Health boost

There is one thing that I have learnt over the years and that is the magical method of an instant health boost. When I became compromised with eating grains this one health means was lost to me in an instant and the alternative was to become a ‘pill popper’ which is not a natural existence at all.

Every system of the body requires one form or another of Vitamin B to help it function at optimum levels which in turn helps to sweep away a deluge of unpleasant symptoms from vile boring deep down chronic aches like fibrositis which often is called fibromyalgia, neuralgia, sciatica, back pains, hip pains, leg pains, hand pains, feet pains, etc to problems with skin, hair, nails and so on. In fact the health range that this series of Vitamins touch is virtually endless.

I used to take Brewer’s Yeast every day. It cured all kinds of issues from a deep bedded sciatic pain that would shoot the entire length of my leg and make me stand still in my tracks to crunchy brittle nails that wouldn’t grow and would continually break and peel. Added to this was dry patches and pimples on my face.

My grandmother had always advocated the use of yeast but this is something that could only be taken by those who have not yet found that grains just do not work for their health. Yeast mostly, if not always relies on sugars often produced through grains to make it grow. More and more people are now finding grains an issue and a cause of long-seated health complications. Highly processed sugars are often produced using grains such as wheat and barley and may cause recurring health issues as well as the loss of the feeling of well being. It is therefore commonsense to avoid foods where highly processed sugars have been used in any food production including yeasts.

I have now found a condiment yeast that is not grown on any form of grain and is rich in all of the nourishing B Vitamins. It tastes lovely and doesn’t leave any after flavours in the mouth. This condiment yeast comes in small dry flakes and therefore may be sprinkled onto virtually all meals. It is called “Nutritional Yeast Flakes.” The version that I have chosen to buy and use has added Vitamin B12 and Zinc but there are other versions that are the B Complex vitamins only. I thought it wise to have these two additional added items because B12 prevents mouth ulcers/canker sores and Zinc protects against catching viruses and I hate catching colds, etc!

Nutritional Yeast Flakes (primarily Saccharomyces Cerevasiae) grown on enriched purified molasses. It is grown under controlled conditions to ensure that it is free from candida albicans yeast it is also free from genetically modified organisms. This particular yeast is grown in Estonia.

English fairies of the garden

The beautiful Large White butterfly, which is generally known as the ‘Cabbage White’ butterfly flutters in such a way that it resembles a fairy and so is sometimes called the English fairy. Both the Large White and the Small White, which generally dominate the butterfly scene of the early warm days in Spring were very sparse this year. So late did they make their entrance that they are still hatching and there are now caterpillars that appear to be transfixed in a perpetual state and unable to develop into a chrysalis.

  

 

The Caterpillar of The Large White Butterfly, The Cabbage White Butterfly, English Fairy - Pieris brassicae

The caterpillar on the leaf above has now not moved for three whole days!

White Mohawk bees; white hour-glass head bees; last of the Mohican bees

The other week on my quick daily inspection of the hive I found that the hive was being visited by bees that I had never in my life seen before. They had white hour-glass patterns on the top of their heads. I expected that there would be an altercation or two. Maybe the drones would appear and push these strangers away or perhaps my lovely ladies would gather around these new comers and make short shrift of them sending them back to where they had come from. In fact not one bee took the slightest notice of these white-headed bees. I wondered if they had come from another hive. Perhaps our hive was more attractive to them. Each day I carried on my inspection of the entrance and found more and more of these white hour-glass honey bees going in and coming out of the hive. They were industrious bringing back pollen packed basketfuls. I knew that I had to find out more information about them and chose to Google to find out what they were. I could find nothing even on the bee forums. The nearest answer was sugar coating from sugar water feed. Our bees however had no sugar water, the weather was hot and sunny and the bees required no extra feed so this wasn’t the answer I was looking for.

I did eventually find out that these were our bees and these markings were caused through their tops being dyed by the pale white pollen from Himalayan Balsam, which lines the water courses, streams, brooks, creeks, canals and rivers in the area. Although the pollen dyes the tops of the bees where there is a small amount of fur on the back of the bees heads, it is harmless. I am also advised that if the pollen from Himalayan Balsam is found and collected by honey bees it makes the most superb honey.

White hour-glass headed bees

 

… and here is the culprit the flower with the white pollen that dyes the top of the fur heads of the honey bees in a beautiful hour-glass shape or Mohawk .. at least I have found the solution to my white headed bees!!

Himalayan Balsam wild flowers

The meat in your fruit

Watch out those of you who are vegetarians or vegans because there is meat all around! The raspberry season has been spectacular this year and this particular droop is exceeding its lowly cousin the blackberry by a mile. Not only are the raspberry fruits plentiful but they are large, sweet and juicy also. I have been picking a fair few each time I have ventured into the garden and squelched their freshness onto my tongue whilst their pips have juicily jumped down my throat like miniature pomegranate pips. However, recently I nearly got caught out by a tiny green meaty fellow that was so tiny I was only awakened by what appeared to be a little green hair that momentarily seemed to be moving. On closer inspection there was a tiny hair-like worm which I think may have been a newly hatched raspberry beetle in its first stage of life.

Raspberry beetle grub Byturus tomentosus, weaving silk in the centre of a raspberry droop

Close-up pictures of my raspberry, together with its newly hatched grub; pictures of the tiny green hairs that grow between the tiny fruit seeds

2013 long hot Summer

I was beginning to think that we (may be due to climate change) would never see a wonderful long, hot Summer ever again. It is more than seven full years since we have had the type of Summer whereby we could simply laze in the garden and feel the warm, if not, hot breeze kiss our skin. To suck in warm, sweet smelling air and listen to a million insects busy themselves sucking in the nectar as they flit from flower to flower.

Although, with September the air has cooled there still remains an expectation of a warm and long Indian Summer to stoke up the vitamin D in readiness for the Winter.

One thing that I have come to realise is that this year there is an abundance of extra large acorns on the oak trees. I’m not sure whether this signifies anything at all …

Extra bit of useful knowledge is that acorns are edible; they store well for two or more years; they may be roasted to make oak or acorn coffee; when planted they produce an extraordinary long, thick and strong tap root; they will kill off parts of themselves, whole thick branches if required, in times of drought; they maintain a whole eco system for a large variety of living things; they live to be 1000 or more years old; they are a hard wood tree; they are truly exceptional!

Cape Fuchsias – Phygelius – tall, hardy and very regal

The soldiers of the African garden, Cape Fuchsias grow well in British soil. I have only encountered two hybrids available for purchase, a deep Royal Pink and a warm Emperor Orange. Wild Cape Fuchsias all have delightful yellow throats but are inclined to grow between a metre to a metre and a half in height with a spread of around eighty centimetres.

I purchased mine a couple of years ago as tender, small, young plants and with a little fertilizer and a splash of water they soon began to grow. I was pleased that they established themselves so well in our soil.

Cape Fuchsias, unlike other hardy fuchsias, are not non-stop flowering plants throughout the Summer. They have a flowering season then have to be gently pruned back and nurtured with some more plant food before they provide a second show of flowers. They do provide vivid splashes of brightness so are well worth adding to the border. Do not buy too many as they are easy plants to create off-spring from. The two best ways for cultivation are firstly by seed collection – keep the seeds in the house or a warm greenhouse and store in dry conditions. An old clean brown paper bag stores most seeds well. Plant the seeds outdoors from mid-March onwards preferably in an area of the garden that faces the sun. Make a small dip or drill into the soil the size of a bamboo cane placed on its side – drop the seeds in the row and roughly cover with earth – water evenly with a gentle spray. If too many seedlings germinate take out the weak ones and allow the strong ones to form new plants. The other method is to gently pull away some of the soil around the root of the plant and you should see quite sturdy sucker type root stems just underneath the surface. Pull one of these slightly above the surface and push a dry twig underneath the exposed area. You should find that a small stem with leaves will grow and once it has reached the height of a hand approximately 16 to 18 centimetres. Gently prize out the new plant and cut through the attached sucker root. This may now either be planted on into a medium to large flowerpot or tub or into a sunny place in the garden border.

 

Cape Fuchsia – African Soldiers - Phygelius

Houses to let

Houses this year are very popular. Both the Mason and the Leaf-cutter bees have practically filled up all of the vacancies and there have been very few homes left empty and as yet, apart from some being obviously too narrow or too wide, I have not been able to find out why the remaining homes, which look perfect from the outside are left and not taken up some years.

The bees appeared to be keener than ever this year to increase their numbers and they moved with amazing alacrity to fill as many suitable crevices within both the wooden Insect tenements. First the Mason bees had their pick and packed the tube houses with mud – then just before they had finished possessing as many properties as they were able, the slightly larger Leaf-cutter bees shook themselves about and proceeded to claim all of the remaining suitable vacancies. Never have I seen such an array of colours and materials being stuffed into the entrances to make the front doors secure.

This shows one of the larger Leaf-cutter bees scraping around the edge of the bamboo making sure that it is spick and span before sorting it out as a suitable nesting home

 

 

This shows the variety of materials used to seal the front doors of each of the compartments. You can see the mud or clay used by the Mason bees as well as the large variety and colours of the leaves used by the Leaf-cutter bees.

Jungle jewel weaves magical tentacles creating a perfect paradise

I must admit that as the Spring rolled out in front of me I thought that I had lost all of last years’ perennial garden purchases including the Everlasting Sweet Pea or Perennial Sweet Pea as it is often called. It was late rising from the ground and despite searching and searching there was no sign of any green shoots in the place where I planted out my plants. Then one day I noticed a leaf and a tendril that was pea shaped. After just a few weeks more this wonderful plant surprised me with the speed that it grew. It hangs on the branches of the apple trees pushing itself higher and higher. I am so pleased that I have it in the garden. Its flowers are not strong in perfume, in fact, their scent is so mild that you need a good nose to find it. It rewards with so many stems, each holding perfect jewels and just two or three make an excellent posy.

Although it is known as a European plant its popularity has spread throughout many countries. It produces pods of seeds once the flowers are spent and I will be tempted to grow a few more of these beautiful plants. They are also known for occasionally self-seeding creating new plants around the original parent plant. Once the plants have established themselves it will also be possible to split them taking a portion from the root and making a new plant for another area of the garden.

 Everlasting Sweet Pea - Perennial Sweet Pea - Lathyrus latifolius

 Everlasting Sweet Pea - Perennial Sweet Pea - Lathyrus latifolius (this picture taken in the late evening)

Attack, attack!!

Recently we found a grub or larvae, on three separate occasions, inside the top of the hive. On the first occasion the small grub/larvae was moving on a level piece of wood just under the Perspex viewing lid. On the second and third occasion the grub was cocooned in a long silky ball which it appeared to be still making.

We found out that this was the larvae of a wax moth. It is difficult looking at the grub/larvae to tell which out of the two varieties of wax moth that enter hives this one could be. There is a Greater Wax Moth and a Lesser Wax Moth. The Greater Wax Moth is said to chew out small alcoves in the wooden parts of the hive in which to pupate whilst the Lesser Wax Moth has no need to make a groove in the wood before pupating. With that in mind, we concluded that what we had would appear to be the larvae of the Lesser Wax Moth, as we could find no damage to any of the wooden areas of the hive.

 

Greater Wax Moth - Galleria mellonella or Lesser Wax Moth Achroia grisella

Little note for bee lovers:
Bees are noted for their cleanliness and tidiness. So as long as the brood is healthy and plentiful and well inspected there should be no need to worry about the appearance of occasional wax moths. Both types of wax moth (especially the Greater Wax Moth) are more dangerous if there are areas of stale and dirty cone in the hive or if the bees have been assaulted by Varroa Mites or devastated by other enemies or attacked by a long, bleak, cold Winter or indeed a long, cool wet Spring.

Pollen planet; balls of pollen

It is fascinating that so much valuable food is produced from the fertilization of flowers. Honey bees collect pollen from the flowers and store it on the lower part of their hind legs where the tiny balls of pollen are grouped together to form an elongated ball.

The first picture shows the honey bee ball of collected pollen that was accidentally dropped by one of the female worker bees at the foot of the hive. It is made up of thousands of pollen grains that look as though they have all been collected off one particular species of flower.

 

 

 

The three pictures above are a close-up of all of the pollen grains that make up the top picture of the pollen ball. The individual pollen grains look like eggs or particles of sand. Amazingly the pollen grains all stick together to form the shape that the bee carries back to the hive. The actual ‘pollen ball’ looks nearer in colour to the first few pictures and the camera has lightened the last picture whilst I was trying to focus and enlarge the pollen grains.

Pollen is a protein and is used by the bees when rearing their young.

Pollen has also been found to be a health food for humans and so if an extra amount has been collected by the bees then excess may be gathered and eaten by humans.

It’s all about the entrance ..

The beautiful Buckfast honey bees making their entrance at the hive. The weight of the pollen that they carry on their back legs occasionally falls through the gap between the frames and lands on the floor beneath the hive. When this happens they appear to leave it well alone rather than trying to pick it up to save it and use it inside the hive. Watch to see how industrious they are both entering and leaving the hive.

Albino fish

It was time to add a couple of new fish to the garden pond. We had sadly lost two of our Golden Orfe during one of the several hot periods of the Summer. The heat sucks out the oxygen and leaves the fish gasping. We thought that with all of the oxygenating weed,the filters, a UV box and fountain on for most of the day that the pond was healthy enough to protect the fish and wildlife when the temperature soared. Sadly, although we never actually saw any of the fish gasping at the surface, we now know that the reason we lost the two Orfe was through lack of oxygen in the pond water. Since then we have added a fizzer/bubbler and have run several pipes off it to keep the water moving and provide oxygen bubbles in their thousands for our merry shoal of fish.

When we went into the aquatics centre, besides the goldfish, comets, shubunkins and koi they had Albino Grass Carp with pale skin and pink/red eyes. Although these pale carp were only very small, they appeared to be drawn to everyone as they passed by. I stopped and peered into their tank and immediately a third of all of the masses of fish swam towards where I stood. I then placed my hand just above the water and before I had chance to pull my hand back several jumped up out of the water and kissed my finger tips. I have never seen fish so very, very friendly before. Up and up they jumped and sucked at my fingers. My heart had been captured and so I now have two Albino Grass Carp.

I wondered what I should name them. After a while I decided upon two children’s comic names. So for their friendliness and cheekiness I thought the names Dandy and Beano suited them nicely.

I have hurriedly taken some pictures of them. One day time view which doesn’t do them justice at all and some taken as soon as it became coal black outside and here they are:

 Baby Albino Grass Carp – picture taken during daylight hours with protective netting to keep off the herons

Albino Grass Carp - Ctenopharyngodon idella - taken when it was pitch black – the light from the camera’s flash is picked up on the red eye of one of the fish in the bottom picture

Grass Carp are herbivores and are a useful fish to have in ponds, lakes and rivers as they help to keep water weeds and side growing algae under control

 

Bee picture perfect

To view an insect, especially a bee, up closely is to see nature’s perfection. Here are some pictures showing a bee drinking some water ..

Close-up of a beautiful lady Buckfast honey bee drinking water from a bird bath