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Nature: - Bulbs and Orchids - Trees and Bushes - Other Flowers
Amphibians and Reptiles - The Dragonfly - Creepy Crawlies - Birds

Butterflies and Moths that have appeared at Vale Grifo

From time to time various creatures are found, briefly captured, identified and then returned to the wild.

Due to the fact that these insects rarely keep still long enough for the photographer to find them in the viewing frame, you are lucky to have two examples already!
The large illustrated Butterflies and Moths book is also missing from our shelves, and we cannot remember to whom it was lent. (It wasn't lent to anyone - it had slipped back on the shelf between the spines of two similar sized books!)

emperor moth.JPG (19431 bytes)

Europe's largest moth, with a wing
span up to 15cms, as photographed.
The tips of the large wings were
continually fluttering.
Both sexes fly at night, and have
been mistaken for bats.
They are on the wing between
April and June.
This year (1999) we have already
found three of them, on different
nights, and this was found sitting on
the kitchen door when we let the
dogs in after their walk.

Giant Peacock Moth  

fritillary.JPG (20719 bytes)

This picture was taken whilst out walking
looking for flowers to photograph.
Probably a Marsh Fritillary (as we found the book)
The Caterpillars feed on Scabious and Plantain

A Fritillary  

Although not experts, we always try and identify the flowers, birds, reptiles, insects and mammals that we see around, using a small collection of reference books.

mole cricket.JPG (28857 bytes) Mole Cricket (head on the left)
This revolting looking insect is adapted for burrowing, with much enlarged front legs. It is slightly furry, with short front wings and fully developed hind wings. They fly on warm evenings.
The nymphs hibernate and the adults are dormant during the winter.
Their U-shaped burrows are found in moist meadows and river valleys. On the surface these appear as pairs of holes about 2cms across, the entrance and exit to each home, as they can't turn round.
Their song is a long period of churring, usually produced at the mouth of the burrows in the evening. It is a pleasant sound, but with hundreds of them at it at once, quite loud!

Nature: - Bulbs and Orchids - Trees and Bushes - Other Flowers
Butterflies and Moths - Amphibians and Reptiles - The Dragonfly

Creepy Crawlies - Birds

Send mail to nfo@valegrifo.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1999 Vale Grifo
Last modified: June 04, 2007