Scarce swallowtail The Most Elegant Flight The Scarce swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius, Papilionidae family) is a beautiful butterfly, large and striking, with a distinctive and delicate flight. The background color is a pale yellow, with six thin black bands in a V shape. The Scarce swallowtail is very common and widespread, even in orchards and gardens. It is associated with mild climates and is rarely observed in Northern Europe. The caterpillar primarily develops on Rosaceae plants, such as peach, apricot, blackthorn, etc. Adult butterflies feed on nectar , playing an important role as pollinators. Did you know? The colorful spots on [...]

Clustered bellflower An enchanted flower Its scientific name, Campanula glomerata, describes the shape and arrangement of its flowers: "Campanula" refers to the bell shape , while "glomerata" indicates that the flowers are gathered in clusters at the top of the stems. The individual flower is up to 2 cm long and has 5 pointed lobes . This plant grows in meadows and dry, rocky places, up to an altitude of 1500 meters. It can reach a height of up to 70 cm, standing out among other vegetation with its beautiful blue-violet flowers, an irresistible invitation to pollinating insects . Campanula [...]

Manna ash The Manna Tree The manna ash (scientific name Fraxinus ornus) is a tree native to southern Europe and can reach a height of 24 meters. The flowers appear before the leaves and are grouped in panicles. They are small, cream-white, fragrant flowers with 4 petals. The fruits are called samaras, composed of a seed wrapped in a kind of wing. It thrives in sunny areas, with hot summers and mild winters, and is often associated with the Mediterranean scrubland. This plant, considered a pioneer species, is useful in reforestation in challenging environments and is also appreciated as an [...]

Small tortoiseshell One of the most common European butterflies The Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is a butterfly with bright colors - brick-red with black and yellow-orange patches alternated, adorned with a series of blue spots on the wing edges. It belongs to the Ninphalydae family and is widespread in Europe, particularly in mountainous regions, even at high altitudes. The yellow and black caterpillars feed on nettles. During winter, the adult butterflies go into a sort of hibernation , often found inside buildings or houses. And it is one of the first butterflies to wake up at the end of winter. [...]

Field maple Fruits with wings The field maple (Acer campestre, Aceraceae family) is a tree that reaches 12 meters in height (sometimes even 20 meters) but is usually smaller, similar to a large shrub. In May, the small yellow-green flowers appear, clustered in corymbs (inflorescences similar to umbrellas). The fruits of these trees have some kind of wings that allow the seeds to move away from the parent plant. The field maple is common in mixed deciduous woods, in hilly areas and in low mountains. It is also used for the formation of hedges, as it tolerates pruning very well, [...]