DOOM: Dormice

[AtW]

"Britain’s grasslands and dormice under threat from mild autumn

October’s summery temperatures are ‘confusing’ plants and throwing off fragile ecosystems

Britain’s rare chalk grasslands and dormice are under threat from the mild weather this autumn, and some plants are “confused” and have flowered multiple times, experts have said.

This October, the UK has experienced temperatures more normal for spring or summer, with highs of 19.5C recorded this week, and more warm weather forecast for coming days.

The Met Office forecasts it will in the days ahead be unusually warm in much of mainland Europe, not just the UK, which has been experiencing temperatures above average."

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...gile-ecosystem

[SueEllen]

"It's just weather"

Julia Hartley-Sewer

[SueEllen]

On another note I normally start planting bulbs around now.

At this rate I'm going to have to wait until December.

[BlasterBates]

some plants are “confused” and have flowered multiple times, experts have said.

So why is this negative? There are plenty of plants that bloom multiple times.

If these are plants that normally only bloom once, all that it means is the growing season this year is long enough to allow them to bloom more than once.

From the article:

About 80% of it didn’t flower because of the summer heatwave and drought, but the mild weather and a little rain has caused it to recover. They have also seen healthy numbers of speckled wood butterflies enjoying the mild weather.

In other words the mild autumn is generally positive and is mitigating the effects of the dry summer.

[WTFH]

So why is this negative? There are plenty of plants that bloom multiple times.

If these are plants that normally only bloom once, all that it means is the growing season this year is long enough to allow them to bloom more than once.

In other words the mild autumn is generally positive and is mitigating the effects of the dry summer.

Just remember that the hottest day in the UK in October was recorded in 2011, not 1911.


If you limit your research to when something flowers, and believe that flowering is just there to make the place look pretty, then woohoo, pretty flowers.

Plants flower so that they get pollinated. The pollination occurs due to birds and insects needing the nectar - in preparation for, or feeding broods.
A plant flowering in October instead of May is less likely to get pollinated. This is bad for the survival of the plant.
A plant not flowering in May is bad for the birds and insects that rely on it for food.

The cycle then continues - the plants produce fruit in autumn, which has more nutrients in it than the flower. The creatures that feed on the fruiting body then have energy to survive winter/hibernation, and at the same time they transport the seeds to different places.
If there’s no fruit in autumn, that is bad for the survival of the plant, and the creatures that survive off it.

[BlasterBates]

Just remember that the hottest day in the UK in October was recorded in 2011, not 1911.


If you limit your research to when something flowers, and believe that flowering is just there to make the place look pretty, then woohoo, pretty flowers.

Plants flower so that they get pollinated. The pollination occurs due to birds and insects needing the nectar - in preparation for, or feeding broods.
A plant flowering in October instead of May is less likely to get pollinated. This is bad for the survival of the plant.
A plant not flowering in May is bad for the birds and insects that rely on it for food.

The cycle then continues - the plants produce fruit in autumn, which has more nutrients in it than the flower. The creatures that feed on the fruiting body then have energy to survive winter/hibernation, and at the same time they transport the seeds to different places.
If there’s no fruit in autumn, that is bad for the survival of the plant, and the creatures that survive off it.

October 1921 was as almost as hot as 2011 and hotter than 2022 and the plants survived.

https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/tw...=posts&t=16870

October 1921 was an incredible month for autumn warmth! The first third of the month saw a phenomenal heat wave which recorded temperatures quite widely into the mid-to upper twenties in the first ten days of the month. In fact, 25C was reached or exceeded on eight of the first ten days of the month. Unsurprisingly, it recorded a very high CET of 12.8C.

But it isn't surprising, because the bees are still around in autumn.

https://justbeeloved.com/blogs/news/...-autumn-winter

Bumblebees are able to tolerate colder temperatures and can often be seen foraging on winter flowers right up until November.

[Gibbon]

But it isn't surprising, because the bees are still around in autumn.

Confirmed in the north too. I was going to cut my lavender down this weekend but then spotted new blooms and bees, so I have left them.

[Guy Incognito]

Let's not worry about plants we bred, we can always breed some new ones...

[SueEllen]

But it isn't surprising, because the bees are still around in autumn.

https://justbeeloved.com/blogs/news/...-autumn-winter

Your link points out that they forage on different flowers in the autumn.

[BlasterBates]

Your link points out that they forage on different flowers in the autumn.

Bees are not fussy.

https://www.almanac.com/10-things-yo...%20of%20bloom.

However, bumblebees are not fussy; anything that produces nectar and pollen works for them! If you plant even a small area or a few containers with flowering plants, the bees will find them.