Sunday, 12 September 2021
Saturday, 11 September 2021
Friday, 10 September 2021
Thursday, 9 September 2021
4-9-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CARPET MOTH (Almeria kalischata)
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Almeria kalischata is a species of lepidopteran insects, more specifically moths, belonging to the family Geometridae.
The scientific authority on the species is Staudinger, having been described in 1870.
This is a species present in Portuguese and Spanish territory.
6-9-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - INDIAN MEAL MOTH (Plodia interpunctella)
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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.
Wednesday, 8 September 2021
8-9-2021 EL FONDO, ALICANTE - BROAD SCARLET DRAGONFLY (FEMALE) (Crocothemis erythraea)
The scarlet dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include broad scarlet, common scarlet-darter, and scarlet darter.
The scarlet dragonfly is a common species in southern Europe and throughout Africa. It also occurs across western Asia as far as southern China. It is a very rare vagrant in Britain. Its first record in the country was at Hayle Kimbro Pool, The Lizard, Cornwall, on 7 August 1995. Since then there have been a few further records at scattered coastal or near-coastal locations in southeastern England from Dorset to Norfolk.
A wide range of both running and standing waters, except those that are shaded. Adults may be found some distance from water in habitats ranging from desert to open woodland; absent from dense forest.
Crocothemis erythraea can reach a length of 33–44 millimetres (1.3–1.7 in). These dragonflies haves a flattened and rather broad abdomen. The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widened abdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Also the veins on the leading edges of the wings are red. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.
Tuesday, 7 September 2021
6-9-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea incisaria)
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/546913-Idaea-incisaria
Monday, 6 September 2021
Sunday, 5 September 2021
22-8-2021 SPACE MUSEUM, CUENCA - MALACHITE BUTTERFLY (Siproeta stelenes)
Adults feed on flower nectar, rotting fruit, dead animals, and bat dung. Females lay eggs on the new leaves of plants in the family Acanthaceae, especially Ruellia. The larvae are horned, spiny, black caterpillars with red markings, The pupal stage is green, with sharp, gold spines that can puncture predators.
Malachites often are confused with the heliconiine Philaethria dido. They have similar coloration, but their wing shapes are different.
22-8-2021 SPACE MUSEUM, CUENCA - GREEN BANDED URANIA MOTH (Urania leilus)
Here are the key facts about this spectacular insect:
Habitat & Range: The species is found east of the Andes in the Amazon basin, ranging from Brazil and Peru to Suriname, Venezuela, and Trinidad. They prefer riverbanks and primary and secondary rainforests, thriving at elevations up to 800 meters.
Appearance: They have a striking wingspan of about 65–70 mm. The wings feature vibrant, metallic blue-green bands bordered by black and tipped with white "tails".
Diet & Toxicity: Caterpillars feed exclusively on the toxic plants of the genus Omphalea (specifically Omphalea diandra). They sequester these plant toxins, which remain in their system, making them distasteful to predators even in their adult stage.
Day-Flying Nature: Unlike most moths, the Green-Banded Urania is diurnal (active during the day). Because of their bright colors and behavior, they are frequently mistaken for butterflies and are highly sought after by collectors and artisans for framing and interior design.
Migration: They are powerful, migratory insects. Large swarms can occasionally be seen migrating, and they have even been recorded as vagrants on Caribbean islands like Barbados and Dominica.
Evolutionary History: They are closely related to the Urania fulgens (Urania swallowtail). It is believed these two species diverged about 2.7 to 5 million years ago when the Andes Mountains formed, forcing them into separate geographical ranges.
4-9-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - STINK BUG (Acrosternum heegeri)
The species Acrosternum heegeri Fieber, 1861 is a well-known member of the Mediterranean fauna in Europe and until recently was not recorded outside its natural range. In recent years, the presence of stable populations of the species in Budapest has been confirmed, and the first findings on the territory of Serbia are from 2013, when several overwintering adults were found under the bark of deciduous trees in Novi Sad.
Since 2017, active individuals have been recorded throughout the season, for now mainly from the area of Vojvodina. This bug is probably conquering new territories by transporting people and goods, but we assume that climate change is also responsible for establishing stable populations in new environments. The paper presents the findings of the species A. heegeri in Serbia, which were taken from the Alciphron database on insects in Serbia. A. heegeri is a polyphagous herbivore and has the status of an economically significant species in the Middle East because it causes damage in pistachio plantations.
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