Ash trees are amongst the commonest of our woodland trees, but this may not be the case for much longer. Ash dieback is a fungal disease that causes the trees to lose their leaves and eventually die and it is thought that tens of thousands of Ash trees will die from this disease. Ash trees will soon be in fruit and then they can readily be identified by their winged fruits – dangling seeds known as keys, as shown in this photograph. These turn brown and fall from the trees during the winter and are then dispersed by birds and other animals. As with most of our native trees, Ash are host to a huge variety of fauna and flora and these are also at risk when the trees die.
One species of fungus that is most commonly associated with Ash is King Alfred’s Cakes, so-called because of their resemblance to burnt cakes. They look like hard, round lumps on the surface of dead and decaying wood, pinkish-brown when young, but becoming black and shiny as they age – they can remain on the dead wood for years. The older specimens are used as tinder for lighting fires, reportedly burning slowly (like charcoal briquettes) and giving off a pungent smoke. In the wild, they are often home to small animal such as beetles and other insects; they are also used as food for some species, including various species of Concealer moths.
One unusual insect that makes good use of the cakes is the Scarce Fungus Weevil. The larvae of this species develop inside the cakes and the adults are usually found in the vicinity. Weevils are a very diverse group of beetles, but few are as outlandish as this species, with its head covered with pale hairs and varying dark and light areas on its wing cases. The eggs of this weevil are laid during the late spring and summer, with several eggs being laid into the King Alfred’s Cakes. The larvae initially feed on the fungus but then burrow into the underlying wood to complete their development over a period of one to two years.
These ecological relationships are to be found amongst all native species, so when an Ash tree dies there is a simultaneous loss of many other species. Over the last 40 years, Dutch Elm disease (caused by a fungus that is spread by bark beetles) has resulted in the deaths of millions of Elm trees across the UK. The loss of all of these trees and their associated wildlife has changed the appearance of our native woodlands and hedgerows. There is nothing that we can do as individuals, but the Woodland Trust is working hard on our behalf to monitor the spread of these diseases and produce trees in the UK to help replace them. You can read about their work (and consider joining the trust) by going to woodlandtrust.org.uk
Ash trees are amongst the commonest of our woodland trees, but this may not be the case for much longer. Ash dieback is a fungal disease that causes the trees to lose their leaves and eventually die and it is thought that tens of thousands of Ash trees will die from this disease. Ash trees will soon be in fruit and then they can readily be identified by their winged fruits – dangling seeds known as keys, as shown in this photograph. These turn brown and fall from the trees during the winter and are then dispersed by birds and other animals. As with most of our native trees, Ash are host to a huge variety of fauna and flora and these are also at risk when the trees die.
One species of fungus that is most commonly associated with Ash is King Alfred’s Cakes, so-called because of their resemblance to burnt cakes. They look like hard, round lumps on the surface of dead and decaying wood, pinkish-brown when young, but becoming black and shiny as they age – they can remain on the dead wood for years. The older specimens are used as tinder for lighting fires, reportedly burning slowly (like charcoal briquettes) and giving off a pungent smoke. In the wild, they are often home to small animal such as beetles and other insects; they are also used as food for some species, including various species of Concealer moths.
One unusual insect that makes good use of the cakes is the Scarce Fungus Weevil. The larvae of this species develop inside the cakes and the adults are usually found in the vicinity. Weevils are a very diverse group of beetles, but few are as outlandish as this species, with its head covered with pale hairs and varying dark and light areas on its wing cases. The eggs of this weevil are laid during the late spring and summer, with several eggs being laid into the King Alfred’s Cakes. The larvae initially feed on the fungus but then burrow into the underlying wood to complete their development over a period of one to two years.
These ecological relationships are to be found amongst all native species, so when an Ash tree dies there is a simultaneous loss of many other species. Over the last 40 years, Dutch Elm disease (caused by a fungus that is spread by bark beetles) has resulted in the deaths of millions of Elm trees across the UK. The loss of all of these trees and their associated wildlife has changed the appearance of our native woodlands and hedgerows. There is nothing that we can do as individuals, but the Woodland Trust is working hard on our behalf to monitor the spread of these diseases and produce trees in the UK to help replace them. You can read about their work (and consider joining the trust) by going to woodlandtrust.org.uk