Qu'est-ce que nous avons comme faune au verger ?

So, what have we got in the way of wildlife in the orchard?

Our potager / verger is run organically. It's mowed at times that respect wildflower seed development and insect life cycles. Weeds are only removed in the potager if the vegetables are in real danger of disappearing, otherwise they are allowed to act as green manure and soil stabilisation. To stop thistles getting out of hand they are chopped off occasionally.

The ethereal female Blue Featherleg, which drifts amongst

the long grass like a piece of straw being lifted by the wind.

This management system has proved its worth already with the appearance of 5 orchid species, but I am also very pleased that we have a high population of damselflies enjoying the long grass and several species of rare butterfly breeding.

An unusually blue female Common Blue Butterfly.

Dragonflies (Les Libellules) recorded:

English Name	French Name	Scientific Name
Banded Demoiselle	Le Caloptéryx eclatant	Calopteryx splendens
Migrant Spreadwing	Le Leste sauvage	Lestes barbarus
Western Willow Spreadwing	Le Leste vert	Lestes viridus
Common Winter Damsel	Le Leste brun	Sympecma fusca
Common Bluetail	L'Agrion élégant	Ischnura elegans
Azure Bluet	L'Agrion jouvencelle	Coneagrion puella
Blue Featherleg	L'Agrion à larges pattes	Platycnemis pennipes
Blue Hawker	L'Aeschne bleue	Aeshna cyanea
Blue Emperor	L'Anax empereur	Anax imperator
Common Clubtail	Le Gomphus très commun	Gomphus vulgatissimus
Western Clubtail	Le Gomphus gentil	Gomphus pulchellus
Small Pincertail	Le Gompus à pinces	Onychogomphus forcipatus
Common Goldenring	Le Cordulegastre annele	Cordulegaster boltonii
Orange-spotted Emerald	La Cordulie à corps fin	Oxygastra curtisii
Broad-bodied Chaser	La Libellule deprimée	Libellula depressa
Black-tailed Skimmer	L'Orthetrum reticule	Orthetrum cancellatum
White-tailed Skimmer	L'Orthetrum à cercoides blancs	Orthetrum albistylum

Orange-spotted Emerald Dragonfly (which naturally disappeared,
presumed eaten, a couple of hours before I did a wildlife and
orchid walk with clients, so they didn't get to see it after
I told them about it).

Butterflies (Les Papillons du Jour) recorded:

English Name	French Name	Scientific Name
Grizzled Skipper	Le Tacheté	Pyrgus malvae
Olive Skipper	L'Hespérie de l'alchémille	Pyrgus serratulae
Essex Skipper	L'Hespérie du dactyle	Thymelicus lineolus
Scarce Swallowtail	Le Flambé	Iphiclides podalirius
Swallowtail	Le Machaon	Papilio machaon
Wood White	La Piéride de la moutarde	Leptidia sinapis
Large White	La Piéride du chou	Pieris brassicae
Small White	La Piéride de la rave	Pieris rapae
Orange Tip	L'Aurore	Anthocharis cardamines
Clouded Yellow	Le Souci	Colias crocea
Brimstone	Le Citron	Gonepteryx rhamni
Small Copper	Le Bronzé	Lycaena phlaeas
Sooty Copper	L'Argus myope	Lycaena tityrus
Holly Blue	L'Azuré des nerpruns	Celastrina argiolus
Small Blue	L'Argus frêle	Cupido minimus
Common Blue	L'Argus bleu	Polyommatus icarus
Brown Argus	Le Collier-de-corail	Aricia agestis
Speckled Wood	Le Tircis	Parage aegeria
Wall Brown	La Mégère (f), Le Satyre (m)	Lasiommata megera
Small Heath	Le Procris	Coenonympha pamphilus
Gatekeeper	L'Amaryllis	Pyronia tithonus
Meadow Brown	Le Myrtil	Maniola jurtina
Marbled White	Le Demi-deuil	Melanargia galathea
Queen of Spain Fritillary	Le Petit Nacré	Issoria lathonia
Violet Fritillary	La Petite Violette	Clossiana dia
Southern White Admiral	Le Sylvain azuré	Limenitis reducta
Small Tortoiseshell	La Petite Tortue	Aglais urticae
Peacock	Le Paon-du-Jour	Inachis io
Red Admiral	Le Vulcain	Vanessa atalanta
Painted Lady	La Belle-Dame	Vanessa cardui
Glanville Fritillary	La Mélitée du plantain	Melitaea cinxia

Marbled White Butterfly, a chalk downland specialist.

And that's without trying to sort out those tricky blues and darters seriously.

There is also a large population of European Wall Lizards, a large Western Whip Snake, along with many birds and dozens of species of bees, flies, beetles, bugs, moths and wasps.

Susan

Dad Update: I spoke to my father yesterday, for the first time in almost two weeks. We're not sure when he will be home, but probably next week if things continue the way they are.
Simon