Finally

Finally after our third visit to Store Mosse I found what I hoped to find: Hippodamia septemmaculata (sjufläckig nickelpiga – veenlieveheersbeestje). Old collections from Belgium learned us that you could find them in the neighbourhood of Brussels. But now there is only 1 known place left in the whole of the country hidden away in the south of Belgium. They totally disappeared. I guess there is no peat mosses any more where they can live in. I found them once in the French Vosges, high in the mountains in the middle of a small lake on a floating island (scary to walk over). Now again I found it! In Sweden in my neighbourhoud. (Well... at least in Swedish terms neighbourhoud)

Some friends from Belgium came by to visit us. They cycled from Belgium to Germany. In Rügen they took the boat to Trelleborg. And from there it’s only a few hours cycling to us. Now they went up to Helsingborg to take the ferry to Helsingør (Denmark) and go down south again for a few days. Maybe they will pass Louisiana, an art centre.

I felt sorry for them as they just arrived on the first day of rain. But we went to the nearby wood (Dalby Söderskog Nationalpark). Piet pointed at the big ash trees. Just like in Belgium they die from the fungi disease. 

Of course there is always something to see as some animals love rain and with the huge amounts of dead wood mushrooms liked it there too. 

Polyporus squamosus

Helix pomatia

The next day we went to Store Mosse. Piet has a huge knowledge about plants and mosses (and lots of other things) so it is fun to go on a trip with him. And meanwhile we can show Piet and Hilde a nice little piece of Sweden.

We had a good time. Unexpected, what do you think, we had good weather. At noon a little drop of rain but before and after that rain full sun. So we had a full Swedish picnick with lot's of good Swedish food.
And there it was, my special ladybird, just running around on the water-purslane (Rödlånke – waterpostelijn) standing in the water at our feet. 

But luckily we had also some other nice animals and plants. We saw even a grass snake (snok - ringslang) but it was to quick to take a picture.

Trichophorum alpinum ?

Equisetum sylvaticum

Pyrola minor

 

The next day Piet and Hilde left in the pouring rain. I joined them till the centre of Lund. After they were gone it stopped raining. I hope they had some nice weather further on. But never trust Sweden in June. At midsummer you will have for sure the classic rain shower and as midsummer is not far away ...