The Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) is a small and very common butterfly here in Castilla la Mancha, central Spain. Their intense yellow colouring can be seen flitting busily about the hedgerows, grass verges and wherever flowers are to be found. I do love them and yet have been frustrated by […]
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As I mentioned in my post yesterday, there is a copse of trees where butterflies are having a ball just feeding on the flowers and flitting about between the sun and the shade. And I mentioned that if you are lucky you would see a Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum). Well […]
There is a spot just down the road from Picón which is currently full of butterfly life. One of the most noticeable of the numerous species due to its size is the Cardinal Fritillary butterfly. They nearly always seem to be on the move, flitting from flower to flower, feeding […]
A Booted Eagle goes Hunting I was out at the house/building site yesterday and as I was watching the workmen skimming walls with cement something far more exciting was happening 50 metres away over the park. Now, I didn’t have my big camera with me so these shots are from […]
Latreille’s Latin is a Noctuid moth found in most parts of Europe, Asia and in Africa, from Egypt to South Africa.The tend to live on rocky limestone slopes with deciduous woodland. So why then was this small moth in our apartment perched on my trousers? I think it may have […]
Moths are fantastic creatures. There are so many and for many people a relatively unknown and unseen part of our environmental heritage. Many people are scared of moths for some reason and I always try to tell them that they are but nighttime butterflies. As in previous entries about moths […]
So Oretani wildlife has been moving along with the guest accommodation here at Casa Oretani. We left off some time ago with the metalwork of the beams over the dining room of our house. Since then the building has moved on quite well. The roofs are all done, the floors […]
Giant Emperor Moth (Saturnia pyri) I went out to our house in Picón to see how the builders and plumber were getting on. As I walked in to the patio, to my absolute delight, I saw this huge moth on the kitchen wall. Seemingly, it had been found on the […]
The burst banks of the Guadiana, where I sat for my interview. Approximately 40km west of Ciudad Real on the “road to Portugal” lies Luciana at the point where the Rivers Bullaque and Guadiana meet. It’s a picturesque spot, popular with families who like to go there for a picnic […]
Butterfly Orchid (Anacamptis papilionacea) Ahh yes, the best laid plans of mice and men, last weekend I said I’d put up some photos of orchids. Well I left my camera at home by mistake when out checking roads for a Great Bustard survey as I was in a bit of […]