5-5-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SMALL BLOOD VEIN MOTH (Scopula imitaria)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/205090-Scopula-imitaria

Scopula imitaria, the small blood-vein, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1799 and it is found throughout Europe and in North Africa.

19-11-2016 THA YET MIO - GLASSY TIGER BUTTERFLY (Parantica aglea)

Parantica aglea, the glassy tiger, is a butterfly found in Indomalayan realm that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

The Glassy Tiger prefers both scrublands and lush gardens full of flowers. It is common throughout the country but is quite low in number in the extreme north and the highest hills. 

This is a moderately fast, casual flier which feeds on flowers of herbs and scrubs. Males have a special attraction to dead Heliotropium indicum plants, since these plants provide the toxic requirement necessary for their survival and breeding process. Males extrude yellow coloured hair pencils from the back of their abdomen to attract females. It is a migratory species.

The sexes are alike, other than for the two scent pouches found on the hindwing of the male. These are faintly visible on its underside. The background of both sides of both wings is dark brownish-black in colour, with glassy white markings. The forewing cell only has a streak which divides distally. Two other broad lines arise from the base of the forewing below the cell. There are some dustings above the cell, but they never form a distinct line. 

Larvae feed on some Apocynaceae plants including Ceropegia candelabrum, Tylophora pauciflora, Heterostemma tanjorense.

4-5-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - DOUBLE STRIPED PUG MOTH (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/311619-Gymnoscelis-rufifasciata

The double-striped pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a widespread and common species, being found throughout the Palearctic region, including the Near East and North Africa.

Two, sometimes three, broods are produced each year and the adults are on the wing in April and May (sometimes earlier), July and August, and sometimes later in the autumn. Later broods are more heavily marked. It flies at night and is attracted to light and flowers, both of its food plants and others.

The larva feeds on the flowers of a huge range of plants (see list below) and has also been known to feed on the larvae of other lepidoptera. The species overwinters as a pupa.

4-5-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - ICHNEUMONID WASP (Genus Netelia)

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/159670442

Netelia is a genus of ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Tryphoninae. There are over 330 described species in Netelia grouped into 12 subgenera.

4-5-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SMALL BLOOD VEIN MOTH (Scopula imitaria)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/205090-Scopula-imitaria

3-5-2023 RIO SERPIS, GANDIA, VALENCIA - GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3756-Plegadis-falcinellus

The glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a water bird in the order Pelecaniformes and the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The scientific name derives from Ancient Greek plegados and Latin, falcis, both meaning "sickle" and referring to the distinctive shape of the bill.

3-5-2023 RIO SERPIS, GANDIA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN GREENFINCH (Chloris chloris)

The European greenfinch or simply the greenfinch (Chloris chloris) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.

This bird is widespread throughout Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia. It is mainly resident, but some northernmost populations migrate further south. The greenfinch has also been introduced into Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Argentina.

The European greenfinch is 15 cm (5.9 in) long with a wingspan of 24.5 to 27.5 cm (9.6 to 10.8 in). It is similar in size and shape to a house sparrow, but is mainly green, with yellow in the wings and tail. The female and young birds are duller and have brown tones on the back. The bill is thick and conical. The song contains a lot of trilling twitters interspersed with wheezes, and the male has a "butterfly" display flight. Male greenfinch birds exhibit higher degrees of fluctuating asymmetry. The development of bones of males may be more easily disrupted than that of females.

3-5-2023 RIO SERPIS, GANDIA, VALENCIA - BLACK WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4835-Himantopus-himantopus

The breeding habitat of all these stilts is marshes, shallow lakes and ponds. Some populations are migratory and move to the ocean coasts in winter; those in warmer regions are generally resident or short-range vagrants. In Europe, the black-winged stilt is a regular spring overshoot vagrant north of its normal range, occasionally remaining to breed in northern European countries. 

These birds pick up their food from sand or water. They eat mainly insects and crustaceans.

The nest site is a bare spot on the ground near water. These birds often nest in small groups, sometimes with avocets.

3-5-2023 RIO SERPIS, GANDIA, VALENCIA - SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris rapae)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/55626-Pieris-rapae

The Small White Butterfly and the Large White Butterfly are often referred to as Cabbage White butterflies because their caterpillars feed on brassica vegetables.

The Small White is common throughout much of the British Isles, Europe and large parts of the sub tropical world.

In the British Isles they are double brooded flying between March and October.

Numbers can be swollen by migrants from the continent particularly in July and August.

2-5-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN WHITE BANDED SPIDER (Evarcha jucunda)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/194133-Evarcha-jucunda

 

Evarcha jucunda is a species of jumping spider.

It occurs naturally in the Mediterranean region, but was introduced to Belgium. It is also sometimes found in German greenhouses. Typically, it shows a large white or yellowish band surrounding the head region and a smaller one at the anterior end of abdomen. Males are black with a white line around their head and the top of their abdomen, which is brown.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SCARLET IBIS (Eudocimus ruber) (COURTESY MRS VALERIE FISHER)

The scarlet ibis is a sociable and gregarious bird, and very communally-minded regarding the search for food and the protection of the young. They live in flocks of thirty or more. Members stay close, and mating pairs arrange their nests in close proximity to other pairs in the same tree.

For protection, flocks often congregate in large colonies of several thousand individuals. They also regularly participate in mixed flocks, gaining additional safety through numbers: storks, spoonbills, egrets, herons and ducks are all common companions during feedings and flights.

1-5-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius)

The European, north African and southeast Asian birds are mainly resident, apart from altitudinal movements. Other Asian populations are more migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, India and southeast Asia. This bird is a very uncommon visitor to northern and western Europe.

Medium-sized thrush-like bird, often seen on mountainsides, sea cliffs, quarries, ruins, and even towns. Males usually unmistakable: western birds are dark blue all over, but may appear all dark at a distance; eastern birds are blue with orange underparts. Females dark brown above, finely barred below. Long bill, wings, and tail make for a distinctive and very different shape than Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush. Song is melodic and blackbird-like.

1-5-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/52592-Pararge-aegeria

Occurs in woodland, gardens and hedgerows. Butterflies often perch in sunny spots, spiralling into the air to chase each other.

The aptly named Speckled Wood flies in partially shaded woodland with dappled sunlight. The male usually perches in a small pool of sunlight, from where it rises rapidly to intercept any intruder. Both sexes feed on honeydew in the treetops and are rarely seen feeding on flowers, except early and late in the year when aphid activity is low.

The range of this butterfly contracted during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries but has spread back since the 1920s. It has continued to spread over the past two decades, recolonizing many areas in eastern and northern England and Scotland.

 

30-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - JEWEL BEETLE (Acmaeodera cylindrica)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/470285-Acmaeodera-cylindrica

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - WHITE COLLARED KINGFISHER (Todiramphus chloris) (COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER)

The collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the white-collared kingfisher, black-masked kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher. It has a wide range extending from the Red Sea across southern Asia to Polynesia. It is most commonly found in coastal areas, particularly in mangrove swamps. It also inhabits farmland, open woodland, grassland and gardens. In some parts of its range, especially on islands, it can be seen further inland, ranging into forest or into mountain areas. Birds often perch conspicuously on wires, rocks or bare branches.

The collared kingfisher is 23 to 25 cm (9.1 to 9.8 in) long and the male weighs 51 to 90 g (1.8 to 3.2 oz), while the female weighs 54–100 g (1.9–3.5 oz).[10] It varies from blue to green above while the underparts can be white or buff. There is a white collar around the neck, giving the bird its name. Some races have a white or buff stripe over the eye while others have a white spot between the eye and bill. There may be a black stripe through the eye. The large bill is black with a pale yellow base to the lower mandible. Females tend to be greener than the males. Immature birds are duller than the adults with dark scaly markings on the neck and breast.

It has a variety of calls which vary geographically. The most typical call is a loud, harsh and metallic "kee-kee-kee" repeated several times.

30-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY (Vanessa cardui)

Female painted lady butterflies have been observed to have a relatively "high biotic potential", meaning they each produce large numbers of offspring. This perpetual influx of reproduction may be a reason why these painted lady butterflies have propagated so successfully. One interesting aspect that scientists have observed is that these butterflies like to fly towards rain. Further studies have suggested that the large amounts of rainfall may somehow "activate more eggs or induce better larval development". Inhabited locations begin to observe a large influx of new generations of painted lady butterflies in the fall, particularly in September and October. Their reproductive success declines relatively throughout the winter, primarily through November. However, they still continue to reproduce—an aspect of butterfly behaviour that is quite unique. Scientists hypothesize that these extensive migratory patterns help the painted lady butterflies find suitable conditions for breeding, thus offering a possible reason as to why these butterflies mate continuously.

30-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata megera)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/147298-Lasiommata-megera

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.

30-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PEA BLUE BUTTERFLY (Lampides boeticus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/121993-Lampides-boeticus

This species inhabits the edge of forests, mountain meadows and hot flowery places at an elevation up to 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) above sea level.

This species may have three generations a year. Adults fly from February to early November and are strong migrants. Eggs are white with a greenish tinge and have a disc-shaped form. They can reach a diameter of 0.5 mm. They are laid singly on the flower buds of the host plants.

Old caterpillars are green or reddish-brown, with dark dorsal stripe. They reach a length of 14-15 mm. Pupae reach a length of 9-10 mm. They are light grayish-brown with medium-sized dark spots and dark dorsal stripe.

The larvae feed on flowers, seeds and pods of many Fabaceae species, including Medicago, Crotalaria, Polygala, Sutherlandia, Dolichos, Cytisus, Spartium and Lathyrus species.

29-4-2023 SERPIS GANDIA, VALENCIA - ISSID PLANTHOPPER (Genus Issus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/141762-Issus

Planthoppers are usually 1/2 inch or less in length and have several large spines on the hind legs. Adults commonly have a keel, ridge, or snoutlike projection on the front of the head. Nymphs of some species excrete pale wax on plant parts where they feed. Adult females of some species also cover their egg laying sites with white wax or other excretions.

29-4-2023 SERPIS GANDIA, VALENCIA - PICTURE WINGED FLY (Genus Dorycera)

 

Dorycera is a genus of picture-winged flies in the family Ulidiidae.

29-4-2023 SERPIS GANDIA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SERIN (FEMALE) (Serinus serinus)

The European serin is a small short-tailed bird, 11–12 cm in length. The upper parts are dark-streaked greyish green, with a yellow rump. The yellow breast and white belly are also heavily streaked. The male has a brighter yellow face and breast, yellow wing bars and yellow tail sides. The song of this bird is a buzzing trill, very familiar in Mediterranean countries.

It breeds across southern and central Europe and North Africa. Southern and Atlantic coast populations are largely resident, but the northern breeders migrate further south in Europe for the winter. Open woodland and cultivation, often with some conifers, is favoured for breeding. It builds its nest in a shrub or tree, laying 3–5 eggs. It forms flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with other finches.

The food is mainly seeds, and, in the breeding season, insects. This small serin is an active and often conspicuous bird.

28-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPOTTED MONAESES CRAB SPIDER (Monaeses paradoxus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/676207-Monaeses-paradoxus

28-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - COTTONY CUSHION SCALE (Icerya purchasi)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/60921-Icerya-purchasi

Icerya purchasi (common name: cottony cushion scale) is a scale insect that feeds on more than 80 families of woody plants, most notably on Citrus and Pittosporum. The cottony cushion scale originates from Australia.

This scale infests twigs and branches. The mature hermaphrodite is oval in shape, reddish-brown with black hairs, 5 mm long. When mature, the insect remains stationary, attaches itself to the plant by waxy secretions, and produces a white egg sac in grooves, by extrusion, in the body which encases hundreds of red eggs. The egg sac will grow to be two to three times as long as the body. Newly hatched nymphs are the primary dispersal stage, with dispersion known to occur by wind and by crawling. Early stage nymphs feed from the midrib veins of leaves and small twigs, and do the bulk of the damage. At each molt, they leave at the old feeding point the former skin and the waxy secretions in which they had covered themselves and from which their common name is derived. Unlike many other scale insects, they retain legs and a limited mobility in all life stages. Older nymphs migrate to larger twigs and eventually as adults to branches and the trunk. Their life cycle is highly temperature-dependent, as the length of time in each stage of life is longer in cold temperatures than high temperatures.

In addition to the direct damage from sap sucking, the insects also secrete honeydew, on which sooty mold often grows and causes further damage to the host plant. Some ants will also consume this honeydew.

27-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PUG MOTH (Genus Eupithecia)

Eupithecia is the largest genus of moths of the family Geometridae, and the namesake and type genus of tribe Eupitheciini. Species in the genus are, like those of other genera in the tribe, commonly known as pugs. The genus is highly speciose, with over 1400 species, and members of the genus are present in most of the world with exception of Australasia. Roughly a quarter of described Eupithecia species occur in the Neotropical realm, where they have an especially high species diversity in the montane rain forests of the Andes. The genus includes a few agricultural pest species, such as the currant pug moth, Eupithecia assimilata, which is a pest on hops, and the cloaked pug moth, Eupithecia abietaria, which is a cone pest in spruce seed orchards

26-4-2023 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CASE BEARING LEAF BEETLE (Lachnaia tristigma)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/467526-Lachnaia-tristigma

Lachnaia tristigma is a species of leaf beetles from the subfamily Cryptocephalinae that can be found from north-west Africa to the Iberian Peninsula, in southern France and in Italy.