red squirrels in the wild will understand the attraction to them. They are fascinating, nimble creatures, scurrying around in the treetops, making what appear to be death-defying leaps from branch to branch, and tree to tree. The best way to try and detect whether they are around or not, is to stand quietly and perfectly still and look up into the treetops.
Sometimes it is possible to catch a glimpse of one but, more often than not, if they are feeding, the sound can be heard of them chewing on pine cones, or the debris from the cones can be seen falling. Occasionally, they can be seen rushing head first down a tree to the ground in order to bury nuts, which they will retrieve at a later time. Read more…
Natural Resources Wales
Today (2 April 2013) saw the first day of operation of a new Welsh Government Sponsored Body, Natural Resources Wales. From 1 April 2013 three organisations, the Forestry Commission Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales, and the Environment Agency Wales, merged, and the new organisation has also taken over a few responsibilities previously managed by the Welsh Government. The merger has created the largest Welsh Government Sponsored Body, with more than 2000 employees. Read more…