Frankincense is a name given to the oleo-resinous exudations from different species of conifers. American frankincense is obtained as a soft, yellow, resinous solid, with a characteristic turpentine odour, from Pinus Taeda. Another kind is exuded by the spruce fir, and forms a soft solid, the colour of which varies from white to violet red. From this Burgundy pitch is prepared by melting in water and straining through a cloth. The frankincense employed in religious ceremonies (also called also incense and olibanum) is a gum-resin obtained from Boswellia thurifera (or serrata), a tree somewhat resembling the sumach, belonging to the Amyridaceae, and inhabiting the mountains of India. It comes in semi-transparent yellowish tears, or sometimes in masses and possesses a bitter and nauseous taste, and is capable of being pulverized. When burned it exhales a strong aromatic odour, on which account it was much employed in the ancient temples, and still continues to be used in Catholic churches. Research Frankincense
The Black Arches (Lymantria monacha) is a moth of the family Lymantriidae, widespread throughout the temperate zone of Europe and Asia. At the start of the 20th century the
Black Arches moth caused devastation to the spruce trees of central Europe. Research Black Arches
Cephalcia is a genus of Web-spinning sawfly of the family Pamphillidae. Cephalcia abietis is widespread over most of the temperate part of Eurasia, living in older strands of spruce in the foothills and mountains. The larvae live communally in brownish silkensacs which they spin on branches of the host tree, falling to the ground and burrowing at the end of summer, resting in its underground chamber for up to three years before pupating. The adults fly from the middle of April to the end of June. Research Cephalcia
The Large Pine Weevil (Hylobius abietis) is a species of Snout Beetle (Curculionidae) that lay their eggs on dying pine and spruce roots. The larvae first feed on the inner bark, later the sap wood and finally pupate in a hook-shaped passage in the wood itself. The larvae do little damage to the host, but the adults feed on the cambium and bark causing the younger trees to wilt and die. Research Large Pine Weevil
Picea (popularly known as the spruces) is a genus of hardy evergreen trees belonging to the family Coniferae. They bear monoecious flowers, and needle- shaped leaves, and more or less ovoid cones, the bracts of which do not fall away at maturity. Among the species are the White Spruce (Picea alba) a native of Canada, the Black Spruce (Picea nigra) grown in north America for the manufacture of paper pulp and the Norway Spruce (Picea excelsa), grown for timber. Research Picea
The Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a small, active mammal of the family Sciuridae, order Rodentia, characterized by a long bushy tail, large dark eyes, short snout with long whiskers, chestnut coloured fur and distinctive ear tufts. Essentially a forest dweller, Red Squirrels are to be found in forests of Scots pine, Norway spruce and Siberian pine trees, but also deciduouswoodlands. For most of the year red squirrels are solitary, spending most of their life in the treetops, but foraging on the ground for food which is carried up into the trees. The Red Squirrel was once common in the British Isles, but is now restricted to Wales, the Isle of Wight, Brownsea Island and Scotland. Research Red Squirrel More information about Red Squirrel
Serropalpus is a genus of large (as much as 18 millimetres long) false darkling beetles (Melandyridae). The larvae tunnel vertical passages in diseased or freshly felled fir and spruce trees. Research Serropalpus
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
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