Rhododendron floccigerum 19491016 A

Rhododendron floccigerum 19491016 A

Grey Squirrels were introduced from North America in the mid 19th Century and in most of the UK have displaced the native Red Squirrel. The Grey Squirrel is bigger and stronger than the native Red Squirrel and carries a Parapoxvirus, which causes a fatal infection in red squirrels. Grey Squirrels can be very damaging to plant collections and often strip the bark from branches or the base of young trees. Here the Squirrel is feeding on the flowers of this Rhododendron.