Friday, April 16, 2021

Beach Report 4/16/21

Mid 50's and partly sunny today, with a bit of a breeze. 
 
There are still scads of Lady Bugs around the beach, including this stick (or tree root maybe) that was nearly covered, by them

Between Georgia and I we scored 25 shark's teeth, a drum's tooth and a fish vert; none special.

Just posting this here to see if we can figure out what it is. Seen on the roadside on the way to the beach. UPDATE: Hey it worked! The app Leafsnap correctly identified it as Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata).

King County, Washington identifies it as " a Class A noxious weed"
Garlic mustard is an invasive non-native biennial herb that spreads by seed. Although edible for people, it is not eaten by local wildlife or insects. It is difficult to control once it has reached a site; it can cross-pollinate or self-pollinate, it has a high seed production rate, it out competes native vegetation and it can establish in a relatively stable forest understory. It can grow in dense shade or sunny sites. The fact that it is self fertile means that one plant can occupy a site and produce a seed bank. Plant stands can produce more than 62,000 seeds per square meter to quickly out compete local flora, changing the structure of plant communities on the forest floor. Garlic mustard is also allelopathic, producing chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants and mychorrizal fungi needed for healthy tree growth and tree seedling survival.
Well, if you can't beat it, eat it!

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