June BHAS Allotment Photo Competition ‘Wildlife’ winner!

Thank you to all the plot holders who entered our first photography competition. Congratulations to David Clark (Palewell Fields) who was chosen at the winner of our first photography competition. We had ten entries to the competition and the anonymous judge chose this entry ‘because we can’t garden and grow without them’.

Winner
David Clark – Palewell Fields
The photograph was taken on our allotment at Palewell Fields. A bumblebee on Comfrey. 
Judge’s comments: ‘because we can’t garden and grow without them.’
John Padgett – Plot 41A Hertford
Male stag beetle.
Judges comment ‘Rare and endangered and we are obviously “doing it right“ on the plots if they are around.’
Rashid, Plot 48 Hertford Avenue.
This photo shows how wasps are helping save box hedges, once they discover the presence of caterpillars on a hedge they keep coming back time after time to feed on them.
Judges comments: ‘wasps are excellent scavengers and pest controllers.’
 
Diane McLellan Plot 52 Priory

One of the slow-worms helping with organic pest control on my plot! Slow-worms are actually legless lizards and are a protected species in the UK.

 
Ronnie Bendall – Plot  51 Hertford

My photo is of a busy ladybird on the leaf of our very vigorous Loch Ness Blackberry.

The picture was taken in early June 2020.
 
Ben Gritten – 2B Priory
The damselfly was a little camera-shy at first and I spent a good 20 minutes chasing it around my allotment until it decided that I wasn’t a threat and ended up being a very good model, showing off its wings to me!
Judges comments: ‘perfectly framed!’
Fiona Heath – Priory 41.
Ladybird on comfrey.
 
Pam Islip – 36 Priory
Field Bird’s Nest Fungi (Cyathus olla) found on compost on one of the plots. The nests are about 1 cm across and are quite common. The ‘eggs’ contain the spores and are spread when raindrops hit them, knocking them out of the nest.
Judges comments: ‘Lovely fungus’
 
Rachel Walker
Female Stag Beetle at plot 37 Hertford.
 
Janet Bostock – 39 Hertford.
Nettles can be considered a weed or they can be a bonus crop. Young leaves make a good soup, can be added to risotto or be the leaf used in Pesto. Some wildlife also enjoys a good nettle patch. The black caterpillars are the larvae of the Peacock butterfly.  At this stage of the nettle season they are welcome guests and may eat as many leaves as they like!

NEW: July/August photography competition ‘Current Crops’

The theme for the Allotment Photo Competition this month is ‘Current Crops’. We’ve seen many of your pick your first crops and salads over the last few weeks so do send us your best shot! At the end of the month a winner will be chosen and awarded a £5 voucher to spend at The Trading Shed. A special prize will be awarded at the end of the year for best overall photo.

Photo competition rules
– one photo per person can be submitted each month. We welcome entries from both adults and children.
– submit your photo in landscape orientation in .jpeg or .png format and email to bhas.social.news@gmail.com or use the hashtag #sheengyo on Instagram.
– include your name, site and plot number.
– include a short 2-3 sentence description of the photo.
– photos for the July/August competition must be submitted by 15th August 2020.
– each month the winner will be chosen by an invited judge.
– by submitting your photo you are also consenting to the BHAS Society using it on their social media accounts and website (full credit will be given).