7-9-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LARGE PSAMMODROMUS LIZARD (Psammodromus algirus)

Psammodromus algirus, known commonly as the Algerian psammodromus or the large psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is found in southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa.

Subspecies

There are four subspecies:

Psammodromus algirus algirus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Psammodromus algirus doriae Bedriaga, 1886

Psammodromus algirus nollii Fischer, 1887

Psammodromus algirus ketamensis Galán, 1931

 Psammodromus algirus is found in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia) and in Southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula: Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar; southernmost France, and Italy near Lampedusa).

The IUCN assessment from 2009 treats Psammodromus algirus nollii and Psammodromus algirus ketamensis as full species and restricts Psammodromus algirus to North Africa.

P. algirus typically occurs in dense bushy vegetation, but it can also venture to more open areas. It can be found at at elevations up to 2,600 m (8,500 ft) above sea level, but it is more common at lower elevations.

Psammodromus algirus mainly feeds on terrestrial arthropods, specifically Orthoptera, Formicidae, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Araneae.

P. algirus is threatened by habitat loss.

P. algirus commonly reaches a snout–vent length of about 7.5 cm (3.0 in), occasionally 9 cm (3.5 in). The tail is 2–3 times the body length. Dorsal colouration is usually metallic brownish with a pair of conspicuous white or yellowish stripes on both sides.

8-9- 2024 MUNTANYETA DEL SANS, ALBUFERA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)

The squacco heron is a migrant, wintering in Africa. It is rare north of its breeding range. The species has been recorded in Fernando de Noronha islands, and more rarely in mainland South America, as a v ng neck feathers. Its appearance is transformed in flight, when it looks very white due to the colour of the wings.

The squacco heron's breeding habitat is marshy wetlands in warm countries. The birds nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Three to four eggs are laid. They feed on fish, frogs and insects.

Northern populations in Europe and west Asia are migratory. Southward migration is August–November, and appears to occur at a rather leisurely pace. Birds move in a broad front across Europe, the Middle East and the Sahara. Return migration is in February and March to as late as May. Migration appears to be along a broad front in that migrating birds are seen widely throughout the Mediterranean and its islands. Migration in both seasons crosses the Sahara. agrant. This is a stocky species with a short neck, short thick bill and buff-brown back. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Its appearance is transformed in flight, when it looks very white due to the colour of the wings.

The squacco heron's breeding habitat is marshy wetlands in warm countries. The birds nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Three to four eggs are laid. They feed on fish, frogs and insects.

7-9-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - THERESIAN MOTH (Lamoria anella)

Lamoria anella is a species of snout moth described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775 found in Africa, Asia and Europe.

The wingspan is 18–28 mm in the male and 30–40 mm in the female. Head, thorax and abdomen greyish brown. Forewings grey brown, often entirely suffused with red or fuscous. There is an indistinct highly dentate antemedial line. A more or less developed speck in the cell and discocellular spot. A highly dentate postmedial line sharply angled on vein 4 and often reduced to streaks on the veins. A marginal specks series present. Hindwings pale semi-hyaline, suffused with fuscous towards margin.

It is found in most of Europe (except Ireland, Great Britain, Fennoscandia, Denmark, the Baltic region and Slovenia), the Canary Islands, as well as North Africa (including Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt), South Africa, India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.

The first confirmed British record was recorded in a garden at Hartford, Huntingdonshire on 5 October 2018, possibly as a migrant.

7-9-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - FRUIT FLY (Trupanea amoena)

Trupanea amoena is a species of tephritid or fruit flies in the genus Trupanea of the family Tephritidae.

Seen in the Palearctic Region, Ethiopia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia.

It is a small fly with a striking pattern on its wings that moved alternately, like a swimming crowl, over a rosebud.

Common habitat is rose bushes in the garden.

8-3-2016 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SARDINIAN WARBLER (MALE) (Sylvia melanocephala)

The Sardinian warbler (Curruca melanocephala ) is a common and widespread typical warbler from the Mediterranean region. Like most Curruca species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has a grey back, whitish underparts, black head, white throat and red eyes. Plumages are somewhat variable even in the same locality, with the intensity of a reddish hue on upper- and/or underside that varies from absent to (in some subspecies) pronounced. The female is mainly brown above and buff below, with a grey head. The Sardinian warbler's song is fast and rattling, and is very characteristic of the Mediterranean areas where this bird breeds.

It breeds in the southernmost areas of Europe and just into Asia in Turkey and the eastern end of the Mediterranean. This small passerine bird, unlike most "warblers", is not particularly migratory, but some birds winter in north Africa, and it occurs as a vagrant well away from the breeding range, as far as Great Britain.

This is a bird of open country and cultivation, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or brambles, and 3-6 eggs are laid. Like most "warblers", it is insectivorous, but will also take berries and other soft fruit.

Male Sardinian warblers have a strongly contrasting plumage: a black head and upper face, white throat, light grey back and wings, and a paler greyish-white belly. Its tail is dark, edged with white, and it has brownish legs. The eye is reddish-brown, surrounded by a pinkish-orange eye ring.

Outside of the breeding season, their plumage becomes duller, with the upperparts an olive-grey and the black head becoming less rich in colour.

Females are generally duller in appearance than males, with a grey head and a paler reddish eye ring. The throat is white, darkening into a grey-brown belly and flanks, while the upperparts and wings are pale brown. The female’s tail has white outer edges but is otherwise brown.

Juvenile Sardinian warblers resemble adult females, although there is less contrast between the colours, and they are altogether browner, with brownish heads, and buff-brown wing patterning.

4-9-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - INDIA MEALMOTH (Plodia interpunctella)

The Indianmeal moth (Plodia interpunctella), also spelled Indian meal moth and Indian-meal moth, is a pyraloid moth of the family Pyralidae. Alternative common names are hanger-downers, weevil moth, pantry moth, flour moth or grain moth. The almond moth (Cadra cautella) and the raisin moth (Cadra figulilella) are commonly confused with the Indian-meal moth due to similar food sources and appearance. The species was named for feeding on Indian meal or cornmeal, and does not occur natively in India. It is also not to be confused with the Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella), another common pest of stored grains.

P. interpunctella larvae (caterpillars) are commonly known as waxworms. It is important to note that they are not the same species as the waxworms often bred as animal feed. Rather, they are a common grain-feeding pest found around the world, consuming cereals, fruits, and similar products. Substantial efforts have been taken in the United States to control the moth's damage to grain crops.

The larvae of this species have the ability to bite through plastic and cardboard so even sealed containers may be infested. Once found, the moths are difficult to eradicate. The last larval instar is also able to travel long distances before pupating; so a new infestation site may develop far from the last pupation site. In addition to food sources, this species can reproduce and pupate on clothing and any source of clothing must be inspected to prevent reinfestation. 

2-9-2024 POTRIES, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of three to five bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.

Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A successful colonist, its range has gradually expanded north, with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the United Kingdom.

2-9-2024 POTRIES, VALENCIA - COMMON WAXBILL (Estrilda astrild)

The common waxbill (Estrilda astrild ), also known as the St Helena waxbill, is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. It is popular and easy to keep in captivity.

It is a small bird, 4 to 5 inches in length with a wingspan of 4 1/2 inches and a weight of 3/5 to 3/4 ounce. It has a slender body with short rounded wings and a long graduated tail. The bright red bill of the adult is the colour of sealing wax giving the bird its name. The plumage is mostly grey-brown, finely barred with dark brown. There is a red stripe through the eye and the cheeks and throat are whitish. There is often a pinkish flush to the underparts and a reddish stripe along the centre of the belly depending on the subspecies. The rump is brown and the tail and vent are dark. Females are similar to the males but are paler with less red on the belly. Juveniles are duller with little or no red on the belly, fainter dark barring and a black bill.

Weight

9

goz

g oz 

Length

12

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

12-14

cminch

3-4-2016 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - GREATER FLAMINGO (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Greater flamingos are very social. They travel in groups numbering up to thousands and they communicate by using visual and auditory cues. Greater flamingos are partially dispersive and migratory. They are traveling constantly, seeking areas with enough resources to sustain the whole flock, especially during the mating season. Greater flamingos keep their chicks together in crèches. Adults supervising crèches tend to act in a hostile way toward hatchlings if their own young are not in that crèche. Greater flamingos are diurnal, feeding during the day. Being bottom feeders, they rely on water levels that are low, and they move to new areas to find appropriate feeding conditions. They often bathe in fresh shallow water and preen their feathers to remove salt from them. They are not territorial birds but during breeding season they do defend their nests.

The Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It was described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811. The Greater flamingo was previously thought to be the same species as the American flamingo, but because of coloring differences of its head, neck, body, and bill, the two flamingos are now most commonly considered separate species.

Population size

550-680 Thou

Life Span

40-60years

Top speed

59

km/hmph

km/h mph 

Weight

2-4

kglbs

kg lbs 

Height

110-150

cminch

cm inch 

Length

80-150

cminch

Greater flamingos have an attractive coloration and appearance. Their feathers are pinkish/white, the wing coverts are red and the primary and secondary flight feathers are black. They have long pink bills with a black tip, yellow eyes and long pink legs. The male is bigger than the female, and juveniles have a gray-brown coloration, with some pink on their underparts, tail and wings, with the legs and beak being mainly brown.

The Greater flamingo inhabits Africa, the Middle East, southern Europe, and the Indian subcontinent. They occur in relatively shallow water bodies, such as saline lagoons, salt pans, large alkaline or saline lakes, and estuaries. Breeding takes place on sandbanks, mudflats, sandy or rocky islands, or open beaches.

30-8-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN MANTIS (MALE) (Iris oratoria)

The European mantis (Mantis religiosa) is a large hemimetabolic insect in the family of the Mantidae ('mantids'), which is the largest family of the order Mantodea (mantises). Their common name praying mantis is derived from the distinctive posture of the first pair of legs that can be observed in animals in repose. It resembles a praying attitude. Both males and females have elongated bodies with two pairs of wings. The most striking features that all Mantodea share are a very mobile, triangular head with large compound eyes and their first pair of legs (the 'raptorial legs'), which is highly modified for the efficient capture and restraint of fast-moving or flying prey.

In Germany, M. religiosa is listed as Gefährdet on the German Red List on the basis of an assessment from 1998. It is not supposed to be caught or held as a pet. At a global level, it is assessed by the IUCN as least concern.

The great variation in the coloration of M. religiosa from different shades of yellow, brown, green, and sometimes black has been the cause of numerous hypotheses and studies for over 100 years. However, no generally accepted answer about reason, benefit, or mechanism of the coloration or the change of coloration has been found.

Di Cesnola observed in 1904 that green mantids were found on fresh green grass, whereas brown individuals seemed to prefer brown grass burned by the sun. When forced to change the location as to no longer match their coloration, almost all the ‘not matching’ animals were killed by predators such as birds. This indicates a camouflaging purpose of the coloration.

Przibram also observed in 1907 that a change in temperature can trigger a change in coloration: animals that hatched in a cold environment turned green after moulting when heat and sunlight were provided. Without the change in temperature and only a change in the color of the background, no change in coloration occurred. This finding contradicts with Di Cesnola, who claims to have observed the animals within the same time and location (and therefore the same temperature).

30-8-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BUFF TAILED BUMBLE BEE (Bombus terrestris)

Bombus terrestris, the buff-tailed bumblebee or large earth bumblebee, is one of the most numerous bumblebee species in Europe. It is one of the main species used in greenhouse pollination, and so can be found in many countries and areas where it is not native, such as Tasmania. Moreover, it is a eusocial insect with an overlap of generations, a division of labour, and cooperative brood care. The queen is monogamous which means she mates with only one male. B. terrestris workers learn flower colours and forage efficiently.

B. terrestris is most commonly found throughout Europe and generally occupies temperate climates. Because it can survive in a wide variety of habitats, there are populations in the Near East, the Mediterranean Islands, and Northern Africa as well. Additionally, it has escaped captivity after being introduced as a greenhouse pollinator in countries where it is not native, so this bee is now considered an invasive species in many of these places, including Japan, Chile, Argentina, and Tasmania. Nests are usually found underground, such as in abandoned rodent dens. Colonies form comb-like nest structures with egg cells each containing several eggs. The queen will lay egg cells on top of one another. Colonies produce between 300 and 400 bees on average, with a large variation in the number of workers.

Like in most social bees, there are three main social caste divisions in B. terrestris. This ensures a division of labor and efficient colony functioning. Queens become the main female individual to reproduce in a future colony. There is only one per colony. Her sole responsibility is to lay eggs after she founds a nest. This fate is determined for larvae that receive more food, have longer instar stages, and higher levels of juvenile hormone biosynthesis. Workers, an entirely female caste, mainly forage for food, defend the colony, and tend to the growing larvae. They are usually sterile for most of the colony cycle and do not raise their own young. Unlike queens and workers, which develop from fertilized diploid eggs, drones, or male bees, are born from unfertilized, haploid eggs. Drones leave the colony shortly after reaching adulthood to find a mate outside the nest. Mating is their sole role in the colony.

A solitary queen hatched from her abandoned colony initiates the colony cycle when she mates with a male and finds a nest. She will stay in this nest over winter and then will lay a small batch of diploid (female) eggs in the spring. Once these hatch, she tends the larvae, feeding them with nectar and pollen. When the larvae are grown, they pupate, and about two weeks later, the first workers emerge. This is known as the initiation phase of the colony. Workers forage for nectar and pollen for the colony and tend later generations of larvae. The workers are smaller than the queen, and usually die while foraging in the jaws of predators like birds or robberflies. The foraging range and frequency of workers depends on the quality and distribution of available food, but most workers forage within a few hundred meters of their nest.

This first phase can last a variable amount of time in B. terrestris, after which a switch point is reached, and the queen begins to lay some unfertilized eggs, which develop into males. When the male drones emerge from the nest, they do not return, foraging only for themselves. They seek out emerging queens and mate with them. The remaining diploid eggs hatch into larvae that receive extra food and pupate to become new queens. The queen can use pheromones to discourage the workers' inclination to invest more in these larvae, thereby ensuring that not too many become queens. The resolution of this worker/queen conflict can be complex and is discussed below. The colony persists until fall in temperate zones and then workers begin to lay unfertilized eggs that if they mature will become males. At this point, outright aggression among workers and between the queen and workers begins. This is a predictable time point that occurs about 30 days into the colony cycle in very temperate climates.

Usually, the worker-queen conflict will force the queen out and the new workers will become queenless. A "false queen" might take control of the colony for a short period. The newly emerged queens sometimes act as workers and help to raise another brood of queens. During this time they daily leave the nest looking for food, during which time they may mate. Eventually they find a site to dig a "hibernaculum" where they will hibernate until the next spring, when they emerge, seek food — primarily to build up their ovaries — and soon seek a site to found a new nest. (In warmer climates they may skip the hibernation stage.) Almost always the old colony will have died out, and if the site is free of parasites one of the new queens will return and reuse that site.

28-8-2024 MARJAL DE LA SAFOR GANDIA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN HOOPOE (Upupa epops)

The Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops ) is the most widespread species of the genus Upupa. It is a distinctive cinnamon coloured bird with black and white wings, a tall erectile crest, a broad white band across a black tail, and a long narrow downcurved bill. Its call is a soft "oop-oop-oop". It is native to Europe, Asia and the northern half of Africa. It is migratory in the northern part of its range. It spends most of the time on the ground probing for grubs and insects. The clutch of seven to eight eggs is laid in an existing cavity. The eggs are incubated by the female and hatch asynchronously. Some ornithologists treat the African and Madagascar hoopoes as subspecies of the Eurasian hoopoe.

Population size

2.6-5.5 Mlnlnn

Life Span

10 years

Weight

46-89

goz

g oz 

Length

25-32

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

44-48

cminch

cm inch 

28-8-2024 MARJAL DE LA SAFOR GANDIA, VALENCIA - PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE (Lythrum salicaria)

Lythrum salicaria or purple loosestrife is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae. It should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the family Primulaceae. Other names include spiked loosestrife and purple Lythrum. This herbaceous perennial is native to Europe and Asia, and possibly Australia.

It has been used as an astringent medicinal herb to treat diarrhea and dysentery; it is considered safe to use for all ages, including babies. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens, and is particularly associated with damp, poorly drained locations such as marshes, bogs and watersides. However, it will tolerate drier conditions.

28-8-2024 MARJAL DE LA SAFOR GANDIA, VALENCIA - VIOLET DROPWING DRAGONFLY (MALE) (Trithemis annulata)

Trithemis annulata, commonly known as the violet dropwing, violet-marked darter, purple-blushed darter, or plum-coloured dropwing, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is found in most of Africa, the Middle East, and southern Europe. These dragonflies are called dropwings because of their habit of immediately lowering their wings after landing on a perch. Males of this species are violet-red with red veins in the wings, while females are yellow and brown. Both sexes have red eyes.

Trithemis annulata is a robust medium-sized species with a wingspan of 60 mm (2.4 in). The mature male has a dark red head and a yellow labium with a brown central spot. The eyes are red with white spots on the rear edge, and the frons is dark metallic purplish-red. The prothorax is violet with slightly darker longitudinal stripes. The membranous wings have distinctive red veins, the pterostigma is orange-brown, and there is a large orange-brown splash at the base of the hind wings. The abdomen is fairly broad and is pinkish-violet, with purple markings on the top of each segment and blackish markings on the terminal three segments. Females are a similar size to males, but the thorax is brownish, and the abdomen is yellow with dark brown markings. The wings of females lack the red veins of males but have similar orange-brown patches. It is very similar in appearance to the red-veined dropwing (Trithemis arteriosa), but that species has a more slender abdomen and a wedge-shaped black area on either side of the tip of the abdomen.

26-8-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - VESTAL MOTH (Rhodometra sacraria)

Rhodometra sacraria, the vestal, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae.

It can be found throughout Europe, in the Near East, in North Africa, in the Afrotropical realm and in large parts of Asia. It is also found in South America (Chile and Argentina).

Rhodometra sacraria inhabits meadows, forest clearing, paths, gardens and urban environments.

Rhodometra sacraria has a wingspan reaching 22–28 mm, while the length of the forewings is 12–14 mm. The late generations are smaller and the wingspan has an average of 16–26 mm. These moths are easily distinguishable from the mahogany or pink stripe, located on yellowish or cream background, crossing diagonally the dorsal sides of the upperwings from the posterior margin up to the apex. Discal spots are usually present and have the same colour as the postmedial line.

The dorsal sides of the hindwings are whitish and unmarked. The fringes on the wings are mostly in the basic colour. The abdomen is pure white. Head and thorax are straw yellow. In males the antennae are bipectinated to three-fourths length. The hind tibiae bear two pairs of spurs.

The intensity and the extent of the pink pigmentation is rather variable, depending on the seasonal temperature in the development of the pupae.

Usually these moths rest with a tent-like posture on twigs and herbs, with the wings parallel to each other. They fly from April to October in the Northern Hemisphere They are nocturnal, attracted to light and migrant. These moths breed in North Africa and in southern Europe, since they require constant warmth. The eggs are relatively long, yellowish, with distinct red spots.

The caterpillars mimic twigs and therefore they are quite difficult to locate. They are slender and reach a length of about 25 millimetres. The basic colour is pale brown or green, with a whitish underside. The green forms usually show a dark brown or reddish irregular stripe on the back. The head is reddish brown and relatively small.

These caterpillars feed on knotgrass, dock, Anthemis, Emex, Oxygonum, Persicaria, Rhus and other low growing plants. The pupa can reach a length of 9.2 mm and a diameter of about 2.7 mm. It is yellowish brown coloured, with dark spots.