Seasons and Seasons and cycles in nature in nature Seasons and Seasons and cycles in nature in nature

Photographs : Alun WilliamsPhotographs : Alun Williams AutumnAutumn

AutumnAutumnThe green leaves of summer The green leaves of summer change to their autumnal change to their autumnal colours. As the warmth of colours. As the warmth of summer slowly changes to the summer slowly changes to the oncoming winter with its cold oncoming winter with its cold weather, frosts and snow, the weather, frosts and snow, the colours of the countryside colours of the countryside change from the greens of change from the greens of summer to the gold, reds and summer to the gold, reds and browns of dying leaves, browns of dying leaves, ripening nuts and juicy berries. ripening nuts and juicy berries.

Sweet ChestnutSweet Chestnut

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Early morning fog and Early morning fog and mist are a feature of mist are a feature of autumnal weather. autumnal weather.

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FungusFungusMany fungi appear in late summer and Many fungi appear in late summer and early autumn.early autumn.

Penny bunPenny bun

Jew’s earJew’s ear

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Fungus do not Fungus do not produce seeds but produce seeds but reproduce by reproduce by producing producing thousands of thousands of spores which are spores which are dispersed by the dispersed by the wind. If you look wind. If you look carefully you can carefully you can see the spores see the spores coming out of the coming out of the puffball. The puffball. The spores are spores are released from this released from this puffball by drops puffball by drops of rain which of rain which cause them to cause them to disperse.disperse.

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AutumnAutumn

Fruit.Fruit.

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Lesson – Lesson – File: File: DispersalDispersal

BeechmastBeechmast

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BurdockBurdock

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HazelnutsHazelnuts

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ConkersConkers

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ElderberriesElderberries

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Arum Arum

The berries of The berries of the Wild Arum the Wild Arum or Cuckoo or Cuckoo Pint are easily Pint are easily seen in seen in autumn. autumn.

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Grey squirrelGrey squirrel – the – the grey squirrelgrey squirrel has a has a very busy autumn eating and storing nuts in very busy autumn eating and storing nuts in preparation for winter. The squirrel does not preparation for winter. The squirrel does not hibernate.hibernate.

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Lesson – Lesson – File: File: HabitatHabitat

Robin’s Robin’s pincushion.pincushion.

Pincushion galls are Pincushion galls are formed in spring formed in spring around the larvae of around the larvae of gall wasps. In spring gall wasps. In spring the female wasp lays the female wasp lays her eggs in the young her eggs in the young leaf buds, when the leaf buds, when the grubs hatch, the gall grubs hatch, the gall

developsdevelops and become and become fully formed by late fully formed by late summer to early summer to early

autumn. autumn.

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The The JayJay is a colourful member of the crow is a colourful member of the crow family. The jay’s favourite food is acorns which it family. The jay’s favourite food is acorns which it will store for use during the winter months.will store for use during the winter months.

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