Comments
No comments posted yet.
-
2236 Hits
-
79.78% Score
-
11 Votes
Page Type:
|
Album |
|---|---|
Image Type(s):
|
Hiking, Wildlife, Flora, Informational, Scenery, Panorama |
Bats' mountain....
April 1st, 2010, I did a long bike travel (150 km) from Wrocław to a small nature reserve called Skałki Stoleckie (Stolec Rocks). This object is situated on the southern slope of Góra Wapienna (Lime Mt., 398 m a.s.l.) eastward from the city of Ząbkowice Śląskie, in the Sudetes Foreland. The reserve is distant ca 7 km from Muszkowicki Las Bukowy presented in another SP album. In the XVIII/XIX c. a small quarry was on Góra Wapienna where silver and dolomitic rocks were mined. Outside of the reserve on surrounding fields I collected small stones composed of mica-schists with microcristallization of garnets, black tourmalline, tremolite, calcite, quartz and black Mn-oxides. These data enhance our knowledge on geology and mineralogy of the area. Remnants of the quarry exist in the form of light warm lime and leptinite walls inhabited previously by protected Chalicodoma parietina, a black bee of mediterranean origin. At present this interesting insect is extincted because of agricultural practices (pesticides, fertillization) around this hill. Today, however, other rare beetles, bumblebees and butterflies still exist here. In addition, in the underground of the mountain there are beautiful extensive tunnels (ca 500-600 m) with small water reservoirs. The underground has a very suitable microclimate for hibernation of bats. It is a closed object where rich fauna of bats (10 species) is protected. In February 2003 there were noted 261 hibernating bats, e.g. Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis bechsteinii, M. brandtii, M. nattereri, Vespertilio murinus. In the forest growing on the mountain we can see oaks, birches, larches, Sorbus aucuparia, Frangula alnus, Sarothamnus scoparius, Rosa canina, Sambucus nigra and Prunus spinosa. Many plants are introduced here by a man, e.g. Ligustrum vulgare growing on edges of rocky walls, young trees of Pinus silvestris, Populus sp. or Prunus cerasifera. On lime and leptinite rocks rosettes of Verbascum thapsiforme and Plantago media grow. We can also observe Sedum acre, Ajuga genevensis and Convallaria majalis. At present the vicinity of southern walls was cleared of trees and bushes to permit new inhabitation of this place by rare bees. We can get the reserve directly from the nearby village of Stolec by red and yellow trails. The village of Stolec is noted as a Slavic settlement in the XIII c. Its history is extremely rich and interesting. In the village we can visit a gothic church and ruins of a large palace. Northward of the reserve there is located another old village, Bobolice, with beautiful church. Bobolice was mentioned in the Księga Henrykowska (XIII c.). Futher northward, near the village of Szklary a serpentinite massif (Szklary Hills) with rich deposits of nickel ore and chrysoprase was mined in the past.
