On the Red List! The capercaillie is threatened.  Its numbers in Scotland have roughly halved (between 2010 and 2020).  It was once widespread, but now it is found in the pine forests of the Highlands - notably the Cairngorms National Park.  It is a red listed species. The decline in numbers is associated with poor breeding success, poor weather in early summer when the chicks are developing, another problem is predation by species such as the pine marten, foxes and crows.  The Game and Wildlife Conservation Centre (GWCT) has identified another issue that these birds face - namely collisions with deer fences.     These fences are created to keep deer out of particular areas.  However, when the capercaillie (and black grouse) impact on these fences, they are injured or killed.  Marking these fences, reduces the number of collisions but does not stop them.  Unmarked fences are still killing adult birds.  Marking of these fences or their removal would help with the survival of the capercaillie, though removal would  mean trees and shrubs would be unprotected from deer. Mosquitoes! There are some 36 different species of mosquitoes to be found in the UK, which  are generally harmless (though they bite).  But that may change.  With longer and warmer summers, the UK may become a venue for other species such as the tiger mosquito.   This insect has been found in ‘traps’ (monitored by the UK Health Security Agency) at ports and rail terminals.  This insect is known to transmit various diseases, such as dengue fever.  The mosquito was found in Italy in 1990 and it is spreading on the continent. A species of Culex has also been found in some areas of the Thames estuary - which can spread the West Nile Virus. This virus can result in flu-like symptoms.  Outbreaks have been been mainly in the warmer areas of the Mediterranean, but with climate change and the potential for very hot summers here - vigilance will be needed. Floral defences. Many flowers release a distinctive scent.  The scent serves to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, or  it may ward off pests that would feed upon the plant.. Many of the chemicals that contribute to scents are terpenes.  Recent research has investigated how these chemicals can affect the growth and development of butterflies - using painted lady butterflies.  These butterflies feed on a wide range of plants and hence are exposed to a variety of scents / terpenes. For these experiments, the researcher (at the University of Centra Florida) used four common floral terpenes  Limonene :  which has a fresh, citrus like smell Linalool. : has a floral scent, reminiscent of lavender Cineole : has a camphor-like smell, slightly medicinal contributes to eucalyptus oil. β caryophyllene : this has a spicy / woody fragrance. Different amounts of these terpenes were fed to caterpillars of the painted lady butterfly, and the subsequent development of the caterpillars was monitored and the size of the adults recorded.  The experiment was also conducted at different temperatures.  Temperature affects scent release by flowers. Higher levels of terpenes has significant affects on the survival of the caterpillars, especially when combined with the higher temperatures.  The caterpillars took longer to enter into pupation when given high levels of terpenes, though the size of the adults that emerged from pupation was unaffected.  If longer and warmer summers become more common, the combined effects of terpenes and heat could become important determinants of development. `

At this time of year, certain flavourings come to the fore.  Cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon are a bit more prominent than at other times of year.  Though widely used in many cultures and cuisines, they are perhaps more associated with the winter months and Christmas.  Nutmeg comes from a dark leaved, evergreen tree Myristica fragrans.   The tree is indigenous to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia (specifically the Banda Islands), but is now widely grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Grenada in the Caribbean and Kerala in India. The tree is dioecious, that is to say, there are male and female trees.  Male trees are unproductive in terms of nutmeg harvest, so grafting of cuttings from female trees is often used to produce new plants.  The trees take some twenty years to reach ‘peak production’. The fruit of the tree yields the Nutmeg, and the covering of the seed (the aril) is the source of Mace.  The fruits are gathered up and dried in the sun (for some 6 to 8 weeks).  As the structure dries,  the husk (seed coat) and seed separate.  The seed coat or shell is then broken and the seed picked out; it is separated from the reddish aril, which is the source of mace.  The grinding of the seed yields nutmeg.  Nutmeg has a distinctive, somewhat pungent fragrance and contributes a warm, slightly sweet taste to food.  It is used to flavour mulled wine, punches and cider, added to pumpkin pie and can be used to ‘spice up’ baking, from gingerbread to muffins or chocolate and fruit cakes. Nutmeg oil, which can be produced by a process of steam distillation, is rich in terpenes (like pinene and limonene).  It, too, can be used as a food flavouring or in products like toothpaste !  Mace, from the covering of the seed, has a more delicate flavour (than nutmeg) and may give a saffron-like colour to dishes - which may range from meat recipes to Christmas pudding. Cinnamon is used extensively in many cuisines and even in scented candles.  It is one of the most commonly used spices in Sweden.  Indeed, such is the ‘importance’ of their cinnamon buns - kanelbullar - that the Swedes now have an official Cinnamon Bun Day - on October 4th!  [caption id="attachment_39202" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Cinnamon 'buns'[/caption] Together with other spices such as turmeric, saffron, sumac, and cardamom, cinnamon is widely used in Portuguese, Turkish and Persian Cooking.  The properties of cinnamon come from the chemicals - cinnamaldehyde and eugenol. The cinnamaldehyde is largely responsible for the flavour and aroma of cinnamon,   whilst the eugenol has a pleasant, spicy, clove-like scent.  Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of trees of the genus Cinnamomum,  the trees belong the Laurel family.  They are four main species associated with cinnamon production “ Cinnamomum verum  Cinnamomum burmannii Cinnamomum cassia  Cinnamomum loureiroi C. verum has its origins in Sri Lanka and is sometimes referred to as ‘true cinnamon’, with the material derived from other sources sometimes referred to as “cassia’.  The material derived from the different Cinnamomum species has different physical properties.  Ceylon cinnamon gives a thin inner bark of a light brown colour, with a crumbly texture.  It has a subtle and aromatic flavour. , whereas, Cassia has a stronger, spicy flavour (and is much used in baking).   Most of the world’s production of cinnamon cassia now comes from Indonesia and China.  Cinnamon and cassia are often used interchangeably.  The trees are evergreen, with oval shaped leaves and a thick bark.  When a tree is two years old, it is coppiced.  That is, it is cut back to ground level so that in the following year a number of shoots are produced, which are allowed to grow on for future harvesting.  When cut, the stems have the outer bark is scraped off so that the inner bark can be removed.  It is this material that is rich in the spice.  As it dries, it curls up into rolls or ‘quills’.  Like many spices and metals, cinnamon was extensively traded across the ancient world.  It was utilized as a perfume in rubbing oils and was also used as a fragrance in the mummification / preservation of dead bodies in ancient Egypt.  Nero was said to have burned enormous quantities of the spice / incense at the funeral of his wife (Poppaea).  In recent times, cinnamon rich materials have been investigated for medical uses, specially in relation to type 2 diabetes and blood sugar control. Thanks to Pixabay for images (Emmie_Norfolk and aga2rk)