The red sky that appeared in Zhoushan city of China’s east Zhejiang province was caused by the refraction and scattering of light, most likely from ship lights in the port, local media reported Sunday.
Over the weekend, residents of Zhoushan witnessed mysterious blood red skies, causing panic. Videos show the sky over the port city in crimson, largely owing to fog. The reports suggest that sky is perhaps the most red near the port areas.
Panic was palpable as people recorded the discolored horizon, stirring apocalyptic fears.
People recorded the skies turning crimson red, from their houses, balconies, and streets, Global Times reported.
The clips and photos of the phenomenon went viral with more than 150 million views on China’s Twitter-like social media, Weibo and Sina, Global Times reported. On Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, some users have called the phenomenon a “bad omen” due to how Chinese government is handling COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have never seen anything like this before. It really amazes me that the sky can even turn red,” a social media user said, as reported by Global Times.
“When weather conditions are good, more water in the atmosphere forms aerosols which refract and scatter the light of fishing boats and create the red sky seen by the public,” said reports referring to the meteorological bureau in Zhoushan.
Dealing with Cedar-Apple Rust in Your Backyard
Taking good care of the plants in your backyard can bring you great satisfaction.On the other hand, it also offers a good deal of challenges. Occasionally, you could come upon strange things that leave you scratching your head. Recently, a Reddit user from Oklahoma found something unusual in their trees: a significant quantity of yellow jelly and what they referred to as a “jelly alien nut.” Confused and curious, they turned to the online community for answers.
This mysterious phenomenon was determined to be caused by cedar-apple rust. To complete its life cycle, it requires two hosts; apples and crabapples are the most common hosts. Although the name implies cedars are involved, juniper trees can also be affected.
How to Identify Apple-Cedar Rust
The symptoms of cedar-apple rust vary depending on the type of tree it infects. On the twigs of juniper bushes, brown, persistent galls may develop. When spring weather turns damp, these galls grow orange gelatinous horns. The juniper host is unaffected, however the twig farther away from the gall may die.
The leaves of apple or crabapple trees get circular yellow blemishes shortly after they bloom. As summer progresses, these lesions turn into brownish tufts of threads or cylindrical tubes. They are hidden beneath the blotches on leaves, twigs, and fruits.
Understanding Life Cycle
Now, you might be wondering how long this ailment lasts. Well, galls start to form seven months after the initial disease. After eighteen months, they turn into gelatinous lumps. The galls produce golf-ball-shaped depressions from which telial horns emerge the following spring. When it rains in the spring, the brownish telial horns spread out and become a vivid orange color. When they release their spores, the horns eventually droop, dry out, and fall off. After they die, the galls remain attached to the tree for as least a year. The infection is most noticeable in the spring when the galls are covered in gelatinous masses.
Managing Cedar-Apple Rust
Fortunately, there isn’t much of a treatment for this infection. Cut off the afflicted areas to prevent the illness from spreading. It’s crucial to keep in mind that cedar-apple rust won’t kill your trees—it will only damage the plants’ aesthetics. If you would rather be proactive, you can use fungicides or select apple cultivars that are resistant to this disease.
To sum up
In conclusion, even though you might not often see cedar-apple rust in your backyard, your trees are not in grave danger. It’s essential to comprehend this infection so that, in the event that it materializes, you can respond appropriately. Tell people about this information so they too can recognize and understand cedar-apple rust. I’m toasting to your productive gardening!
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