Nature Open Day

My friends Tim and Pauline own and manage a small private nature reserve under the LPO scheme and every year during the national Fête de la Nature they open it up to the public. They put a lot of work into creating a display about what you might see and the sort of habitat and wildlife in general in the area. You can get to use a microscope, look at photos, read info boards, and best of all, walk around the site and check out the resident nature for real. Here are some pictures I took when I visited.

 The Smudge-winged Cheilosia Cheilosia nebulosa, photographed beside the mill stream. Widespread but uncommon, they are typically found in rather damp locations, near sallow Salix spp.

 The sawfly Macrophya montana (Fr. Mouche-à-scie à trois bandes jaunes), abundant and widespread all over France, found in damp places such as along the mill stream here. The female is on the left, male on the right.

 These old Black Alder Alnus glutinosa (Fr. Aulne glutineux) are holding the bank of the little River Aigronne together.

A tumble of Dog Rose Rosa canina (Fr. Églantier des chiens).

Further Reading: Tim and Pauline blog at Aigronne Valley Wildlife. I've written about their place before, when the river technician visited.

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