Once upon a time, the gypsy moth lived only in the Fenlands of eastern England, where its caterpillars fed upon bog myrtle and creeping willow.   As the Fens continued to be drained and agriculture expanded, this native population died out in the early part of the C20th.  However, many years later, a colony of the European form of the moth was found in Epping Forest. This form of the moth is polyphagous, that is, its caterpillars can feed on a variety of plant leaves. They have a particular penchant for the leaves of oak and poplar.  Since its ‘introduction’, this form of the moth has spread to many parts of south-east England. The caterpillars of this moth can denude a tree of its leaves if the infestation is heavy.  Repeated attacks combined with drought can result in the death of trees. The trees do have a defence mechanism which is to increase tannin production, which makes the leaves much more bitter.  But this comes at a cost to a tree, namely an increase in metabolism and energy expenditure to make these materials. [caption id="attachment_43799" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Gypsy moth caterpillar. [Thanks to Bernell MacDonald & Pixabay][/caption] Research has indicated that oak trees have ‘solved’ the problem in a different way.  If a tree has been subject to a significant attack by these caterpillars/moths, then in the succeeding year it delays the opening of its leaves by a few days.  The effect of this is that when the caterpillars emerge, the leaves that they depend upon are still ‘sealed away’ in their buds. So, the caterpillars have little or nothing to eat.  The effect of this is to reduce the damage to the tree by over 50%! The research work was carried out over a large area in Northern Bavaria and made extensive use of radar satellites.  The satellites were able to identify which trees had been stripped bare and how they reacted in the following year.  Further details of this work can be accessed here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-026-03071-9

Burrs or Burls? What’s in a name. What are they?  They are woody outgrowths found on stems, branches, and often on roots.  They are  typically rounded, somewhat bulbous in form.  Burrs develop as a result of rapid and uncontrolled growth,  leading to a dense and irregular wood grain beneath the external bark of the structure. The uncontrolled and abnormal growth may result from various stressors, such as :- Physical damage eg. wounds, where branches are lost in high winds, injuries as the result of boring insects, or damage from squirrels or deer. Infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi may trigger burr formation  These infections can induce  hormonal changes that affect cell division. Environmental factors such as extreme weather events or pollution can influence tree physiology and growth, as can somatic mutations. In most cases, a burr does not harm a tree, indeed they may persist for decades.  If the burr formed due to injury to the tree, then it could even be considered protective.  However, If a burr develops on a branch then it may become so heavy that the branch breaks. Burrs may be seen on a variety of trees, but some species are more prone to developing them, notably oaks, maples, walnut, and birch.  Coastal redwoods are known to produce burrs of considerable size, sometimes reaching several metres in width and even encircling the trunk of the massive trees..  Although burrs may not be visually appealing from the outside, internally the complex grain pattern means makes them highly valued for woodworking.  They are used to create bowls, furniture, musical instruments and sculptures.  It is generally unwise to cut a burr from a living tree; instead they are typically harvested from fallen or dead trees. Thanks to Steve Sangster for Burr images.

It might not be much to look at, but Laetiporus sulphureus sure tastes good on a plate. A relatively common adornment to many a tree in Summer and early Autumn, the legendary Chicken of the Woods is one of the tastiest edible mushrooms found in the UK, and also one of the most highly prized: as the name suggests, it has the taste and texture of chicken, and its firm flesh makes an ideal substitute in stews, stroganoffs, curries, pilaffs and other meat dishes. Easily overlooked by those not in the know, it is instantly recognisable to the gourmet fungi forager, and bares little resemblance to other poultry-named fungi like the Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) or the Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa), the Japanese delicacy known as maitake. It is a bracket fungus that grows in large clusters of undulating fan-shaped shelves, the colour ranging from bright yellow to orange on its topside (hence the alternate common name Sulphur Shelf), with its yellowish underside pitted with pores from which it releases its spores and a firm white fleshy interior. Read more...

The second instalment to "my wood" has, like Spring,  this year - sprung rather too soon. I’ve been away for most of the last week starting work on a new area of woodland in Norfolk that I hope to be able to bring to market in the early summer. So after nearly a week of absence , I hurried across the field as the light rose on Saturday morning accompanied by Stig who seemed even happier than me, tail wagging frantically in the bitter frost. Despite some savagely cold dawns, a couple of weeks of unseasonably warm weather has transformed the woodland.  It has been more of a boom than a Spring bloom this year. My hornbeam is in leaf, the hawthorn is in blossom, Read more...

Gatwick Greenspace Partnership (part of the Sussex Wildlife Trust) took on the management of Lower Orlton’s Copse, near Rusper, in March of this year *. Since then we have, in consultation with the Forestry Commission, decided as part of the management, to extend a small number of glades to open up the high canopy and improve the amount of ground flora in these areas. Read more...

Mast is the ‘nut crop’ of the beech tree (Fagus sylvatica), but, in a broader sense, is the production of an enormous number of seeds. And the phenomenon is not restricted to beeches.It can also been seen in oaks, firs, spruces and pines.Such species are said to have ‘mast years’ and in such years it is basically impossible for animals to eat all the seeds ("predator satiation") so many seeds survive to the following spring and germinate. Read more...

Supported by The Woodland Trust , the  The Ancient Tree Hunt aims to create a database of Britain’s historically important trees. We know where our historic buildings are, but we have no proper record of our ancient trees, despite having the largest number of these in Northern Europe.  The Woodland Trust is asking for help from the public to record these venerable relics of Britain’s past. Read more...