nivrip
Yorkshire Cruncher
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2007
- Messages
- 11,167
- Reaction score
- 2,175
For various reasons I did Friday's walk today (Thursday). 
This involved mainly woodlands today and as usual I managed to find some interesting sights.
I came across this Oak Apple.....
Also known as an Oak Gall, it is formed when a female wasp lays single eggs in developing leaf buds. The wasp larvae feed on the gall tissue resulting from their secretions. This one was about 4cm in diameter, much larger than an acorn.
Then I was overcome by the smell of garlic. Wild garlic grows profusely in this area and was being exported to restaurants in London at one time. The smell and the taste come from the leaves of wild garlic and not from the bulbs.
Wild Garlic plants.
And, of course, the bluebells are out in force everywhere in the woods.
These are the Native variety and not the Spanish variety which are gradually taking over in many places.
And then I found this rather large nest.
............complete with a pair of swans but no sign of any eggs or chicks. Maybe another visit later.
Lovely, walking around in the countryside, always something to see.
This involved mainly woodlands today and as usual I managed to find some interesting sights.
I came across this Oak Apple.....
Also known as an Oak Gall, it is formed when a female wasp lays single eggs in developing leaf buds. The wasp larvae feed on the gall tissue resulting from their secretions. This one was about 4cm in diameter, much larger than an acorn.
Then I was overcome by the smell of garlic. Wild garlic grows profusely in this area and was being exported to restaurants in London at one time. The smell and the taste come from the leaves of wild garlic and not from the bulbs.
Wild Garlic plants.
And, of course, the bluebells are out in force everywhere in the woods.
These are the Native variety and not the Spanish variety which are gradually taking over in many places.
And then I found this rather large nest.
............complete with a pair of swans but no sign of any eggs or chicks. Maybe another visit later.
Lovely, walking around in the countryside, always something to see.
