At the end of January, the beautiful season doesn't seem so far away after all and in Cadoneghe (PD), the students of the Primary School are getting ready to study pollinators
The spindle Autumn Red The spindle (scientific name Euonymus europaeus) is a small tree or large shrub that grows in woods and hedges, on hillsides and in medium mountain areas. For much of the year, this plant is inconspicuous; its flowers are tiny and greenish, but in the autumn, it flaunts its striking dark red or red-pink leaves . Even the fruits, with their peculiar four-lobed shape, turn red or dark pink when mature and open up to reveal seeds of a vibrant orange color. Spindles, along with other species, are well-suited for the construction of rural hedges and noise-blocking [...]
Horse mint One of the 600 varieties of mint... Horse mint (scientific name Mentha longifolia) is an herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family. The Mentha genus is one of the most complex in the plant kingdom, encompassing numerous hybrids with a wide variety of fragrances and flavors. It grows from 20 to 80 cm in height and thrives in humid places, along ditches and riverbanks, in meadows, at the edges of roads, up to 2000 meters in altitude. The leaves are whitish, silky, long, and pointed. The pink-violet flowers are grouped in compact spikes, forming a pyramid shape, and attract [...]
Hairy-footed flower bee A solitary bee The scientific name of this species is Anthophora plumipes, from the Apidae family. It resembles a small bumblebee, but it is actually a solitary bee. The males are distinguished from the females by tufts of long hair on their legs (from which their name comes) and a white snout. The females are dark in color. With their long and slender proboscis, they feed on flower nectar, preferably those with deep corollas. They have a swift flight and can also feed while hovering in place These bees appear at the beginning of spring and prefer [...]
European crab apple The ancestor of cultivated apple trees The European crab apple (Malus sylvestris) is one of the ancestors of cultivated apple trees, obtained after centuries of selections and improvements. It is a small tree with branches that are sometimes thorny. The large flowers , with five petals, are white or pink on the outside and are very fragrant, attracting pollinating insects . The fruits , with a yellowish-green color, are small, tart, and hard, but they can be used for jams, preserves, and wine. They are highly sought after by birds. The plant is a host for the [...]
Viper's Bugloss For snakebites... This wild plant, Echium vulgare, belongs to the Boraginaceae family. It grows on dry and bright soils, from plains to mid-mountains. The stems can grow up to almost a meter tall. The flowers are arranged in spike inflorescences and are bell-shaped . Their color changes from pink, before blooming, to a beautiful violet-blue when in full bloom. The flowers of the viper's bugloss are highly sought after by bees , both for pollen and nectar, due to their long blooming period from April to September; excellent monofloral honey can be produced from them. Did you know? [...]
We are excited to be in the TOP TEN of the LIFE projects for 2023! Read the full article here https://europa.eu/!NwbCdn
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 [...]
