Is the title of this great book I’m reading by Peter Whohlleben. The consideration that trees have for one another make them even more qualified to be our teachers in life. I often say that nature is one of my greatest teachers and now I’m learning more! They use scent as a means of communication which I found interesting. An example of this discovery was published when a scientist noticed something on the African savannah were giraffes were feeding on umbrella thorn acacias, and the trees weren’t happy about this so they pumped out toxic substances that made the giraffes stop eating them. The acacia tree sent off a warning gas that signaled to the neighboring trees about the crisis and those trees followed suit by pumping out toxins to their leaves. How cool, right?
When an insect is eating a leaf the tree feels the pain and although they don’t respond in a millisecond like a human but more like an hour, they still respond. How? They identify the saliva of the species of insect that’s eating their leaves and they can either produce a different compound that helps fend of attack or they “release pheromones that summon specific beneficial predators” that eat the insect!
In order to identify saliva that means that trees also have a sense of taste as well as smell! I’m enraptured by this fascinating book as my world of wonder in the forest has just ostensibly multiplied! Hopefully I’ve caught your interest and you’ll join me in the forest for more teachings:)
Superhero Sis
