tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post6527845128110838577..comments2023-11-13T07:19:45.061+00:00Comments on CABINET OF CURIOSITIES: The Alien that Conquered BritainUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-69806339544535318662009-10-13T20:13:08.580+00:002009-10-13T20:13:08.580+00:00Thanks Emma, I find that lovely rippled pattern pa...Thanks Emma, I find that lovely rippled pattern particularly attractive.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-17153166655048682032009-10-13T20:11:37.529+00:002009-10-13T20:11:37.529+00:00Point taken,Nyctalus... I guess its fear of litiga...Point taken,Nyctalus... I guess its fear of litigation from parents and ambulance-chasing lawyers that's the real blightPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-74072403189543188932009-10-13T16:52:04.265+00:002009-10-13T16:52:04.265+00:00The chestnut pictures are beautiful, Phil. Lovely...The chestnut pictures are beautiful, Phil. Lovely light and colour.Emma Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04385447781203785369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-83217325511668013882009-10-12T22:49:51.227+00:002009-10-12T22:49:51.227+00:00On the other hand :-)
http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/s...On the other hand :-)<br />http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/september.htmNyctalushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03529729794764990304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-71973163185287611542009-10-10T21:54:23.584+00:002009-10-10T21:54:23.584+00:00Greetings Frank... and thanks for your kind commen...Greetings Frank... and thanks for your kind comment. Regrettably the Health and Safety Policy frown on the game these days .... see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1060708.stmPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-46492063417085625792009-10-10T21:50:54.413+00:002009-10-10T21:50:54.413+00:00Hi Nyctalus, interesting point...in evolutionary t...Hi Nyctalus, interesting point...in evolutionary terms the two species aren't closely........ although they have similar English names their biochemistry could easily be uniquePhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-21339344046523948292009-10-10T05:05:25.044+00:002009-10-10T05:05:25.044+00:00Ah! I remember those stinging knuckles! Hadn't...Ah! I remember those stinging knuckles! Hadn't thought about them in over 40 years. As a lad in the colonies (Canada) in the 50s and early 60s, whacking chestnuts (or conkers, as you call them) was a popular fall pastime. I remember the pride of owning a champion, which I retired undefeated after 20-some battles.<br /><br />Wonder where it ended up?<br /><br />Thanks for the memory jog. This looks like an interesting blog. I suspect I'll be back. :)Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-74528514746693181402009-10-07T21:15:16.742+00:002009-10-07T21:15:16.742+00:00They are such beautiful things and a good example ...They are such beautiful things and a good example of how easy it is to take the commonplace for granted. <br />Now I think about it, I'm puzzling how the tree get its seeds dispersed (other than by small persons). If they aren't attractive to animals as a food source then presumably they won't get carried off - like acorns do- an scattered that way?<br />Also, the edible sweet chestnut, which is superficially very similar, hasn't developed such a poisonous defence. It must have a different mechanism, I suppose?Nyctalushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03529729794764990304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-65576877783590447842009-10-07T19:47:51.052+00:002009-10-07T19:47:51.052+00:00Hi abbey meadows, I'm told the insect that'...Hi abbey meadows, I'm told the insect that's causing the problem - a leaf mining moth called Cameraria ohridella - has now reached North Yorkshire. I saw a lot of trees infected with it in Kings Lynn in the summer. Give it a year or two and I think it will reach us.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-31146472024965537632009-10-07T19:45:31.806+00:002009-10-07T19:45:31.806+00:00Dougie, you are absolutely right - a typo on my pa...Dougie, you are absolutely right - a typo on my part - thanks for pointing it out! It should be Aesculus hippocastanum.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-12707322495091004762009-10-07T15:32:10.211+00:002009-10-07T15:32:10.211+00:00Excellent post and some wonderful shots. Have any ...Excellent post and some wonderful shots. Have any of the trees up here been affected by the disease which appears to be spreading to Chestnut trees in southern Britain? The trees around Morpeth seem to be fine.abbey meadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13293023923907992548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-36083211537377994042009-10-07T15:21:59.073+00:002009-10-07T15:21:59.073+00:00I've not see that spelling (hypocastanum) befo...I've not see that spelling (hypocastanum) before but I see that it is used in many places, though not as much as hippocastanum. And I've found <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:64_Aesculus_hypocastanum_L.jpg" rel="nofollow">one site</a> that uses both! Now I am confused.Dougie Nisbethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16825374467344319561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-11897127882949483022009-10-06T19:53:41.520+00:002009-10-06T19:53:41.520+00:00Ho John, we seem to have a good crop here this yea...Ho John, we seem to have a good crop here this year, although not many really big ones. The horse chestnut leaves seemed to turn yellow very early this year, maybe because it has been so dry up in Durham..Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-5584668982206471162009-10-06T19:52:21.797+00:002009-10-06T19:52:21.797+00:00Thanks Keith, if I'd had one I would have used...Thanks Keith, if I'd had one I would have used a polarising filter to get rid of the highlight/reflectionPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-45996228605769720112009-10-06T19:51:18.298+00:002009-10-06T19:51:18.298+00:00Hi Adrian,the gales last weekend brought a lot of ...Hi Adrian,the gales last weekend brought a lot of conkers down and I just can't resist picking them up!Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-81031702749803373692009-10-06T08:13:52.300+00:002009-10-06T08:13:52.300+00:00I didn't know about the toxic content either.
...I didn't know about the toxic content either.<br />There are quite a few Horse Chestnut trees in the village. Walking the pavements under them is like walking on a pebble beach at the moment. There seems to be a bumper crop this year.Midmarsh Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10980417659811194899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-21044936517510030062009-10-06T04:33:56.719+00:002009-10-06T04:33:56.719+00:00Love that tabloid title Phil lol
Interesting read ...Love that tabloid title Phil lol<br />Interesting read about the toxic content. Never knew that.<br />I tried a couple of years ago to get some decent pictures of conkers, and failed miserably. Yours are great; and that last one a real conqueror.holdingmomentshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16455039696354576430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-34508139747043030172009-10-06T02:25:44.524+00:002009-10-06T02:25:44.524+00:00Once again I've learn't. Thanks that's...Once again I've learn't. Thanks that's about quadrupled my knowledge of the Horse Chestnut.ADRIANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07113961163396562781noreply@blogger.com