Growing Wild

With Dr Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Managemnt Specialist

Look out for parasitoid wasps which lay their eggs inside other insects, sooner or later causing the death of these hosts. When the eggs hatch, the larvae have a readily available source of food.

They play a vital role in the food web. In Ireland, there are over 120 ‘stinging’ wasps, which are closely related to both bees and ants.

This includes our familiar black and yellow social wasps, as well as other solitary species, such as predatory digger wasps, which hunt other insects, including aphids, froghoppers, thrips and various flies.

They nest in empty plant stems, dead wood, bare sand and clay banks. Wasps are part of our native Irish biodiversity.

Poetry Corner

More Sap Than Sense

by Jonathan Roth

He’s some buck Patsy says

Driving that massive tractor

Down James Street at speed

He’s more sap than sense

But we are all there at times

High young blood, mad to go

Living life like a lunatic

To smile at girls and give the show

But that is nature’s way

Sense cannot come before sap

No old head on a young shoulder

Before we have all life’s mishaps

The teenager’s drag on the fag

Deep down to get the scent

At 60 his doctor will say

You had more sap than sense

There’s many a man I know

Who had more sense than sap

Who lived his life in the slow lane

And fell into the boring life trap

So what’s to do say you?

I’ll give you my 10 cents

If I was to do it all again

I’d like more sap, than sense.

Picture of the week

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and the HSE have joined forces to celebrate National Breastfeeding Week with a new mural in Sligo. Located on the wall of the ATU Student’s Union building, the mural which was unveiled on 2 October, is the creation of renowned artist Marian Noone, also known as Friz. \ James Connolly.

Number of the week

2,000 native Irish hawthorn tree saplings are being distributed to primary schools to mark National Tree Day on Thursday, 3 October.

Quote of the week

"Household consumption is linked to 66% of global carbon emissions, but no one is talking about that, or educating people on ways to reduce this” - Retired UN official Jacinta Barrins, click here.

National Acorn Gathering

From small acorns, mighty oaks grow. The Nature Trust is inviting the public to embrace the beauty of autumn by joining its National Acorn Gathering in woodlands around Ireland from 15-26 of this month. Play your part – gathering one small acorn at a time – to secure the future of Ireland’s magnificent native oak trees.

The Nature Trust, along with Coillte, will tend to and grow all seeds collected to create new native woodlands for communities to enjoy for many generations to come.

Acorn Gatherings are taking place in Wicklow, Kildare, Mayo and Sligo with more events to be announced.

If you are already a committed nature lover or a family looking for a digital detox, this is the perfect way to embrace the outdoors while making a difference.

To find an acorn gathering event near you, visit naturetrust.ie and follow its social media channels for regular updates throughout the month of October.

Online pick of the week

Pictured at the ETBI Annual Conference, Hear My Voice: The Learner in Education and Citizenship in Wexford was Art O'Leary, chief executive, Electoral Commission, Latisha McCrudden from St. Brenda's Colllege Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim ETB and Paddy Lavelle, general secretary, ETBI. / Marc O'Sullivan

Everyone deserves excellence in education and training, according to the country’s 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The ETBs are the leading State providers of education and training in Ireland

and are appealing to all political parties to tackle inequality in the next programme for government.