Category Archives: People

Some new blogs are under development – detailed species accounts

During the Autumn Term our MSc Plant Diversity students are each drafting a detailed blog on one species that is being grown in the tropical glasshouse.  These blogs will be much more detailed and longer trials ur typical blogs and … Continue reading

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Harlequin failure

After two weeks of waiting and checking on tiny mice it would appear that my attempt to initiate a bio control program using harlequin ladybirds has been a failure. The aphids are still high in numbers and happily feeding. Also … Continue reading

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The time for waiting is over!

Over the past few months I’ve been coming in at ten day intervals to take counts of pests. Each week something has changed and the display is really coming together nicely. Along side these changes I’ve also seen how remarkably … Continue reading

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Whitefly and Parasitoid wasps

Whiteflies, of the family Aleyrudidae, are insects that belong to the same order as Aphids, Hemiptera. These small bugs are about 1-2mm long in adult form, with two pairs of white wings. Most of their time is spent on the … Continue reading

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Aphids and…reproduction

Aphids- of the superfamily Aphidoidea- are insects that have caused a great level of destruction and fretting to many a gardeners efforts. Alternatively we can view them as a highly successful, intriguing group of organisms. An interesting aspect of aphids is that they have a great … Continue reading

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Chaenostoma cordatum

Today, while Sam was investigating pests in the tropical glasshouse he noted that the plant of Chaenostoma cordatum ‘Copia Great Purple’ was suffering from both whitefly and thrips while plants around it were free of both. 

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Pests!

Good afternoon web-browsers. As this is my first post I feel it necessary to introduce myself. My name is Samuel Hickling and I shall be working for Dr.Culham on the final year project of a Zoology BSc. My given task … Continue reading

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Thank you Annual Fund – Year 1 ends this month!

The first year of development of the Tropical Glasshouse project has been supported by a grant of £7000 from the University Annual Fund,  a fund built from donor contributions.  In May/June 2011 I submitted a proposal along with Liz Williamson … Continue reading

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The Royal Horticultural Society – Tropical Glasshouse

Thanks to several collaborative projects I visit the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley on a regular basis.  The big display greenhouse is maintained by Peter Jones, seen here in front of the waterfall display, and his team who work tirelessly to … Continue reading

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Tropical Agriculture – Community Authorship

Our intrepid tropical typographers, Emily and Sarah, are about to start putting text in to their signage designs.  I’m hoping that by blogging drafts of the text we plan to use it will be possible to refine and improve the … Continue reading

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