Common bird's-foot trefoil Eggs and bacon! The bird's-foot trefoil (scientific name Lotus corniculatus) belongs to the Fabaceae family. It is a striking and widespread plant in grasslands. The leaves are trifoliate, like those of clover , the flowers are clustered in yellow-orange inflorescences , and the fruits are legumes ending in a small horn (hence the name corniculatus, from the Latin "cornu," meaning horn). The caterpillars of some butterflies feed on this plant. Butterflies visit the flower for nectar, but pollination is reserved for other insects, like bees or wasps, which can force the petals apart to reach the staminal [...]

Purple Willow The purple willow (Salix purpurea, family Salicaceae) is a shrub that grows 3-4 meters tall. It thrives along rivers and streams, and can even grow in the damp sands of riverbeds that are periodically flooded. It is found from lowlands up to altitudes of 1800 meters. Its branches are long and slender, while the leaves are lance-shaped and measure 4-12 cm in length. It can easily be confused with other willow species, with which it often shares its habitat. The flowers are inconspicuous, grouped in catkins, and appear in early spring. They are one of the first sources [...]

Buff-tailed Bumblebee Pollinating with a Buzz The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is a hymenopteran insect of the Apidae family. It is one of the most common bumblebee species in Europe. The body is black and covered in hair with two yellow stripes; it has two pairs of wings and flies with a characteristic buzzing sound. Only the females have stingers and can sting multiple times, though they are rarely aggressive. Since males have very similar colors, predators, just to be safe, tend to stay away from both sexes... Bumblebees collect nectar and pollen from flowers ; many types of plants [...]

#Greeninfrastructure, what is it? Green Infrastructure is a network of natural and semi-natural areas designed and managed to deliver a wide range of #ecosystemservices such as water purification, air quality, space for recreation and climate mitigation and adaptation. #LIFEprogramme #LIFEproject #EUPollinators LIFE Programme EU Environment EU Climate Action Ecosystem Services Partnership Rewilding Europe Università Ca' Foscari Venezia Little Green Space Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network - BES-Net

Midland hawthorn The Fairy Tree The Midland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) is a tree that can grow up to 6-9 meters tall, very similar to the common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Despite having long thorns and extremely hard wood, it remains a symbol of delicacy and beauty. The white flowers emit a sweet, delicate fragrance and attract pollinating insects . The round, red fruits provide winter food for birds. Did you know? Even in prehistoric times, people ate hawthorn fruits : their pits have been found in prehistoric settlements. In Celtic tradition, it is a plant associated with fairies and their abode. [...]