Laubach. Moths at the heart of a nighttime nature outing

"These animals are too often misunderstood or ignored by the general public, even though they constitute a very important link in the ecosystem as foragers and pollinators. They also represent important prey that feed spiders and bats, while birds glean caterpillars during the day. 5,000 species of heterocera, moths, are listed in France, while butterflies of the day only account for around 250," explains Sébastien Heim of Hymenoptera Conseils .

Nicknamed the insect man, he will offer the chance to discover several species using a lamp with specific spectra during a night outing on Saturday, September 13. The outing will take place at the pilot site of the Sauer-Pechelbronn community of communes in Laubach.

"The Laubach pilot site is made up of several contrasting biotopes. It is within such contrasting environments that we can observe many of our region's insect and butterfly species. This interesting fauna benefits from the hedges that have been planted, along with the practice of alternating mowing of grassy areas, which is starting to bear fruit, since many caterpillars feed on grasses in addition to using tall grass as a roost," explains Sébastien Heim. He adds: "We must be aware that we have lost 80% of the biomass of flying insects in thirty years. This is because of human activities that poison nature and destroy biotopes."

Free. No registration required. Meet on Saturday, September 13th at 9 p.m. at the Laubach community center, rue d'Eschbach. Bring a flashlight, sunglasses, and clothing suitable for outdoor activities. For more information, call 06 51 82 57 01 or [email protected]