La SociétéGuernesiaise


HOME \| ABOUT \| JOIN NOW\| DONATE \| CONTACT US

Highlights:	Mole Crickets, traditionally managed orchard & scarce plants
Access:
Perrys Guide:	9 H2

View over the newly planted trees

Aerial Photo

Nature Reserves

Le Jardin de Lorette

This field in the Petites Capelles was donated by Mrs Lorette Domaille and has been named 'Le Jardin de Lorette' after her. When it was taken over by La Société in the 1990s it was a derelict greenhouse site. Stone foundations, rubble, and large amounts of glass had to be removed, and the western half of it is now managed as a hay meadow. One corner is quite damp and contains interesting plants such as Square-stalked St John's Wort, Water Figwort, Greater Willow-herb and Brookweed. The rest is developing into a mixture of meadow grasses, with some rush species, and wild flowers such as Tufted Vetch, Hairy Tare, and Bristly Ox-Tongue.

The half nearest the road was planted in 1997 with around 90 Apple trees of three French varieties, suitable for the production of cider in due course.

The reserve is important for its population of Mole Crickets, a very rare insect, possibly extinct on mainland Britain, but still surviving in damp land in the north of Guernsey. Many other insect species are present, particularly grasshoppers and other crickets. Butterflies recorded include Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady, Wall, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Holly and Common Blue.

The whole area is cut twice a year, and paths are cut more frequently. The photo below shows a raking party completing the clearance of the cut vegetation, which, if left on site, would add to fertility which is not in the best interests of the wild flora. This regime ensures the best conditions for the proliferation of wild flowers and invertebrates.


Hairy Tare Vicia hirsuta	The Apple Trees soon after they were planted

Mole Cricket Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa	Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Wall Brown Lasiommata megera	Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus.	Volunteers finishing raking.