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)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/202588-Scopula-minorata

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 - SMALL DUSTY WAVE MOTH (Idaea seriata)

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)

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)

4-9-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of three to five bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.

Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. A successful colonist, its range has gradually expanded north, with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the United Kingdom.

In warmer locations, most birds are permanent residents; northern populations, including many European birds, migrate to Africa and southern Asia to over-winter there. The birds may also wander north in late summer after the breeding season, and their tendency to disperse may have assisted in the recent expansion of the bird's range. At one time common in Western Europe, it was hunted extensively in the 19th century to provide plumes for the decoration of hats and became locally extinct in northwestern Europe and scarce in the south. Around 1950, conservation laws were introduced in southern Europe to protect the species and their numbers began to increase. By the beginning of the 21st century the bird was breeding again in France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Britain. Its range is continuing to expand westward, and the species has begun to colonise the New World; it was first seen in Barbados in 1954 and first bred there in 1994. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's global conservation status as being of "least concern".

4-9-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)

4-9-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - NORTHERN BANDED GROUNDLING (Brachythemis impartita)

                                https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/361998-Brachythemis-impartita

4-9-2019 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN HOOPOE (Upupa epops)

The Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) is the most widespread species of the genus Upupa. It is a distinctive cinnamon coloured bird with black and white wings, a tall erectile crest, a broad white band across a black tail, and a long narrow downcurved bill. Its call is a soft "oop-oop-oop".

The Eurasian hoopoe is native to Europe, Asia and Africa. It is migratory in the northern part of its range. Some ornithologists consider the Madagascar hoopoes as a subspecies. The African hoopoe, subspecies U. e. africana, has sometimes been treated as a separate species.

The Eurasian hoopoe is widespread in Europe, Asia, and North Africa and northern Sub-Saharan Africa. Most European and north Asian birds migrate to the tropics in winter. Those breeding in Europe usually migrate to the Sahel belt of sub-Saharan Africa. The birds predominantly migrate at night. In contrast, the African populations are sedentary all year. The species has been a vagrant in Alaska; U. e. saturata was recorded there in 1975 in the Yukon Delta. Hoopoes have been known to breed north of their European range, and in southern England during warm, dry summers that provide plenty of grasshoppers and similar insects, although as of the early 1980s northern European populations were reported to be in the decline, possibly due to changes in climate. In 2015, a record numbers of hoopoes were recorded in Ireland, with at least 50 birds recorded in the southwest of the country. This was the highest recorded number since 1965 when 65 individuals were sighted.

The Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) is the most widespread species of the genus Upupa. It is a distinctive cinnamon coloured bird with black and white wings, a tall erectile crest, a broad white band across a black tail, and a long narrow downcurved bill. Its call is a soft "oop-oop-oop".

The Eurasian hoopoe is native to Europe, Asia and Africa. It is migratory in the northern part of its range. Some ornithologists consider the Madagascar hoopoes as a subspecies. The African hoopoe, subspecies U. e. africana, has sometimes been treated as a separate species.

The call is typically a trisyllabic oop-oop-oop, which may give rise to its English and scientific names, although two and four syllables are also common. An alternative explanation of the English and scientific names is that they are derived from the French name for the bird, huppée, which means crested. In the Himalayas, the calls can be confused with that of the Himalayan cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus), although the cuckoo typically produces four notes. Other calls include rasping croaks, when alarmed, and hisses. Females produce a wheezy note during courtship feeding by the male.

2-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CATALONIA WALL LIZARD (Podarcis liolepis)

6-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - WATTLED CRANE (Grus carunculatus) COURTESY MRS VALERIE FISHER

The wattled crane (Grus carunculata) is a large, threatened species of crane found in wetlands and grasslands of eastern and southern Africa, ranging from Ethiopia to South Africa. Some authorities consider it the sole member of the genus Bugeranus.

The wattled crane occurs in eleven countries in eastern and southern Africa, including an isolated population in the Ethiopia Highlands. More than half of the world's wattled cranes occur in Zambia, but the single largest concentration occurs in the Okavango Delta of Botswana.

The wattled crane has been spotted in Uganda for the first time in 2011, seen in the Kibimba Rice region in the eastern side of the country. This sighting brings the total number of bird species in Uganda to 1040.

In April 2018, a new population of Wattled Cranes was discovered in Angola.

Wattled cranes inhabit fairly inaccessible wetlands under most conditions. It requires shallow marsh-like habitats with a good deal of sedge-based vegetation. All cranes are omnivorous. The principal food of the wattled crane is mainly aquatic eating the tubers and rhizomes of submerged sedges and water lilies. It is one of the more herbivorous of extant cranes. The other primary portion of the diet consists of aquatic insects. They will supplement the diet with snails, amphibians and snakes when the opportunity arises. Roughly 90% of foraging done by this species occurs in shallow waters. They typically forage by digging vigorously with their bill into the muddy soil. On occasion, it will eat grain and grass seed as well, but does so much less often than the other three African crane species.

There does seem to be some seasonal movements in this crane species, but they are not well-known. Movements seem to be dictated by local water conditions rather than by seasonal temperature variations. During local floods, the number of wattled cranes can increase from almost none to as much as 3,000 individuals. These movements, in pursuit of ideal feeding conditions, seem more opportunistic movement rather than a fixed migration pattern. On the other hand, there has been observed a migration movement from the high to the low plateaus in Mozambique for the species.

1-9-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN MANTIS (FEMALE) (Iris oratoria)

The Mediterranean Mantis (Iris oratoria) is a widespread species of praying mantis native to Europe and the Mediterranean region. It is a pale green insect that can reach up to \(6.5\) cm in length and is distinguished by a red-orange spot on the fourth abdominal segment and large, violet-brown eyespots on its hind wings. It is known for its predatory behavior, laying eggs in a protective foam-like ootheca, and has become an invasive species in parts of the United States. Description Scientific Name: Iris oratoriaSize: Adults can reach lengths of up to \(6.5\) cm.Color: Typically pale green, it can mature to a green color.Distinctive Features:A red-orange spot on the ventral side of the fourth abdominal segment.Two large, startling violet-brown eyespots on its hind wings, which are revealed when the wings are unfolded.

Reproduction: Lays eggs in a foam-like ootheca that hardens for protection. Parthenogenesis (reproduction without males) can occur if males are scarce.

Behavior: A highly efficient ambush predator that consumes small insects. Sexual cannibalism can occur. 

Habitat and Range Native Range: The Mediterranean region of Europe.Introduced Range: It has also been introduced to the Middle East, Western Asia, and the United States, where it is spreading. As an Invasive Species The Mediterranean Mantis is considered an invasive species in parts of the United States, having been introduced to southern California in the 1930s.It has adapted well to the climate there and seems to be spreading further. 

1-9-2019 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - NOMAD DRAGONFLY (MALE AND FEMALE) (Sympetrum fonscolombii)

The red-veined darter or nomad (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum.

Sympetrum fonscolombii was named under the protonym Libellula fonscolombii by the Belgian entomologist Edmond de Sélys Longchamps, in 1840, in honor of the French entomologist Étienne of Fonscolombe (hence the species name). Its name is sometimes spelt fonscolombei instead of fonscolombii but Askew (2004) gives the latter as the correct spelling.

Sympetrum fonscolombii can reach a body length of 38–40 millimetres (1.5–1.6 in). This species is similar to other Sympetrum species but a good view with binoculars should give a positive identification, especially with a male.

Males have a red abdomen, redder than many other Sympetrum species. The frons and the thorax are red-brown. The eyes are brown above and blue/grey below. The wings have red veins and the wing bases of the hind-wings are yellow. The pterostigma is pale yellow with a border of black veins.

Female are similar but the abdomen is ochre yellow, not red, with two black lines along each side. The wings have yellow veins at the costa, leading edge and base, not red veins as found in the males. The legs of both sexes are mostly black with some yellow.

Immature males are like females but often with more red and a single line along each side of the abdomen.

Male S. fonscolombii can be mistaken for Crocothemis erythraea as both are very red dragonflies with yellow bases to the wings, red veins and pale pterostigma. However C. erythraea has no black on the legs, a broader body and no black on the head. Also C. erythraea females do not oviposit in tandem. The gestalt image of these two species is different and with some experience are easy to tell apart.