On a hot humid early afternoon of the 5th August I got sick of being in the office and decided to take a walk with my wife, bitch and daughter and one of her local friends to Adlington's 'top Co-op' during 'dinner hour'. We were going to get there by scorning Railway Road and take a wilder more secretive route behind Pincroft's dyeworks and up a wooded clough and meadow hill valley. As we headed along the River Douglas I was struck by the amount of invasive himalayan balsam that had sprung up following the damp river soil towards The Waggon and Horses pub, Pincroft factory and A6. 

Along the lane that connects Pincroft's pond lodge with the railway tunnel over the river I was struck by the beauty of another invasive non-native plant - oxford ragwort growing out of the industrial boundary fence of Andrew Porter's haulage firm. It was awash with a waspy-bee looking hoverfly species. While I was busy taking a close up, after explaining to the kids that these harmless creatures mimic the venomous stingy creatures so that predators stay away, I heard a commotion - but not before I was struck with the patterened beauty of the yellow flowers highlighted by the insect. 

Oh dear! My daughter was convinced a wasp was buzzing around her arm. I just had to get a picture of the 'emergency'. When we looked back at the photo she could see that her friend was sniggering behind her back. 

Oh what a drama queen! How we laughed. The joy of family walks. At this point of this walk while quietly on my own I sometimes spot a kingfisher. But not today. 

If I thought the himalayan balsam had taken over earlier, I was surprised by how much it was prevalent in the clough valley which follows a tributary of the River Douglas trickling down from Adlington's top Bolton Road. Apart from the fact that its flowers stink of cheap washing powder, I don't like to see too much of this escapee from gardens which has now overrun large tracts of damp Britain. And I wonder if it is pushing out the bluebells from our woodlands, as it seems to often inhabit exactly the same patches. However balsam does grow and flower later and so maybe the two can happily co-exist. I remember talking to a bloke who ran a firm that got rid of invasive non-native plants such as the infamous japanese knotweed, and his most loathed vegetation was the himalayan balsam which he felt people ignored because it was prettier than knotweed.


These thoughts reminded me of a press release sent a couple of weeks earlier by the Government announcing that it plans to release a non-native pysllid insect into the environment to eat up japanese knotweed, presumably because the conventional methods to eradicate the plant from the country would run into £billions. The creature, Aphalara itadori, hails from Japan - and DEFRA are trotting the "seeking peoples views" consultation line about whether to release it into Britain. They say five years research by CABI scientists has suggested that it will not feed on other British plants, maybe apart from a few closely related non-native knotweeds. I'm not sure, and sent my views saying that we could end up with another harlequin beetle scenario whereby a former biological control greenhouse non-native is now seriously threatening our ladybirds. I pulled short of mentioning cane toads, crayfish, mink or any number of weird and wonderful wildlife that has rampaged through biodiversity thanks to human interference. For what it's worth the chance to apply your views to the consultation ends on 19th October. DEFRA plan to initially release the Japanese insect in a small number of sites in England and Wales before widespread release. You can find out more and air your views by clicking here   I have run a google image search of the little insect and it reminds me of a rust and orange striped leafhopper. But if I look closely and long enough it appears quite sinister. Take a look yourself - you may get to see a lot more of it!

I have got to say though that the himalayan balsam is very attractive plant, and I love the way its ripe seed pods are under such tension that the slightest touch makes them pop and violently fling their potential offspring. They also seem to be well loved by our bees. And I was pleased to get a picture of said insect that dinner hour that wasn't blurred.

I have to confess though that until recently I thought the himalayan balsam was the only plant in Britain that attracted a weird white bee. I saw this mystery creature flying nowhere else. But then years later I looked a little more closely and realised that it was pollen powder from the alluring flower covering the back of the insect! Needless to say I was determined to get a picture of the mystery white bee - and here's the result from this humid August walk of insects and invasive plants, while getting some exercise and dinner from the top Co-op.