About Me

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No Fixed Abode, Home Counties, United Kingdom
I’m a 60-year-old Aspergic gardening CAD-Monkey. Sardonic, cynical and with the political leanings of a social reformer, I’m also a toy and model figure collector, particularly interested in the history of plastics and plastic toys. Other interests are history, current affairs, modern art, and architecture, gardening and natural history. I love plain chocolate, fireworks and trees, but I don’t hug them, I do hug kittens. I hate ignorance, when it can be avoided, so I hate the 'educational' establishment and pity the millions they’ve failed with teaching-to-test and rote 'learning' and I hate the short-sighted stupidity of the entire ruling/industrial elite, with their planet destroying fascism and added “buy-one-get-one-free”. Likewise, I also have no time for fools and little time for the false crap we're all supposed to pretend we haven't noticed, or the games we're supposed to play. I will 'bite the hand that feeds', to remind it why it feeds.

Thursday, August 8, 2019

PW7 is for Public Information Announcement - Notifyable Pests

No, not TJF and his sidekick; proper, serious, climate-change related, existential pests!

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;
One of the weirdest things at the PW show was the obvious state of the little box-hedge (more of a shrubbery . . . Ni! Ni!) out the back of the venue, which upon closer inspection turned out to be an infestation of the previously scheduled and notifyable pest; the box tree moth (cydalima perspectalis), or - at least - its caterpillars/larvae.

You will read all sorts of horror stories about these triggering fatal allergy reactions and such like, but as far as I am aware no Toy Soldier enthusiasts were harmed in the course of the day's event, while even handling them only results in mild skin-irritation from the hairs, if you are susceptible to such things; nevertheless - caution is the better part of valour in these cases, so  . . . photograph from a safe distance and leave well-alone!

An infestation used to have be reported (which the management at the Wining Post said they'd done), but there have been so many reports in the last couple of years, and so little is known of the full life-cycle/lifestyle of the animal, the war's rather been lost for now; still, some attempt to end the infestation also needs to be carried out, which - by/to the date of the show - clearly hadn't been. One hopes 'contractors' were due on the Monday?

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;
This is the little critter in close-up, looking like some of our native caterpillars (you have to have a higher degree of expertise than I have to sort some, especially all the plain-green ones!), or, specifically, the saw-fly larvae who attack roses - mercifully they've not appeared this year, probably due to all that rain at the start of the month (June)? Although the failure of any species, however seasonal, or 'one off', is bad news in the long term and it's the same rain that probably killed the old Brambly?

Those of you who suffer an attack like this at home can solve the problem before it escalates by putting on gardening gloves and squishing every caterpillar you can find, before spraying the infected plant with a strong mix of washing-up liquid and water. Check the site for the next few days to catch any survivors/stragglers!

But you should still report the incident so it can be plotted on some secret map in the RHS 'war rooms'! If you catch it in time, the plant will survive, but damage this severe can prove fatal, maybe the rains which came a couple of weeks later will have saved the plants, but had this damage occurred before the recent heat-wave (or continued into the heat-wave), the plants may have been lost - I'll try to remember to look next year!

Below are the rest of the shots I took for those of you who may be more interested in the subject . . .

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;
These are rose saw-fly larvae, relatively harmless (not for the rose!) which are among those native caterpillars who could be mistaken for the box tree moth. Their head and bum colouring are reversed from the invader though, with a yellow head and much smaller area of black at the other end, while their markings are quite different; less stripy, more spotty.

They congregate gregariously in sibling groups - like the invader - but don't leave the mass of dead-material (only because rose is softer than box, so they eat it all!), nor do they produce the fine haze/shroud of 'spider-web' strands.

Arge Ochropus; Arge Ochropus Caterpillars; Arge Ochropus Larvae; Arge Pagana; Arge Pagana Caterpillars; Arge Pagana Larvae; Box Tree Moth; Box Tree Moth Caterpillars; Box Tree Moth Larvae; Buff Tipped Moth; Buff Tipped Moth Caterpillars; Buff Tipped Moth Larvae; Buff-Tip Caterpillars Larvae; Buff-Tip Larvae; Butterfly Conservation; Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis; Cydalima Perspectalis Caterpillars; Cydalima Perspectalis Larvae; Insects; Insects Photography; Large Rose Sawfly; Large Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Large Rose Sawfly Larvae; Larvae; Lesser Rose Sawfly; Lesser Rose Sawfly Caterpillars; Lesser Rose Sawfly Larvae; Phalera Bucephala; Phalera Bucephala Caterpillars; Phalera Bucephala Larvae; RHS; Sawfly Caterpillars; Sawfly Larvae; Small Scale World; smallscaleworld.blogspot.com;
Another gregarious-feeding native which could be mistaken for the problem incomer is the buff-tipped moth's caterpillars, but they are much furrier, black at both ends and more checkered in the markings.



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