Merops Field Centre
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meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
Merops Field Centre
@meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
120 followers 280 following 97 posts
Mediterranean Ecology Research Observatory for Practical Skills

Field studies organisation located in the south of France
Created by Dr Sophie Mowles and Dr Fabrizio Manco
https://merops.eu/

@sophiemowles.bsky.social
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meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
Now winter’s here and there is less low vegetation at the riverside, the local Beavers seem to be moving further and concentrating on a stand of White Poplars. We found some fairly large stumps, and followed the trail where the trees had been dragged to the river, then de-barked... #mammals
Small White Poplar tree stumps, cut down by Beavers. They have 45 degree pointed angles on the cut tips and lots of wood chips at their bases. A White Poplar tree stump cut down by a Beaver. The tip is pointed and there are wood chips on the grass around it. A trail of exposed earth in woodland where trees have been dragged along by Beavers. A sandy trail leading to the water's edge of a river. It has been eroded by Beavers moving trees. At the water's edge are de-barked trunks and small branches.
December 9, 2025 at 9:32 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
This year we’ve been very lucky with our #Lepidoptera. We’ve seen Common Swallowtail caterpillars feeding on the fennel, and even a Scarce Swallowtail caterpillar in a plum tree. Both #butterflies have been nectaring on the lavender. Really great to see both the adults and larvae of these species!
A Common Swallowtail caterpillar on a fennel stalk. It is green with black-and-orange stripes. A Common Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a lavender inflorescence. The butterfly is yellow overall, with black squaring markings, plus blue and orange markings near its "tails". A Scarce Swallowtail caterpillar on a plum tree twig. It is bright green with little orange dots, and well-camouflaged among the leaves. A Scarce Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a lavender inflorescence. It is yellow overall, with long black lines running down its wings. There are orange and blue markings near the tail projections from the hindwings.
November 17, 2025 at 9:32 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
And the results are in! This year’s iNaturalist competition identified almost 2,000 species among our field courses, including 533 new species for this year! @inaturalist.bsky.social
A leaderboard from iNaturalist showing the rankings of the bio-blitzes from 9 universities. The leading university is KU Leuven, with 799 species recorded.
November 10, 2025 at 10:28 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
While on their field course with us, MSc students from the University of St Andrews carried out independent research projects. One group studied bat behaviour using ultrasonic recorders. Here, they’ve managed to record a Soprano Pipistrelle and a European Free-tailed Bat.
@mikemwebster.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 8:08 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
We were very lucky to have a nocturnal encounter with Otters during our field course with MSc students and staff from the University of St Andrews. Stood on a bridge near the field centre at night, we used our thermal camera and watched silently as this trio approached us. @mikemwebster.bsky.social
October 29, 2025 at 7:48 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all the staff and students from the University of St Andrews for making your field course so special. Thanks for your enthusiasm about local ecology, and for designing fascinating field projects. Good luck with the rest of your studies! @mikemwebster.bsky.social
A group of people (staff and MSc students from the University of St Andrews, together with Sophie and Fabrizio from Merops) stood in front of a sunny meadow, next to a barn. The photo is taken slightly from above by a drone.
October 22, 2025 at 7:48 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
For our second excursion with MSc students from the University of St Andrews, we headed to the #Camargue. First exploring the freshwater reedbeds to the north, then the southern salt marshes where we saw plenty of waders and Greater Flamingos. @mikemwebster.bsky.social #birds #ornithology #ecology
A pair of Spoonbills with a Caspian Tern behind them on a sandbank. One of the Spoonbills has its bill open, revealing the sensitive cream-coloured tissue inside. A group of students walking across a boardwalk towards a reedbed. Sophie is with them, carrying a spotting scope. Students looking across a freshwater pond using a spotting scope and binoculars. A Greater Flamingo feeding in shallow mud. It has its head down and is skimming the surface of the mud with its bill.
October 21, 2025 at 9:18 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
We spent a day with staff and MSc students from the University of St Andrews to explore the rugged uplands of the Causse Méjean. We had extraordinary views of the gorges from above the clouds, found some fantastic plants, and were lucky enough to spot 3 species of vulture. @mikemwebster.bsky.social
A view from an upland plateau looking down into a valley that is filled with clouds. A group of students using binoculars and with a telescope. They are looking up into a blue sky with cliffs in the background. Students using binoculars while Fabrizio uses a radio antenna to hear if any radio-tagged Bearded Vultures are nearby. A Griffon Vulture soaring against a sky of light cloud cover.
October 19, 2025 at 9:35 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
Day 2 with MSc students from the University of St Andrews, and they are trialling their field projects. Microphones have been placed to record meadow soundscapes, audio has been reviewed from bat detectors, and model butterflies have been deployed to investigate predation. @mikemwebster.bsky.social
Students sat on the ground in a meadow next to a microphone mounted on a tripod. Students reviewing bat calls using computer software. A Speckled Wood butterfly on fallen plant tree leaves. Plasticine model butterflies deployed on a tree.
October 15, 2025 at 9:23 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
A great first day with our visitors from the University of St Andrews. We’ve had a drone demonstration and toured the local habitats while looking for inspiration for field projects. Highlights included plenty of invertebrates, and some amazing #fungi. @mikemwebster.bsky.social
A group of people looking up at a drone. Its landing pad is in the foreground. An iridescent green leafhopper on a ragweed leaf. A Cauliflower Fungus among pine needles. A group of people in a meadow pointing and looking at invertebrates on the ground. Some are taking photographs too.
October 13, 2025 at 1:28 PM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
Here at Merops, both Fabrizio and Sophie are keen photographers and are also happy to help those wanting to improve heir skills. We both use Canon EOS, so if any staff or students bring a compatible Canon body and want to trial a macro or telephoto lens in the field, then we can help!
Fabrizio holding a telephoto lens up to the sky, where numerous Griffon Vultures are soaring. A Griffon Vulture against a pale blue sky. Sophie lying on a short grass bank, holding a camera with a long macro lens to her eye, focussing on a small insect in the grasses. A Southern Festoon butterfly shot with a macro lens, giving sharp focus to the subject, with a blurry background.
October 8, 2025 at 7:43 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
More #macro from Merops! We’ve done some #moth trapping, and while the moths are warming up prior to release, they remain still enough for some close-up #photography. Here are some of their portraits. L: 𝘔𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘢, Double-spot Brocade and R: 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢, Rosy-striped Knot-Horn
A close-up photograph of a Double-spot Brocade moth's head in profile. It is a dappled light brown and grey. A close up of the head and back of a Rosy-striped Knot-Horn moth in profile. It is pink and yellow, with iridescent green eyes.
October 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
On our field courses, we often tend to share photographs of the larger animals around, however, some of the smaller organisms are just as stunning. With #macro-photography we can really see the details of the invertebrates present here in the autumn. #macro #photography #entomology #arachnid #insect
A black and orange Ichneumonid wasp. A Rosemary Beetle, staring head-on into the camera. A close-up of a bee, showing its fuzzy covering. A Common European Harvestman looking straight into the camera lens. Its claw-like chelicerae are visible in front of it.
October 6, 2025 at 8:23 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
It’s autumn and some great #mushrooms are appearing in the woodlands here. We’ve found several clusters of Sulphur Tuft (𝘏𝘺𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦), which happens to fluoresce under UV light. Cue a nocturnal trip into the woods with a UV torch to see its amazing green glow. #mycology #fungi #mushroom
A cluster of orange mushrooms sprouting on the forest floor. The ground is covered in dried autumnal leaves. A cluster of mushrooms at night under UV light. They are glowing with a greenish hue. The rest of the surroundings are dark, with a faint purple glow from the nearby UV light.
October 3, 2025 at 7:14 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
We’d like to say a big thank you to our visitors from @sheffielduni.bsky.social. We had a great time hosting you all this week, and were impressed by everybody’s enthusiasm and dedication to their field projects. We wish you the best of luck with the rest of your studies! @luketdunning.bsky.social
A group of 23 people standing with their backs to a forested valley. They are a mixture of students and staff, many wearing binoculars. There is also a spotting scope at the right hand side of the image.
September 17, 2025 at 8:22 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
While here with us, students from @sheffielduni.bsky.social learned various survey skills, including #moth trapping. After identifying their findings in the morning, they were back out in the meadows and woods gathering data for their independent ecology projects. @luketdunning.bsky.social
A male Vapourer Moth in a petri dish. A group of students listening to a member of staff talking about moth trapping. A group of students sat in a meadow collecting data. There are trees behind them, plus a classical French country house. A female Western Saddle Bush-cricket among the grasses. She is green and is well-camouflaged.
September 16, 2025 at 6:54 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
With staff and students from @sheffielduni.bsky.social, we explored the Causse Méjean, an upland area famous for its rugged habitats, surrounded by deep gorges frequented by #vultures. We were lucky enough to spot Bearded Vultures, plus shrikes and some great #lepidoptera. @luketdunning.bsky.social
A group of ecology students stood in a rugged upland area of short grasses. They have binoculars and telescopes and are having something pointed out to them by a member of staff. A Chalk Burnet moth sat on a dried grass stem. It is black with red spots surrounded by yellow borders. A Bearded Vulture in flight against a cliff. Staff and students at a lookout point. A member of staff is taking photos with a telephoto lens. In the background there are rising limestone crags.
September 15, 2025 at 9:29 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
Yesterday we took our visitors from @sheffielduni.bsky.social to explore the Camargue wetlands. We observed the differences between the freshwater areas to the north and the brackish areas to the south. Highlights of our day were Western Swamp Hens and Moorish Geckos. @luketdunning.bsky.social
A group of students looking through binoculars at a pond. A Moorish Gecko on an overhead wooden beam. A Western Swamp Hen investigating some dried reeds while foraging. Greater Flamingos on a pond. In the background some people are observing them.
September 11, 2025 at 8:05 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
Day two with @sheffielduni.bsky.social, and we’ve been exploring field techniques. Kick sampling, GPS use, plus plant and terrestrial invertebrate surveys. Highlights were more mantises, Saddle-backed Bush Crickets, plus spotting crayfish in the river. @luketdunning.bsky.social
A group of staff and students looking into a white sampling tray next to a river. A Spinycheek Crayfish. A female Western Saddle Bush-cricket on the edge of a sweep net. Students holding up a sweep net and looking at a bush cricket.
September 10, 2025 at 5:53 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
A great first afternoon with our visitors from the University of Sheffield. We explored the local habitats, seeing some fantastic autum wildlife including the Mediterranean Conehead Mantis. Other highlights were large Orthoptera, butterflies, and Colchicum autumn Crocuses. @luketdunning.bsky.social
A Mediterranean Conehead Mantis sitting on a dried plant stem A member of staff showing a mantis to a group of excited students Three people close to the ground, taking photos of invertebrates with their phones A Colchicum autumn crocus. The flower is pale purple with yellow stamens.
September 9, 2025 at 5:57 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
In autumn, many migratory birds that have bred here in France prepare to undertake their journey back to Africa, and it's a great time to spot them as they aggregate. Among them is the European Bee-eater (𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳), known for its diet of hymenopterans, which this individual is fuelling up on.
A European Bee-eater sat on an electrical cable. It has its head raised up and is holding a paper wasp in its bill.
September 1, 2025 at 8:38 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
It’s late summer, and the Cévennes mountains continue to amaze. In the heather, male Ladybird Spiders (𝘌𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘬𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪) wander in search of the much larger, velvety-black females. With the males prospecting, this is the best time of year to catch a glimpse of this elusive species. #arachnid #spider
A male Ladybird Spider walking through short grass and heather. Its abdomen is bright red with black spots, resembling a ladybird. A male Ladybird Spider sitting in dried grass. Its abdomen is bright red with black spots, resembling a ladybird. A male Ladybird Spider walking across a stone and pine needles. A male Ladybird Spider walking through dried grass.
August 26, 2025 at 7:38 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
With summer well underway, we explored some cooler habitats in the Cévennes mountains. At a fantastic peat bog we found lots of Round-leaved Sundew, plus Marsh Gentians, which are the larval food plant of Alcon Large Blue butterflies. Other highlights were Wasp Spiders amongst the shrubs.
Round-leaved Sundew plans growing among Sphagnum moss and low grasses. They have round green leaves covered in sticky red filaments for catching invertebrates. A Marsh Gentian flower. It is deep purple and tubular, facing upwards out of the Sphagnum moss. An Alcon Large Blue butterfly feeding on heather flowers. Its wings are partially open, showing the spotted underside and greyish-blue upper side. A Asp Spider. It is sitting in the middle of its web, which has a zigzag pattern woven into it. The spider has a black and yellow striped abdomen.
August 5, 2025 at 7:58 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
We’re looking back at our fantastic spring field season, and would like to say a huge thank you to all involved: staff and students from all of our visiting universities, and especially to Chris and Alison at the Château du Fraissinet. Thanks to everyone for making these field courses so special.
A composite panel showing seven group photos of staff and students on field courses throughout he spring.
July 24, 2025 at 8:18 AM
meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
During our spring field courses, we had some excellent luck with camera trap sightings. This beautiful Roe Deer doe and her fawn were recorded by our visitors from @stir.ac.uk and we couldn’t be happier to get a glimpse of this little family @bb-phd.bsky.social @zarahpattison.bsky.social
July 21, 2025 at 9:19 AM