Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Monday, 29 June 2020
Sunday, 28 June 2020
28-6-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - THE BORDERED STRAW MOTH (Heliothis peltigera)
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Heliothis peltigera, also known as the bordered straw, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae.
The Greek epithet "Heliothis" means "scorched by the sun", while the Latin species name peltigera means wearing a small shield, with reference to the reniform marking on the forewings.
This species can be found in Southern Europe and the Near East, but it is present further north too, because it is a regular migratory species northbound. It is also present in most of Africa (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Somalia, Tunisia) and in Asia, ranging to China and Laos.
This heat-loving species occurs mainly on hot wastelands and warm slopes.
Heliothis peltigera has a wingspan of 29–40 mm and forewings reaching a length of 16–19 mm. These moths are rather variable in pattern and colour.
Saturday, 27 June 2020
27-6-2020 MARXUQUERA, VALENCIA - RED RUMPED SWALLOW (Cecropis daurica)
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The Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) is a small, graceful passerine bird, a member of the swallow family. It is characterized by its blue upperparts and dusky underparts, with a distinctive pale or reddish rump, face, and neck collar. Unlike the Barn Swallow, it lacks a breast band but features black undertails. Its wings are broad yet pointed, allowing for swift and agile flight.
To identify the Red-rumped Swallow, look for its darker underparts compared to the Barn Swallow, and the absence of a breast band. The rump is pale or reddish, providing a stark contrast to the blue upperparts. The bird's flight is fast, with frequent swoops as it pursues airborne insects.
This species is often found in open hilly country, where it can be seen gracefully hawking for insects over grasslands. It is also known to adapt to human structures, nesting under cliff overhangs, on buildings, and bridges.
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The Red-rumped Swallow has a wide distribution, breeding in temperate southern Europe and Asia, from Portugal and Spain to Japan, India, Sri Lanka, and tropical Africa. While the Indian and African populations are resident, European and other Asian birds are migratory, wintering in Africa or India.
These swallows are gregarious outside the breeding season, often seen in large numbers on the plains of India. They do not typically form large breeding colonies but are known to be social. Their flight is characterized by swift, agile movements as they feed on insects in the air.
The Red-rumped Swallow communicates with a series of chirps and trills, a delightful symphony that fills the air especially during the breeding season.
The Red-rumped Swallow constructs quarter-sphere nests with a tunnel entrance, using mud collected in their beaks. They lay 3 to 6 eggs and prefer to nest under cliff overhangs or on human-made structures.
This species is an aerial insectivore, feeding on insects caught in flight. They are adept at catching their prey mid-air, often following cattle or taking advantage of grass fires to find insects.
Friday, 26 June 2020
24-6-2020 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, VALENCIA - PERSIAN SILK TREE (Albizia julibrissin)
Albizia julibrissin, the Persian silk tree, pink silk tree, or mimosa tree, is a species of tree in the Fabaceae family, native to southwestern and eastern Asia.
It was introduced to Europe in the mid-18th century by Italian nobleman Filippo degli Albizzi, and the name of its entire genus Albizzia is given after him. The specific epithet julibrissin is a corruption of the Persian word gul-i abrisham (گل ابریشم), which means "silk flower" (from gul گل "flower" + abrisham ابریشم "silk").
Albizia julibrissin is known by a wide variety of common names, such as Persian silk tree and pink siris. It is also called Lankaran acacia or bastard tamarind, though it is not too closely related to either genus. The species is called Chinese silk tree, silk tree or mimosa in the United States, which is misleading—the former can refer to any species of Albizia which is most common in any one locale; and, although once included in Mimosa, neither is it very close to the Mimoseae. To add to the confusion, several species of Acacia, notably Acacia baileyana and Acacia dealbata, are also known as "mimosa" (especially in floristry), and many Fabaceae trees with highly divided leaves are called thus in horticulture.
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