1-9-2020 PARADOR TERUEL, ARAGON - CONTINENTAL STRIPED SHIELD BUG (Graphosoma italicum ssp italicum)

Graphosoma italicum italicum (often called the Italian striped bug or minstrel bug) is a 8–12 mm shield bug characterized by bright red and black longitudinal stripes, black antennae, and black legs. Common across Europe, it inhabits warm, sunny areas, feeding on Apiaceae (carrot family) plants and acting as aposematic to deter predators with its bad taste.

Key Facts on Graphosoma italicum italicum

Appearance: The body is almost circular with a large shield, featuring bright red ground color with six bold black bands on the pronotum.

Leg Color: A distinguishing feature of G. italicum is its mostly black legs, separating it from the similar G. lineatum, which has red legs.

Diet and Habitat: They are common in sunny, dry meadows and prefer feeding on the flowers of Apiaceae (umbellifers) such as fennel and wild carrot.

Behavior & Protection: Their vibrant red and black stripes serve as aposematic coloration (warning signals), indicating a foul taste to predators.

Life Cycle: They have one generation a year. Females lay about thirty yellowish, barrel-shaped eggs on vegetation.

Nymphs: Nymphs do not have the striped red/black pattern; they are generally brownish or grayish.

Geographical Range: Primarily in South Europe, though they are expanding north, with breeding populations recently found in the UK.

Distinction: Previously considered a subspecies of G. lineatum, it is now recognized as a distinct species (G. italicum), with G. italicum italicum being the common European form.

Pest Status:While mainly feeding on wild plants, they can occasionally cause damage to cultivated carrots and fennel by sucking plant fluids, leading to reduced plant vigor.

1-9-2020 LAGUNA DEL CANIZAR, ARAGON - EUROPEAN STONECHAT (FEMALE) (Saxicola rubicola)

The European stonechat, Saxicola rubicola, is a small, charming passerine bird, once thought to be a member of the thrush family but now placed within the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. This species exhibits a striking sexual dimorphism, with males donning a black plumage with vibrant orange throats and females wearing a more subdued brown.

Males in their summer plumage are unmistakable with their black heads, orange throats, and white bellies. They also sport a distinctive white half-collar and small white patches on the wings and rump. Females, on the other hand, are predominantly brown with less pronounced white wing patches. Both sexes have notably short wings, which are shorter than those of their migratory relatives.

The European stonechat favors heathlands, coastal dunes, and open grasslands dotted with shrubs, brambles, and heather. These habitats provide the perfect backdrop for their active foraging and breeding behaviors.

This species is widely distributed across Europe, reaching as far east as Ukraine and the South Caucasus, and can also be found in parts of North Africa.

Stonechats are known for their lively presence, often perching conspicuously as they keep a vigilant eye on their surroundings. They exhibit a partial migratory pattern, with some populations moving southward to escape the colder winters.

The male stonechat's song is a delightful, high-pitched twitter, reminiscent of a dunnock's melody. Both sexes communicate with a distinctive call that evokes the sound of two stones being tapped together.

European stonechats are monogamous during the breeding season and commence their reproductive efforts at one year of age. They raise two to three broods per season, with the female constructing the nest and both parents tending to the young.

1-9-2020 LAGUNA DEL CANIZAR, ARAGON - EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola)

The European stonechat, Saxicola rubicola, is a small, charming passerine bird, once thought to be a member of the thrush family but now placed within the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. This species exhibits a striking sexual dimorphism, with males donning a black plumage with vibrant orange throats and females wearing a more subdued brown.

Males in their summer plumage are unmistakable with their black heads, orange throats, and white bellies. They also sport a distinctive white half-collar and small white patches on the wings and rump. Females, on the other hand, are predominantly brown with less pronounced white wing patches. Both sexes have notably short wings, which are shorter than those of their migratory relatives.

The European stonechat favors heathlands, coastal dunes, and open grasslands dotted with shrubs, brambles, and heather. These habitats provide the perfect backdrop for their active foraging and breeding behaviors.

This species is widely distributed across Europe, reaching as far east as Ukraine and the South Caucasus, and can also be found in parts of North Africa.

Stonechats are known for their lively presence, often perching conspicuously as they keep a vigilant eye on their surroundings. They exhibit a partial migratory pattern, with some populations moving southward to escape the colder winters.

The male stonechat's song is a delightful, high-pitched twitter, reminiscent of a dunnock's melody. Both sexes communicate with a distinctive call that evokes the sound of two stones being tapped together.

European stonechats are monogamous during the breeding season and commence their reproductive efforts at one year of age. They raise two to three broods per season, with the female constructing the nest and both parents tending to the young.

The European stonechat can be confused with the Siberian stonechat and the African stonechat, but genetic evidence supports their distinction as separate species.

These birds are adept insectivores, gleaning a variety of invertebrates from their environment to sustain themselves and their offspring.

1-9-2020 LAGUNA DEL CANIZAR, ARAGON - GREAT CRESTED GREBE (Podiceps cristatus)

The great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The bird is characterised by its distinctive appearance, featuring striking black and white plumage, and elaborate courtship display that involves synchronised dances and displays.

The great crested grebe is the largest member of the grebe family found in the Old World, with some larger species residing in the Americas. They measure 46–51 cm (18–20 in) long with a 59–73 cm (23–29 in) wingspan and weigh 0.9 to 1.5 kg (2.0 to 3.3 lb).[8][9] It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations. In winter, this is whiter than most grebes, with white above the eye, and a pink bill.

The call is a loud barking rah-rah-rah. They can also produce a clicking kek call, and deep growls.

Juveniles are recognisable by their plumage, with their heads featuring alternating black and white stripes. They lose these markings when they become adults.

The great crested grebe feeds mainly on fish, but also small crustaceans, insects, small frogs and newts.

The great crested grebe has an elaborate mating display. Like all grebes, it nests on the water's edge. The nest is built by both sexes. The clutch averages four chalky-white eggs which average 54 mm × 37 mm (2.1 in × 1.5 in) in size and 42 g (1.5 oz) in weight. Incubation is by both parents and begins as soon as the first egg is laid. The eggs hatch asynchronously after 27 to 29 days. The precocial young are cared for and fed by both parents.

Young grebes are capable of swimming and diving almost at hatching. The adults teach these skills to their young by carrying them on their back and diving, leaving the chicks to float on the surface; they then re-emerge a few feet away so that the chicks may swim back onto them.

1-9-2020 SAN BLAS TERUEL, ARAGON - WESTERN BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR (Oenanthe hispanica)

The western black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) is a wheatear, a small migratory passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher (family Muscicapidae). It was formerly (and still is by some authorities) considered conspecific with the eastern black-eared wheatear.

The breeding male has the forehead and crown white or nearly white, the mantle buff, and the wings blacker than those of the northern wheatear. The underparts are white tinged with buff. The back, upper tail coverts and most of the tail are white. A black mask extends from the ear coverts to the bill. The throat can be either black or white.

In autumn and winter the head and mantle are distinctly buff, as are the underparts (including the throat in non-black-throated individuals), but the buff varies in intensity. Except for the central pair, the tail feathers are much whiter than in the northern wheatear, the white on the inner web often extending to the tip.

The female is a browner bird, but has the characteristic white lower back, and her seasonal changes are less marked.

The male western black-eared wheatear can be distinguished from the male eastern black-eared wheatear by its more buff-tinged upperparts, giving it a less distinctly black-and-white appearance than the latter species, as well as having the black of the mask stopping at the base of the bill rather than extending slightly above. Black-throated individuals of this species have less black on the throat and face than on the eastern birds, and the black generally terminates less abruptly. Females of this species differ from their eastern counterparts in being warmer brown overall.

Global Distribution: The Western Black-eared Wheatear breeds in Southwestern and South-central Europe (including Spain) and Northwestern Africa. The Eastern Black-eared Wheatear breeds in Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and the Middle East.

Migration: Both are strongly migratory species, with the Western populations wintering in the West African Sahel and Eastern populations wintering primarily in East Africa.Habitat Preference: Both prefer open, rocky habitats, sparse grasslands, and scrublands, making sightings common in Mediterranean biomes.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - SOUTHERN WHITE ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY (Limenitis reducta)

Limenitis reducta, the southern white admiral, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.

Subspecies

Limenitis reducta reducta Staudinger, 1901

Limenitis reducta herculeana Stichel, 1909

 

This species can be found in central and southern Europe (northern Iberia, southern and eastern France, Italy, the Balkans, and the Alps), in Western Asia, in Syria, the Caucasus and Iran. These butterflies live in light woodland, in woodland glades and in forest edge, at an elevation of 0–1,650 metres (0–5,413 ft) above sea level.

Limenitis reducta has a wingspan of 46–54 mm. The upperside of the wings is brown black with metallic blue shine, large transversal band of white markings and a submarginal line of small blue dots. The blue sheen varies with the angle of light. The ground colour of underside of the hindwings is red, with a silvery basal area, a row of white markings and a row of black spots. A few white cell spots are also present on the underside of the forewings. The caterpillars can reach a length of 27 millimetres (1.1 in). They are light green to dull green on the back, red brown on the underside. On the back there are numerous brown thorns.

This species is rather similar to Limenitis camilla, Neptis rivularis and Araschnia levana f. prorsa.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - GRAYLING BUTTERFLY (Hipparchia semele)

The Grayling butterfly (Hipparchia semele) is a medium-sized, highly camouflaged insect found across Europe. It prefers warm, sunny, and dry habitats with sparse vegetation and plenty of bare ground, such as sand dunes and heathlands.

Key Identification & Behavior

Camouflage: It is renowned for its "rock-like" mottled-brown underwings. When at rest, it keeps its wings closed, tilts its body to avoid casting a shadow, and tucks its forewings behind its hindwings to hide its eyespots.

Sunbathing: Rather than nectaring on flowers frequently, adults spend much of their time basking on bare stones or soil, angling their wings to absorb maximum heat.

Flight Style: It is a strong flyer with a distinctive looping and gliding pattern. While in flight, pale yellow-orange bands on the upper wings become visible.

Life CycleFlight Period: The adult butterflies are typically on the wing from July to early September.Eggs & Larvae: Spherical white eggs are laid singly on fine-leaved grasses growing in direct sunlight. The larvae feed at night, spending the winter hibernating in grass tussocks before maturing by June.

Pupation: Unlike many butterflies that attach to stems, the Grayling pupates in a silk-lined cavity just beneath the soil's surface.

Conservation StatusHabitats: While still widespread on coastlines and southern heaths, inland populations have suffered long-term severe declines due to habitat loss and changing land use.

Status: The species is a conservation priority and is listed as a Red List priority species in the UK and Ireland.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - SOUTHERN BROWN ARGUS BUTTERFLY (Aricia cramera)

The Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) is a small, dark-brown butterfly found in Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Canary Islands. Similar to the Common Blue, it is distinguished by brown uppersides, orange marginal spots, and a, 28mm wingspan, flying in multiple, continuous broods from March to October.

Key Facts

Scientific Name: Aricia cramera.

Appearance: Both sexes are dark brown with a distinct orange lunule band on the margins of both wings. They often possess a specific spot configuration on the underwing (a "keyhole" spot on the hindwing) that differs from the similar Brown Argus (Aricia agestis).

Habitat: Prefers sunny, dry open areas, flowery meadows, and rocky terrains on calcareous soils.

Range: Found in Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, Portugal, Italy (Sardinia), Mediterranean islands, and the Canary Islands.

Flight Period: March to October, with multiple overlapping generations.

Larval Food Plant: The larvae feed primarily on Geranium species, such as Erodium cicutarium.

Behaviour: Known to be territorial, with males often sitting on grass stems to check for mates.Key Identification PointsWingspan: 2.2 to 3 cm.

Distinction: They resemble female Common Blues, but Aricia cramera generally lack the blue scales on the upper wing surface.Observation: They are often found in colonies and do not travel far from their breeding site.

Aricia cramera, the southern brown argus, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is a butterfly of Southern Europe and North Africa and can be found from Morocco and Tunisia up to Spain and Portugal, on Mediterranean islands including Menorca and on the Canary Islands.

The wingspan ranges to up to 30 mm. The butterfly flies from May to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Erodium, Helianthemum and Geranium species.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - HORSE CHESTNUT (Aesculus hippocastanum)

Aesculus hippocastanum, the horse chestnut, is a species of flowering plant in the maple, soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is a large, deciduous, synoecious (hermaphroditic-flowered) tree. It is also called horse-chestnut, European horsechestnut, buckeye, and conker tree. It is not to be confused with the sweet chestnut or Spanish chestnut, Castanea sativa, which is a tree in another family, Fagaceae.

Aesculus hippocastanum is a large tree, growing to about 39 metres (128 ft) tall with a domed crown of stout branches. On old trees, the outer branches are often pendulous with curled-up tips. The leaves are opposite and palmately compound, with 5–7 leaflets 13–30 cm (5–12 in) long, making the whole leaf up to 60 cm (24 in) across, with a 7–20 cm (3–8 in) petiole. The leaf scars left on twigs after the leaves have fallen have a distinctive horseshoe shape, complete with seven "nails". The flowers are usually white with a yellow to pink blotch at the base of the petals; they are produced in spring in erect panicles 10–30 cm (4–12 in) tall with about 20–50 flowers on each panicle. Its pollen is not poisonous for honey bees.[10] Usually only 1–5 fruits develop on each panicle. The shell is a green, spiky capsule containing one (rarely two or three) nut-like seeds called conkers or horse-chestnuts. Each conker is 2–4 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄2 in) in diameter, glossy nut-brown with a whitish scar at the base.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - COMMON CHAFFINCH (MALE) (Fringilla coelebs)

The Eurasian chaffinch, common chaffinch, or simply the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) is a common and widespread small passerine bird in the finch family. The male is brightly coloured with a blue-grey cap and rust-red underparts. The female is more subdued in colouring, but both sexes have two contrasting white wing bars and white sides to the tail. The male bird has a strong voice and sings from exposed perches to attract a mate.

The chaffinch breeds in much of Europe, across the Palearctic to Siberia. The female builds a nest with a deep cup in the fork of a tree. The clutch is typically four or five eggs, which hatch in about 13 days. 

The chicks fledge in around 14 days, but are fed by both adults for several weeks after leaving the nest. Outside the breeding season, chaffinches form flocks in open countryside and forage for seeds on the ground. During the breeding season, they forage on trees for invertebrates, especially caterpillars, and feed these to their young. They are partial migrants; birds breeding in warmer regions are sedentary, while those breeding in the colder northern areas of their range winter further south.

The eggs and nestlings of the chaffinch are taken by a variety of mammalian and avian predators. Its large numbers and huge range mean that chaffinches are classed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - SOUTHERN BROWN ARGUS BUTTERFLY (Aricia cramera)

Aricia cramera, the southern brown argus, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is a butterfly of Southern Europe and North Africa and can be found from Morocco and Tunisia up to Spain and Portugal, on Mediterranean islands including Menorca and on the Canary Islands.

The wingspan ranges to up to 30 mm. The butterfly flies from May to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Erodium, Helianthemum and Geranium species.

Key Facts

Scientific Name: Aricia cramera.

Appearance: Both sexes are dark brown with a distinct orange lunule band on the margins of both wings. They often possess a specific spot configuration on the underwing (a "keyhole" spot on the hindwing) that differs from the similar Brown Argus (Aricia agestis).

Habitat: Prefers sunny, dry open areas, flowery meadows, and rocky terrains on calcareous soils.

Range: Found in Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, Portugal, Italy (Sardinia), Mediterranean islands, and the Canary Islands.

Flight Period: March to October, with multiple overlapping generations.

Larval Food Plant: The larvae feed primarily on Geranium species, such as Erodium cicutarium.

Behaviour: Known to be territorial, with males often sitting on grass stems to check for mates.Key Identification PointsWingspan: 2.2 to 3 cm.

Distinction: They resemble female Common Blues, but Aricia cramera generally lack the blue scales on the upper wing surface.Observation: They are often found in colonies and do not travel far from their breeding site.

Aricia cramera, the southern brown argus, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is a butterfly of Southern Europe and North Africa and can be found from Morocco and Tunisia up to Spain and Portugal, on Mediterranean islands including Menorca and on the Canary Islands.

The wingspan ranges to up to 30 mm. The butterfly flies from May to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Erodium, Helianthemum and Geranium species.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - CLOUDED YELLOW BUTTERFLY (Colias croceus)

Colias croceus, clouded yellow, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, the yellows and whites.

Colias croceus is one of the most widespread species in Europe. The common clouded yellow's breeding range is North Africa and southern Europe and eastwards through Turkey into the Middle East, but it occurs throughout much of Europe as a summer migrant, in good years individuals reaching Scandinavia. In Asia, its range extends into central Siberia in the north and barely into India in the south; it is not found in Central Asia.

This species is primarily an immigrant to the UK, originating from southern Europe and northern Africa. In the UK they can be seen on the south coast almost every year in varying numbers, and regularly breed there. Occurrence in the rest of the UK varies considerably from year to year, but they are increasingly observed as far north as Dumfries and Galloway. It has also been recorded in Ireland from the Raven, Co. Wexford, to Belfast, Co. Down.

A truly migratory European butterfly, this species is famous for occasional mass migrations and subsequent breeding, which are often referred to in the United Kingdom as "clouded yellow years". Notable clouded yellow years include 1877, 1947, 1983, 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2000.

Colias croceus has a wingspan of 46–54 millimetres (1.8–2.1 in). The upperside of the wings is golden to orange yellow with a broad black margin on all four wings and a black spot near the centre forewing. Usually these butterflies settles with its wings closed, consequently the black margin of the uppersides of the wings is difficultly visible.

The underside lacks the black borders and is lighter, with a more greenish tint, particularly on the forewings. In the forewing underside is the same dark spot as on the upperside, but often with a light centre; the hindwing underside has a white centre spot, often with a smaller white or dark dot immediately above it. Sometimes, a row of black dots occurs on the underwings' outer margins, corresponding to where the black border ends on the upperside. Females differ from the males in having yellow spots along the black borders on the upperside.

In flight, Colias croceus is easily identifiable by the intense yellow colouring, much brighter than that of the lemon-yellow male common brimstone which also lacks black markings. Like all Colias species they never open their wings at rest.

In about 5% of females, the golden upperside colouration is replaced by a pale cream colour. These females have been distinguished as form helice. The pale form helice does not seem to be distinct, as intermediates exist, and the variation is to some extent related to humidity during development, with dryer conditions producing paler colouration. These pale forms helice can be confused with Berger's clouded yellow (Colias alfacariensis) and the rarer pale clouded yellow (Colias hyale). Even the palest C. croceus tends to have more black on the upperside, however, in particular on the hindwings.

Young caterpillars are yellow-green with a black head. Later they become completely dark green, with a white red-spotted lateral line after the third moult. The pupae are green and have a yellow side stripe.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - FALSE MEADOW SAFFRON (Colchicum montanum)

False Meadow Saffron (Colchicum autumnale) is a highly toxic, autumn-blooming plant often confused with true, edible saffron (Crocus sativus). While it produces pink, crocus-like flowers, it is a member of the Colchicaceae family and contains poisonous colchicine, which can be fatal if ingested. Key features include flowers appearing without leaves ("naked ladies") in autumn and strap-like leaves in spring. 

Key Facts About False Meadow Saffron (Colchicum autumnale):

Highly Toxic: All parts of the plant, especially the seeds, are dangerous if eaten due to the compound colchicine.

Appearance: Known as "naked ladies" or "naked boys" because the pink flowers emerge in autumn without any leaves.

Distinction from True Saffron: Unlike true saffron, it is not used for cooking and should not be mistaken for it.

Foliage: Leaves emerge in the spring, which can be mistakenly gathered as wild greens like Ramsons.

Habitat: Commonly found in damp hay meadows and gardens.

Medicinal Context: Colchicine, derived from the plant, has been used in medicine but is highly toxic in larger quantities. 

Differences from True Saffron:

True Saffron: Crocus sativus (Iridaceae family), stigmas are harvested for culinary spice.

False Saffron: Colchicum autumnale (Colchicaceae family), highly poisonous. 

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - SOUTHERN GATEKEEPER BUTTERFLY (Pyronia cecilia)

Pyronia cecilia, the southern gatekeeper, is a butterfly of Southern Europe and North Africa. It is a member of the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae.

It is similar in appearance to the gatekeeper (P. tithonus), which is found further north, and the Spanish gatekeeper (P. bathsheba). The gatekeeper has spots on the underside of the hindwing which the southern gatekeeper lacks. The Spanish gatekeeper has quite a different underwing pattern with a prominent while band.

The southern gatekeeper, like many in subspecies Satyrinae, exhibits sexual dimorphism. The male is smaller than the female, the front wing of the male is 15 to 16 mm whereas a female front wing is 20 mm, and has a patch of scent-producing scales known as the androconia, which can be seen as a dark patch on the upperside of the forewing.

The southern gatekeeper likes hot localities and is found in northern Africa and southern Europe; in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Spain including Mallorca and Menorca, south-eastern France, Corsica, Sardinia, Elba, Italy, Sicily, Croatia, Albania, Greece and Turkey. It is usually found in rough, open areas in lowland regions although in some areas it occurs up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).

Food plants are grasses including Deschampsia cespitosa.

2-9-2020 SIERRA DE ALBARRACIN, ARAGON - BLACK REDSTART (FEMALE) (Phoenicurus ochruros)

The Black Redstart (\(Phoenicurus\) \(ochruros\)) is a small bird, about the size of a robin, known for its dark plumage and bright red tail. It is adaptable and can be found in both natural rocky habitats and urban environments like cities and quarries. Its diet consists mainly of insects, spiders, and worms, supplemented by seeds and berries, and some populations migrate in winter. 

Appearance Size: Approximately \(14.5\) cm in length, with a wingspan of \(23-26\) cm.Males: Dark grey body with a black face and throat, and a white patch on the wings.Females and Juveniles: Grey-brown all over.Tail: Both sexes have a bright red tail with a single black band down the middle. 

1-9-2020 PARADOR TERUEL, ARAGON - WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata megera)

Lasiommata megera, the wall or wall brown, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae (subfamily Satyrinae). It is widespread in the Palearctic realm with a large variety of habitats and number of generations a year.

P. megera L. [— xiphie Boisd. pt (45d). Above reddish yellow, with a black mark which traverses the distal band from the cell of the forewing to the abdominal margin of the hindwing, short black stripes crossing the disc and the cell of the forewing.

The species lives in North Africa, Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, the Middle East, western Siberia, northern Tian Shan, Dzungarian Alatau, Kazakhstan and Dzungaria.

Habitats include forest edges and clearings, shrubby areas in ravines and river valleys and sparse woodlands. It is also found in mountain habitats up to 0–3,000 metres (0–9,843 ft) above sea level.

The imago flies from April to October in two or three generations depending on locality and altitude. The larva feeds on grasses in the genera Festuca, Bromus, Deschampsia, Poa, Dactylis and Brachypodium.

"The egg is pale green when first laid, and in shape it is almost spherical, but rather higher than broad; it is finely ribbed and reticulated, but unless examined through a lens it appears to be quite smooth. The caterpillar when full grown is whitish-green, dotted with white. From the larger of these dots on the back arise greyish bristles; the three lines on the back (dorsal and sub-dorsal) are whitish, edged with dark green; the line on the sides (spiracular) is white, fringed with greyish hairs; anal points green, hairy, extreme tips white. Head larger than the first ring (first thoracic segment), green dotted with white and hairy, jaws marked with brownish. The chrysalis is green, with yellow-tinted white markings on the edge of the wing covers and ridges; the spots on the body are yellowish, or sometimes white. Occasionally the chrysalids are blackish, with white or yellow points on the body".

1-9-2020 LAGUNA DEL CANIZAR, ARAGON - WOODCHAT SHRIKE (JUVENILE) (Lanius senator)

The Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator, is a captivating bird, slightly larger than its cousin, the Red-backed Shrike. The male boasts a distinctive appearance with black and white upper parts and a rich chestnut crown, while the female and juveniles display a more subdued brown and white vermiculated plumage with buff underparts.

To identify the Woodchat Shrike, look for the male's striking black and white upper parts and chestnut crown. The female and young birds are less conspicuous with their vermiculated brown and white upper parts and buff underparts. The western Mediterranean race, L. s. badius, lacks the prominent white wing patches seen in other subspecies.

This species has a preference for open wooded areas with scattered trees, such as orchards, especially where the ground is bare or sandy.

The Woodchat Shrike breeds across southern Europe, the Middle East, and northwest Africa, and migrates to winter in tropical Africa. Its range spans from Portugal to Greece and from Mauritania to Libya, with occasional sightings as far north as Great Britain.

The Woodchat Shrike is known for its perching behaviour, often seen on exposed lookouts from where it swoops down or glides to capture its prey. It is also known to occasionally impale its prey on thorns, a behaviour typical of shrikes.

Breeding occurs from early May to mid-July. Both sexes contribute to nest building, which is typically situated in a tree. The clutch consists of 5-6 eggs, incubated mainly by the female, with fledglings cared for by both parents.

The diet of the Woodchat Shrike is primarily insectivorous, with beetles being a favoured choice. It employs a sit-and-wait hunting strategy from elevated perches and is known to dismember larger insects.

The Woodchat Shrike is currently classified as Near Threatened due to long-term population declines attributed to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, hunting during migration, and other factors. Despite this, it has a large estimated population of 5.9-10 million individuals.

31-8-2020 PARADOR TERUEL, ARAGON - WESTERN WILLOW SPREAD-WING DAMSELFLY (Chalcolestes viridis)

The Western Willow Spread-wing (Chalcolestes viridis), also known as the Willow Emerald Damselfly, is a large, metallic-green damselfly found across Europe and North Africa. Famous for its tree-dwelling habits, it uniquely lays its eggs in the bark of overhanging branches rather than underwater.

Key Physical Facts

Size: Relatively large and long for a spreadwing, with a typical body length of 39 mm to 48 mm and a wingspan of up to 59 mm.

Coloration: Both sexes are a striking, dark metallic green with no blue "dusting" (pruinosity).

Wing Spots: They feature pale, creamy-brown wing spots (pterostigmata) outlined in dark veins.

Identifying Mark: They have a distinct, small green marking shaped like a thorn on the side of the thorax.

Behavior & Habitat

The "Spread-wing" Stance: Unlike most damselflies that fold their wings parallel to their body while at rest, spread-wings hold their wings at a distinct 45° angle.

Tree Preference: Adults spend a significant amount of time in marginal shrubs and trees (such as willow and alder), often quite far from water.

Flight Period: They are active late in the season, primarily from August to October.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Egg Laying: Unlike most damselflies, females lay eggs inside incisions in the bark of live, overhanging branches. The process leaves distinct oval scars or dimples in the wood.

Overwintering: The eggs develop for a few weeks and then enter a dormant period (diapause). They overwinter safely inside the tree bark.

Larval Stage: In the spring, the eggs hatch, the larvae drop into the water below, and they quickly develop into adults within a couple of months.

31-8-2020 PARADOR TERUEL, ARAGON - GOLDEN RINGED DRAGONFLY (Cordulegaster boltonii)

The golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is a large, striking species of dragonfly found widely in Europe and locally in northwestern Africa, especially near flowing waters like streams. It is the longest British species of dragonfly, and the only member of its genus to be found in the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom, they are easily identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes, which is not found in any other dragonfly in the country. A very large species, males average 74 mm (2.9 in) and the longer females average 84 mm (3.3 in). Wingspan is up to 101 mm (4.0 in). The female is the longest British dragonfly, in part due to the unusually long ovipositor, and in other measurements it is exceeded by the emperor (Anax imperator).

The female lays the eggs in shallow water. The hairy larvae live at the bottom of the water and are well camouflaged amongst the silt. They emerge after about 2–5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness.

They are often seen flying leisurely over mountain streams or a river; they also occasionally show up at a pond. They are also typically seen flying over heath land. Their bright yellow and black stripes make them easy to identify, even from a fair distance away. They feed mainly on insects ranging from small prey such as midges to flies, butterflies and even bumblebees. This strikingly-coloured insect is incredibly aerobatic and they sometimes fly very high up into the sky.