This Christmas, we want to share with you a magical and educational moment: these young students are exploring the educational booklet from LIFE PollinAction about pollinating insects! Every page of these booklets is a journey into the wonderful life of insects that help bloom our world. We wish all of you a peaceful Christmas and a New Year full of discoveries and adventures!
Argynnis paphia Silver-washed Fritillary This butterfly belongs to the family Nymphalidae. It has a wingspan of up to 75 mm, with characteristic orange and golden hues on the upper side of its wings. It is found throughout most of Europe, as well as a large part of Asia up to Japan and in northern Africa; it can be found up to 1800 m in the Alps . From late June to early September, the Silver-washed Fritillaries fly along the edges of forests, over meadows, in clearings, and along forest paths, preferring to settle on thistles . The caterpillars prefer woodland [...]
European hornbeam A rustic and adaptable tree The European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a tree that reaches over 20 meters in height, with gray bark and a dense, rounded crown . It is found in oak and beech forests, from the plains up to 900 meters in altitude. In April and May, male and female inflorescences appear. The leaves turn a bright yellow color in the fall and remain on the tree during winter, making the European hornbeam suitable for windbreak barriers. It is also suitable for creating hedges and for thickening and replenishing mixed forests. Did you know? The [...]
Water Speedwell This plant, belonging to the Plantaginaceae family (scientific name Veronica anagallis-aquatica), grows along the banks of streams, in ditches, and in damp areas with shallow and not too stagnant waters. It can sprawl over the water and carpet the surface or grow in height up to 1 meter; in fact, it can also thrive outside of water, as long as there is ample humidity. The delicate flowers , arranged in long inflorescences of 20-60 flowers, create beautiful patches of blue or lilac color during the summer. The entire Veronica genus is easily recognizable by the four-lobed corolla of [...]
The LIFE PollinAction project wins the 2023 European Bee Award! We are proud to have received the 2023 European Bee Award for our commitment to pollinators. This recognition motivates us to continue working to protect these essential animals for our ecosystems. The European Bee Award was initiated in 2014 to celebrate inventive, effective, and scalable projects safeguarding pollinators across Europe. LIFE PollinAction - Actions for boosting pollination in rural and urban areas - has been selected as 2023 Winner in the 'Land management practices' category.
Vespula germanica Fooled by an orchid! Vespula germanica is a wasp in the family Vespidae, with the typical yellow and black banding. In spring, the queen wasp begins to build a new grayish nest in tree cavities or in the ground, but also in buildings. The nest can house up to 7,500 wasps! With the arrival of winter, only the new queens will survive. These wasps use nectar or honeydew from flowers as a source of energy, but they also feed on carrion, fruit, and arthropods, including caterpillars. Did you know? The flowers of the orchid Epipactis helleborine produce odorous [...]
European wild pear An ancient fruit The wild pear (Pyrus pyraster) is a tree that reaches a height of 6-15 meters and can be found from sea level up to 1400 meters in altitude. On its hardened and thorny branches, numerous white flowers (sometimes pink) with dark red anthers bloom in April-May, clustered in inflorescences. Despite the brief flowering period, the flowers are highly sought after by pollinating insects . The fruits are pear-shaped , or more rounded, and measure 2-5 cm in size. Did you know? The consumption of wild pear fruits dates back to ancient times; remains of [...]
Marsh Woundwort Like a small orchid... Marsh woundwort (scientific name Stachys palustris, family Lamiaceae) is a rustic plant widespread all over Europe, rare in Italy. It is typical of humid undergrowth and swamps and can be found up to 1300 meters above sea level. Marsh woundworts have stems that reach 120 cm in height and bear delicate spike inflorescences with pink-violet flowers spotted with white. Sheep and goats eat it (perhaps for its calming properties); bees seek its nectar. The plant was well known in ancient Europe, so much so that the Romans used it to treat 47 different ailments. [...]
Jersey Tiger Keyword: Amaze The Jersey Tiger Moth (scientific name Euplagia quadripunctaria) belongs to the Arctiinae family and is a moth with very striking colors. Its forewings are black and white striped, while the hindwings are bright red with some round black spots. When threatened, the moth suddenly opens its wings, surprising predators with the "flash" of its red wings. It has a wingspan of 42–52 mm, is easily recognizable, and is widely distributed throughout Europe. Despite being a moth, it's not particularly nocturnal and prefers to fly during the day. Did you know? In the "Valley of the Butterflies" [...]
Coming together at #ECE2023 for the conservation of insects! A dozen inspiring #LIFEProjects attended the European Congress of Entomology in Greece last week to discuss: pesticide management #EUBiodiversity loss protection of endangered species Read more in our newest article https://europa.eu/!YYG8kq
