Rural riddles Wren watch
A PLANT FOR ALL SEASONS
Jeremy Hobson solves more of your pastoral problems
Ivy-loving insects
Back in September last year, Giles Bowyer emailed to say that he had an “ivy hedge full of many different insects” and asked whether “ivy produces nectar which might be attracting them”? Ivy is often much-maligned
Tweeting troglodytes
small hole in the garden wall at our house in Val de Gâtine (on the outskirts of Viennay, Deux-Sèvres), we wondered whether they were picking up insects (there were no sign of any in their beaks on emerging) or looking for a potential nesting sight. Might you have any thoughts? Charlotte Schofield
Q
Watching wrens fly in and out of a
A
Fascinating little birds (for their size, they have an
amazingly loud call!), wrens actually spend quite a bit of their time doing exactly as you describe. We used to regularly watch them going in and out of a crumbling wall outside our house in France in much the same way and it is no coincidence that the scientific name of the (Eurasian) wren is Troglodytes troglodytes, meaning ‘cave-dweller’ (Parts
POT OF GOLD? Q
A
Do any Rural Riddles readers know the definitive answer to this? In the UK, even recreational fishing by such
of France, notably around Saumur, are famous for their troglodyte caves which housed human habitation for many centuries).Wrens can be found in various rural situations and gardens. The shape of their beaks suggest that they are primarily insect-eaters. At other times, they will pick up the seeds and berries of certain plants – another reason why they favour living around gardens and environs.
I’ve found an old lobster pot in the back of an outbuilding… it looks
in good condition. Do you happen to know if I would need a licence to throw a lobster pot into the sea off the coast of Brittany? I’m not talking about doing so from a boat, more going out onto an outcrop on foot and trying my luck from there. I just thought it a fun adventure – and might even catch supper! Marcus Collins
methods requires a licence as without one it’s likely that if caught, pots might be confiscated and a fixed penalty notice given – but I’m uncertain of the situation in France as far as using pots for ‘recreational’ purposes. I am, however, aware that, if fishing from a boat for any crustaceans in France, a licence is compulsory. When in doubt on any matter regarding
living in rural France, my advice is always to pop down to the local mairie town hall office (or maybe hôtel de ville in certain areas) and see what they have to say. Alternatively, if there is a fishing port near you, you could try asking at the marine authorities’ office there.
104 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: March/April 2024
because, as some people see it, once it takes hold, its vigorous growth can choke trees about which it climbs, and damage walls to which it attaches itself. While some or all of that might be true, as Giles noticed, ivy is also very good for several types of insects as winter approaches. Yes, ivy does produce a type
of nectar and those that benefit in the autumn are butterflies, bees, hoverflies and common wasps – the latter may also predate on some of the other insects which the ivy attracts. In winter, the berries are
an obvious source of food for many birds and, around about now, in the spring, ivy provides safe nesting sites for small birds such as goldcrests.
Fishing for an answer
© ALEXIS LOURS VIA CREATIVE COMMONS – CC BY 4.0 DEED
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