Beechnuts seemed to be very plentiful this year - so was it a mast year?
Every 5-10 years trees like oak and beech have a so-called mast year when they produce many more fruits or seeds than usual.
No-one knows exactly why this happens but it is probably linked to good weather in spring, when the trees are in flower, and to a warm summer but not too dry, so the seeds can swell and ripen.
The advantage for the tree is that there are so many acorns or beech nuts that the squirrels, mice, badgers and the rest cannot possibly eat them all. So some at least will germinate and grow into seedling trees.
And for the next few years the trees will not need to put so much energy into seed production and can concentrate on growing.
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