15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - DEWFIGS (Genus Drosanthemum)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - GOLD COIN (Pallenis maritima)

Pallenis maritima, also known as the Mediterranean Beach Daisy or Gold Coin, is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family, native to regions like the Canary Islands, southern Portugal, and parts of the Mediterranean. This plant is known for its vibrant yellow daisy-like flowers that have darker centers. Typically growing to a height of about 30 cm, it thrives in coastal and dry environments, often found in sandy soils. It requires moderate care, especially in terms of watering, where it should be watered enough to moisten the soil but not excessively to avoid root rot. In its natural environment, it can survive on rainwater but benefits from supplemental watering during dry spells. The plant prefers full sun but needs protection from intense midday heat to avoid sunburn. When grown indoors, it should be shielded from harsh air conditioning which can dry it out.

Pallenis maritima is also a low-maintenance plant that can adapt to various climates as long as it gets enough sunlight and is not overwatered.

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - EUROPEAN GLADIOLI (Genus Gladiolus)

The term "European Gladioli" refers to species within the genus Gladiolus that are native to Europe, often found in the Mediterranean region. Examples include Gladiolus communis (Eastern Gladiolus) and Gladiolus italicus (Field Gladiolus), which feature spikes of flowers and grow from corms. While commonly known as Sword Lilies, these European species are distinct from the widely cultivated, large-flowered hybrids which are mostly derived from African species. 

 

Native range: Primarily the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe.

Growth habit: They are cormous perennial plants with tall, often unbranched, flower spikes that emerge from a bulb-like corm.

Foliage: Leaves are typically slender and sword-shaped, with a grooved or sheath-like structure.

Flowers: Flower spikes are often, though not always, one-sided, with individual flowers emerging from the bottom of the spike and opening upwards.

Cultivated vs. wild: The large, colorful flower spikes seen in commercial products are largely the result of centuries of hybridization and selection, mostly from African species. Native European species often have more delicate or less vibrant flowers compared to these cultivated hybrids. 

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - CHICORY (Cichorium intybus)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - YELLOW HORNED POPPY (Glaucium flavum)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - TREE MALLOW (Malva arborea)

Tree mallow is a fast-growing shrub or herbaceous plant in the mallow family, known for its large, velvety leaves and showy, pink to purple flowers with darker veins. It is native to the Mediterranean but widely grown in gardens, tolerates poor soil and drought once established, and prefers full sun. It can grow up to 3 meters (10 feet) tall, often requires support, and self-seeds readily. 

Physical characteristics

Height: Can grow from 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall.

Leaves: Large, velvety, and lobed, typically with five to nine lobes.

Flowers: Typically pink to purple with darker veins, with five petals that open wide. The flowering season is summer into early fall. 

Growing conditions

Sun: Thrives in full sun, which maximizes flowering, but can tolerate partial shade.

Soil: Prefers well-drained soil and can tolerate nutritionally poor or sandy soils.

Water: Needs regular watering to get established, but is drought-tolerant once it matures.

15-4-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HELICINAN SLUG (Infraorder Arionoidei)

Limacus flavus, known commonly as the cellar slug, the yellow slug, or the tawny garden slug, is a medium to large species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae.

This slug has a yellow body with grey mottling, and pale blue tentacles. When extended, the body length can be 7.5 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in).

The yellow slug is common in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland as well as most of southern and western Europe. It has been accidentally introduced in many other parts of the world.

Yellow slugs, like the majority of other land slugs, use two pairs of tentacles on their heads to sense their environment. The upper pair, called optical tentacles, is used to sense light. The lower pair, oral tentacles, provide the slug's sense of smell. Both pairs can retract and extend themselves to avoid hazards, and, if lost to an accident or predation, can be regrown.

Like all slugs, the yellow slug moves relatively slowly, gliding along using a series of muscular contractions on the underside of its foot, which is lubricated with mucus, such that it leaves a slime trail behind it.

This species feeds mostly on fungi, decaying matter, and vegetables.

This species is strongly associated with human habitation, and is usually found in damp areas such as cellars, kitchens, and gardens or under stones. Generally speaking it is only seen at night, because it is nocturnal. Thus often it goes unnoticed and people are unaware of how (relatively) common the species is.

15-4-2019 DENIA PLAYA, ALICANTE - EURASIAN GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)

14-4-2019 GANDIA MARJAL, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

14-4-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREEN HUNTSMAN SPIDER (Micrommata ligurina)

Micrommata ligurina is a species of huntsman spider. It was first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1845.

In the females of Micrommata ligurina the body length can reach 9–14 millimetres (0.35–0.55 in), while in the males it is about 6–9 millimetres (0.24–0.35 in). The carapace is long and narrow and the abdomen is elongate. The cephalothorax and the long legs of the females are bright green, with a lighter green abdomen showing an almost indistinct median band.

This spider is very similar to the green huntsman spider (Micrommata virescens), but the females have a black dot on the carapace. Moreover the adult males of M. ligurina have a dark brown median band on abdomen with whitish or gray sides.

The eight eyes are arranged in two rows and surrounded by white hairs. Adults can be found in late winter and in early spring.

Micrommata ligurina occurs from the Mediterranean Basin to Central Asia. The range of this species includes Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

These huntsman spiders live on herbaceous vegetation.

13-4-2019 RIO SERPIS, GANDIA - SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria))

The speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) is a butterfly found in and on the borders of woodland areas throughout much of the Palearctic realm. The species is subdivided into multiple subspecies, including Pararge aegeria aegeria, Pararge aegeria tircis, Pararge aegeria oblita, and Pararge aegeria insula. The color of this butterfly varies between subspecies. The existence of these subspecies is due to variation in morphology down a gradient corresponding to a geographic cline. 

The background of the wings ranges from brown to orange, and the spots are either pale yellow, white, cream, or a tawny orange. The speckled wood feeds on a variety of grass species. The males of this species exhibit two types of mate locating behaviors: territorial defense and patrolling. The proportion of males exhibiting these two strategies changes based on ecological conditions. The monandrous female must choose which type of male can help her reproduce successfully. Her decision is heavily influenced by environmental conditions.

13-4-2019 RIO SERPIS, GANDIA - CASTOR BEAN (Ricinus communis)

12-4-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HOVER FLY (Family Syrphidae)

12-4-2019 MARXUQUERA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the sparrow family Passeridae. This small bird typically measures around 16 cm (6.3 in) in length and weighs between 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females and young birds displaying pale brown and grey plumage, while males are characterized by more vibrant black, white, and brown markings.

Males can be identified by their bright black, white, and brown markings, with a distinctive black bib, white cheeks, and a grey crown. Females lack the striking head patterns of males and are predominantly buffish with softer coloration. Juveniles resemble adult females but are generally paler with less defined markings.

The house sparrow is highly adaptable and can thrive in both urban and rural environments. It is commonly found in close association with human habitation and avoids dense forests, grasslands, polar regions, and deserts far from human development.

Native to Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and much of Asia, the house sparrow has been introduced to various regions worldwide, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, making it one of the most widely distributed wild birds.

12-4-2019 MARXUQUERA, VALENCIA - BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)

The Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In fact, it has the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometers globally. In Anglophone Europe it is just called the swallow; in northern Europe, it is the only common species called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".

The Barn swallow is a distinctive songbird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. There is a line of white spots across the outer end of the upper tail. The female is similar in appearance to the male, but the tail streamers are shorter, the blue of the upperparts and breast band is less glossy, and the underparts paler. The juvenile is browner and has a paler rufous face and whiter underparts. It also lacks the long tail streamers of the adult.

Barn swallows are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. These birds are long-distance migrants and their wintering grounds cover much of the Southern Hemisphere as far south as central Argentina, the Cape Province of South Africa, and northern Australia. 

The preferred habitat of Barn swallows is open country with low vegetation, such as pasture, meadows, and farmland, preferably with nearby water. These birds avoid heavily wooded or precipitous areas and densely built-up locations. On their wintering grounds, Barn swallows avoid only dense forests and deserts. They are most common in open, low vegetation habitats, such as savanna and ranch land, and in Venezuela, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago the birds are particularly attracted to burnt or harvested sugarcane fields and the waste from the cane.

Barn swallows are gregarious birds and in the absence of suitable roost sites, they sometimes roost on wires where they are more exposed to predators. Individual birds tend to return to the same wintering locality each year and congregate from a large area to roost in reed beds. These roosts can be extremely large and are thought to be a protection from predators. Barn swallows typically feed by day in open areas 7-8 m (23-26 ft) above shallow water or the ground often following animals, humans, or farm machinery to catch disturbed insects; they may also pick prey items from the water surface, walls, and plants. During the breeding, season Barn swallows hunt in pairs, but otherwise form often large flocks. These birds are usually fairly quiet on the wintering grounds. At other times they communicate with constant twittering and chattering. The song of the male Barn swallow is a cheerful warble, often ending with 'su-seer'. Other calls include 'witt' or 'witt-witt' and a loud 'splee-plink' when excited (or trying to chase intruders away from the nest). The alarm calls include a sharp 'siflitt' for predators like cats and a 'flitt-flitt' for birds of prey like the hobby.

11-4-2019 OLIVA CAMPO, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis)

The European goldfinch is native to Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia. It is found in open, partially wooded lowlands and is a resident in the milder west of its range, but migrates from colder regions. It will also make local movements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world. It was introduced to Bermuda, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands, Uruguay, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand in the 19th century, and their populations quickly increased and their range expanded greatly. In Australia, they now occur from Brisbane to the Eyre Peninsula, and are also spread throughout New Zealand. In the United States, they have become established in the western Great Lakes region.

1-4-2019 VALENCIA CITY, VALENCIA - EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto)

The Eurasian collared dove, also known as the collared dove or Turkish dove (Streptopelia decaocto), is a bird of modest size, presenting a grey-buff to pinkish-grey plumage that is slightly darker above than below. It is recognized by its distinctive black half-collar edged with white on its nape, from which it derives its name. The species exhibits a blue-grey underwing patch and a tail that is grey-buff above, with dark grey and white-tipped feathers below. The sexes appear similar, with juveniles displaying a less developed collar and a brown iris.

To identify the Eurasian collared dove, look for its medium size, slimmer and longer-tailed body compared to a rock pigeon, and a shorter stature than the wood pigeon. The red legs, black bill, and red iris surrounded by a small area of bare skin, which may appear white or yellow, are key features. The bird's song, a three-part cooing "goo-GOO-goo," and a harsh screeching call are also distinctive identifiers.

This species is often found in proximity to human habitation, particularly where food is plentiful and trees are available for nesting. It is not uncommon to see these doves frequenting bird tables and farms.

Originally from warm temperate and subtropical Asia, the Eurasian collared dove has expanded its range dramatically, colonizing colder countries and becoming a permanent resident in many. Its range now includes Europe, North America, and the Caribbean.

10-4-2019 BONAIRE, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)

10-4-2019 BONAIRE, VALENCIA - BOAR THISTLE (Galactites tomentosus)

Galactites tomentosus, the purple milk thistle, is a biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Galactites of the Asteraceae family.

Galactites tomentosus is a hemicryptophyte plant up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) tall. The stem is erect and pubescent, branched at the top. The leaves are green, long and pinnatisect, lanceolate, mottled with white markings, while the underside is whitish and covered with matted woolly hairs. The margins of the leaves bear strong thorns.

The flower heads are quite large – about 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in diameter. The involucre of the flower head is covered by hairy scales ending with a single grooved thorn. The central flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by insects, while external flowers are sterile; their color varies from white or pink to lilac-purple.

The flowering period extends from April through July and the seeds ripen from August through September. The fruits are achenes with whitish hairy appendages (pappus).

 

The genus name derives from the Greek γάλα (= "milk"), referring to the dense white hairs covering the stems and leaves of this species, the species name tomentosus means hairy in Latin.

This plant is distributed around the Mediterranean Basin, from Greece to the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Madeira and Canary Islands. It has been introduced to the Azores.

This plant prefers sunny places and usually grows on the uncultivated or barren grounds, waste places, well-drained soils, pastures and roadsides.

It is an edible plant.

10-4-2019 BONAIRE, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN FIREBUG (Pyrrhocoris apterus)