30TVN09

Orthoptera Quarterly – Burr’s Wide-winged Bush-cricket – Zeuneriana burriana (Uvarov, 1935)

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Introduction

The previous Tuesday post’s common species found across large parts of Europe; we go to one found only in the Cantabrian Mountains region. The goal today is to set us up for the upcoming Nature 101 Biogeography post. Well, and to show you an interesting species you can find here.

Orthoptera, in regular language grasshoppers and crickets, have not been a part of any extensive scientific studies in the region, so any distribution maps have massive gaps in them. This makes it a difficult order to study here without having in-depth knowledge yourself … where can I best find suitable habitats for specific, maybe rare, species? To give a bit of an indication, a new species was found in 1992 in Cantabria, which has a very restricted distribution, it is called Metrioptera maritima and is closely related to today’s species …

Burr’s Wide-winged Bush-cricket – Zeuneriana burriana

Before we go any further, lets quickly cover the naming aspects.

Order – Suborder – Family – Genus

Orthoptera – Ensifera (crickets only) – Tettigoniidae (katydids/bush crickets) – Zeuneriana

Zeuneriana burriana is also part of a genus group of crickets that all have fairly similar characteristics called Metripotera (to which Metripotera maritima also belongs). Now, I’m not going to go any deeper into this because it gets quite complicated how the taxonomy came about, but if you are interested there are plenty of scientific papers and web sites that can help you learn more. I’ll put some links below.

Picture of male Zeuneriana burriana.
Fig. 1 – Zeuneriana burriana, male. Mazcuerras, Cantabria, 30TVN09. Normally, the long antenna mean that it is a cricket and not a grasshapper.

Most of the species within the Metrioptera genus group have an extremely limited range. Within Zeurneriana there are only 4 species, of which today’s focus species has the largest range. For example, Zeuneriana marmorata (Adriatic Wide-winged Bush-cricket) is only found in a tiny region in northern Italy and Slovenia and is listed as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List.

Zeuneriana burriana is rare, though found in Cantabria, Asturias, the Basque County, Leon, Galicia, and a tiny bit of France. It is found in humid, uncultivated grasslands. I’ve seen it in El Minchón (here is a link to the Local Hotspots post) and “rough” areas around flower-rich fields used for hay. The taller the grasses the better, as normally I’ll be wading through grass that easily reaches my hips.

Cerci of male Zeuneriana burriana.
Fig. 2 – Zeuneriana burriana. Detail of male cerci.

I am not good at identifying grasshoppers and crickets, so usually ask for help from experts on the various forums. What makes the Metrioptera genus group so difficult is that when the insects are not yet adults, so in their nymph stage and the wings have not yet fully formed, they are very small and have very similar characteristics. The best way to ID species is to get good pictures of the male appendages (called cerci) at the end of the abdomen (Fig. 2). The females have a dagger-shaped ovipositor at the end of their abdomen (not used for stinging! Egg-laying only), however, I am not sure how to tell the difference between species when it comes to females. It probably has to do with the curve/shape of the ovipositor.

Conclusion

Orthoptera are difficult, but that should not hold you back from getting interested and informed about them. They are stunningly beautiful when you really get into the details, not just brown or green insects, but with flashy yellows, blues, and oranges. As mentioned, many are only found in very specific habitats (e.g., dune landscapes) so it is also a great way to be introduced to this style of nature observation, where you plan a day out to visit one or two specific areas and take your time investigating them (e.g., learning where to look etc.). You really start to learn a lot doing this, building up your knowledge base for when you go visit more generalised areas where you can spot a wider variety of species.

Another post where I’ve tried to keep it short and to the point.

Further Reading

I mentioned previously that there can be difficulties identifying Orthoptera, especially in the nymph life stage, where even there I think you’ll struggle to get definitive answers. Here are some sites:

Orthoptera Quarterly – Burr’s Wide-winged Bush-cricket – Zeuneriana burriana (Uvarov, 1935)

Odonata Update – Western Willow Spreadwing – Chalcolestes viridis (Vander Linden, 1825)

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Introduction

Just a short one on this Tuesday that covers a common damselfly found across much of Europe. Even though it is common, there are a few interesting aspects to this species, some of which were covered in the recent Nature 101 post on Odonata.

A quick refresh in case you do not want to re-read that post …

The Western willow spreadwing is part of the order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) and falls under the suborder Zygoptera (only damselflies). It belongs to the Lestidae family, which in turn has three genera (in Europe); Sympecma, Lestes and Chalcolestes. Today we are most interested in the third of those two genera (I’ve put in bold the taxonomy line we need to follow to get to the species. For an introduction to taxonomy see Nature 101 Naming).

The goal for today is to link what we learnt in a recent Nature 101 post with a specific species. How does it relate to other species, but probably more importantly, where does it differ? By choosing a common species found across large parts of Europe, even a frequent garden pond visitor, it means we have a good chance of spotting it in the field and allowing us to experience the insect first-hand.

Chalcolestes viridis, male, in Cantabria.
Fig. 1 – Chalcolestes viridis, male. Santander, Cantabria, 30TVP31. 04.ix.16. Notice the spread wings and tip of abdomen.

Western Willow Spreadwing – Chalcolestes viridis

If we look at the name, Western willow spreadwing, we can assume that there is an Eastern variant too … and yes there is, Chalcolesets parvidens. Almost indistinguishable in the field, with the eastern species (previously thought to be a subspecies), found from Italy to the Balkans and further eastwards.
These are the only two species worldwide, that we know of, found in the genus of Chalcolestes.

Tandem of Chalcolestes viridis ovipisiting.
Fig. 2 – Tandem ovipositing. See note 1 below.

What makes them different form Lestes and Sympecma species is that they lay their eggs in living, woody material such as reed stems or under tree bark, see Fig. 2 (sorry for the photo quality). For Odonata, and many other insects, egg laying is done through an ovipositor, which is a tube-like organ, and so is called ovipositing. The two Chalcolestes species are the only species in Europe that do not oviposit directly in water.

When in tandem (Fig. 3), they fly to an appropriate location and the female creates scratches into the bark of a twig with the rough teeth at the tip of her abdomen. In the photo of the tandem we can see the male has the female in his prong-like appendages located at the tip of his abdomen (see Fig. 1) and he is holding her by the back of her neck.

The damselfly requires slow moving to still waters with plenty of bushy vegetation around. The ponds and bodies of water cannot be ephemeral (i.e., drying up during the summer). The flight period is generally late summer and on into November. The species is common and can be found throughout Cantabria wherever there is suitable habitat.
Even though they are large compared to other damselflies, they can be a bit tricky to spot, often dangling from the underside of leaves. As with Lestes species (not Sympecma), Chalcolestes viridis holds its wings spread open when at rest (Fig. 1). In the Nature 101 post we saw that normally damselflies hold then wings along their bodies when at rest.

Tandem of Chalcolestes viridis.
Fig. 3 – Chalcolestes viridis in tandem. Miengo, Cantabria, 30TVP10. 25.ix.21. The male is holding the female, by the back of her neck, with the “claw-like” appendage at the tip of his abdomen. Also notice the tip of the female abdomen to help scratch and oviposit under bark.

Conclusion

As I mentioned, wanted to keep it short to be able to provide an easy case study for some of the things we have picked up in pervious posts, especially in the Nature 101 series. Because it is a common species it is easy to spot it in your own garden, or while you are out for a walk. This will allow you to pick up experience spotting specific insects out in nature and hone your observation skills.

Probably no post on Friday this week, am a bit busy. Thanks for reading and see you in the next one!

Further Reading

  • The list of Odonata books I own.
  • The British Dragonfly Society has a nice page.
  • The Vlinderstichting also has a good page, in Dutch. Odonata are part of De Vlinderstichting’s remit.

Notes

1 – Fig. 2 – Chalcolestes viridis tandem ovipositing. Mazcuerras, Cantabria, 30TVN09. 29.ix.21.

Odonata Update – Western Willow Spreadwing – Chalcolestes viridis (Vander Linden, 1825)

RAm Report – Seoane’s Viper – Vipera seoanei Lataste, 1879

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Introduction

It has been a minute since I’ve posted a RAm Report … a what?! … a report on Reptiles & Amphibians. Just a side track first, RAm is a little play on words, as in my daily work I often come across a risk assessment matrix (RAM) reference when it concerns projects. When people think about reptiles, snakes are often first to their mind, the poisonous ones, so you might need to do a little personal risk assessment if you come across one in the field.

Anyway, silliness aside, snakes can be split into various families, with vipers (Viperidae) being one. I will not be going into the others now, too much there for this post. In our region (Cantabrian Mountains more or less) there are three species of viper:

  • Asp viper (Vipera aspis) – found from about a north/south line through Santander to the east. Also found in large parts of Europe. A protected species under the Berne Convention.
  • Lataste’s viper (Vipera latastei) – found from around the southern border of Cantabria southwards, likes a warmer/drier climate. I’ve seen this species near Burgos. A rare species and listed as Vulnerable (VU) by the IUCN in 2008 (needs updating!) and is a strictly protected species under the Berne Convention.
  • Seoane’s viper (Vipera seoanei) – Almost endemic to the Iberian peninsula, with just a tiny corner in SW France. The range is basically the Cantabrian mountains and Galicia. Listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN (also here, update required!) and is a protected species under the Berne Convention.

All three vipers are poisonous and so require medical attention if you are bitten. The only other poisonous snake in the region is the Western Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus – similar range to Lataste’s viper). When you spot a snake in the wild, you’ll know it is a viper (and so more or less if it is poisonous) by looking at the eyes, where non-vipers (for the most part) have round, black pupils and vipers have black vertical slits as pupils (like those of a cat), see Fig. 1. Something to take into consideration when doing your risk assessment …

An image of a female Vipera seoanei.
Fig. 1 – Vipera seoanei (female), Cabezón de la Sal, Cantabria, Spain. 24.ix.17. 30TVN09. Notice the verticle black slit shape of the pupil and also the size of the leaves and grasses around her to get a reasonale size estimate.

Seoane’s Viper

So, I’ve seen Seoane’s viper several times, one of them being in El Minchón, one of the Local Hotspots I recently highlighted. When you see one, if you remain fairly quiet, you can watch it for quite a long time. You can often spot them, curled up, just along the edges of brambles or gorse, in sunny spots at the edges of fields or openings in the woods. There is quite some variety in the colours of the pattern they have with some, even being quite monotone in colour (blackish brown). The was the case for the one I saw in El Minchón, which was a bit strange, as I was told by a reptile expert, because those colour variants are usually found at higher altitudes in the mountains.

They mainly feed on small mammals, and probably also lizards and larger grasshoppers. So usually, if I spot a few larger lizards in the undergrowth (like Lacerta bilineata), I’ll walk on a bit, as I’m sure they wouldn’t be out and about with a viper lying around.

Before I round off … they are not big, maybe around 50 cm (20 inches) in length. They can be bigger (up to 75 cm – 30 inches), but when you go looking for them do not expect to see a massive snake. What also makes them look smaller is when they are curled up, they are quite compact. You can compare the size of the snake in the picture (Fig. 1) with the size of the leaves around her (yes, I was told this is a female). The big snakes in this region are the non-poisonous ones like Natrix astreptophora (Iberian grass snake), which can grow up to 2 meters.

Conclusion

For a nature enthusiast, these kinds of species are always interesting, and that is because you can only really find it in a limited area in Europe. It is this kind of species that will provide a tingling sensation to someone who’s keen on snakes/nature and it will be a cornerstone for a spring/summer vacation trip planned during the cold winter months. There is a whole segment of the tourism industry built on birding or nature trips and I’m sure the guide will be over the moon when they can show their clients a species like this … something unique and which they probably cannot see at home.

Further Reading & A Comment

  • Speybroeck, Jeroen, Wouter Beukema, Bobby Bok, Jan van der Voort – Field Guide to the Amphibians & Reptiles of Britain and Europe – 2016 – Bloomsbury – 432 pp. – part of the British Wildlife Field Guides by this publisher, as always stunning. Great illustrations (by Ilian Velikov), excellent text. A must own if you are into reptiles and amphibians, or nature in general for that matter.

Remember that small rant I went on in the Book Club post Books on Moths about Biodiversidad Virtual (hit that link if not)? Well, what I was hoping for has happened, the site will combine with Observation.org! Hot off the press (22.v.23), see their blog post here. Excellent news and congratulations to all involved. All be best migrating data and consolidating the databases etc. I do hope the publications are kept going.

RAm Report – Seoane’s Viper – Vipera seoanei Lataste, 1879

Fly Facts – Milesia crabroniformis (Fabricius, 1775)

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Introduction

I’ve mentioned a few times in the other posts of the blog that one of my goals is to provide an opportunity for others to learn, with me, about that natural world around them. Because it is through a blog there will be some repetition, but that repetition will hopefully help the reader become aware of some of the details that make a difference when trying to identify or categorise what we see around us.

The Nature 101 series provides some of those building blocks that support our knowledge growth. These species highlights can be taken as a type of case study where we can not only apply that knowledge but also become aware of our limitations through questions that come up that we cannot immediately answer. This we can use as sustenance for our quest to gain more knowledge (a never-ending cycle if we’ve found something that interests us). So, without further ado … today a fly …

Image of Milesia crabroniformis.
Fig. 1 – Left, Milesia crabroniformis (female), 28.viii.22, Cabezón de la Sal, Cantabria, Spain; top right, Milesia crabroniformis (male) 09.viii.22, Cabezón de la Sal, Cantabria, Spain; bottom right, Vespa crabro (female), 21.iv.15, Cabezón de la Sal, Cantabria, Spain. All photos by Bart van Hoof.

Milesia crabroniformis

When we look at the images above, we notice that the fly looks a bit like a bee or wasp. They are active at the height of summer, especially in August and when you see them flying around you might have some concern if you’re not sure what you’re looking at because they are big, as they can be up to 25 mm in body length, as big as a European hornet (Vespa crabro), and one of the largest flies in Europe.

Here is where Nature 101 Naming comes in … crabroniformis (Latin) means “shaped like crabro”, the European hornet. Here’s another reason why I started learning the scientific names, so I could start seeing links between species “behind the scenes,“ as it were. This hoverfly (more on that later) mimics a hornet. So, there are two paths forward that we might be able to find an answer to with our current knowledge:

  • How can we tell it is not a wasp or bee?
  • What exactly is mimicry?

The latter I’ll leave for a Nature 101 post … I mean I have to create content for the blog. But it might first calm the mind a bit if we can figure out which details show us that this hornet-looking fly is actually a fly and not a hornet.

Milesia crabroniformis is part of the hoverfly family. The order name for flies is Diptera … from our Nature 101 Lepidoptera post we know that “ptera” means wing … “di”, well that means two … flies have two wings, compared to bees and wasps (Hymenoptera) who have 4. One of the tricky things is that Hymenoptera have little hooks that connect the two wings on each side making it look like they only have two wings in total, but if you look closely on a photo, you’ll actually be able to make out 4.

A second clue, and one that should jump out straight away … is the size and shape of the antennae. They are like two nibs that stick out from the middle of the face, whereas Hymenoptera have long, segmented antenna.

The third clue, but one that can be more difficult to determine, is the eyes. This does bring me to another interesting observation. If we go back up to the images above and look at the two Milesia crabroniformis there, have a look at the eyes … they are different. One has them touching ever so slightly in the middle, where the other has them clearly separated along the whole central section. What is going on here? In many hoverflies, males have eyes that touch whereas female’s eyes do not touch. We can therefore not only ID the species but also the sex.

Just before I round off the post, a few more details about this fly. It is mainly found in Europe from about mid-France southwards, as well as in Northern Africa. It is not very common, one of the reasons being that it needs mature woodland, oak trees, and beech trees, where it lays its eggs in rotting wood. You often find them feeding on the nectar of umbellifers (as seen in both photos), which have big “flower heads” made up of many tiny little flowers, so they do not need to have a long tongue to get down into the flower (like a bee or butterfly) but can hoover it up with their mouthparts.

Conclusion

I hope I’ve been able to show how just a little bit of knowledge and information can point us in a direction that can help us identify or understand and insect or animal better. We don’t have to know everything about it straight away, we can look up more in-depth information at a later date. However, we can start seeing connections to it and things we already know.

It is easier to bring this information across in the field … this is one of the basics of adult learning, where we learn best by doing and use all our sense to process information … but as I’ve said before, I am still trying to find a good way to package this information so that a large chuck will stick till the next blog post, and then we can go from there.

See you in the next one (hopefully on Odonata).

Fly Facts – Milesia crabroniformis (Fabricius, 1775)

March / April Review

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Introduction

Back in late February this blog was kickstarted back into action … this being post lucky 13, I thought I’d provide a short overview of both the blog and what has happened these past 2 months.

Discussion

Firstly, a bit about what is coming up … as always, lots of plans … I have been enjoying writing the Nature 101 series, so I have some topics lined up for that including:

  • Odonata – to continue with the “order” series as started by Lepidoptera.
  • Biogeography – another one of these general knowledge ones that popped into my head when writing the recent species posts, as well as the Local Hotspots ones. This should provide some insight into why Cantabria and the Cantabrian Mountains are so unique and interesting.
  • Phenology – a topic I wanted to touch in the Lepidoptera post but skipped because I felt that post to be quite dense and this topic to be more broadly applicable. What does that word mean? Stay tuned (if you don’t feel like Googling it)!

The Book Club posts were also fun to write. Going forward the focus will be on individual books, and I’ll also write one on other reference books I have. I’m very happy that my book reading has picked up again since around the start of 2023. It had been down in the doldrums for ages due to family life with young kids. I just started Silent Earth (Dave Goulson) and that has given my inspiration and some ideas for topics.

Starting up the Local Hotspot series has been immensely fun. It will be a bit before I get going on future instalments because I need to do some pre-work. Still, this will turn out to be a great series for any visitors to the region.

Here is where you can find an overview of the above-mentioend posts.

The individual species posts have been both difficult and easy at the same time. I’ve focused on a number of species that have been emblematic for me personally, so the enthusiasm has been there … but I’ve struggled to find the right voice and tone for those posts. All the types of posts above require improvement through learning and experience, but it seems that this series really needs that added attention.

Outside of writing the blog, going out into nature has had its ups and downs. I am very pleased with how my “dragonfly”-goals have gone for 2023. It has surpassed even my high expectations and I’m only 2 months in. Three new species with great photos to ID them.

Fig. 1 – Updated year list of species keen to see. Those in blue have been seen in 2023.

On the flip side, I’ve not gone out for walks as much as I would have liked. Also, moth trapping has been abysmal, with no luck at all on nights I’ve set out a trap. Maybe this weekend …

The Species Schedule I’d set up at the start of the year is looking good, with May being the month where things really pick up. Some exciting times should be just around the corner.

Conclusion

So, I am pleased with how the blog is going, but I do feel I need to inject a smidge of professionalism into it (improve my blog design, “Photoshop” skills etc.). The writing itself feels like it is getting to where I want it to be and to be honest, it is something I’d read on a weekly basis if a link etc. dropped into my mailbox (in the style of treat people how you’d like to be treated – write stuff that you’d like to read).

As far as nature goes … it is the classic overpromise/underdeliver … in my case that’s – plan in too much and do not get around to doing it all … but that is okay, as I also realise that there’s a lot which is out of my direct control (weather, having the second car in the garage for coming up to 5 weeks when they said 2!, etc.). Furthermore, I do have a paid job requiring my attention … so, there’s that.

Glad you made it down this far! Take care.

March / April Review

Local Hotspots – El Minchón

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I thought I’d write up another Local Hotspot post, mainly to see how I could improve them and develop them so that they are useful for any nature enthusiasts who travel through the region. Again, I’m trying to highlight some locations that might not be known or evident for the traveller from outside of Cantabria. They might not be worth visiting if you are just passing through, but if you are here for a week or two then they are something to consider.

Introduction

So, without further ado … El Minchón … along this stretch, the Saja River (which also runs along the other Hotspot, Canteras de Cuchía) forms the boundary between the municipalities of Cabezón de la Sal and Mazcuerras. On the Cabezón side there are the villages of Vernejo and Ontoria that have access to the area. In the case of Mazcuerras, it is the main village itself and Villanueva de la Peña.

Below (Fig. 1) is a a Google Maps screenshot of the area. Not sure it works, but I’ve blurred most of the area around the location just to try and accent it more. I’m thinking I should maybe remove the colour from the image in areas that are not part of the location … will look into it and make a change in the future (and for all Local Hotspot posts).

Fig. 1 – Google Maps screen capture of the area. El Minchón (Cabezón de la Sal, Cantabria – 30TVN09)

El Minchón is a wooded area around the Saja River, it covers both banks and for the most part is surrounded by farmland. The trees are mainly poplar (Populus sp.), birch (Betula sp.) and willow (Salix sp.) with lots of areas of low growth shrubs, ferns, or open grassy patches. There’s a great mix of areas that are a bit drier and ones that are quite wet … and then there’s the river itself with all the little streams that flow around and into it.

On the side of Cabezón de la Sal (the section between Vernejo (P1) and Ontoria (P2)) some farmers have been allowed to let their livestock (sheep and horses) roam around freely in areas that they set off with temporary fences. This helps create little microclimates, open areas etc. … great for all sorts of wildlife (more on that below). There are little paths that make their way through the area, almost always coming back to the main gravel path that runs parallel to the river. The only area to cross the river (without getting your feet wet) is near P1 where a prominent footbridge provides great views up and down the river.

On the Mazcuerras side there is a large field and picnic area (P3). The path that leads back upriver takes you to the only bridge crossing in the area (near P1). The path down river is a bit hidden at the back of the football field, it is not well maintained, can be slightly overgrown in parts, and can be a muddy, narrow dirt path at times, but it eventually leads to you Villanueva de la Peña (P4) where you end at a small church hugging a cliff face, some picnic tables and the new bridge (you can’t miss it).

Getting Around

The 4 areas where you can park a car all have different benefits:

  • P1 – This is where I usually go in, as I prefer the area between P1 and P2 for wildlife spotting. I usually park near a small church, but parking is limited, and roads are narrow so beware. Once you enter the area through a wooden gate there are tracks leading off left and right, great to explore the area. The river near P1 has been altered quite a bit by man, but recent heavy floods have smashed some of the barriers to bits (see Dam Removal Europe on why removal of these types of barriers (non-essential) is critical), creating some swimming areas etc.
  • P2 – There is a dirt parking area near the river, but not maintained, so it can be rough on your car. You can’t really walk downriver from here but have to go up towards P1. However, this is a fairly natural stretch, so easy to get to the river and see if you can spot trout or salmon (or emerging dragonflies).
  • P3 – An adventure to get there because you go through very narrow streets (keep your fingers crossed you don’t meet someone coming the other way!) of Mazcuerras and just before you get to the parking area you have to drive through a stream. P3 is great if you are with family and friends. They can relax and play while you explore the area. Also, the path to the main bridge is well maintained and easy to walk with little kids, lots to see. Going from P3 to P4 is slightly more adventurous though, but an excellent area for birds.
  • P4 – More for if you want to go for a walk. Because the route is not circular it is basically towards P1 and back, hence I never really go there. Also, they just finished the new bridge (April 2023) in Villanueva and the path starts just where they were doing a lot of groundwork for that side, it has been a messy construction site for years, it used to be a nice playground for kids, so maybe they will set that up again.

So, it depends on what you want to do. For Proyecto Lepides I used to walk a transect from P1. I can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the area. Hence, starting at any of the other locations means I just have to walk more to get to the area that is most interesting from my viewpoint. But for a relaxing morning/afternoon out then P3 and P4 can be great options. We go to P2 when we want to take the kids to the river to explore and swim.

Fig 2. – Looking upriver from the bridge (puente), near P1, crossing the Saja River. This photo was used to illustrate an area of my Transect #2 for Proyecto Lepides. This part of the river has had the banks reinforces with boulders and there are small barriers crossing the river.

Wildlife Highlights

I haven’t even really touched on what you can see there … I don’t know much about plants, but there are orchids in the area (between April and June). My focus is insects and animals … well, the area is known for its snakes (mostly the non-poisonous ones), and I’ve seen a fair amount, including Seonne’s Viper (Vipera seoanei) which is endemic to the Cantabria mountains! Plenty of other reptiles and amphibians to see too.

Birds are great too, with plenty of dead trees left standing there are lots of woodpeckers, and small passerines. From April onwards you can hear Golden Orioles (Oriolus oriolus), and throughout the year there are plenty of birds of prey to spot. Along the river there are Dippers (Cinculus cinculus) and kingfishers.

I’ve seen a wild boar once but I’m certain there are all sorts of other mammals you can come across.

On the insect front, where to start? Flies, beetles (Stag beetles – Lucanus cervus) a plenty … for butterflies and moths it is amazing, such as the Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia – rare here), Weaver’s Fritillary (Boloria dia) and many, many more … in some of the clearings there are so many butterflies you don’t know where to point your camera first. For Odonata one of the highlights for many will be the Mercury Bluet (Coenagrion mercuriale (a European protected species!)), which is present in very large numbers here from April to October. The rocky bedding in the river also provides a great breeding ground for pincertails and a multitude of other dragonflies (e.g., Oxygastra curtisii – Orange-spotted Emerald).

Conclusion

This is the kind of spot that is great to have near your home. It is small enough to be able to follow the changes during the year, while at the same time being diverse enough in habitat to have an abundance of species within that small area. It also makes it a decent place to visit if you are keen to see a whole list of species.
Furthermore, most of the locals keep to the main path, walking their dogs, riding bikes or jogging, which means the small paths are a quiet domain giving you plenty of time to take great pictures.

Local Hotspots – El Minchón

Moth Matters – Valeria jaspidea (Villers, 1789)

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Introduction

So, I’ve set out the moth trap on the balcony a couple of nights so far in 2023 … zero, zilch, no luck. As I stated in a previous post, the street lighting has been changed to LED … great for the environment when it concerns energy usage but poor when it comes to light polution. Unfortunately, I’ve not had to time to set the trap in a friend’s garden, so the best thing I can do, for the moment, is to write up on some interesting species I’ve managed to see.

However, if all goes well I will set up the trap this evening at a friend’s house and then this weekend I will do it again in Salinas de Pisuerga, Palencia, where another friend lives. I’ve identified a number of species (moths, butterflies and dragonflies) I’d like to see this year, which includes Valeria jaspidea, and put all related data into an Excel sheet. Below is a screenshot of the moth section to give you an indication of what I’ve done. Will add to it as I come across other interesting species.

Overview of interesting moth species to try and see during 2023.
Fig. 1 – Overview of moth species in the Cantabrian mountains that I’d like to see over 2023.

Valeria jaspidea

Valeria jaspidea falls under the Noctuidae family of moths and is quite similar to Valeria oleagina ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775). I cannot find the paper that details the difference and if it is widely accepted or not, but Lepiforum (see links below) has them as different, so I’ll keep it at that too. Apparently,Valeria jaspidea occurs in the western part of southern Europe, whereas Valeria oleagina in the eastern part. I also cannot find a map of where the split would be, and if they overlap.

(Ugh … getting used to using this tool again and lost half of the post in trying to update it … oops) The moth can be found throughout the Iberian peninsula, but it is rare. To be honest, with the continual growth of eucalyptus plantations in Cantabria (which dry out suitable habitats) this species looks to need to be ready for a struggle to continue surviving in the region. Also, with the changes in landscape management (farming techniques) this will only add to the struggle they already face.

The caterpillars of Valeria jaspidea feed on Prunus spinosa (blackthorn) and also Crataegus sp. (hawthorns). The moths fly from March to May and can often be found at rest at the bottoms of walls and stones. They have these stunning streaks of green that make them look like a moss that might grow on a blackthorn.

A photo of Valeria jaspidea.
Fig. 2 – Valeria jaspidea, 19.iv.16 – Casar de Periedo (Cabezón de la Sal), Cantabria, 30TVN09.

Further Reading

  • I have written a blog post about the moth resource books I use. It will be published on Friday (30.iii.23) after which you can find it here(will add link).
  • This is a link to a great site called Pyrgus.de that I reference a lot. Excellent information and photos. He hasn’t updated or added Valeria jaspidea yet (not sure why) but the info can be found here under Valeria oleagina.
  • No moth reference list is complete without a link to Lepiforum, an incredibly in-depth site. Here is a link to the moth’s page.
  • All sightings in my region of Spain as recorded through Proyecto Lepides.
  • I actually wrote a blog about walking the transect when I saw this species, see here.
Moth Matters – Valeria jaspidea (Villers, 1789)

Proyecto Ledipdes – Recorrido A, 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo – 25.04.16

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Introduction
With one day of good weather suddenly upon me I decided to head out. There was the occasional gust of wind, but the sun was fully out and the temperature was around 15C. The forecast said rainy periods over the days after. So … out I went …

Recorrido A – 25.04.16 – 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo
There was not much going on at the start of the walk until I noticed a little white butterfly flittering along the edge of the field and road. It was clear that it was a Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) but it was acting strange and it was in a spot where I’d not seen many before … quite far from any woods! 🙂 Anyway, I looked closely and it seemed to be laying eggs individually in a plant that hung over a small dirt edge along the dirt track. In my quest to see if I can find out which Wood White it is I took some pictures, but, as I’m very poor with plants I’ve not made much headway in that department. Furthermore, the plant does not look like any that are listed in the books I have … Will go into it in a post specific on Wood Whites in the (hopefully near) future …

Oak Eggar (caterpillar) in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16
Oak Eggar (caterpillar) in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16

As I was marveling at this funny lone white, I looked down and at my feet was a hairy caterpillar … Lasiocampa quercus (Oak Egger), a moth … have read that you shouldn’t really handle hairy caterpillars due to skin irritation, so lifted the stick onto the dirt track to get a better angle for a picture. Noticed that it seemed to just have shed its skin, had not seen this before.

On I went … in the first really interesting field that I like to take a closer look in I spotted quite a number of Small Heaths (Coenonympha pamphilus), they were starting to come out in large numbers! I also spotted a dark little thing … this time I was able to get it on camera in a decent manner … a Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages). Later in the walk I’d spot a second. This was starting well, it isn’t every day I see a Dingy Skipper. I thought I saw another close by, but the Burnet Companion (Euclidia glyphica), a day-flying moth, that it turned out to be was a bit of a let-down. This species and other day-flying moths will become a feature in the months to come. An inexperienced eye will think “hey butterfly” and that’s what I did … but through endless frustration last year I was slowly learning. However, now for Proyecto Lepides we also record moths we see … so, hey, this is an easy one (i.e. don’t have to go out at night to see it)!

Dingy Skipper in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16
Dingy Skipper in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16

For most of the rest of the walk there was more standard stuff, always good to see, but after a while those species become a touch boring.

Sooty Copper (male) in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16
Sooty Copper (male) in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16

I did see my first Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) of the year, a male. I quite like this butterfly, and it is reasonably common around here during the summer months. The females have a spectacular mix of orange and brown. The males are more “drab” dark blackish brown (sooty is a fitting name for the males). But when they thus fly you see flashed from their white underside wings … so for males you get a neat black/white strobe-action going. They aren’t the greatest of flyers, so do not go far if you disturb them and hence are easy to follow. One of my goals this year is to see as many Copper species as possible. There are 6 species in this area of Spain, but three are rare and one of those is really extremely rare … and apparently the most common I cannot seem to come across here (just once last year)!

Orange-tip (male) in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16
Orange-tip (male) in Cantabria, Spain. 25.04.16

Towards the end of my walk I saw another year-first … an Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines). Again apparently a common sort that I do not come across much here … I’d actually seen a female earlier in April during a stroll, and those are difficult to spot … but males should be easy with their flashy orange wing-tips. Usually, I just seen them flying up and down a path, relentlessly, never seeming to stop for a drink of nectar. I was thus very happy to see one drinking away, and quickly took a picture before it zipped off again.

During the walk I’d also seen three butterflies I had not been able to ID, one was probably a moth and the other two were darkish-looking in flight (one a Small Tortoiseshell?!). Still again, even though I was a touch disappointed with my daily haul, I had some hope for if the weather should turn good for a more extended period.

(I wrote the above but did not finish the post … it is now just into May and we’ve got a couple of excellent days of sun ahead … will go out this Wednesday for my monthly walk, it is looking to be amazing weather … keeping my fingers crossed for some real dazzle!)

Jan. to April Summary
The month of April is almost at a close and it has been a mixed bag … both of butterflies, and of hopes and expectations … for the year.
With regards to 2015, I’m at the exact same numbers, for the year till the end of April I had seen 19 species, of which I’d seen 17 in April. I should also note that of the April species, 3 (of the 17) were not in 30TVN09 (I was not a volunteer yet either), and for the year that number was at 4 (of the 19).

The species I’d seen in 2015 but not so far this year are; Carcharodus alceae, Papilio machaon*, Pieris brassicae, Callophrys rubi*, Cupido argriades, Vanessa cardui* and Aglais urticae. The ones with a * are non-30TVN09.
I realise that some of these are pure luck due to the migratory nature of the species (Pm, Vc, and Au) and the others will surely be seen in May – the one exception to all being Callophyrs rubi, I cannot understand why I have not seen this species in 30TVN09 yet. It is apparently very common but I’ve only seen this butterfly once – however, I cannot but feel slight disappointment with how the sightings have gone this year. Especially seeing as the first months (Jan. and Feb.) looked to be building up quite well. I thought that with a bit more knowledge and experience I’d be able to ID more butterflies, but that has not been the case. Most I’ve seen I’ve been able to ID this year, but I’ve not seen many new species. I assume this has to do with:
– Habitat.
– Weather.
– Luck.
And it is with the last two categories that frustration comes in …

But it is thus also with a bit of luck that I’ve seen two new excellent species so far this year … Boloria dia and the Pyrgus spec. … both not the most common of butterflies in these parts.
I guess what I should take from this is that I should focus more on the positives of 2016 so far … there’s still a lot to go in the year and May looks to be exciting with a friend coming over and the possibility to explore some new areas!

Summary
– Lasiocampa quercus (a moth – caterpillar).
– Leptidea sinapis – a few, around 5-8.
– Pararge aegeria – reasonable amount 10-15.
– Gonepteryx rhamni – a small number, around 5 in total.
– Coenonympha pamphilus – around 20.
– Colias croceus – quite a few, maybe 10.
– Erynnis tages – 2 in total.
– Euclidia glyphica (a moth) – 2 in total.
– Pieris napi.
– Lycaena tityrus – first of the year, 2 in total.
– Anthocharis cardamines – first of the year.

Species year total — 19 (2015 – 45). 16 species seen in April.
Notes:
– Only species of butterflies are counted, I really have no knowledge of moths, but they are part of Proyecto Lepides goals and results so, I mention them in write-ups.

Further Reading
– My sightings for the walk on Observation.org.
– Overview of what has been happening with Proyecto Lepides and butterfly sightings all over Spain. Note the lack of “action” in the north.

Proyecto Ledipdes – Recorrido A, 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo – 25.04.16

Proyecto Ledipdes – Recorrido A, 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo – 19.04.16

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Introduction
The end of March gave hope for a good April and also April 2015 had been quite excellent with 17 species seen (although 2 of those were not in the area here) even though I was just starting out in the world of butterflies. A year on I’m a bit wiser, but with still so much ahead of me to learn …

Anyway, back to the start of this month. Work was a bit on the slow side, so in that sense I had time off … but illness hit the kids hard so they were home and needed close attention. The month started of with reasonable weather but a little gusty in the wind department … as the month went on the rains came when I had little to do and the sun was out when work was staring at me in the face … very frustrating! The 2016 butterfly-bug was starting to hit hard.

I was able to do a few truncated rounds of Recorrido A in the first days of April … pushing the least ill kid around in the pram so he could get some rest outside of the stuffy house where his brother was busy vomiting every time a spoon came close to his mouth … anyway, the usual suspects were out: Pieris napi, Pararge aegeria, Aglias io, Colias croceus to name but a few.
It was on the 1st of April when totally unexpectedly two new species popped infront of my camera lens … Boloria dia (Violet/Weavers Fritillary) and Erynnis tages (Dingy Skipper) … both within a couple of meters from each other. I spotted the one when I’d spotted the other. I was drawn to the fritillary due to colouring and patterns on the wings and only got a couple of poor shots off of the skipper, luckily one was good enough for a positive ID. I got quite a few decent photos of the fritillary and knew I needed some underside pictures for a proper ID, with with some patience I managed to get (though poor lighting! still just enough for an ID). This fritillary is not very common and a great find. Where these the butterflies I’d seen a few days earlier in the same spot but without being able to find out what they were? It sure seemed that way and I was well pleased even though some initial complaints had started coming from the pram telling me it was time to head home.
Both were a first for me and thus also a first for the area/transect, even though I was not officially walking the transect.

Violet (Weavers) Fritillary in Cantabria, Spain. 01.04.16
Violet (Weavers) Fritillary in Cantabria, Spain. 01.04.16

Violet (Weavers) Fritillary in Cantabria, Spain. 01.04.16
Violet (Weavers) Fritillary in Cantabria, Spain. 01.04.16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 3rd of April I again went for a walk (with same kid) but this time around grandma’s house (very nearby here and also in 30TVN09). The wind was blowing so hard I almost decided not to go out, but the sun was out in full force, so who knew …
I went to a favourite spot, a sheltered field on the side of a sunny hill. A little dirt trail runs along the bottom of the hill accompanied by a shrub-lined brook. The wind was whipping high around the trees with the occasional gust through my hair … but I slowly walked the track with the sun as my guide … and there it was, amongst many other larger whites a relatively smaller white flying just that little bit different. The first Leptidea sinapis (Wood White) of the year. Only male genital analysis will tell us if it is this species or in fact Real’s Wood White that flies here, so until that day I’ll keep it to the more common of the two species.

Comma in Cantabria, Spain. 03.04.16
Comma in Cantabria, Spain. 03.04.16

As the track started to climb I decided to turn around and while walking back my next new species … Polygonia c-album (Comma Butterfly). For me this has always been an elusive species so I was again elated to see it. It sat on a sand bank and flew around a bit, happy for me to take pictures. Again a first for the year.

After this came two frustrating weeks of bad weather or no time. In the weekend I marked a day that looked to be good for the following week …

Recorrido A – 19.04.16 – 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo
… but it ended up being poor … continually overcast (after a sunny morning – no time, argh!) and with strong gusts of wind. The temperature was the only thing going for the day, just above 20C, when I headed out.

Even with the poor weather I saw the first butterflies instantly, flying up and down along the scrub. Dutifully checking the first few I came across it was clear they were probably all Pieris napi (Green-veined White). This white butterfly will be so plentiful in the coming months that it will drive me crazy.
It was a while before I saw something else fly by, this time it was a disturbed Pararge aegeria (Speckled Wood), again common stuff, though again this time around not as plentiful as in earlier months of this year.
A little later I spotted the first Leptidea sinapis (Wood White) for the transect this year, bouncing around in a field before it got swept away by a strong gust of wind.

I was feeling a bit hopeless, the poor weather was getting me down. Even a decent number of Colias croceus (15-20) (Clouded Yellow) zipping around just above the various Plantago spec. flowers at great speeds (wind no deterring factor for those excellent fliers) could not cheer me up. With a sigh I looked down and scratched my beard, what to do? It was staring right back at me … A colourful caterpillar, a blazing warning signal amidst the green grasses. This caterpillar (Zygaena spec.) looked about ready to start building a case. In a month+ the field I was standing at would be filled with the day flying moths that this caterpillar would turn in to. I’d have to wait until then to find out the exact species of vivid black and red moth that it will become. If I saw one I might see other caterpillars out …
Within 30cm was the next, this time a rich green with some light striping. I’d need to search internet for this difficult ID (turned out to be probably be the common Maniola jurtina – Meadow Brown – that will also be ever-present in a month or two).

Valeria jaspidea in Cantabria, Spain. 19.04.16
Valeria jaspidea in Cantabria, Spain. 19.04.16

Humming-bird Hawk Moth in Cantabria, Spain. 19.04.16
Humming-bird Hawk Moth in Cantabria, Spain. 19.04.16

I walked on, keeping my eyes peeled to the ground. This helped me spot a beautiful moth, Valeria jaspidea, on a small concrete post in the field. Incredibly subtly coloured, what a beauty. A bit further I spotted more Zygaena spec. caterpillars (3) and the weird but wonderful Macroglossum stellatarum (Humming-bird Hawk Moth) hovering and taking nectar from a knapweed.

Not at all bad after all … and then came the highlight of the day … I’d stopped at a favourite spot of mine to look at 4-5 different species of bumblebee when I spotted an incredibly small whitish fluffy thing zip by, at a crazy speed. By pure luck I had been able to track it with sight, I quickly whipped up my binoculars to get a closer look … what was that!? I took some quick pictures, as it was clear I’d never seen something of the sort before. Slowly I circled around inching forward and getting a better look from the other side. I almost lost sight of it as I made sure I had proper footing.
A Pyrgus spec., a tiny butterfly that at times resembles a moth. I was able to get quite close, but it refused to open its wings (or move for that matter). Without further scientific examination it is impossible to say whether it was a Pyrgus onopordi (Rosy Grizzled Skipper) or a Pyrgus armoricanus (Oberthür’s Grizzled Skipper). The second is slightly more probable, but either way, both are rare in Spain and especially here.
Due to the stubbornness to not open its wings I decided to call it a day and left. I do not see many butterflies of this family here so I was keen to get home and see what I’d seen (at that time I didn’t know an exact determination was impossible).

Skipper in Cantabria, Spain. 19.04.16
Skipper in Cantabria, Spain. 19.04.16

Summary
– Pieris napi.
– Pararge aegeria.
– Leptidea sinapis.
– Maniola jurtina (caterpillar).
– Zygaena spec. (a moth – caterpillar).
– Colias croceus.
– Valeria jaspidea (a moth) – a first for me.
– Celastrina argiolus.
– Macroglossum stellatarum (a moth) – first of the year.
– Pyrgus spec. – first on all accounts; me, year and transect!

Species year total — 17 (2015 – 45). 11 species over March 2016.
Notes:
– Not counting caterpillar species, as there is uncertainty around the ID and did not add those to the 2015 results. There will be plenty of Maniola jurtina imagos in a short while.
– Pyrgus spec. has been counted as one species.
– Only species of butterflies are counted, I really have no knowledge of moths, but they are part of Proyecto Lepides goals and results so … I will mention them in write-ups.

Further Reading
– My sightings (butterflies only) for the month of April so far on Observation.org.

Proyecto Ledipdes – Recorrido A, 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo – 19.04.16

Proyecto Lepides – Recorrido A, 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo – 27&29 03.16 – unofficial

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Introduction
The 26th had been spectacular weather, all be it a bit windy, with temperatures in the mid 20s. Unfortunately, there were visitors over and other plans had been made. The next day however, I was able to walk the outer track of the route when all of us went on an afternoon stroll. The visitors were interested in the volunteer work I do for Proyecto Lepides and wanted to get a feel of the transect. This meant that I would point out butterflies etc. as we walked the route and we did not do this too intensively by walking into fields etc. We saw quite a lot of butterflies out and we even saw another first-for-the-year species.

A couple of days later I did another “lite” walk of the transect, not walking the two interior dirt tracks. Again I saw a new species for the year.

I will give a very brief account below and the summary will only mention the species seen, most were seen over both days. No mention of numbers as such, as I was not really counting. Both walks were interesting, as they came so soon after a warm period and I was hoping to see the first real signs of a change in the air …

Recorrido A – 27 & 29 03.16 – 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo
The 27th was interesting, as it came after the first really warm day of the year. We went on an afternoon walk and it was around 21C but there was quite a breeze out and it was fresh in the shade.

The first butterfly we saw was instantly a new species for the year, Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus). Not the most common of butterflies here but I did see it on numerous occasions last year. It was sitting on a fallen leaf and did a quick flutter, flashing its crisp blue wings. Normally, I spot these zipping along at great speeds a metre or two above the ground.
During the rest of the walk there was an abundance of the usual suspects. It was quite an impressive walk for the guests due to the numbers of butterflies seen.

Holly Blue in Cantabria, Spain. 27.03.16

The 29th was similar weather, sunny, with some clouds and the temperature was around 17C with not much wind this time around. The time between the walks was filled with rain. I was able to go a bit more at my own pace this time around and headed out into a field or two, where I spotted the first Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) of the year. Last year I never saw them in great numbers, but it was a butterfly that was constantly present during most of the year.
The other butterflies seen were again the standard ones and in decent numbers.

Small Heath in Cantabria, Spain. 29.03.16

Highlight of the walk was watching a Stoat (Mustela erminea) criss-cross the road a couple of minutes carrying a bird in its mouth. Difficult to get good pictures, but was able to get a couple from very close by, as it was curious to see what I was doing and came quite close to have a look (safely sheltered in the bramble).

Stoat in Cantabria, Spain. 29.03.16

Stoat in Cantabria, Spain. 29.03.16

During the walk I’d not been able to identify a couple of butterflies, where this normally irritates me a bit it gave me hope for the coming period. I suspected I saw a skipper and another blue … and maybe an early fritillary, but I couldn’t be sure. A couple of days later it would become clear that my hunch was in the right direction …

Other interesting animals seen:
– Lissotriton helveticus.
– Lacerta bilineata.
– Mustela erminea (Stoat)!

Summary
– Celastrina argiolus – first for the year.
– Pararge aegeria.
– Pieris napi.
– Aglais io.
– Gonepteryx cleopatra.
– Colias croceus.
– Gonepteryx rhamni.
– Coenonympha pamphilus – first for the year.

Species year total — 12 (2015 – 45).

Further Reading
– My sightings for the days on Observation.org.

Proyecto Lepides – Recorrido A, 30TVN09, Casar de Periedo – 27&29 03.16 – unofficial