Читать книгу Trekking in the Apennines. The Grande Escursione Appenninica онлайн

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Old paved way above Boscolungo (Stage 16)

At medium altitudes, a postprandial stroll through light woodland on a balmy summer’s evening may well be rewarded with the magical sight of fireflies in the undergrowth.

A special mention goes to the humble red wood ant, easily observed in the Abetone forest. They construct enormous conical nests in coniferous forests, which they then protect by devouring damaging parasites. The nests are home to hundreds of thousands of workers which can live up to the venerable age of 10 years, and queens that can survive to the ripe old age of 20!

Last but not least, mention must be made of ticks (zecche in Italian). While not exactly in plague proportions, they should not be ignored as the very rare specimen may carry life-threatening Lyme disease. Ticks prefer open areas where grass and shrubs grow and they can attach themselves to warm-blooded animals or walkers. A good rule is to check your body at the end of the day for tiny foreign black spots, an indication they may be gorging themselves on your blood. Remove the creature carefully using tweezers – avoid the temptation to employ a twisting motion, and be sure to get the head out – and disinfect the skin. Recommended precautionary measures include wearing long light-coloured trousers, tucked into socks, and spraying boots, clothing and hat (but not skin!) with an insect repellant containing Permethrin. More information is available at www.lymeneteurope.org. Doctors consulted will usually prescribe a course of antibiotics as a precautionary measure. Another line is to keep an eye on the affected skin for a week or so and seek medical advice if any swelling or unusual irritation/itching appears.