What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

Hi All

My family were curious about this and I vowed to find out.....

We recently spent our holiday near Antibes on the Cote D'Azur. One
day one of us noticed that many of the tree trunks were patterned in a
way similar to military style camouflage fabric. On subsequent days
we began to take note that wherever we went in the region, the trees
had the same pattern and on closer examination we decided that
something is eating away at the various layers of bark to create this
effect. It is my opinion that it is probably caused by insect lavae
or such like. If you would like to see this I've posted a picture on:

http://members.fortunecity.com/bytor1/treebark.htm

My son was especially interested and quite concerned as to the
long-term effect it would have on the trees in the area. If you have
a chance, please do look I would really like to hear your opinions.

Many Thanks
Mark Phillips

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

In article ,
(Mark Phillips) writes:
|
| We recently spent our holiday near Antibes on the Cote D'Azur. One
| day one of us noticed that many of the tree trunks were patterned in a
| way similar to military style camouflage fabric. On subsequent days
| we began to take note that wherever we went in the region, the trees
| had the same pattern and on closer examination we decided that
| something is eating away at the various layers of bark to create this
| effect. It is my opinion that it is probably caused by insect lavae
| or such like. If you would like to see this I've posted a picture on:

Well, your larger image doesn't appear to work, but that doesn't look
like damage to me. Quite a few trees' bark flakes off in that way
and, depending on the age of the bark, its surface colouring varies.
Sycamores do, so I would bet on it being some kind of a maple and the
flaking being normal.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

"Mark Phillips" wrote in message
om...
Hi All

My family were curious about this and I vowed to find out.....

We recently spent our holiday near Antibes on the Cote D'Azur. One
day one of us noticed that many of the tree trunks were patterned in a
way similar to military style camouflage fabric. On subsequent days
we began to take note that wherever we went in the region, the trees
had the same pattern and on closer examination we decided that
something is eating away at the various layers of bark to create this
effect. It is my opinion that it is probably caused by insect lavae
or such like. If you would like to see this I've posted a picture on:

http://members.fortunecity.com/bytor1/treebark.htm

My son was especially interested and quite concerned as to the
long-term effect it would have on the trees in the area. If you have
a chance, please do look I would really like to hear your opinions.


The piccic looks like Eucalyptus if you look at :

http://images.google.com/images?sour...ucalyptus+bark

you will see sinilar pictures. It is just the way euclypts work! Layers of
bark shed as the tree grows, its one of the thingsthat make them such an
attractive garden tree

pk

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

"Mark Phillips" wrote in message
om...
Hi All

My family were curious about this and I vowed to find out.....

We recently spent our holiday near Antibes on the Cote D'Azur. One
day one of us noticed that many of the tree trunks were patterned in a
way similar to military style camouflage fabric. On subsequent days
we began to take note that wherever we went in the region, the trees
had the same pattern and on closer examination we decided that
something is eating away at the various layers of bark to create this
effect. It is my opinion that it is probably caused by insect lavae
or such like. If you would like to see this I've posted a picture on:

http://members.fortunecity.com/bytor1/treebark.htm

My son was especially interested and quite concerned as to the
long-term effect it would have on the trees in the area. If you have
a chance, please do look I would really like to hear your opinions.

Your picture illustrated the beautifully patterned bark of a Eucalyptus
species.

Franz

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

Franz Heymann wrote:
"Mark Phillips" wrote in message
om...

Hi All

My family were curious about this and I vowed to find out.....

We recently spent our holiday near Antibes on the Cote D'Azur. One
day one of us noticed that many of the tree trunks were patterned in a
way similar to military style camouflage fabric. On subsequent days
we began to take note that wherever we went in the region, the trees
had the same pattern and on closer examination we decided that
something is eating away at the various layers of bark to create this
effect. It is my opinion that it is probably caused by insect lavae
or such like. If you would like to see this I've posted a picture on:

http://members.fortunecity.com/bytor1/treebark.htm

My son was especially interested and quite concerned as to the
long-term effect it would have on the trees in the area. If you have
a chance, please do look I would really like to hear your opinions.


Your picture illustrated the beautifully patterned bark of a Eucalyptus
species.

Franz



But with sycamore-shaped leaves? Probably not a Eucalypt as their leaves
are all lanceolate or round at best, but not lobed. Perhaps it's a
Platanus - their bark can look like that when they're still young(ish).

http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/P3125281.html

Thes.

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

In article ,
Thes writes:
|
| But with sycamore-shaped leaves? Probably not a Eucalypt as their leaves
| are all lanceolate or round at best, but not lobed. Perhaps it's a
| Platanus - their bark can look like that when they're still young(ish).
|
| http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/P3125281.html

That is much more likely than a maple! While some maples do shed
bark, they don't normally do it like eucalypts, and planes do.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

"Thes" wrote in message
...
Franz Heymann wrote:
"Mark Phillips" wrote in message
om...

Hi All

My family were curious about this and I vowed to find out.....

We recently spent our holiday near Antibes on the Cote D'Azur. One
day one of us noticed that many of the tree trunks were patterned in a
way similar to military style camouflage fabric. On subsequent days
we began to take note that wherever we went in the region, the trees
had the same pattern and on closer examination we decided that
something is eating away at the various layers of bark to create this
effect. It is my opinion that it is probably caused by insect lavae
or such like. If you would like to see this I've posted a picture on:

http://members.fortunecity.com/bytor1/treebark.htm

My son was especially interested and quite concerned as to the
long-term effect it would have on the trees in the area. If you have
a chance, please do look I would really like to hear your opinions.


Your picture illustrated the beautifully patterned bark of a Eucalyptus
species.
But with sycamore-shaped leaves?

The illustration I saw did not show any leaves at all. It had a trunk only.

Probably not a Eucalypt as their leaves
are all lanceolate or round at best, but not lobed. Perhaps it's a
Platanus - their bark can look like that when they're still young(ish).

You might well be right after all. Platanus is much more likely than
Eucalyptus around Antibes .

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Thes writes:
|
| But with sycamore-shaped leaves? Probably not a Eucalypt as their
leaves
| are all lanceolate or round at best, but not lobed. Perhaps it's a
| Platanus - their bark can look like that when they're still young(ish).
|
| http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/P3125281.html

That is much more likely than a maple! While some maples do shed
bark, they don't normally do it like eucalypts, and planes do.


The plane treee is often referred to as The London Plane Tree as we have so
many of the damn things! Why? Because it was one of the few trees that could
survive in the london smog/smoke/pollution of Vicorian & industrial
revolutionary times.

I'm sure lots already know that, but an addiional related snippet of info I
gleaned from the radio yeaterday: Why was london so Smokey and or old
buildings so dirty when a contemoraneous buildings in Paris are not so
dirty?

We used coal as domestic fuel. Paris used Wood! Simple, innit!

pk

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

I'm pretty sure it's a P.orientalis, oriental plane..

There are plane trees in almost every village and town in Provence. Lorgues, in particular has a main street (with a fantastic Tuesday market, BTW) which is said to be "one of the longest plane lined avenues in France".

A few weeks ago in Draguigan (Var) my kids made all sorts of things from bits of platanus bark (every bit having wonderful curvy shapes and varied colours) shed by a tree which, knowing the age of the house and planting, would now be at least 120 years old.

Wish we had a couple here! The play of light in the morning on those big leaves outside the bedroom was a wonderful incentive to get out into the bright Mediterranean day........

CJ

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

I'm pretty sure it's a P.orientalis, oriental plane..

There are plane trees in almost every village and town in Provence. Lorgues, in particular has a main street (with a fantastic Tuesday market, BTW) which is said to be "one of the longest plane lined avenues in France".

A few weeks ago in Draguigan (Var) my kids made all sorts of things from bits of platanus bark (every bit having wonderful curvy shapes and varied colours) shed by a tree which, knowing the age of the house and planting, would now be at least 120 years old.

Wish we had a couple here! The play of light in the morning on those big leaves outside the bedroom was a wonderful incentive to get out into the bright Mediterranean day........

CJ

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

Thanks for all your comments:

After seeing this http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/P3125281.html
I'm covinced that they are Platanus.
So I can assure my family that the effect is perfectly natural?
Would anyone like to tell me how/why the bark forms these shapes?

Cheers
Mark

(Nick Maclaren) wrote in message ...
In article ,
Thes writes:
|
| But with sycamore-shaped leaves? Probably not a Eucalypt as their leaves
| are all lanceolate or round at best, but not lobed. Perhaps it's a
| Platanus - their bark can look like that when they're still young(ish).
|
| http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/P3125281.html

That is much more likely than a maple! While some maples do shed
bark, they don't normally do it like eucalypts, and planes do.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

What causes strange damage to Tree Bark
 

"Mark Phillips" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for all your comments:

After seeing this http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/P3125281.html
I'm covinced that they are Platanus.
So I can assure my family that the effect is perfectly natural?
Would anyone like to tell me how/why the bark forms these shapes?

Cheers
Mark


I remember a documentary in which they said their was evidence that in some
species of trees, photosynthesis is not limited to the leaves and by
shedding these layers, the light can get to the cells in the trunk which
need it.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm