Bagamér, Hungary (Bagamér, Ungarn) (Bagamér, Magyarország) 05.2015.

Most of the isolated remaining natural landscapes of the South Nyírség Region are integrated into the Hajdúság Landscape Protection Area. Here, on the north-eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain, a slight depression may be called a valley, and small elevations are referred to as hills. Hence the names of some protected areas: Valley of the Kék-Kálló, or Daru Hills of Bagamér, parst of the Natura 2000 Network. Pannonic sand steppes, sand dunes, Molinia meadows, and lowland hay meadows sustain a remarkable biodiversity here. At the edges of the protected areas, oak and silver linden forest patches can be found that harbour the Steppe Iris.  Place: Bagamér. Date: 01-09.05.2015.

Bereg Plain, Hungary (Ebene von Bereg, Ungarn) (Beregi-sík, Magyarország) 04.2015.

We travelled to Márokpapi, a small village in the Bereg Plain in East Hungary, in the Szatmár-Bereg Landscape Protection Area. There is a Natura 2000 site here named Tarpa-Tákos, famous for its rare plant species, including a relict population of the Snake's Head Fritillary. The area's vegetation includes Pannonic woods with sessile oak and hornbeam, Alluvial forests with black alder, and Lowland hay meadows. Location: Márokpapi. Date: 12.04.2015.

Bagamér, Hungary (Bagamér, Ungarn) (Bagamér, Magyarország) 03.2015.

Most of the isolated remaining natural landscapes of the South Nyírség Region are integrated into the Hajdúság Landscape Protection Area. Here, on the north-eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain, a slight depression may be called a valley, and small elevations are referred to as hills. Hence the names of some protected areas: Valley of the Kék-Kálló, or Daru Hills of Bagamér, parts of the Natura 2000 Network. Pannonic sand steppes, sand dunes, Molinia meadows, and lowland hay meadows sustain a remarkable biodiversity here. I visited Bagamér in spring, when the rare endemic Hungarian Pasque Flowers are in blossom.  Place: Bagamér. Date: 21-31.03.2015.

Debrecen, Hungary (Debrecen, Ungarn) (Debrecen, Magyarország) 11.2013.

In November 2013 I found some interesting arthropods in the city of Debrecen. Some of them were encountered in the palm house in the Botanic Garden of the University of Debrecen: these are peculiar tropical neozoons. Location: Debrecen. Date: 11.2013.

Debrecen, Hungary (Debrecen, Ungarn) (Debrecen, Magyarország) 09-10.2013.

This warm autumn was perfect for nature photography. Here are some photos of invertebrates, plants and fungi from the city of Debrecen, East-Hungary. Location: Debrecen. Date: 09-10.2013.

Debrecen, Hungary (Debrecen, Ungarn) (Debrecen, Magyarország) 06-08.2013.

In the summer of 2013 I stumbled upon some rare or rarely photographed species in Debrecen. Location: Debrecen. Date: 06-08.2013.

Vienna, Austria (Wien, Österreich) (Bécs, Ausztria) 03.2012.

I am spending the beginning of the year in Vienna, and in this first post from there I am writing about some early spring plants and animals observed and photographed inside the city. Most of them are well known, yet some are mostly unnoticed despite being almost ubiquitous.

Miskolc, Hungary (Miskolc, Ungarn) (Miskolc, Magyarország) 06.2011.

In the middle of June I took a short trip to Komlóstető, a small hill partially covered with houses that belongs to the city of Miskolc. There is a small, arid meadow, which does not seem to be of interest at first sight, howewer it has a suprisingly interesting animal life. Many invertebrates live here that I’ve never seen before anywhere else. Location: Miskolc, Komlóstető. Date: 12.06.2011.

Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Livno, Bosnien und Herzegowina) (Livno, Bosznia és Hercegovina) 05.2011.

We travelled from Čiovo to Southern Bosnia for one and a half days where we got to kwnow this land rich in interesting landscapes. After leaving the border, we traveled past karst landscapes in a mostly uninhabited region in the traditional county of Herzeg-Bosnia. The first area that we searched through was a field at the edge of a shrubby forest dominated by Downy Oak, near Zagoričani, Livno. Than we visited a large open limestone pavement landscape nearby. Location: Zagoričani, Livno. Date: 24-25.05.2011.

Trogir, Dalmatia, Croatia (Trogir, Dalmatien, Kroatien) (Trogir, Dalmácia, Horvátország) 05.2011.

In Middle Dalmatia we found a fascinating flora and fauna, a part of which I’ll try to present in this post. We searched through the hills surrounding Trogir, here the landscape is mostly characterised by arid slopes with large rocks, mediterranean plant communities, and an insect fauna typical of arid areas. Location: Surroundings of Trogir. Date: 23.05.2011.

Nyírábrány, Hungary (Nyírábrány, Ungarn) (Nyírábrány, Magyarország) 04.2011.

In April I traveled to Nyírábrány in East Hungary to some moors and to some open sandy grasslands nearby to take photos. The flora and fauna of this area is typical of the Nyírség landscape area, which is an north-eastern part of the great Hungarian Plain. There were once extensive birch moors (the lands got its name after the Hungarian word for birch), swamps, lowland oak forests and open sandy grasslands here. Nowadays the land is mostly agricultural, but there are still many places for taking nature photos here. Several such areas are protected also. Location: Nyírábrány. Date: 07-16.04.2011.

Debrecen, Hungary (Debrecen, Ungarn) (Debrecen, Magyarország) 03.2011.

At the beginning of March, there are usually still only common spring insects that are active in lowland forests, like in the so-called Nagyerdő forest (part of the Natura 2000) at the northern edge of the city of Debrecen. Most beetles have not yet ended their winter hibernation and this makes them quite easy to find, if one knows where to look for them. The Nagyerdő has many different tree species - it is partly a park, so there are many alien trees as well. The most important tree species for the insects are the old Pendunculate Oaks that grow here in a large number. These trees support a suprising diversity of insects. Many wasps, ants, bugs and beetles require oaks: either they feed from the oaks, or they prey on the plant-eaters. Also, decaying oak wood is the sole food source for many endangered beetles. And in winter, many arthropods hybernate under the barks of old oaks. The majority of these is still inactive in March, and one can find many rare species under the pieces of bark. Some other trees like pines and sycamores host an entirely different collection of arthropods under their barks. Location: Nagyerdő, Debrecen. Date: 03.2011.