Sunday, 7 June 2020
Saturday, 6 June 2020
Friday, 5 June 2020
Thursday, 4 June 2020
3-6-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - COASTAL PEARL MOTH (Mecyna asinalis)
Mecyna asinalis, sometimes known as the madder pearl, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae found in Europe.
The wingspan is 25–29 millimetres (0.98–1.14 in). The forewings are grey; lines darker, first indistinct, sometimes followed by a dark fuscous triangular subdorsal spot, second sometimes blackish -dotted, curved, with a deep abrupt sinuation inwards below middle, often preceded by a brownish or dark fuscous trapezoidal subdorsal spot ; very large orbicular, and reniform discal spot somewhat paler, latter preceded and followed by faint brownish sometimes dark-edged spots. Hind are wings grey ; a darker postmedian line. The larva is yellow-brownish ; dorsal line reddish-brown ; subdorsal broader, brown ; lateral brown ; spots black.
The moth flies from May to October in two generations per year.
It is found in west and southern Europe, including Ireland, Britain, the Iberian Peninsula, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Albania, Croatia, Greece and Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Madeira, Corsica, the Azores and the Canary Islands.
3-6-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPECKLED FOOTMAN MOTH (Coscinia cribraria)
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Coscinia cribraria, the speckled footman, is a species of moth belonging to the subfamily Arctiinae within the large family Erebidae. This moth has a widespread distribution in the Palearctic.
Coscinia cribraria has a forewing which has a background colour of dirty white marked with black streaks along the wings and crossbands made up of dark dots, both of which vary in extent. The subspecies arenaria has an almost pure white forewing. The speckled footman has a wingspan of between 30 and 35 mm (1.2 and 1.4 in).
Coscinia cribraria has a wide Palearctic distribution being found from Northwestern Africa Iberia and southern Great Britain east to China and Mongolia. In Europe, north of the Alps, the speckled footman is typically found on sandy heaths and open sandy pine forests. To the south of the Alps, it inhabits on dry mountain meadows with stony or rocky areas and around the Mediterranean this species can be found in habitats like maquis and in open forests.
Wednesday, 3 June 2020
1-6-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria)
The speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) is a butterfly found in and on the borders of woodland areas throughout much of the Palearctic realm. The species is subdivided into multiple subspecies, including Pararge aegeria aegeria, Pararge aegeria tircis, Pararge aegeria oblita, and Pararge aegeria insula. The color of this butterfly varies between subspecies. The existence of these subspecies is due to variation in morphology down a gradient corresponding to a geographic cline.
The background of the wings ranges from brown to orange, and the spots are either pale yellow, white, cream, or a tawny orange. The speckled wood feeds on a variety of grass species. The males of this species exhibit two types of mate locating behaviors: territorial defense and patrolling. The proportion of males exhibiting these two strategies changes based on ecological conditions. The monandrous female must choose which type of male can help her reproduce successfully. Her decision is heavily influenced by environmental conditions.
Tuesday, 2 June 2020
1-6-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SILVER Y MOTH (Autographa gamma)
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The silver Y (Autographa gamma) is a migratory moth of the family Noctuidae which is named for the silvery Y-shaped mark on each of its forewings.
The silver Y is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan of 30 to 45 mm. The wings are intricately patterned with various shades of brown and grey providing excellent camouflage. In the centre of each forewing there is a silver-coloured mark shaped like a lower case Y (y) or a lower case Greek letter gamma (γ). There are several different forms with varying colours depending on the climate in which the larvae grow.
The species is widespread across Europe and over almost all the Palearctic including North Africa. It is resident in the south of its range and adults fly almost throughout the year[citation needed]. In spring variable numbers migrate north reaching as far as Iceland, Greenland, and Finland with huge invasions taking place in some years[citation needed]. A second wave of migrants arrives in the summer[citation needed]. In central Europe and the British Isles adults are present in significant numbers from May onwards with numbers dwindling in late autumn as they are killed off by frosts. Some individuals fly south again to winter around the Mediterranean and Black seas.
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It occurs in a wide variety of habitats, particularly open areas. It regularly visits gardens to take nectar from the flowers.
Silver Y moths can produce two or three generations in a year with a fourth generation when conditions are particularly good. The eggs are laid on the upper or lower surface of leaves. They are whitish in colour and hemispherical in shape with deep ribbing. They hatch after three to four days (longer in cool conditions).
The larvae are about 30 mm long, have three pairs of prolegs and are usually green with whitish markings. They feed on a wide variety of low-growing plants and have been recorded on over 200 different species including crops such as the garden pea (Pisum sativum), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea). They can reduce crop yields by damaging leaves and are often considered to be a pest.
The pupa is green at first, gradually darkening to black. The adults mate one or two days after emerging from the pupa and start laying eggs one to five days later. They die three to nineteen days after emergence.
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