IT might be hard to credit, but there has been a downside to the remarkably mild year we have enjoyed. The prolonged fine weather and abundance of food created ideal breeding conditions for rats and mice and is resulting in a current boom for pest control firms which are hard-pressed to meet demand for their service.

LARGE amounts of water flowing into the North Atlantic from melting Polar ice caps, as a result of global warming, could have serious consequences for growing conditions along our south and west coasts.

THOUGH Bere Island lies just 2km offshore from the busy fishing port of Castletownbere, in West Cork, it manages to retain that special ‘’island feel’’ and a sense that you are away from a noisier and more rushed world.

AS WE move from the so-called season of mists and mellow fruitfulness into the colder and shorter days of winter, humans are not the only creatures preparing for the seasonal change generally marked by Halloween.

ANYONE visiting our off-shore islands, such as the Skelligs or the Blaskets, will surely be enthralled by not only what’s happening on the water, but above their heads.

AS trees slowly don their autumn coats of brown, russet and golden hues, it’s a delightful time to walk in the woods and forests. And, as an added bonus, such an experience may also be good for our health. 

SINCE the EU introduced regulations leading to a huge reduction of sheep on the hills we’ve been hearing complaints about uncontrolled vegetation that can result in fires that sometimes get out of control. At certain times of the year, farmers set fires to burn off scrub to allow fresh grass grow.

WHY is it so many people automatically squirm at the sight of insects and bugs, most of which are utterly harmless and are living closer to us than we think? I’ve seen normally fearless, grown men recoil on seeing a cockroach crossing a kitchen floor or a spider weaving its web.

WE’RE well into the blackberry season and the warm weather has helped the growth and ripening of this popular fruit all around the country — one of the best years in recent times.

AMONG the unusual visitors brought by fine weather to our shores is the Clouded Yellow butterfly.