14-9-2019 GANDIA, VALENCIA - SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata)

The spotted flycatcher is a grey-brown songbird known for its distinctive hunting style of perching and making short flights to catch flying insects, returning to the same spot after each catch. They are summer visitors in places like the UK, spending winters in tropical Africa, and are often found in parks, gardens, and woodland edges. The bird's diet consists primarily of flying insects like moths and bees, but they also eat berries in the autumn, and will rub stinging insects against their perch to remove the stinger. 

Commonly found in woodland edges, parks, gardens, and other human-influenced environments.

A strict insectivore that primarily eats flying insects, such as moths, butterflies, and wasps.

If a spotted flycatcher catches a stinging insect, it will rub the insect against its perch to remove the stinger before eating it.

In the autumn, their diet expands to include berries. 

14-9-2019 GANDIA, 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.

11-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SCLEROSOMATID HARVESTSMAN (Cosmobunus granarius)

Sclerosomatidae are a widespread family of harvestmen (order Opiliones) known for their typically long legs and oval, single-sectioned bodies. They are often mistakenly called "spiders" or "daddy longlegs" but belong to a distinct order of arachnids. 

Key Facts About Sclerosomatidae Harvestmen

Not Spiders: Harvestmen are arachnids, but they are not spiders. Unlike spiders, they have one fused body section (cephalothorax and abdomen are broadly joined), two eyes located on a raised bump (spiders typically have six to eight eyes), and lack venom glands and silk-producing spinnerets.

Harmless to Humans: The myth that they are highly venomous is false. They do not have fangs, their mouthparts (chelicerae) are too small to bite humans, and they pose no threat.

Sensory Legs: Their second pair of legs is often the longest and is used as highly sensitive "feelers" or antennae to sense the environment and detect prey.

Defense Mechanisms: When threatened, they can detach a leg, which will continue to twitch to distract the predator while the harvestman escapes. The lost leg does not grow back. They can also secrete foul-smelling chemicals to deter predators.

Diet: They are primarily omnivores and scavengers, using their mouthparts to ingest solid food chunks (unlike spiders which suck liquids). Their diet includes small insects, mites, aphids, fungi, plant fluids, feces, and carrion.

Habitat and Behavior: They are typically nocturnal and prefer damp, shady environments like leaf litter, under logs and rocks, and in basements or garages. Some species, such as those in the genus Leiobunum, are known to aggregate in large groups, possibly to conserve moisture.

Reproduction: Unlike most other arachnids, male harvestmen have a penis and engage in direct copulation to inseminate the female. In some species, males exhibit unusual parental care, guarding the eggs. Some species can even reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis.

Ancient Lineage: Harvestmen are an ancient order of animals, with fossils found dating back over 400 million years, existing long before dinosaurs. 

11-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)

The great tit (Parus major) is a small passerine bird, easily recognized by its black head and neck, striking white cheeks, olive upperparts, and vibrant yellow underparts. This bird is the most widespread species in the genus Parus, found across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of North Africa.

Males are characterized by their bright plumage, with a black bib that extends down the belly, bordered by a lemon-yellow breast. Females and juveniles are similar but have duller coloration. The black line down the belly is also narrower and sometimes broken in these birds.

Great tits favor a variety of woodland habitats, including deciduous and mixed forests, forest edges, and even urban parks and gardens. They are also found in riverine woodlands and, in some regions, boreal taiga.

This species is resident throughout its range, which extends from the Iberian Peninsula to the Amur Valley, and from Scandinavia to the Middle East. It is generally non-migratory, except in harsh winters when it may move to more temperate areas.

Great tits are known for their intelligence and adaptability. They exhibit a range of foraging behaviors and can solve problems with insight learning. They are also cavity nesters and are monogamous, with both parents involved in raising the chicks.

10-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN PAPER WASP (Polistes dominula)

The European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) is one of the most common and well-known species of social wasps in the genus Polistes. Its diet is more diverse than those of most Polistes species—many genera of insects versus mainly caterpillars in other Polistes—giving it superior survivability compared to other wasp species during a shortage of resources.

The dominant females are the principal egg layers, while the subordinate females ("auxiliaries") or workers primarily forage and do not lay eggs. This hierarchy is not permanent, though; when the queen is removed from the nest, the second-most dominant female takes over the role of the previous queen Dominance in females is determined by the severity of the scatteredness in the coloration of the clypeus (face), whereas dominance in males is shown by the variation of spots of their abdomens. P. dominula is common and cosmopolitan due to their exceptional survival features such as productive colony cycle, short development time, and higher ability to endure predator attacks.

These wasps have a lek-based mating system. Unlike most social insects, 35% of P. dominula wasps in a colony are unrelated. It is considered an invasive species in Canada and the United States.

7-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LAMENTING GRASSHOPPER (Eyprepocnemis plorans)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/424336-Eyprepocnemis-plorans

7-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MOORISH GECKO (Tarentola mauritanica)

Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas (in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and California). A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. A robust species, up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.

The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is also known as moorish gecko, crocodile gecko, European common gecko, and, regionally, as osga (in Portuguese), salamanquesa (in Spanish) and dragó (in Catalan).

The Common wall gecko is a small lizard native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It is commonly observed on walls in urban environments, mainly in warm coastal areas. However, the Common wall gecko can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as insect hunter. This little creature is brownish-grey or brown in color with darker or lighter spots. These colors change in intensity according to the light. When geckos are active by day their color is darker than during the night.

Common wall geckos are mainly nocturnal or crepuscular. They may also be active during the day, on sunny days especially at the end of the winter. They like to receive sunlight near their refuge. They prefer to forage and spend their time singly; in the warmer months of the year, geckos can often be seen hunting nocturnal insects near light sources and street lamps.

8-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Scopula minorata)

Scopula minorata is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1833. It is found in Africa south of the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula and on the islands of the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, it is found in southern Europe. It can be distinguished from Scopula lactaria only by examination of its genitalia.

The wingspan is 15–20 millimetres (0.59–0.79 in).

Subspecies

Scopula minorata minorata

Scopula minorata corcularia (Rebel, 1894)

Scopula minorata ochroleucaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1847)

Scopula minorata tripolitana (Sterneck, 1933)

10-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - TRUE WEEVIL (Coniocleonus nigrosuturatus)

Coniocleonus nigrosuturatus is a species of weevil found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa that feeds on the roots of Erodium cicutarium (Common Stork's-bill). This plant parasite overwinters as adults, emerges in spring to mate, and its larvae pupate in earthen cocoons in the soil. The species prefers dry, sunny grasslands with sparse vegetation and can be an endangered species in some central European countries. 

Taxonomy and Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Coleoptera (beetles)

Family: Curculionidae (true weevils)

Genus: Coniocleonus

Species: Coniocleonus nigrosuturatus (Goeze, 1777) 

The species has a wide range across North Africa, a large part of Asia (including western Siberia), and most of Europe, excluding the British Isles and the northernmost regions. 

 

Coniocleonus nigrosuturatus thrives in dry, sunny grasslands with sparse vegetation and open, disturbed ground.

They are often found in pastures, along road margins, and in areas with a proper disturbance regime, such as from vehicle traffic or grazing. 

 

Overwintering: Overwintering adults emerge in early spring and begin feeding and mating on their host plants.

Larval stage: Larvae develop in the soil, feeding externally on the base of the stem of the host plant, Erodium cicutarium.

Pupation: In early July, the larvae pupate in a closed earthen cell in the soil.

Adult activity: High adult activity is observed from mid-April to mid-May. 

 

In some central European countries, Coniocleonus nigrosuturatus is considered an endangered species. 

5-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MULLEIN WAVE MOTH (Scopula marginepunctata)

Scopula marginepunctata, the mullein wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1781. It is found throughout Europe.

 

Scopula marginepunctata occurs in Europe from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Ural mountains in the east. In the north, the range extends to the south coast of England, the southern Netherlands and the German Baltic Sea coast. However the species is missing in parts of northern Germany. There are isolated occurrences on Bornholm, Skåne and the southern Baltic. In the south, the range extends in North Africa from Morocco in the west to Egypt. The distribution ranges from there further over the Middle East, Asia minor, the Caucasus, northern Iran, Central Asia and Mongolia.

5-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LONG JOINTED BEETLE (Lagria grenieri)

Lagriinae is a subfamily of long-jointed beetles in the family Tenebrionidae. There are more than 270 genera in Lagriinae, grouped into 11 tribes.

Adults of Lagriinae are mostly medium-sized (5-12 mm) and exhibit typical Tenebrionidae characteristics, including a 5-5-4 tarsal formula and the antennal bases concealed by canthi. The eyes are usually deeply emarginate and in many species partially surround the antennal bases. The last antennal segment is either the longest or the widest segment, and is often sexually dimorphic. The head tends to be at least as broad as the pronotum and is often constricted behind the level of the eyes. The pronotum tends to be much narrower than the base of the elytra. Additionally, the pronotum is generally broadest at its base, and its sides are sinuate or otherwise constricted.

Some species resemble members of other families, like Arthromacra resembling Oedemeridae, Rhypasma resembling Silvanidae, Casnonidea apicicornis resembling Chrysomelidae, Statira resembling Carabidae and Paratenetus punctatus resembling Coccinellidae.

Lagriinae larvae feed in decaying vegetation. They can be found in stumps and under bark.

7-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GERMAN YELLOWJACKET (Vespula germanica)

Vespula germanica, known colloquially as the European wasp, German wasp, or German yellowjacket, is a species of wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, native to Europe, Northern Africa, and temperate Asia. It has spread and become well-established in many other places, including North America, South America (Argentina and Chile), Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. German wasps are part of the family Vespidae and are sometimes mistakenly referred to as paper wasps because they build grey paper nests, although strictly speaking, paper wasps are part of the subfamily Polistinae. In North America, they are also known as yellowjackets.

Vespula germanica belongs to the genus Vespula, which includes various species of social wasps that are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, these wasps are most commonly known as yellowjackets, but this name also applies to species within the sister genus Dolichovespula. Members of Vespula are often confused with other genera, especially the paper wasp Polistes dominula. Colonies of V. germanica share many characteristics with those of V. vulgaris (common wasp) and V. pensylvanica (western yellowjacket), so they are very often studied together.

6-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN RECLUSE SPIDER (Loxosceles rufescens)

The Mediterranean recluse spider (Loxosceles rufescens) is a species of spider that originated in the Mediterranean region as its name implies, but can now be found in many parts of the world and is listed as one of the most invasive spiders world-wide. Usually dwelling in caves, the spiders will also inhabit basements and tunnels. Their webs shelter their egg sacs, which hatch into young that molt as they grow. The spider hunts at night and eats species including silverfish and cockroaches, and they usually target smaller insects.

Similar to other species in their genus, bites from L. rufescens can cause necrosis and, for some individuals, systemic damage due to the enzyme sphingomyelinase D. Pest control may be undertaken with similar strategies as used for the brown recluse spider.

4-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SILVER Y MOTH (Autographa gamma)

The silver Y (Autographa gamma) is a migratory moth of the family Noctuidae which is named for the silvery Y-shaped mark on each of its forewings.

The silver Y is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan of 30 to 45 mm. The wings are intricately patterned with various shades of brown and grey providing excellent camouflage. In the centre of each forewing there is a silver-coloured mark shaped like a lower case Y (y) or a lower case Greek letter gamma (γ). There are several different forms with varying colours depending on the climate in which the larvae grow.

The species is widespread across Europe and over almost all the Palearctic including North Africa. It is resident in the south of its range and adults fly almost throughout the year[citation needed]. In spring variable numbers migrate north reaching as far as Iceland, Greenland, and Finland with huge invasions taking place in some years[citation needed]. A second wave of migrants arrives in the summer[citation needed]. In central Europe and the British Isles adults are present in significant numbers from May onwards with numbers dwindling in late autumn as they are killed off by frosts. Some individuals fly south again to winter around the Mediterranean and Black seas.

It occurs in a wide variety of habitats, particularly open areas. It regularly visits gardens to take nectar from the flowers.

Silver Y moths can produce two or three generations in a year with a fourth generation when conditions are particularly good. The eggs are laid on the upper or lower surface of leaves. They are whitish in colour and hemispherical in shape with deep ribbing. They hatch after three to four days (longer in cool conditions).

The larvae are about 30 mm long, have three pairs of prolegs and are usually green with whitish markings. They feed on a wide variety of low-growing plants and have been recorded on over 200 different species including crops such as the garden pea (Pisum sativum), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea). They can reduce crop yields by damaging leaves and are often considered to be a pest.

The pupa is green at first, gradually darkening to black. The adults mate one or two days after emerging from the pupa and start laying eggs one to five days later. They die three to nineteen days after emergence.

4-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - ROUGH HAIRED LAGRIA BEETLE (Lagria hirta)

Lagria hirta is a species of beetles in the family Tenebrionidae.

The species name hirta comes from the Latin hirtus meaning rough hair or rough wool, referring to the coarse, fuzzy appearance of the beetle.

This species is present in Europe, in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco), in Russia (Western and Eastern Siberia), in Israel, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

It prefers areas with sandy soils. It can be found in open woods, in deciduous forests, in forest clearings, forest edges, in grasslands and wet meadows, but also in dry valleys and wet areas.

Lagria hirta can reach a length of 7–8 millimetres (0.28–0.31 in). These beetles have a soft and elongated body and a head and thorax brown or shiny black. The relatively elongated elytra are yellowish-brown and covered by dense fine light yellowish-brown hairs. The rest of the body is also hairy, but they are less clearly visible. Antennae, underside of body and legs are black. The eyes are remarkably large and round. Antennae are composed with eleven segments.

3-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GRASSHOPPER (Genus Sphingonotus)

4-9-2019 EL SALER, VALENCIA - COLLARED PRATINCOLE (Glareola pratincola)

4-9-2019 RACO DE LONGA, VALENCIA - COMMON RINGED PLOVER (Charadrius hiaticula)

4-9-2019 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - COMMON SHELDUCK (FEMALE) (Tadorna tadorna)

The common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) is a waterfowl species of the shelduck genus, Tadorna. It is widespread and common in the Euro-Siberian region of the Palearctic, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions; in winter, it can also be found in the Maghreb.

Fossil bones from Dorkovo (Bulgaria) described as Balcanas pliocaenica may actually belong to this species. More likely, they are an extinct species of Tadorna (if not a distinct genus) due to their Early Pliocene age; the present species is not unequivocally attested from the fossil record until some 2–3 million years later (Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene).

The common shelduck resembles a small short-necked goose in size and shape. It is a striking bird, with a reddish-pink bill, pink feet, a white body with chestnut patches and a black belly, and a dark green head and neck. The wing coverts are white, the primary remiges black, and the secondaries green (only showing in flight) and chestnut. The underwings are almost entirely white. Sexes are similar, but the female is smaller, with some white facial markings, while the male is particularly crisply coloured in the breeding season, his bill bright red and bearing a prominent knob at the forehead.

4-9-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)

This rather solitary species usually feeds alone and rarely occurs in flocks. However, the Squacco Heron is a colonial breeder with sometimes very large colonies. They also gather in large numbers at nighttime roosts.

The adult is small and stocky. In non-breeding plumage, it is dull brown with dark and light streaks. At rest, it has buff and brown upperparts and white underparts. When in flight, the white wings and tail are conspicuous. Head, nape and shoulders are streaked black.

The bill is dark with yellow lower mandible. The eyes are yellow with greenish-yellow lore's and narrow red eye ring. Legs and feet are greenish-yellow.

In breeding plumage, feathers are very long. The body is white with cinnamon back, nape and breast sides.

The underparts are slightly washed cinnamon, especially on chest. We can see some black streaks on breast sides. Wings and tail are white.

On the head, chin and throat are white, whereas crown, head sides and neck are cinnamon. During the breeding period, the adults develop an erectile black and white crest with long and bushy feathers.

The bill is bright cobalt-blue with black tip. Lores are bright greenish-blue. Eyes are yellow. Legs and feet are brighter orange-yellow to reddish with black claws.

The female is similar, but in breeding plumage, she has less conspicuous crest than male.

The juvenile has paler buff ground colour and is browner on head and back with dark streaks on throat and breast. Upperwing-coverts and primary tips are spotted brownish. The crest is shorter than in adults in non-breeding plumage. Bill, legs and feet are greenish-yellow.