Hjörne, Naturreservat

Hjörne consists of a small pasture with old pasture oaks. In the north, the reserve is bounded by a steep rock face called Snapphanehyllan. At the foot of the mountain is a small cave. This is where both Oskar II and Crown Prince Gustav Adolf visited and wrote their names, hence the name Kungsgrottan.

The area's natural values are linked to the old oaks. Old oaks are very rich in species, and can literally be teeming with life. It is estimated that over 1,500 species live in and around the oak tree, which is considerably more than for any other tree species in Sweden. It could be lichens growing on the bark or wood-boring fungi causing rot in the oak's interior. Bats and birds such as starlings, wood pigeons and barn owls may nest in the oak's cavities.

Home to insects

Above all, oaks are home to a wide range of insects. They feed on the leaves, ollons and fungi that grow on the tree. Beetles alone are estimated to number more than 500 species. Some are predators that hunt in the canopy, while others are wood-boring insects that crawl under the bark and dig tunnels in the trunk and roots.