Underwing Moth (Catacola nymphaea) I mentioned in a previous entry about Hawk-moths how they try to blend in with the darker parts of nature, whether that be lichen, bark or just the night itself. But many moths are just as colourful as butterflies but keep it hidden beneath their darker […]
Monthly Archives: June 2012
7 posts
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) It really is butterfly season. During my walks, particularly those along the river where the vegetation is thickest, insect life is in abundance. Wherever you step there are damselflies and dragonflies, butterflies and grass moths. One of the species of butterfly that is out in abundance […]
Sardinian Warbler – male (Sylvia melanocephala) Sardinian Warblers are great. I was walking about in the Atalaya Forest Park (see the male below) on the edge of town looking for butterflies amongst the mediterranean bush up there when I heard the loud, and not totally un-melodic, sound of one. Sure […]
It’s a Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)! Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) The above photo is what flew past me and it really did seem like a hummingbird. I thought I was seeing things. Greyish above but with this blur of orange from the underwings. I was lucky to get a shot […]
Truxalis nasuta I have spoken before of camouflage in both the insect world here and here, and of the avian world. The other day Mrs HibernoManchego and myself took a detour to a small reservoir near our new village. She had not seen it yet and I had only discovered […]
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) As I’m on the subject of Swallowtails, I thought I’d do a quick separate entry for another beautiful member of the Papilionidae family, the Swallowtail (Papilio machaon). Again, it’s another big and stunning, eye-catching butterfly, which again, seems to like thistles here. It gets its name from […]
Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius feisthamelii) One of my favourite butterflies here in Spain is the Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius feisthamelii). For one thing, when it flies past you, you can’t miss it. They are a big butterfly, and bright with their tiger-like black stripes on white. The nominate of the […]