Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Sticky honeydew from lime trees is the outcome of a sugar-rush fuelled aphid love-in
Going to sit down in our garden earlier today under a large lime lime tree this afternoon, I could only take a seat after the daily (sometimes twice daily) chore of wiping the sticky honeydew off the seats, all the time being bombarded by a blizzard of pea-sized seeds which seem particularly plentiful this year.
But, I shouldn't complain, lime trees are one of our most ancient arboreal cousins. They're great for nature. The honeydew that I so assiduously wipe away is excreted by thousands upon thousands of Eucallipterus tiliae, tiny Linden aphids.
Young linden aphids flanked by an adult (Image: Graham Calow on www.naturespot.org.uk)
According to a very informative information sheet published by hellotrees.co.uk, all these tiny creatures are essentially like a bunch of affectionate teens hugging and caressing each other as they gorge on the a sugary drink.
Apparently they're after the protein the lime tree leaves contain in small quantities. So they ingest huge amounts, extract what they need and pass the rest of the sugary water through, depositing it on whatever is below. The sheet says that in some European countries, bees include the deposits in their nectar gathering.
Knowing this will lighten my burden as I wipe away the results of their sugar and sex orgies.
Sheet attached below.
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Summer_Lime-tree-honeydew.pdf, 632 KB
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Geraldine
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I remember that sticky stuff. I had no idea what it was. Together with the bindweed - granny pop out of bed we called it - lime trees are a lasting memory of Harringay.
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Permalink Reply by andrew simmonds
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My memories tree-wise were pear trees. We had several around us in Beresford Rd. One or two were quite mature (18-24 inch girth) and at least 30 feet tall. Pears were like bullets and bitter but prolific.
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I have rather less fond memories of lime trees. Local authority,thoughtfully planted one directly next to the flank wall of my house, causing subsidence when it matured. Endless correspondence between us ultimately came to naught. Replaced by a Turkish hazel, the fruit of which sends the local squirrels into delirium each autumn.
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