Wednesday, 6 May 2020
6-5-2020 ADOR CAMPO, VALENCIA - SEVEN SPOTTED LADYBIRD (Coccinella septempunctata)
Lachnaia is a genus of brightly colored (yellow, orange, red with black spots) leaf beetles in the Chrysomelidae family found in Europe and North Africa. Often called "ant-nest beetles," their larvae live in ant nests (e.g., Formica rufa), while adults feed on plants like Oaks (Quercus) and Hazels (Corylus).
Here are key facts about the Lachnaia genus:
Classification: They belong to the tribe Clytrini within the subfamily Cryptocephalinae.
Appearance: They have a strong, convex body, usually 6.5–10 mm long, with elytra (wing covers) frequently featuring black spots.
Defensive Mechanism: Their bright, contrasting colors are a form of aposematism, warning predators of their toxicity or unpalatability.
Habitat: Commonly found in meadows, grasslands, and areas with rich vegetation.
Feeding Behavior: Adults are herbivorous, often feeding on foliage of Rosaceae and Fagaceae. They can cause minor damage to young trees in nurseries, creating irregular holes in leaves.
Lifecycle & Symbiosis: They are closely associated with ants
(Myrmecophily). Larvae live inside ant nests, feeding on vegetable refuse.
Activity Period: Adults are typically active in the spring and early summer.
Species Examples: Includes Lachnaia italica, Lachnaia sexpunctata, Lachnaia cylindrica, and Lachnaia tristigma.
6-5-2020 ADOR CAMPO, VALENCIA - EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto)
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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.
Tuesday, 5 May 2020
5-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LIME SPECK PUG MOTH (Eupithecia centaureata)
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The lime-speck pug (Eupithecia centaureata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a common species throughout the Palearctic region (where it is found in Europe, Central Asia, Mongolia, southern Siberia, eastern China (Guangdong) and Taiwan, the Near East and North Africa.
This is a distinctive species, all the wings being largely white except for a black blotch on the costa of the forewing. The wingspan is 20–24 mm. In the ab. obscura Dietze.(perhaps developed chiefly in Asia but also recorded from the Tyrol) the ground-colour of both wings has a smoky suffusion. In the ab. centralisata Stgr., chiefly from Palestine and Central Asia, the markings are weaker, sometimes (except the discal mark) almost entirely obsolete. The larva is long and thin, white-yellow with a red dorsal stripe and horseshoe-shaped red spots running down the sides.
Often two broods are produced each year and the adults can be seen at any time during the summer and autumn. The moths fly at night and are attracted to light and nectar-rich flowers.
The larva is rather variable but is usually green or yellow, often with red markings. It feeds on the flowers of a variety of plants . The species overwinters as a pupa.
5-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - ANGLE MOTH (Itame vincularia)
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Itame vincularia is a species of geometer moth in the family Geometridae, typically found in North Africa and parts of Europe, including Spain, Portugal, and France. Known as the Fidonie du Nerprun in French, its larvae feed on Rhamnus infectoria and Frangula alnus. The moth has a wingspan of approximately 28–32 mm.
Key Facts About Itame vincularia:
Taxonomy: Classified under Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta, Order Lepidoptera, and Family Geometridae.
Scientific Name: Itame vincularia (Hübner, 1813).
Synonyms: Geometra vincularia Hübner 1813, Tephrina mrassinaria Oberthür, 1923, and Itame atlantis Prout, 1928.
Habitat & Distribution: Primarily found in dry, Mediterranean, and North African regions.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on Rhamnus infectoria and Frangula alnus.
Wingspan: The wingspan measures around 28–32 mm.
Appearance: Often identified as part of the Macariini tribe in the Ennominae subfamily.
Monday, 4 May 2020
4-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GOLDWING MOTH (Synthymia fixa)
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Synthymia is a genus of moths of the family Noctuidae. It contains only one species, Synthymia fixa, The Goldwing, which is found in southern Europe and North Africa.
Forewing ash grey in the male, darker, slightly greenish grey in the female the outer half of wing suffused with brownish, the whole speckled with black; orbicular stigma oval, grey in a whitish ring, placed vertically at the edge of the grey basal space; reniform also vertical, an elongate figure of 8, white with dark grey centres; space between them crossed by a deep brown band, sometimes velvety brown in cell, the median vein showing white across it; inner and outer lines brownish, ill-defined; the inner waved, nearly vertical, the outer sinuous edged by grey and on the costa whitish; subterminal line thick, whitish; fringe dark-mottled; hindwing orange, deeper in female than in male; the base diffusely dark; terminal border olive brown, broad at apex, with traces of a submarginal line on inner margin; in the male more fuscous tinged, with traces of outer and submarginal lines; in the ab. griseofusa ab.nov. (= ab. 2. Hmps.) the whole of the hindwing is fuscous. Larva dark green, the dorsum lighter; dorsal and subdorsal lines pale yellow, edged with dark green; lateral stripe white, broad, with dark upper edge; head small, yellowish; thoracic plate black; anal plate brown. The wingspan is 37–40 mm.
Adults are on wing from April to July. There is one generation per year.
4-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CATALONIA WALL LIZARD (Podarcis liolepis)
Podarcis liolepis, the Columbretes wall lizard or Catalan wall lizard, is very similar to the other lizards in the genus Podarcis. This species was formerly described as a subspecies of the Iberian wall lizard, but has now been elevated to species status. These are slender lizards with long tails, narrow tapered heads and long thin toes, and stout legs. Colours are variable, although generally grey-brown.
Often very subtle spots and stripes along the back and flanks can be seen and these can be more distinguished in the female. The underside is a much lighter cream or beige with sometimes a reddish tint. Adults grow 15–20 cm in length from the nose to tip of the tail. Body length can be a little as one third of the total body length, the tail making up the other two thirds.
4-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius)
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The blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) is a chat species, reminiscent of a thrush, with a starling-like stature, measuring 21–23 cm in length. The male of the nominate subspecies is predominantly blue-grey, save for darker wings, presenting a striking appearance. Females and immature birds are less vivid, with dark brown upperparts and paler, scaly brown underparts. The male of the subspecies M. s. philippensis is distinguished by rufous-chestnut plumage from the mid-breast to the undertail, a feature absent in both sexes of the rock thrush.
To identify the blue rock thrush, look for the male's unmistakable blue-grey plumage and the female's less conspicuous brown tones. The male M. s. philippensis can be recognized by its rufous-chestnut lower half. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers seen in rock thrushes.
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This bird favors open, mountainous regions where it can nest in rock cavities and walls.
The blue rock thrush breeds across southern Europe, northwest Africa, and from Central Asia to northern China and Malaysia. It is a resident bird in Europe, north Africa, and southeast Asia, with some populations exhibiting altitudinal migration. Other Asian populations are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, India, and southeast Asia. It is a rare visitor to northern and western Europe.
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The Blue Rock Thrush is an omnivore, consuming a varied diet of insects, small reptiles, berries, and seeds. It breeds in its preferred mountainous habitats, laying 3-5 eggs per clutch.
The male's song is a clear and melodious call, louder than that of the rock thrush, which can be heard echoing through its mountainous domain.
As an omnivore, the blue rock thrush has a diverse diet that includes insects, small reptiles, berries, and seeds.
The blue rock thrush is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline.
Sunday, 3 May 2020
3-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata)
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The Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata, is a modestly adorned yet charming small passerine bird belonging to the Old World flycatcher family. It is a migratory species, breeding across Europe and the Palearctic as far as Siberia, and spending the winter months in Africa and southwestern Asia. Despite its widespread presence, there is concern over its decline in certain areas.
Adult Spotted Flycatchers possess grey-brown upperparts and a somewhat pallid underbelly. Their crown and breast are streaked, which is the origin of their common name. They have short, black legs and a black bill shaped to suit their insectivorous diet. Juveniles can be distinguished by their browner plumage and the presence of spots on their upperparts.
These birds favor deciduous woodlands, parks, and gardens, particularly those with open spaces amidst trees.
The Spotted Flycatcher has a broad breeding range, extending from Europe to western Siberia and northwest Africa. During the non-breeding season, they migrate to southern Africa.
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With an upright posture, these flycatchers are often seen hunting from prominent perches, darting out to snatch flying insects and frequently returning to the same spot.
The call of the Spotted Flycatcher is a soft, high-pitched, and slightly descending 'tssssseeeeeppppp'.
The Spotted Flycatcher constructs an open nest in a recess, often against a wall, and is amenable to using open-fronted nest boxes. Clutches typically consist of 4-6 eggs. Remarkably, they exhibit excellent egg recognition, a likely evolutionary response to past parasitism by the common cuckoo.
The Mediterranean flycatcher, previously considered a subspecies, is similar in appearance but has been recognized as a separate species due to genetic differences.
As aerial insectivores, Spotted Flycatchers feed on flying insects, which they catch in mid-air from their vantage points.
Saturday, 2 May 2020
28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - RUDDY SHELDUCK (Tadorna ferruginea)
The Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is a distinctive waterfowl that has a loud honking call. The ruddy shelduck mostly inhabits inland water-bodies and forms a lonf lasting pair bond. In central and eastern Asia, populations of this species are steady or rising, but in Europe, they are generally in decline.
The male Ruddy shelduck has orange-brown body plumage and a paler, orange-brown head and neck, separated from the body by a narrow black collar. The rump, flight feathers, tail-coverts, and tail feathers are black and there are iridescent green speculum feathers on the inner surfaces of the wings. Both upper and lower wing coverts are white, this feature being particularly noticeable in flight but hardly visible when the bird is at rest. The bill is black and the legs are dark grey. The female is similar but has a rather pale, whitish head and neck and lacks the black collar, and in both sexes, the coloring is variable and fades as the feathers age. The birds molt at the end of the breeding season and the male loses the black collar, but a further partial molt between December and April restores it. Juveniles are similar to the female but are a darker shade of brown.
2-5-2020 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris rapae)
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Pieris rapae is a small- to medium-sized butterfly species of the whites-and-yellows family Pieridae. It is known in Europe as the small white, in North America as the cabbage white or cabbage butterfly, on several continents as the small cabbage white, and in New Zealand as the white butterfly. The butterfly is recognizable by its white color with small black dots on its wings, and it can be distinguished from P. brassicae by its larger size and the black band at the tip of its forewings.
The caterpillar of this species, often referred to as the "imported cabbageworm", is a pest to crucifer crops such as cabbage, kale, bok choy and broccoli. Pieris rapae is widespread in Europe and Asia; it is believed to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Europe, and to have spread across Eurasia thanks to the diversification of brassicaceous crops and the development of human trade routes. Over the past two centuries, it spread to North Africa, North America, New Zealand, and Australia, as a result of accidental introductions.
2-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)
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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.
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