Creating a vegetation-free clay area to provide ecological niches

2025

At the request of our 'ecological support group', we have created a vegetation-free clay area. This is intended to provide important ecological niches for various animal species. The main beneficiaries are:

Wild bees: Around 75% of all wild bee species are ground breeders. Many of them, such as the silk bees, use clay to line or close their breeding holes.

Wasp species: Oriental mortar wasp (clay pot wasp), Mason wasp and Tönnchenweg wasp. These species use clay to build their nests or to close their breeding holes.

Birds: Swallows, House martins, Red-rumped martins and Barn swallows depend on clay to build their nests. They form damp clay into hemispherical nests on vertical walls under overhangs.

Amphibians: Yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) and Natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita). These species mainly use temporary bodies of water that can form in clay pits.