Tag: Birch

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Fungi and Cacti

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The shift in seasons is definitely noticeable now. This November is warmer than usual, so we still haven’t had a frost here in southern England; however autumn colours, shorter days, wet weather and fungi have arrived over the past month.

On a recent trip to Kew gardens several fungi including some Horse mushrooms (Agaricus arvensis),

and Parasol mushrooms (Macrolepiota procera)

were dotted around the lawns as well as a group of Glistening inkcap (Coprinellus micaceus) on a decaying tree stump.

I think the weather had put many people off visiting which meant the gardens were fairly quiet. Although the odd heavy rain shower arrived while we were there, most of the day was dry and eventually the sun shone before we left, highlighting the vibrant leaves against a grey sky.

This year, I finally got to see a couple of Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) fungi for the first time if my life (outside of books).

Fly agaric

I’d hoped to see these iconic fairytale fungi for a long time. Known for being hallucinogenic these incredibly toxic fungi are usually found in Birch (Betula), Pine (Pinus) and Spruce (Picea) woodlands; however I found them in a garden near a single Birch tree. Fly agaric supply nutrients to nearby trees along the underground mycorrhizal network therefore they have a close association with trees. A traditional use for this poisonous fungus is as an insecticide for house flies due to the Ibotenic acid contained within them (hence the common name for this fungi). Added so a saucer of milk, once a fly drinks the substance it becomes drousy and drowns.

These mushrooms weren’t the only exciting thing I got to observe in recent weeks. My Fishbone cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger) which has lived in my bathroom for many years flowerered for the first time. An epiphytic cacti, originally from Mexican rainforests, this plant develops aerial roots in order to attach itself to host trees. It likes humid indirect light and requires more watering than desert cacti. Clearly the conditions in my bathroom are ideal. The unusual looking flowers (which are produced once the plant is mature) were highy scented, similar to TCP but more floral. They take weeks to develop and once opened only last for a few days before dying off.

The first bud and aerial roots.
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Silver Beauties

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The Silver birch (Betula pendula) is from the Betulaceae family, just like Hazel (Corylus) and Alder (Alnus), which also have flowers in the form of catkins (see my previous two posts A Snowy Adventure and The Birds and the Trees).

At the moment only the immature male catkins are visible (as they have been since autumn) dangling at the end of tree shoots.

Silhouette of male catkins on the ends of high branches.

Female Catkins develop after the leaves unfurl in spring. They face upwards, are bright green and smaller than the male ones; flowering between April and May. Unlike the fertilized Alder catkins these do not become woody and remain on the tree for seeds to disperse from there. Instead seed dispersal occurs as the female catkins disintegrate and are carried away by the wind as they fall from the tree.

The paper like white bark of the Birch sheds to uncover newer, cleaner bark underneath; plus dark diamond shaped fissures develop as the tree ages.

Fissures developing on the trunk of a Silver birch from my local woodland park.

Two birch trees are native to the UK, the other is the Downy birch (Betula pubescens). It is possible for these to hybridize with one another however individually they can be differentiated. The Downy birch has hairy, single-toothed leaves and hairy shoots (which is how it gets its name); plus the leaf base is rounder. The leaves of the Silver birch are more angular, double toothed around the edges and hairless (the shoots are also hairless). The Downy birch also prefers damper soil than the Silver birch but both are naturally found in woodlands.

The Silver and Downy Birches have open canopies allowing flowers such as violets (Viola), Primrose (Primula vulgaris), Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) to florish beneath them. Several fungi are linked with Birch trees too, such as Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), Woolly milk cap (Lactarius torminosus), Birch milk cap (Lactarius tabidus), Birch brittlegill (Russula betularum), Birch knight (Tricholoma fulvum) and the Birch polypore (Fomitopsis betulina).

These trees can support over 300 insect species. They are a good food source for the caterpillars of Angle-shades (Phlogophora meticulosa), Buff tip (Phalera bucephala), Pebble hook-tip (Drepana falcataria), and Kentish glory (Endromis versicolora) moths. Several Bird species make use of these trees including woodpeckers (Picidae), which nest in the trunks, along with Siskins (Spinus spinus), Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) and Redpolls (Acanthis) that feed on the seeds.

Uses for Birch trees include the manufacture of furniture, handles and toys as well as the process of tanning leather.

In times gone by it was used to make bobbins, spools and reels for the Lancashire cotton industry as well. To the Celts Birches symbolised purity, renewal and love. Later on brooms were made using birch twigs in order to clean rooms. In Finland they are the national tree.

There are several threats to Birch trees, two fungal pathogens (Marssonina betulae and Anisogramma virgultorum) which can cause Birch dieback and eventual death. Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) can also attack native trees.
More information on both can be found on the Forest research website, see the links Birch dieback and Bronze birch borer.

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The Heat Is On. 🔆🌡️⛈️☔

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The weather last week was a mixed bag. Sunshine with the temperature rising into the thirties, fantastic storms and then dull days of rain. Thankfully it is a little cooler now; while I enjoy the sun, I wilt in muggy heat.

Given the weather there were still lots of butterflies around, mostly Peacock (Aglais io), Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and Small white (Pieris rapae). Unfortunately I haven’t managed to capture photos of any of these as they didn’t remain in situ for long. I see many white butterflies flit past me. It can be difficult to say if they are Large white (Pieris brassicae), Small white or female Orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines) butterflies because they disappear before I can identify them.

Happily I was able to photograph one butterfly on a Buddleia on Wednesday. The combination of the pattern in the underside, orange colouring I saw on the upper wings, together with the wing outline means the butterfly in the photo below is a Comma (Polygonia c-album).

Their Caterpillars usually feed on the Common nettles (Urtica dioica) but also Elms (Ulmus), Hops (Humulus lupulus) as well as Willows (Salix). Peacocks often visit Buddleia too. The Common Nettle is also the favoured food of Peacock Caterpillars; although they have been recorded feeding on hops and small nettle (Urtica urens) as well. As the common nettle is the favourite food of both Comma and Peacock caterpillars, what better reason is there for allowing some nettles to grow in a garden?

There were other observations last week too;
– a Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) on some Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus),

– a Scalloped oak (Crocallis elinguaria) moth,

The caterpillars of these moths feed on honeysuckle (Lonicera), heather (Calluna vulgaris) and broadleaf trees like Oak (Quercus) and Birch (Betula).

– plus a Long hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta), whose larvae feed on aphids, and a Common green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) on a Potentilla plant.

Capturing the Common green bottle fly was accidental but it worked out really well. In the sun its glistening metallic colouring is highlighted against the yellow Potentilla flowers. Their maggots feed on dead tissue so their appearance is used to accurately determine time of death. Adult Common green bottle flies on the other hand are useful pollinators, as the last photo proves. Fascinating how different stages of this fly species exists alongside both death and life.

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Amphibians and Insects

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My week started and ended working next to ponds. The first was a small natural pond with a couple of frogs (Rana temporaria) sitting in it.

The other was a large disused outdoor swimming pool. In its neglected state rainwater collects within the concrete walls and nature is taking over. Given the murkiness of the water I was unable to obtain decent photos of my findings; however I saw another frog, (surrounded by lots and lots of tadpoles) along with a dragonfly nymph and a newt. It should be interesting to discover how many tadpoles survive to adulthood.

For the rest of the week insects were centre stage, especially on Wednesday when flying ants took to the sky. Flying ant season really tests my resolve to work through my dislike of ants (which originated in childhood). Thankfully I now find them more fascinating than loathsome, mostly.

The other insects I saw that day were;
– A (Chrysotoxum cautum) hoverfly on some Pyracantha.

– Honey bees (Apis mellifera) and a Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) visiting a Geranium ‘Rozanne’ plant.

– Lavender (Lavandula) full of bees and butterflies, including more Honey bees as well as Buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), Meadow browns (Maniola jurtina) and a Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) butterfly.

The Meadow brown butterflies also enjoyed visiting the Echinops bannaticus flowers too.

Even as I returned home I noticed a Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) moth on the hall window.

The adults feed on Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) and Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) both of these plants are common around this area. The caterpillars feed on various trees, shrubs as well as climbers ranging from Yew (Taxus baccata), Birch (Betula), ivy (Hedera helix), honeysuckle (Lonicera) and the wild Clematis, Traveller’s joy (Clematis vitalba).

The previous day I came across more insects that I was previously unaware of.

The first one was the Common red soldier beetle (Rhagonycha fulva).

It is a beneficial insect as adults eat aphids and are pollinators (feeding on nectar and pollen from open flat flowers such daisies and hogweed) while the larvae feed on slugs and snails along with other ground dwelling invertebrates.

The other insect I saw on Tuesday was a female Volucella pellucens hoverfly feeding on nectar and pollen from Bramble (Rubus fruticosus).

These hoverflies also pollinate umbellifers; However as larvae they inhabit Bumblebee and wasp nests eating any waste produced along with their hosts larvae.