Alvlösa, Naturreservat

Alvlösa's and Parteby's extensive alvars offer a rich plant and animal life. Many species that are typical of well-grazed, calcareous land live here. There are also rock carvings and other interesting remains in the area.

Plants and insects of the Alvar

For thousands of years, farmers on the island have grazed their cattle on Stora Alvaret. The open land on limestone-rich bedrock is a unique environment with peculiar plant life. In the wet meadows, marsh gentian and mayflower bloom, and where it is dry, the characteristic species include the bridal bread and the big fat bud. Alvar wormwood and island sunflower are examples of species that are exclusive to the island's alvar. The alvar is a host plant for a number of insects, one example being the tocsack moth, an unusual butterfly whose caterpillars live only on the leaves of the alvar. Another flower visitor is the alvar fall beetle, a leaf beetle commonly found in southern Europe but with a northern outpost here on the alvar. The azure runner beetle is a characteristic species of alvar land and is only found on Öland and Gotland. In recent years, it has declined as the alvar's dry meadows have grown back. The blue-winged grasshopper can be encountered in late summer. The bluish wings are an unmistakable characteristic.

Birds high and low

Alvaret's insect-rich wetlands attract many birds. At Västerstads träsk, for example, waders such as snipe, redshank and curlew nest. On the water surface of the marsh, you can see swimming birds such as pintail and shoveler. If you're lucky, the rare meadow hawk may glide past over the alvar's scrubland. The skylark, together with the stone curlew and the heath pipit, are characteristic birds of the gravel and rocky areas of the Alvar. It thrives in the open spaces and arrives as early as February-March from more southern latitudes.

Remains from the past

On moss- and lichen-covered rocks in the west, rock carvings can be seen in the form of small pits. No one really knows what these so-called fairy mills were used for. Perhaps they were used for religious ceremonies. Or as a collection point for magical rainwater! Other remains in the area are a burial ground, a stone settlement and house foundations.