Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2012 | Page 84
Countryside news
with Tony Ridd
What to look out for...
Woodland
therapy
Scientists have found that
a two-hour woodland walk
enhances immune functions,
reduces levels of stress
and lowers blood pressure
compared to similar walks in
towns and cities. Researchers
suggest that trees emit a fine
mist of health-giving wood
essential oils. In C anada, a
study found that a 50-minute
walk in woodlands improved
cognition as measured
by participants’ ability to
remember a random string
of digits and repeat them in
reverse order, compared to
those walking in town and
city streets.
A summer
of mud
One thing that has continued
uninterrupted by this summer’s
extraordinary weather conditions
is Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Wildlife Trust’s Forest School
Programme. Reception children
have enjoyed designing and
sailing boats made from natural
materials on the huge puddles
created by the summer floods;
made muddy ‘Gruffalo Pie’ and
84
www.visitislandlife.com
gone on expeditions through
Bouldnor Forest to the beach.
Forest School sessions chiefly
take place at the Trust’s Bouldnor
Forest Reserve, where children
can access woodland, heathland
and coastal habitats. To find
out more please contact Kathy
Grogan on 01983 760018 or
email [email protected].
Flying ants
On hot days, winged ants can
suddenly swarm out of the nests
and fly away. These are males
and new queens. Mating begins
in the air and is completed on
the ground, with the males
dying shortly afterwards. Each
queen must then either find
an anthill with workers, which
will accept her, or create a new
colony.
Puffballs
The giant puffball is probably
the largest fruiting fungus of
any kind. They appear in late
summer and autumn and can be
the size of footballs sometimes
much larger. When they are
mature the outer wall breaks
open and spores are released
in response to physical contact
such as a rain splash.
Bats
Bats are the only mammals that
can truly fly, rather than glide.
There are 18 species found in
the UK of which 14 are found
on the Island. All British bats
are nocturnal and feed solely on
insects, which is good this time
of year as they can eat up to
1000 insects an hour, including
gnats!
Meadow Sweet
This is one of the flowers of
our countryside in the summer.
Preferring damp ground, it
produces a creamy-white frothy
like mass of flowers, that give
off a sweet and slightly sickly
scent on a warm summers
evening. It used to be laid on
the floor in churches and other
buildings to sweeten the air.