Ruislip: What is it good for ......?

As far as I know OCGW are solitary and at 2-3mm pretty small, scarcely even a snack for a hornet. The only proven killer of OCGW is the Torymus sinensis Kamija mentioned above, which has been deployed in Italy, Spain & France, (within Europe).

I lived in Ruislip for a couple of years in a flat above the pizza hut on the high street. Probably in 2005/2006. I loved it there. I've just had a look on street view and the pizza hut seems to have gone, so I can't work out where the flat was.

We used to go to a pub which I think was called the Swan and which now seems to be a Cafe Rouge. Wimpy still seems to be there, though. What a place that it can sustain a Wimpy for all these years...

Yep, Pizza Express nipped round the corner into Ickenham Road, by the sports shop. PE found a property with a backyard, that they extended into and popped in a large rooflight to create a large, airy, 'event backroom' you can book for brithdays etc.
mespilus jr. had his 16th here with +/- 20 guests.
I think the old PH venue was where The Works is now.
The Swan was seldom a good pub, and 2005/6 must have been close to the nadir.
Was that the era when they had a drum'n'bass DJ in the corner of a Monday night?
Ruislip High Street has always lacked a decent pub, which is odd as there is no history of Temperance. Most geezers drink in the (cheaper) bars/social clubs associated with sports clubs.
Yeah, that Wimpy persists. Last year or two Wimpy Head Office seems to have got itself in gear and has seasonal dishes advertised on the swinging ad boards outside. I'm told it is still run by the same founding family.
Post Shutdown we'll probably be organising an amnesty for people who have moved away.

Pizza Express

He said Pizza Hut, though.

I love insects, but I have never seen a hornet. For some reason, I've always lived where they are scarce. I'd love to see one/some someday.

Pizza Hut/Pizza Express:
Sparks explained it best
.

Ah.

Yes might be a slight size mismatch there. :o)

I have seen a European Hornet in the middle of my Uni halls on parquet flooring. Long time ago now.

I remember it well because it actually looked round at me.

Articulated it's head not body.

Bah,
last year you could stood by that stump and indulged your crabrophilia!
I'll let you know if my eco/green network finds another hornet nest.

I'd say the size of OCGW probably wouldn't be an issue for hornets (even though hornets are several centimetres long, they still benefit from eating many of them), but as smaller insects are for the most part incredibly fast, it would probably be difficult for the rather large, lumbering hornet (by insect standards) to catch any (if they were even suitable for hornets to eat). You'd need smaller, faster predators for that. I'm sure they exist, but I don't know much about insect-insect predation.

Dryocosmos kuriphilus has a specific adaptation for rapidly infesting a stand of sweet chestnut;
it reproduces parthogenetically.
It is very likely the original infestation in Mad Bess Wood was from a solitary female.
Hornets, knowing there is always an easy meal at a bee hive, or from roadkill carrion, are unlikely to be actively hunting/patrolling a stand of sweet chestnut.

The current hope for European sweet chestnut is the introduction of Torymus sinensis kamija.

Torymus sinensis kamija

https://www.agrobio.es/products/pest-control/torycontrol-torymus-sinensis-control-chestnut-gall-wasp/?lang=en

Hmmm ...

TORYcontrol

Yes, I was wondering when someone else would notice the coincidence between a Linnean name and the UK political system.

^many Grazing cattle.

Resolving a ridiculous OWL alert from the Metropolitan Police.
Following an extremely wet Winter/Spring, (many footpaths transformed into temporary streams), and bridle paths widened into 25 metres of quagmire, The Shutdown has brought many (hopefully new) visitors to the Ruislip Woods NNR. The Council installed an all-weather path around the Lido many years ago, and for many visitors a stroll on a mud-free tarmac path, glorious views across the Lido, see a few waterbirds, swans, geese, mallards, coots, terns, and a coffee and a cake in the San Remo cafe by the beach is a fine day out.

Now the footpaths have dried out, some people are venturing further than they have previously,
and OWL sent out an alert asking if any local farmers had lost some cattle, as they had been seen in a field 'in th'Woods'.

I don't personally subscribe to OWL, but a trusted mate and a local Councillor forwarded me the message, and I have had a response from the Met Pol Officer who manages the OWL response desk. Hopefully, before the weekend, he can issue the clarifying message confirming that the grazing cattle should be there, have been a feature and management method for over a decade, and
that dog walkers who wish to share Poor's Field with the cattle are respectfully asked to put their dogs on leads.

a OWL

Fixed.

Don't you know anything?

I'll tee them up,
you bang them into the back of the net!

Just in case OWL,
(or a OWL),
is an unknown phenomenon,
here's a link: https://www.owl.co.uk/

I stopped by some sweet chestnut saplings on the edge of Epping Forest. There were many of these:

1 Attachment

WTF is that?

It's a leaf infested with the Oriental Chestnut Gall Wasp which @mespilus was talking about upthread

https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/pest-and-disease-resources/oriental-chestnut-gall-wasp-dryocosmus-kuriphilus/

Apologies for being 'that Guy',
but,
OCGW is a 'notifiable pest'.
I don't spend much time in or even near Epping Forest,
so do not know the owner, but guessing either local authority or Corporation of London?
Either/both of them, hopefully, have an email address for their Parks/Open Spaces/Woodland/Green Team?

Get with the program.
This thread is run on the Reithian principle of 'educate, inform and entertain',
(often, mainly for my own benefit!)
Once The Shutdown is over will we see you & FamilyMashton out here in the Glory of Ruislip?

Thanks for noticing and recording this other infestation of OCGW.
I suspect we will see a lot more of it
until Natural England/ Forestry Commission, (and potentiall other statutory bodies)
allow the release of Torymus sinensis kamija.

I have emailed the Spanish outfit Oliver referenced above
to find out the cost of the OCGW-devouring predator.

Oh yes, of course, the OCGW.

And yes, family mashton will definitely be visiting the principality of Ruislip.

Can't guarantee a welcome from the Mayor,
or
a flypast,
but can probably organise a ceremonial tree-planting.
@skydancer, as per upthread, can vouch for Ruislip being a 'cracking day out!'.

Sounds good
We may ride over to see you