Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 17th May 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +13. 

51 Moths of 30 Species.

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

 

4151 Cossus cossus new for the garden.

0557 Infurcitinea atrifasciella x1, 1361 Zelleria oleastrella x2, 1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth) x1, 4151 Cossus cossus (Goat Moth) x1, 5578 Lamoria anella x1, 5624 Bostra obsoletali x3, 6599 Pyrausta sanguinalis (Scarce Crimson & Gold) x1, 6619 Uresiphita gilvata x2, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x4, 6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth) x1, 7564 Itame vincularia x1, 7581 Neognopharmia stevenaria x3, 8017 Cyclophora puppillaria (Blair's Mocha) x1, 8059 Scopula marginepunctata (Mullein Wave) x1, 8167 Idaea subsericeata (Satin Wave) x2, 8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave) x1, 8509 Eupithecia centarueata (Lime-speck Pug) x1, 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug) x3, 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y) x2, 9081 Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni) x1, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x1, 9140 Eublemma ostrina (Purple Marbled) x1, 9425 Caradrina proxima x1, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x6, 9435/6 Caradrina noctivaga / flavirena x1, 9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic) x3, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x2, 9462 Spodoptera littoralis (Mediterranean Brocade) x1, warn 10087 Ochropleura leucogaster (Radford's Flame Shoulder) x1 and 10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing) x1. 

6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth).

0557 Infurcitinea atrifasciella.

9081 Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni).

9140 Eublemma ostrina (Purple Marbled).

5578 Lamoria anella.

9462 Spodoptera littoralis (Mediterranean Brocade).

9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic).

8017 Cyclophora puppillaria (Blair's Mocha).

8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave).

 

Huétor Fields and near Torreón de Albolote, Granada Province, Spain.

Birds on the patch and then a search for butterflies nearer to Granada.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields, 26 Species.

Ebird List for Torreón de Albolote, 23 Species.

Small White (Pieris rapae).

I popped down and checked the fields before heading up towards Granada, I parked at my usual spot and the scanned the trees in the Lucerne fields finding Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), four Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) 3x immatures and an adult, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x2, European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x10, Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

Small White (Pieris rapae).

I decided to head up to a spot near to Granada in Pine Woodlands that surround Torreón de Albolote where I was looking for the rare Spanish Zephyr Blue (Kretania hespericus) but even though I found plenty of the food plant Astragalus alopecuroides but no butterflies.

Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra).

Astragalus alopecuroides.

Whist I was there I found Small (Pieris rapae) x6, Large (Pieris brassicae) x2 and Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri) x1, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba) x7, Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus) x3, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x1, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x3 and Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius) x1.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Antirrhinum hispanicum.

Helianthemum cinereum ????

Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens).

Other species included Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens), Antirrhinum hispanicum, Helianthemum cinereum ??? Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Iberian  Magpie, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Turtle Dove, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and a day time calling Scops Owl (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops).

Dusty arrival of the desert makers.

Clearing the vegetation.

 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 15th May 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +12. 

23 Moths of  16 Species.  

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

 

5830 Epischnia illotella.

5830 Epischnia illotella x1, 6619 Uresiphita gilvata x1, 6702 Dolicharthria punctalis x1, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x2, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 8556 Eupithecia distinctaria x2, 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug) x2, 8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe) x1, 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y) x1, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x2, 9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic) x3, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x1, 10003 Mythimna vitellina (The Delicate) x1, 10343 Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x1 and 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x1 and 10528 Coscinia chrysocephala x2.

10528 Coscinia chrysocephala.

10343 Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe).

10003 Mythimna vitellina (The Delicate).

9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow).

8556 Eupithecia distinctaria.

8556 Eupithecia distinctaria.

 

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A day up on my favourite bit of Mountain.

Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium) flowers covering the far slopes.

We started by heading up the hill from the Abades service area and made our first stop at the low quarry where we started the list with Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Western Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) female with food.

Western Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) female with food.

We pushed on up the main crags seeing Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Wall Pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) and far more Sheep than the area can cope with.

Immature Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

As we crossed the tops we added Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Western Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

We stopped at the small dell just before the turn up to Charca del Negro finding Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x4, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x2, Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x3, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x8, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x2, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x2, a very tatty looking Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia) x1, Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium), Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia), Viola dementria and Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri).

Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia).

Hormathophylla spinosa.

Erodium cheilanthifolium.

Sedum mucizonia.

Further on around along the far crags and through the Hawthorns it was quiet but mostly due to the wind, however we did find Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatears (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Dianthus pungens subsp. brachyanthus, Thapsia villosa, Rusty-back Fern (Ceterach officinarum), Erodium cheilanthifolium, Hormathophylla spinosa and Sedum mucizonia.

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

On the way back down we stopped at Charca del Negro where Karen picked up a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which was up hunting from the fields below and even further down a singing male Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata) and Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis).

Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata).

Our last stop was along the track to the middle quarry, here we saw Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes) x2, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x3, Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) x2, Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x3, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba) x16, Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x2, Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes) x5, Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto) x2, Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus), Venus's Navelwort (Iberodes linifolia), Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum baeticum), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Purple Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) and Antirrhinum australe.

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes).

Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).