Tuesday 30 July 2024

Dolichomitus-imperator wood-wasp

Spent a while yesterday watching this little beastie locating a suitable piece of cut bamboo and doing acrobatics to get it's ovipositor into the hole. Only later when I did some research did I discover this is a parasitic wood wasp and it was looking for another insect's larvae to lay its egg on so when the wood wasp larvae hatches it could burrow in and feed on the target larvae. Not nice! But I guess we all have to eat something.

Image from   http://www.natureconservationimaging.com/images/Dolichomitus-imperator.jpg


 

Wednesday 8 March 2023

Snow and Rhubarb

 

 

This was our rhubarb, coming up nicely 10 days ago. We've had a couple of picks - rhubarb and custard and rhubarb fool - lovely! But today it's zero degrees and snowing! Last night I covered the rhubarb with hessian and fleece and I'm hoping it won't get zapped by the frost.

We don't force rhubarb because we don't see the need. Our rhubarb is really tasty and the early pickings are tender and sweet. But I guess if it's under a dustbin it is protected from the elements.

Forecast is for snow and frost for a few days, so Spring will definitely be on hold for a bit.


Tuesday 28 February 2023