Sunday, 5 September 2021
4-9-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HUNTSMAN SPIDER (Genus Eusparassus)
Eusparassus is a genus of huntsman spiders, known as the stone huntsman spiders, it was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903.
They are medium to large huntsman spiders, their bodies measuring from 10mm to 30mm. Their eyes are arranged in two rows, the anterior one being slightly recurved, while the posterior ones are relatively straight. They are pale gray to dark brown spiders, with a uniform coloration in their body. Some may have a clearly patterned body with banded legs.
They can be identified by the presence of two pairs of tibial spines on the legs and distinguished from the Olios genus by the palpal bulb morphology.
They are commonly found in arid and semiarid deserts of Africa and most parts of Eurasia where they inhabit stony habitats and build retreats in crevices. They are one of the most visible arachnid predators in their habitats. They can be found in very high elevations from 3,000 to 4,000m above sea level.
They make silken papery webs, which are usually found in crevices or the underside of flat stones. This webs are used as protection during molts, or as a retreat during the day. Females of this species lay their egg sacs inside the retreats.
They are primarily found across Africa, Southern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Peru.True to their name as "stone huntsman spiders," they prefer rocky terrains. They do not spin webs to catch food. Instead, they spin firm silken daytime shelters inside stone crevices or directly underneath large rocks.
Behavior and Human Interaction
Diet: They are nocturnal hunters that rely on sheer speed and agile reflexes to ambush prey. Their diet consists largely of insects like cockroaches, making them highly beneficial for natural pest control.Venom & Aggression: While they are large and imposing, Eusparassus species are not aggressive toward humans. They will generally flee rather than fight, only biting if directly pinched or cornered. Their venom is not medically significant to humans; a bite may cause localized pain but is not life-threatening.
Notable Species
Eusparassus dufouri: The type species of the genus, commonly found across the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), Italy, and Greece.
Eusparassus walckenaeri: A widely distributed species across the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern wadis, frequently interacting with local desert fauna.
Eusparassus schoemanae: Known as the Northern Cape stone huntsman, native to the arid landscapes of Namibia and South Africa.
Friday, 3 September 2021
3-9-2021 TANCAT DE MILIA, VALENCIA - IBERIAN BLUE TAIL DAMSELFLY (Ischnura graellsii)
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A fairly slender species, the posterior edge of the prothorax with a well-marked but slightly raised median tubercle; the forewings and hindwings have a similarly sized pterostigma, bicolor in the male; the abdomen is dorsally bronzed black, the 2nd segment of which bears a well-marked dorsal tubercle, and the 8th and part of the 9th segments are sky-blue in the male and greyish or greenish in the female; the 10th segment of the male bears a thick dorsal tubercle.
Anal appendages: the cercoids are shorter than the cerci, uncrossed, with a sharp tip and an internal branch longer than the internal part; the cerci have an internal expansion.
Dimensions
Abdomen, 20–23 mm; hindwing, 12–16 mm.
Abdomen, 21–23 mm; hindwing, 14–16 mm.
Distribution is the Iberian Peninsula; North Africa (north of the Atlas Mountains).
Widely distributed across most of the Iberian Peninsula, it is the most common and abundant zygopteran in many areas.
The larvae, which are almost always found in stagnant waters (ditches, ponds, marshes, etc.), can tolerate slightly brackish waters.
The flight period of this species, very common in the Iberian Peninsula, extends from March to September.
3-9-2021 TANCAT DE MILIA, VALENCIA - LANG'S SHORT TAILED BLUE BUTTERFLY (Leptotes pirithous)
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Leptotes pirithous, commonly known as Lang's short-tailed blue or common zebra blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Leptotes pirithous is a small butterfly with a wingspan of 21–29 mm (0.83–1.14 in) in males and 24–30 mm (0.94–1.18 in) in females. The uppersides of the wings are purple bluish in males, bluish brown in female. The undersides are dark beige striped with white lines. The hindwings show marginal orange and black spots and two small tails. For the design of the undersides of the wings they can be confused with Lampides boeticus and Cacyreus marshalli.
These butterflies fly from February to November depending on the location. They are regular migrants.
The larvae feed on the flowers and fruits of Fabaceae, Rosaceae and Plumbaginaceae species, including Plumbago capensis, Indigofera, Rynchosia, Vigna, Burkea, Mundulea, Melilotus, Crataegus, Quercus suber, Medicago sativa, Trifolium alexandrinum, Arachis hypogaea, Lythrum, Calluna, Genista, Dorycnium, Lythrum salicaria, Calluna vulgaris, Onobrychis viciifolia, Ulex and Melilotus alba. A life cycle takes about four to eight weeks, depending on the temperature.
3-9-2021 SOLLANA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SAND MARTIN (Riparia riparia)
The Sand Martin, known as the Bank Swallow in the Americas, is a diminutive and agile bird, a member of the swallow family. Its upper parts are cloaked in a modest brown, while its underparts are a stark white, bisected by a slender brown band across the breast. The bird's bill is a deep black, and its legs are a shade of brown. Juveniles can be distinguished by the rufous fringes on their coverts and the edges of their secondary feathers.
With a length of 12-14 cm and a wingspan of 25-33 cm, the Sand Martin is a small bird that can be readily identified by its brown back, white throat, and the distinctive narrow brown band on its breast. Its flight is characterized by rapid, jerky movements that set it apart from other swallows.
Sand Martins are commonly found near large bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, or oceans, where they can be seen darting gracefully over the water's surface.
This migratory passerine has a broad summer range that spans Europe, the Mediterranean, and across the Palearctic to the Pacific Ocean. It is also a Holarctic species present in North America. During the winter months, it retreats to the warmer climates of eastern and southern Africa, South America, and the Indian Subcontinent.
Sand Martins are social birds, often nesting in large colonies where hundreds of pairs may reside in close proximity. They are early migrants, arriving at breeding grounds before many other swallows and departing by the end of September. Their flight is a delightful spectacle, with swift and erratic movements as they hunt for insects over water bodies.
The Sand Martin's vocalizations include a continuous twittering song while in flight, which softens to a conversational murmur when perched. They also emit a harsh alarm call in response to potential predators.
These birds exhibit a strong preference for nesting in sandy hills or loess banks, where they excavate tunnels to lay their eggs. The breeding season typically sees them produce two broods, with each clutch consisting of four to five pristine white eggs.
Their diet primarily consists of small insects, particularly gnats and other flies that have aquatic larval stages.
The Sand Martin is globally recognized as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, although it is noted that their numbers are decreasing. Some populations are under threat due to habitat loss and are protected under national and local conservation laws. In Canada, for instance, the species is listed as Threatened due to a significant population decline.
Thursday, 2 September 2021
2-9-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN WREN (Troglodytes troglodytes)
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The Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), also known as the northern wren, is a diminutive bird, the sole representative of the wren family Troglodytidae found across Eurasia and Africa's Maghreb region. In Anglophone Europe, it is often simply referred to as the wren. This bird is characterized by its very short tail, typically held erect, a short neck, and a relatively long, thin bill. Its upperparts are russet brown, while the underparts are a paler buff-brown, complemented by a cream buff supercilium. Both sexes exhibit similar plumage.
The Eurasian wren can be identified by its compact, robust body, rounded wings, and notably short tail. It measures approximately 9 to 10 cm in length with a wingspan ranging from 13 to 17 cm, and weighs around 10 g. The plumage varies geographically, with some isolated populations exhibiting distinct coloration.
Wednesday, 1 September 2021
22-8-2021 SPACE MUSEUM, CUENCA - PLUTO SPHINX MOTH (Xylophanes pluto)
The Pluto Sphinx Moth (Xylophanes pluto) is a striking, nocturnal insect native to the Americas, ranging from Argentina up through Central America into southern Florida and Texas. Named after the Greek god of the underworld, it features green camouflage wings, a yellow-orange hindwing, and is a crucial nocturnal pollinator.
Here is a breakdown of key facts about this fascinating species:
Appearance & IdentificationWingspan: A medium-to-large moth with a wingspan of 53 to 65 mm.
Adult coloration: The forewings are green with white speckling. The hindwings are distinctive, displaying a vibrant yellow-orange band bordered by black and brown.
The Body: The thorax and abdomen are green with metallic yellow or white scales.
Habitat & Behavior
Distribution: Can be found in tropical and subtropical lowlands, commonly in the Caribbean, Florida Keys, and South America.
Nocturnal Flight: As a member of the Sphingidae family, they hover much like hummingbirds while feeding on flower nectar (such as wild verbena) at night.
Tuesday, 31 August 2021
Monday, 30 August 2021
30-8-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - JUMPING SPIDER (Menemerus semilimbatus)
Menemerus semilimbatus are about 6.5–8.4 millimetres (0.26–0.33 in) long, the male being slightly smaller than the female. These fairly big jumping spiders are dorso-ventrally flattened and are covered with short dense, grayish-white hairs, with hairy whitish palps and a white band on the side margins of the carapace, showing also a small white, triangular marking in the middle. The eyes are large and forward-facing. The legs are light brown with darker rings and patches, while the abdomen is dorsally yellowish or grayish, with a characteristic pattern of several bright V-shaped markings. The females show a notch at the posterior edge of the epigyne and two oval depressions in the anterior half.
30-8-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GEOMETER MOTH (Family Geometridae)
The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek geo γεω (derivative form of γῆ or γαῖα "the earth"), and metron μέτρον "measure" in reference to the way their larvae, or inchworms, appear to measure the earth as they move along in a looping fashion. A very large family, it has around 23,000 species of moths described, and over 1400 species from six subfamilies indigenous to North America alone. A well-known member is the peppered moth, Biston betularia, which has been subject of numerous studies in population genetics. Several other geometer moths are notorious pests.
Sunday, 29 August 2021
22-8-2021 SPACE MUSEUM, CUENCA - ETHILIA LONGWING BUTTERFLY (Heliconius ethilla)
The Ethilia Longwing (Heliconius ethilla) is a striking neotropical butterfly found from Panama to southern Brazil, distinguished by its elongated wings and signature orange-and-black coloration. Belonging to the brush-footed family Nymphalidae, it is famous among scientists for its longevity, pollen-feeding habits, and complex mimicry defenses.
Appearance & Physical Traits
Wingspan: Averages between 60 to 70 mm.Wing Patterns: The forewings are primarily orange with a black margin and four black spots. The hindwings are also orange but feature two black stripes.
Size: Males are slightly larger than females.
Subspecies: Because this species is highly diverse, it features several regional subspecies across Central and South America with varying patterns and color combinations.
29-8-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - FUNNEL WEAVER SPIDER (Genus Textrix)
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Textrix is a genus of funnel weavers first described by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833. They have a mainly European distribution, with one species in Ethiopia. The type species of the genus is Textrix denticulata.
The spiders in the genus Textrix have a strongly recurved posterior row of eyes with the medial eyes larger than the lateral eyes. They have a narrow head which is distinct from the thorax. These spiders may resemble wolf spiders as they are often recorded running about in sunshine, but their long and segmented posterior spinners are very marked and identify them as funnel web weavers.
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