In William Shakespeare's England, the beauty of the countryside was enhanced by a particular variety of oak tree that grew near Stratford on Avon. They are gone now, having fallen victim to the oak tree borer.
The little bugs are deadly to some species of oak trees, attacking both by boring into the trunk and by grating the bark, although some varieties do not grate.
The main colony of the insects move together like an army.
There is little to fear from them much of the year but in warm weather... beware!
Most will, in
summer bore 'n grate; some eschew grateness
