bees flying in gales and rain ?

[victor meldrew]

All British species started as exotics .
Impatience Grandiflora will reach equilibrium given time .
It grows in abundance around here but I haven't noticed any native plants disappearing because of this .
First frost and it's gone ! leaving the ground still with it's populations of weeds myriad
Now, acres of maze, oil seed rape , grass to silage , crowd out more native flora that Balsam ever will .
I haven't even started on the tons of herbicide dumped on the land annually from allotment holders, through farmers and onto golf course holders , civic parks and yes grass verges , often during sunny days when bees are foraging .
Spoke to a guy one day ,he was on a quad bike with a tank on the back, he was spraying the verges down our lane . "What's that you are spraying?" "Weed killer " was the reply !
"What is it?" " I'm payed to spray it not analyse it " was the reply .
"Who do you work for ?"
"The council "
Half an hour later a guy walking his dog asked "What's all these dead bumble bees all the way down the lane?".
Keep a sense of proportion , look at the invasive escapee oil seed rape along our motorway corridors !

VM

 

[tonybloke]

All British species started as exotics .
VM

that's a bit off target John, there are a lot of native species about!!

here's a list of native British Trees
http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/native-trees-britain

and a list of native British Plants
http://www.floralimages.co.uk/b_native.htm.

 

[Swarm]

I can understand the argument, after all we have loads of introduced species and it's been the case for hundreds of years and more but we are supposed to be a little more aware these days.
To go and deliberately spread it is very irresponsible.

I do agree with you that it does not necessarily compete other plants out of the equation, I've noticed this myself. It's just that when it takes hold, it's all you see. It even grows up through dense bracken!

 

[victor meldrew]

that's a bit off target John, there are a lot of native species about!! .

I think you have misread my post ?
Where did I say there are no native plants ?
VM

 

[VEG]

i think it is actually illegal though I may be wrong

 

[tonybloke]

John, " all british species started of as exotics"

if I've totally mis-understood that I apologise.

rgds, Tony

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry to rain on the parade but planting Himalayan Balsam is totally irresponsible. Sure it has much to offer both the bees and their keeper, there is no question that the plant is practically out of control. Adding to this equation and posting on a public forum about it brings all beekeepers into question. It may be in your garden but you will not contain it.

Of course you can contain it in your own back yard. Have you seen how shallow the roots are and how distinctive the foliage? Easy then to pull up if it's where it's not wanted.
I'm a good distance from any river, some already pops up along there but it gets uprooted by somebody.
Four miles away on the road to Windermere is a substantial stand of the stuff in a deep hedgerow but it pops up sharing space with Rosebay,Bramble,Nettles and long grasses rather than performing any Wyndamesque annihilation of indigenous flora. It does no harm there and feeds a multitude of bumble bees.It's been there at least the seven years I've been here and has largely remained the same size. I never see any of it pulled up.
I'm not suggesting it should be allowed to rampage through our watercourses but surely it can be left where there is no issue.

It's not illegal to put it on your own land and as for tarring all beekeepers with my brush...........please! This forum is a myriad of opinions, mine just a mote among many.

 

[victor meldrew]

John, " all british species started of as exotics"

if I've totally mis-understood that I apologise.

rgds, Tony

I see Tony
The intention was to point out that all 'now' native plants originated outside the British isles and were therefore exotic . The same thing will happen to latter day exotics , they will be assimilated into the scheme of things ?
Remember all the trees etc you linked to were thriving on the continent before the ice covering the British isles receded enough to support life ?
VM

 

[tonybloke]

the ice sheet only covered the northern bits of Britain, AFAIK. leaving the huge sand & gravel deposits here in Norfolk.
(note. I use the term 'Northern' for anywhere above the Wash! )

 

[victor meldrew]

the ice sheet only covered the northern bits of Britain, AFAIK. leaving the huge sand & gravel deposits here in Norfolk.
(note. I use the term 'Northern' for anywhere above the Wash! )

And here's me thinking it was the Watford gap
VM

 

[tonybloke]

And here's me thinking it was the Watford gap
VM

 

[Swarm]

Of course you can contain it in your own back yard. Have you seen how shallow the roots are and how distinctive the foliage? Easy then to pull up if it's where it's not wanted.

You think so? You must have control of many things, wind, wildlife, nature it seems. I am fully aware how shallow rooted it is and what it looks like, neither of which have done much to check its progress so far.

I'm a good distance from any river, some already pops up along there but it gets uprooted by somebody.

It is not restricted to rivers and water courses. The largest swathes of Balsam I have seen are nowhere near a river.

I'm not suggesting it should be allowed to rampage through our watercourses but surely it can be left where there is no issue.

Again, not water courses. I saw some this morning ... it was growing out of balast. Trouble is, when left alone where it is no issue it will become one.

It's not illegal to put it on your own land and as for tarring all beekeepers with my brush...........please! This forum is a myriad of opinions, mine just a mote among many.

I didn't say it was illegal and even if it was, it would be difficult to prove anyway. I'm not talking opinions, I was answering your post which stated you went and planted Balsam, quickly followed by the kind of response that suggested a little 'helping hand'. It is irresponsible behaviour and only encourages others.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Haven't we had HB since the 1860s?

 

[Tom Bick]

Is Japanese Knotweed any good for bees? Its in full flower at the moment.

Also Am I right that in this country we don’t have any male plants of Japanese Knotweed and if we did the whole country will be covered? So it can only spread through contaminated ground.

 

[Swarm]

I recall someone explaining the Japanese Knotweed situation a long time ago. I can't remember details but it was along the lines you've mentioned.

 

[drstitson]

true enough BUT hybridisation is possible with other related species. However obviously not (no pun intended) been a significant problem to date.

 

[VEG]

copied from a council site

"The legal status of the highly invasive plant, Himalayan balsam, has changed. To reflect the major problems caused by this species, it is now illegal to plant, or otherwise cause to grow, Himalayan balsam in the wild. So, if you are growing this plant in your garden, or are letting it grow on your land, and you allow it to spread into the wild, you are breaking the law. It is very difficult to stop this plant spreading as its seed heads explode upon touch, so the best advice is never to sow it and if it is on your land, control it."

The seed pods can shoot the seed up to 7 meters about 21 foot away. So if you have planted it in your garden you need to bear that in mind.

As I said in my post I think it is illegal I may be wrong but not that wrong.

 

[victor meldrew]

I read somewhere that research into a species specific fungi of HB is ongoing ?
I hate it when boffins state suppositions as facts until the cure becomes a yet greater problem
VM