Sunday, 20 June 2021
Saturday, 19 June 2021
9-6-2021 MARJAL DE INTERIOR, ALBUFERA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)
The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a diminutive member of the heron family, measuring a mere 44–47 cm in length, with a compact body of 20–23 cm and a wingspan stretching 80–92 cm. This species is adorned with a buff-brown back and, during the summer months, adults boast elongated neck feathers that add to their allure.
In the field, one may identify the Squacco Heron by its stocky build, abbreviated neck, and stout bill. Its back is cloaked in a buff-brown hue. When in flight, the heron undergoes a remarkable transformation, revealing a predominantly white plumage that contrasts starkly with its resting appearance.
The Squacco Heron favors marshy wetlands in temperate regions for its habitat, where the water is warm and inviting.
Originating from the Old World, the Squacco Heron breeds in the southern reaches of Europe and extends into the Greater Middle East. When not breeding, it migrates to winter in the African continent.
This species is migratory by nature, seeking the warmer climates of Africa to spend the winter. It is seldom seen north of its breeding grounds. The Squacco Heron has been observed as a vagrant in the Fernando de Noronha islands and, on rarer occasions, in mainland South America. It nests in modest colonies, often in the company of other wading birds, and constructs its nests from sticks on platforms in trees or shrubs.
The Squacco Heron selects freshwater locales across Europe and the Middle East to breed, later migrating southward to the Sub-Saharan African region. During the breeding season, they lay a clutch of three to four eggs.
Adept at foraging, the Squacco Heron feeds on a diet consisting of fish, frogs, and insects, making the most of its wetland environment.
9-6-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea ostrinaria)
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Idaea ostrinaria (Coral-bordered Wave) is a small geometrid moth found in European, Mediterranean, and Western Asian xerophilous (dry) habitats, typically at 0–800m altitude. It features a characteristic coral-red bordered wing and is polyphagous, with larvae feeding on withered foliage and detritus from herbaceous plants like thyme (Thymus) and heliotrope (Heliotropium).
Key Facts about Idaea ostrinaria:
Scientific Classification: Belongs to the order Lepidoptera, family Geometridae, and subfamily Sterrhinae.
Habitat: Prefers dry, coastal areas, and warm, open landscapes.
Appearance: Known for its reddish or "coral-bordered" wing markings, often featuring a delicate, pale, or brownish-grey ground color.
Larval Diet: Polyphagous, meaning they eat a variety of plants, including Labiatae (mint family), Boraginaceae, Campanulaceae, Convolvulaceae, and Caryophyllaceae.
Range: Primarily found in South-West Europe, the Mediterranean region, and parts of Western Asia.
Flight Season: Frequently observed in late spring and summer months (e.g., June sightings).
Friday, 18 June 2021
13-6-2021 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - COPPER DEMOISELLE DAMSELFLY (MALE) (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis)
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Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis is a species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae known by the common names copper demoiselle and Mediterranean demoiselle.
Subspecies include:
Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis haemorrhoidalis (Vander Linden, 1825)
Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis occasi Capra, 1945
Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis asturica Ocharan, 1983
Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis almogravensis Hartung, 1996
Distribution
This species is native to the western Mediterranean Basin in Europe (Iberia, southern France, Italy, Monaco) and North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia). It is common in much of its range.
It lives along rivers and streams, but also in sunny larger waters. Though it may be affected by habitat changes such as water pollution.
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Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis can reach a body length of about 45–48 millimetres (1.8–1.9 in). The abdomen length is of about 34–43 millimetres (1.3–1.7 in) in males, of 31–43 millimetres (1.2–1.7 in) in females. The length of the wings is of 23–32 millimetres (0.91–1.26 in) in males, of 25–37 millimetres (0.98–1.46 in) in the females.
The males have a dark, metallic shining body, the color of which can be red-violet, golden or copper-colored. On the underside of the last three abdominal segments there red area, the so-called "red lantern" (hence the Latin species name haemorrhoidalis, meaning "blood flow"). The wings of males show a large dark area, while the females have a brown band to the wing tip and a metallic-green to bronze-colored body, with a brown belt on the back.
The flight time of this species ranges from May to September. The males have a characteristic mating dance, showing the abdomen end and spreading their wings wide. The male of this species is territorial, defending sites where females may choose to lay eggs.
This species can hybridize with Calopteryx splendens.
13-6-2021 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - CASTOR BEAN (Ricinus communis)
Ricinus communis, the castor bean or castor oil plant, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae. The evolution of castor and its relation to other species are currently being studied using modern genetic tools. It reproduces with a mixed pollination system which favors selfing by geitonogamy but at the same time can be an out-crosser by anemophily (wind pollination) or entomophily (insect pollination).
Its seed is the castor bean, which despite the term is not a bean (as it is not the seed of a member of the family Fabaceae). Castor is indigenous to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, East Africa, and India, but is widespread throughout tropical regions (and widely grown elsewhere as an ornamental plant).
Castor seed is the source of castor oil, which has a wide variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein. The seed also contains ricin, a highly potent water-soluble toxin, which is also present in lower concentrations throughout the plant [citation needed].
The plant known as "false castor oil plant", Fatsia japonica, is not closely related.
Thursday, 17 June 2021
14-6-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea ostrinaria)
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Idaea ostrinaria (Coral-bordered Wave) is a small geometrid moth found in European, Mediterranean, and Western Asian xerophilous (dry) habitats, typically at 0–800m altitude. It features a characteristic coral-red bordered wing and is polyphagous, with larvae feeding on withered foliage and detritus from herbaceous plants like thyme (Thymus) and heliotrope (Heliotropium).
Key Facts about Idaea ostrinaria:
Scientific Classification: Belongs to the order Lepidoptera, family Geometridae, and subfamily Sterrhinae.
Habitat: Prefers dry, coastal areas, and warm, open landscapes.
Appearance: Known for its reddish or "coral-bordered" wing markings, often featuring a delicate, pale, or brownish-grey ground color.
Larval Diet: Polyphagous, meaning they eat a variety of plants, including Labiatae (mint family), Boraginaceae, Campanulaceae, Convolvulaceae, and Caryophyllaceae.
Range: Primarily found in South-West Europe, the Mediterranean region, and parts of Western Asia.
Flight Season: Frequently observed in late spring and summer months (e.g., June sightings).
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