Why all the fuss about
By PHILIP RUSTED, Director of Research and Development, tcm (r&d) Ltd., looks at Brown Tailed Moths, Himalayan Balsam and Ragwort
It seems that you can’t open a paper or journal recently without reading doom and gloom stories about our country being taken over by invasive Species. Are we safe from attack, is it a case of unnecessary concern, or should we really keep looking over our shoulders expecting to be attacked from all angles? To look at the species that effect us in the sports turf industry, we can all but rule out anything that walks or crawls. There are a number of plants and just one insect: Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), Giant Hogweed (Hearcleum
mantegazzianum), Himalayan
Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), Ragwort (Senecia jacobea) and the Brown Tailed Moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea). This year the
Environment Agency published a list of the top 10 invasive species. Japanese Knotweed is the most wanted, Giant Hogweed at number 4, Himalayan Balsam at number 6. There is no mention of Ragwort or the Brown Tailed Moth. but, in our industry, they come into the same category of invasive species. Strictly speaking Ragwort is not an alien invader, being native to our shores, but problematic and invasive none the less.
So what are the problems caused by these species?
I would like to start with three examples and, in the next article, look at the ones gaining the majority of the press at the moment
Brown Tailed Moths (Euproctis chrysorrhoea)
Brown Tailed Moths are seemingly becoming more and more widespread in the UK. Perhaps a sign of Global Warming, they seem to be spreading Northward, creating destruction and havoc along the way. Brown Tailed Moths have a particular liking for causing
defoliation of forests, hedgerows, orchards and flowering shrubs. The sting in the tail comes from the hairs on the caterpillar that can cause sever dermatitis and breathing difficulties when in contact with humans, dogs and cats. This can lead to severe discomfort and need not even be through direct contact. The hairs from the caterpillar can be wind borne and can even
contaminate washing left out on the line to dry, causing pain and discomfort to the unsuspecting wearer of the these clothes.
INVASIVE SPECIES?
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76