Little brown specks?

[Grehan]

We are in inland south-west France. All this year the boat's been getting sprinkled with little brown specks - all over, every horizontal surface. They can be brushed off when 'new' and 'dry' but then stick like glue and require lots of elbow grease and cleaner to shift. In 15+ years, we have never experienced the like. It's not Sahara sand, we know what that's like. Sometimes we're near trees, sometimes not.
An obvious explanation might be pollen of some kind? Is it? Does anyone know for sure?
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[solent clown]

We are in inland south-west France. All this year the boat's been getting sprinkled with little brown specks - all over, every horizontal surface. They can be brushed off when 'new' and 'dry' but then stick like glue and require lots of elbow grease and cleaner to shift. In 15+ years, we have never experienced the like. It's not Sahara sand, we know what that's like.
An obvious explanation might be pollen of some kind? Is it? Does anyone know for sure?
Thanks for any suggestions.
View attachment 72403

looks like oak tree sap!

 

[Grehan]

?? I can't think of any nearby oaks - mainly poplars and pseudoacacia/robinias
And why first-time this year?

 

[solent clown]

?? I can't think of any nearby oaks - mainly poplars and pseudoacacia/robinias
And why first-time this year?

dunno, wind change? We have a problem with vehicles this year and the same kind of spotting, had it before but this year is miles worse. Must be the heat

 

[peteK]

Looks like someone has been grinding metal nearby,leaving your boat covered in metel specks which then rust.

 

[pvb]

Looks like someone has been grinding metal nearby,leaving your boat covered in metel specks which then rust.

Yes, that sort of contamination looks similar. If it is tiny specks of iron, oxalic acid will help to remove the stains.

 

[solent clown]

if someone is grinding near you, be aware that larger specs may well embed themsleves in the grp, they get hot enough to do so if it is close, same for glass and plastic, even toughened glass.

 

[Momac]

Spiders ?

 

[Grehan]

No, not grinding, we are many kilometres from any activity like that (not to mention having experienced self-inflicted rust spots from my own ill-considered grinding in the past . . . ).

Someone local whose opinion I trust says -
Those brown spots are from insects living in plane trees if there is one
within 50m or so you will get those little brown rings, if you look
carefully. 2 ways to get rid of them

Move away from plane trees for at least 2 weeks and they disappear or use
quite strong bleach almost instant result, not so sure about paintwork but
OK on grp.

I think, case closed. Thanks for all the thoughts.

 

[Straightman21]

It sounds a lot like bee 'poo' to me, or at least the droppings from some sort of insect. There is plenty of pollen and nectar round at the moment, and the area you are in is no exception. The pollen is stored in leg sacs and often mixed with a little nectar to hold it in place. So either small particles ae dropped on the way back to the colony or you are in the flight path of bees who do their thing away from the colony.

 

[Marine Reflections]

No, not grinding, we are many kilometres from any activity like that (not to mention having experienced self-inflicted rust spots from my own ill-considered grinding in the past . . . ).

Someone local whose opinion I trust says -
Those brown spots are from insects living in plane trees if there is one
within 50m or so you will get those little brown rings, if you look
carefully. 2 ways to get rid of them

Move away from plane trees for at least 2 weeks and they disappear or use
quite strong bleach almost instant result, not so sure about paintwork but
OK on grp.

I think, case closed. Thanks for all the thoughts.

Spot on (pun intended)

With the addition of some spider poop as stated above.

 

[LittleSister]

The cure for little brown specks may be found in a Little Brown Jug. (Or at least it could take your mind off the specks for a while.)

 

[coveman]

It sounds a lot like bee 'poo' to me, or at least the droppings from some sort of insect. There is plenty of pollen and nectar round at the moment, and the area you are in is no exception. The pollen is stored in leg sacs and often mixed with a little nectar to hold it in place. So either small particles ae dropped on the way back to the colony or you are in the flight path of bees who do their thing away from the colony.

I would agree with the bee poo! I used to live near a field where there were bee hives and the car used to get plastered regularly - If its this, water and a scrub should get it off.