Does anything eat processional caterpillars?

Blue tit with tasty caterpillar (original photo)

We are all now familiar with the threat posed by these caterpillars which descend from their fluffy nests in the fir trees and form their lengthy trains across the ground. Dogs and cats which investigate them risk fatal stings and any person unwary enough to disturb them will find that the tiny barbs they expel are extremely irritating.
As with many natural threats a solution which can reduce the threat exists in nature itself: blue, great, longtail and other tits (as well as some bats) will attack the caterpillars with impunity.
Some communes in the Lot department which have a surfeit of fir trees have encouraged residents to install nesting boxes for tits and bats in a effort to minimise the threat.
It may be a bit late now for this year as many of the tits around our house are busy feeding young in holes in the walls and trees but worth thinking about for the future.

What rights to walk in the woods?

Many of us like to take a walk in the woods, often with a dog for company. But do we have any right to be there?
Not if the woods are privately owned, when express permission is needed. Of course if there are footpaths or public tracks these may be taken. Landowners are concerned that unauthorised entrants may try to cut wood, collect mushrooms, cause damage or start fires. They state that the same restrictions apply as when walking across cultivated fields.
Presumably chasseurs have such permission and so many woods are not managed by their owners that it seems unnecessary to have such a sweeping statement.

Are your kiwis French?

French markets and supermarkets sell some 80000 tonnes of kiwi fruit, of which about 30000 are imported, particularly in winter when southern hemisphere fruit is in season. But in European season French grown kiwi are generally more expensive than those imported. This led several wholesalers to take part in a fraud, selling cheaper Italian fruit as French. Food inspectors discovered that some fruit showed traces of pesticides used in Italy, but banned in France.
One firm under investigation is based in Tarn and Garonne and two in Lot and Garonne. Two Italian exporters have been prosecuted for issuing false certificates of origin.
Local producers explain that the lack of use of fungicides means they lose more fruit in cold storage than their competitors, increasing costs, but ensuring a less contaminated product.

Clover seeds to save the bees

A bee-keeper in the Pyrenees offered to send clover seeds to anyone in the world who wanted them to promote the welfare of wild bees, which he says are essential to the ecology. More than 60000 replies were received and now Nicholas Puech is getting the first 40000 envelopes to be posted. He asked people to send him clover seeds and volunteers helped him to fill the envelopes, which will be posted to addresses throughout France, Europe, Africa and North America.
He hopes to introduce the idea into schools in September and repeat the exercise with other seeds.

March of the Century

We published recently calls for a march for the planet on 31st March, organised locally. But 140 organisations, including Greenpeace, Nicolas Hulot Foundation, Secours Catholique, SOS racisme and many others have called people, especially the young, to join in a mass "March of the Century" on Saturday 16th March.
This is taking advantage of the Friday protests we also reported on recently, with school and university students making their feelings on climate change known by strikes and demonstrations. As with most Fridays there will be some manifestations on 15th and the groups have asked that those worldwide events be followed on the next day with a massive march.

Zero interest loans for improvements

Previously available for a bouquet of home improvements designed to make homes more eco-friendly was eligible for interest free loans but from today any one of the approved improvements will be eligible for a loan up to 10000 euros. Loans are normally re-payable over 15 years.
Work such as roof or wall insulation, double glazing, installation of heating systems (excluding oil) and use of renewable energy will be eligible. The work must be carried out by approved installers.
The link below gives more information.
https://www.ademe.fr/particuliers-eco-citoyens/financer-projet/renovation/dossier/eco-pret-a-taux-zero/tout-savoir-leco-pret-a-taux-zero-2019

Spring watch

Not the popular UK TV programme, but a volunteer group called "Spring Sentinels" who have been reporting early signs of spring to the local Midi Pyrenees PETR (an organisation of local government to collect and diffuse information on climate change).
Participants report first sightings (or bird calls) of 10 indicators. These include the first swallows, cuckoo, cowslips, hazel catkins, ladybirds (the 7 point variety), oak buds, vine shoots, yellow butterfly, pyramid orchids and green frogs.
Not all of these appear early in the spring, but it is useful to mark the progress of the season as it seems to be getting earlier each year.

Cowslips: primavere coucou

No doubt readers will have seen hazel trees with their pendulous flower clusters for some time now and we noticed some cowslips this morning. Pyramid orchids will not appear until late April/May, but there are other earlier varieties to look for from mid-March.
This link is to the very interesting report on the activities of the Sentinels in 2018.
http://www.midi-quercy.fr/IMG/pdf/-14.pdf

Signature trees under threat

Palm trees at Meze, January 2019. Picture:C Alazet.

The palm trees that grow along the Mediterranean coasts of France are the emblem of that area, but are under threat from a red weevil which destroys them from inside Originally from Asia the pest was first noticed in France in 2006 and there is no known treatment.
Having previously been attacked by a moth, which was treatable now they are under threat from the red weevil, which particularly attacks the Phoenix palms, the Washingtonia variety being less susceptible and may be treated by using nematode worms.
Some resorts have replaced their palms with olive and lime trees, preserving as far as possible the sound varieties. Cutting down and replanting is an expensive operation for many coastal authorites with mature Washingtonia palms costing up to 1000 euros per metre.
As one local maire says "Without palms trees it would not be the South of France".

Bears still in the sights

Picture IROZ Gaizka/ AFP

The proposed re-introduction of two female bears into the Bearn Pyrenees next year was the subject of a demonstration in Pau yesterday. Sheep farmers claim that over 600 animals, mainly ewes, were killed last year by bears. The argument has rumbled on for years, indeed the killing of the bear Cannelle 14 years ago was evoked as a symbol "you would think they had killed a man, not merely a bear" opined one chasseur.
Minister for Ecology, Nicholas Hulot, is convinced that bears and sheep can co-exist with precautions taken by farmers. Farmers, on the other hand, vehemently denounce this policy.
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Tonight at Caylus

Conférence « Alternatives aux pesticides »

Vendredi 30 mars 2018, 17h à la Maison du Patrimoine - Caylus

Vendredi 30 mars à partir de 17h : La conférence "Alternatives aux pesticides"

La conférence est animée par Edmond Puyraud. Riche de nombreuses années d’expériences du jardinage, il fonde l'association "l'Ecojardin des Roches" en 2005. Il écrit plusieurs ouvrages : "Equilibre naturel au jardin : Méthode destinée aux Jardiniers Amateurs » et "Alternatives aux produits phyto, pour une terre en pleine santé".

Edmond nous parlera de son nouvel ouvrage "Les parasites des légumes", il sera question des alternatives pour lutter contre les ravageurs au potager et au verger.  Nous évoquerons les méthodes de luttes préventives et curatives.

All electric by 2040?

The new Ecology Minister, Nicholas Hulot, has proposed that petrol and diesel cars be phased out by 2040. Seems a long time away, but it is in fact only 23 years. In the last 20 years progress has been made with much cleaner and more economical cars, including hybrids and electric vehicles. But to replace the whole "park" of petrol and diesel cars in 20 years presents enormous problems.
With electric cars the problem of battery life and recharging are currently major inhibitors. As one commentator puts it "would you be happy to spend 90 minutes every 300 kilometres on your holiday journey to recharge?" And most of the charging points are low power; high power recharging could require many more power stations to meet the demand. And taking your car abroad could be a problem.
Obviously many technical advances in all areas will transform the industry and infrastructure over the next 20 years and it will need wide international cooperation to meet Mr Hulot's ambitious target.
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Restictions on water usage

Six south west departments, including Tarn and Garonne, have been in force since the beginning of the month are to be strengthened from tomorrow (Monday) and will remain in force until 31st October.
Water for "primary use" will remain available, such as drinking water, animal drinking, fire restriction and irrigation by water saving systems (drop by drop). Farmers may only take water from rivers on two days per week and refilling of private reservoirs is forbidden. Such water use as topping up swimming pools or watering with hosepipes is not allowed.
The showers last week refilled our water butts but they will soon be empty again for watering the plants. There may be rain today (Sunday) so perhaps we will at least replenish our 600 litre stocks.
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Crunch time for bees

Peter Mobbs, who lives at Penne has sent a couple of photos of bees in flight using his new "invention" for high resolution photos of small, fast moving objects, in this case bees.

Peter has also sent a link to his blog where you can read the full article on the threat to bees and other insects.


http://petermobbs.com/articles/2017-crunch-time-for-bees-and-insects-in-general