Blog - parasites

Bees - and the weather.

Bees – and the weather.

by Chris, 23 July, 2012, 10 comments

Bees are important pollinators, especially for crops like apples. The UK apple market is estimated at some £320 M per annum. Though current estimates vary, it is pretty much certain that this year’s apple harvest will be down, perhaps only 50% of that of a ‘normal’ year. Though the trees produced blossom in plenty and all looked good for a ‘bumper harvest’ – it then rained and rained. Because of the weather, there were few bees, bumblebees or other pollinating insects. This has not been a good year for bees (or indeed, bumblebees). Why? Read more...

Fungi, mycorrhizae, truffles

Fungi, mycorrhizae, truffles

by Chris, 25 February, 2011, 6 comments

The Fungi are a very diverse group of organisms, ranging from the true fungi (Mycota), which includes the mushrooms and toadstools, and the Oomycota (which includes the potato blight fungus). Unlike green plants, fungi do not have any chlorophyll so cannot make sugars and other compounds by photosynthesis. They get their sugars / carbohydrates through being saprobes (saprophytes), parasites, or sometimes symbionts. Read more...

Threats to the Honeybee

Threats to the Honeybee

by Chris, 18 August, 2010, 11 comments

At the start of the twentieth century, it has been estimated that there were about one million beehives in the U.K. Now the number is about 280,000; there has also been a significant decline in the number of beekeepers. Read more...

Greenfinches

Greenfinches

by Chris, 22 May, 2010, 0 comments

Greenfinches, parasites, heat islands and the BTO nesting survey. Greenfinches are being killed by a protozoan parasite – Trichomonas. The parasite causes swelling of the throat by infecting the crop and gullet, so the the birds cannot eat. It has been suggested that as many as 500,000 greenfinches have been killed by this parasite. Read more...

Some Common Botanical Terms

Some Common Botanical Terms

by Lewis, 2 May, 2008, 0 comments

Arboretum : an area where woody plants (trees and shrubs) are grown for scientific/ educational purposes, for example, Westonbirt, the National Arboretum near Tetbury in Gloucestershire. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6xcmkm Archaeophytes : archaeophytes are ‘ancient introductions’, plants that were introduced (accidentally or deliberately) by humans before 1500 AD. Ancient introductions are plants like poppies (Papaver sp), Read more...

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