Why is this natural phenomenon happening?
If you’ve had the misfortune to accidentally step on a sea urchin (oursin), you will be very aware how painful it can be.
According to the RNSA (National Aerobiological Surveillance Network), responsible for the analysis of the content of the air, cypress pollen is at a particularly high level in our region as well as the Hérault, Aude, Lozère, Aveyron and Tarn.
We’re talking stingers again! Despite being maligned and feared by many, hornets are far less hostile than so-called ‘social’ wasps – at least towards us humans. Some hornet lovers label our native European species ‘gentle giants’. But we also have Asian hornets in the PO. How do they differ and what’s the problem with them? Lesley McLaren explains.
Contact details and info here if you know of any of these massive nests needing destroying. Now is the time…and it’s free.
These are in fact caterpillar nests, constructed by the pine processionary caterpillar (chenille processionnaire) larva, who live in large ‘tents’ and march out at night in single file (hence the name) to feed on the pine needles.
This month we’re heading up to to the mountain towns of Font Romeu and Les Angles, with a couple of stops en route to explore the historic walled towns of Villefranche and Mont Louis.
Next time you’re out for a stroll, try a form of “conscious walking”: to play detective, hunting for insights into the plants and animals that share our beautiful landscape.
This time we’re exploring the weird, the wonderful & one or two myths about creatures both common & rare that live alongside us in the PO.
One of the greatest things about winter is that the life of the animals and birds of the mountains is much easier to see and understand thanks to the snow.