This is the only wild orchid that grows in Abney. It is flowering this year, but is not the best it has been.
Archive for July, 2010
Broad Leaved Helleborine
Posted in Abney Park latest changes. on July 30, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Leaf Miner Problem on Horse Chestnut Trees.
Posted in Abney Park latest changes. on July 17, 2010| 1 Comment »
I took a couple of photos of the lower leaves on a Horse Chestnut stump, which show the problem. The insect damage removes the chlorophyll from the leaves and makes them far less productive when it comes to providing energy for the tree. Where a leaflet has serious damage it browns and drops early. The reduction in energy creation puts the trees under stress. It doesn’t kill the tree, but it weakens it. The tree is then more likely to succumb to fungal invasion etc.
More Butterflies.
Posted in Abney Park latest changes. on July 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »
I spent some time in Abney today, most of it by a butterfly bush this morning. The numbers do seem to be way down, but I got a few snaps….
Fungus growth on the woodchip mound.
Posted in Fungus growth 2010 on July 16, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The large compost mound in the middle of Abney seems to be the place where most activity is happening. The fungal growth is being interrupted by the blackbirds who have found insects living in the woodchips. They are moving the surface chips about and breaking up the mycelium that would support the growth of caps. Even so, a couple of caps have made it through, Agrocybe rivulosa (cream with roughly radial wrinkles) and Coprinopsis lagopus.
Large White Female Butterfly
Posted in Abney Park latest changes. on July 16, 2010| Leave a Comment »
I’ve put this in as I’m really pleased with the photo. The female has the black spots on the front wing, the male doesn’t have these spots. Here it is feeding on Common Mallow.
Butterflies
Posted in Abney Park latest changes. on July 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »
There are some butterflies about at the moment ,but not as many as might be expected. The buddlia bushes near the side entrance should, in the sun this morning, have been attracting a lot of attention from butterflies, but there was nothing to be seen on them. Possibly this drought is not helping. There are some butterflies around. A few Gatekeepers are around near the side entrance while Tony has found White-letter Hairstreak in the center feeding on brambles. A large pale Brimstone was slowly flapping its way round today, it has a slower wing beat then the Large White which was also around. Speckled Woods were flying, territorially defending their patch. A Large Skipper was basking on Japanese Knotweed leaves. Not the numbers then, but some species to look out for. Link to Butterfly Photos in Abney Park Cemetery
Ivy Broomrape
Posted in Abney Park latest changes. on July 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »
I was pleased to meet Tony in Abney this morning. He pointed this out to me. Ivy Broomrape is a parasitic plant which is restricted to growing on ivy, of which there is enough in Abney to keep it well nourished. It grows without the need to produce its own sugars etc which it gets from the ivy, so has no need for chlorophyll. This gives it a strange appearance. The flower spikes have purplish tones, the leaves on the lower stem are reduced to small triangles.
These photos are among the photos for July 2010 in Abney.
Abney Fungi 