Lavandula stoechas --- La Croix des Gardes is a protected, but higly anthropised maquis. The area is characterised by the presence of non-native Acacacia dealbata, Eucalyptus, parrots, and Freesia. Pinus pinea is probably non-native too, though long date established. Typical flora includes Cistus monspelliensis and salviifolius, but no C. albidus, and Quercus suber and pubescens, but no Q. ilex. Though I was looking for it, I wasn't able to find any Gladiolus too, nor than any sand wasp, despite the sandy soil on gneissic and shale terrain. Apologies for the poor quality of the pictures, taken without a good camera but my single cellphone, with a terrible autofocus... Fauna is poorly illustrated, since I wasn't able to catch many animals with that poor device ; it includes Pieris, and other kind of butterflies, many bees, including a mating couple of Xylocopa (either X. violaceus or X. valga), which was the first time I saw the mating. No wasps seen, probably to early in the season, and to cool yet... Exact location is not precised, given that the occurence of various protected species, including S. neglecta that I though to be disapeared from the area, when the last site I knew it grew were built...
