So I have decided on this year's iNaturalist goals.
Secretly I am also counting the number of animal species seen in this year, since I didn't manage to find 1000 animals last year and only just made it over 1000 in total. And since I won't travel this year, it will have to be 1000 animals of Andalucía, which makes it more interesting but also more challenging.
I just changed the order so that the new month is in the beginning.
By the way, if you are curious about my progress, you can see it here.
And if you want to help, these are the animal observations of this year that need ID.
For this month I can only blame myself and the cat for not making more larger day-trips. The cat became really ill in the second half of the moth (nearly recuperated now) and I had to go to the vet daily with her. So I mainly did my nightly moth-walks. Surprisingly enough there are still new moths to be found and the composition of species varies daily.
Metasia cuencalis (Geometridae) was found after midnight on the morning of the 4th of September. The beautiful grey dagger Acronicta psi (Noctuidae) is from the 17th. I saw the first Devonshire Wainscot Leucania putrescens (Noctuidae) on the 11th, though this better photo is from the 6th of October. The 4th of September brought me another lifer, the snout moth Stemmatophora brunnealis (Pyralidae). The green bug Brachynema germarii was spotted on the 9th, but this photo is from my second encounter also on the 6th of October. From the 7th-15th was gall week during which I luckily had the possibility of two day-trips. On the 10th I went with some friends to our local nature reserve El Torcal de Antequera and on the 14th did a long hike in the vicinity. Both days brought me two galls each. Andricus coriarius is a gall wasp (Cynipidae) on oak, the aphid Forda formicaria forms on Pistacia terebinthus, the round gall is also a wasp on oak: Cynips quercus and the last is Baizongia pistaciae, again an aphid on Pistacia.
The photo on the right shows juvenile flathead grey mullets Mugil cephalus (Mugilidae) seen in the estuary of río Fuengirola on the 28th of September.
The tally for RG animal species was at 737 on the end of September. The October has started quite well, so there is still hope.
Another hot summer month that didn't make me feel like going on 15-km-hikes. So the photos of this month's lifers are from the immediate surroundings, from my nightly moth-walks and from snorkelling off the beaches of Málaga (and one from Almuñécar).
The first row is from nightly walks in Antequera. On the 12th I saw Hypotia corticalis (Pyralidae). On the very hot night of the 8th/ 9th, when it was still 30°C at midnight the tiger beetle Myriochila melancholica (Carabidae) was active. Though they are normally diurnal, they will apparently also come out on hot nights. They are not adapted to night life and don't see very well in the dark and so I could get closer to it than I would have during the day. The gold-banded etiella moth Etiella zinckenella (Pyralidae) is from the 7th. The elegantly striped bug Ragliodes delineatus (Rhypochromatidae) was found in the local pine forest on the 29th. The jewel beetle Dicerca aenea (Buprestidae) is from the 30th also from Antequera. Finally I managed to spot a new cricket Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis (Gryllidae) on the night of the 12/ 13th.
The last row shows sea-life.
The blenny Molly Miller (what a name! :-) ) Scartella cristata (Blenniidae) was seen on the 15th when I went with a bus tour to Almuñécar (province Granada) for a day on the beach and celebrating a local fiesta with a show of fireworks.
I found the cute tube hermit crab Calcinus tubularis (Diogenidae) on the 9th off Málaga. The last one in the row is actually the first lifer of the month from the 1st August, the comber Serranus cabrilla (Serranidae).
The next two lifers are the highlights of the month - or maybe the year!
The ant-lion Myrmeleon almohadarum (Myrmeleontidae) was only described in 2016 and my observation is the 3rd on iNat.
On the night walk of the 14th, actually on the 15th, two minutes after midnight I saw this cat sitting on a fence. It took me a while to realise that with this long ringed tail, it's not a cat, but a genet! Genetta genetta . And I saw it "en vivo y en directo" that is live and not run over and also not by trail cam but with my own eyes!
So, even the total tally until the end of August is only at 682 RG animals, it was quite an exciting month!
Even though the overall species count was not high, I did manage to get my 10 lifers for the collage. On the 9th I went to the Sierra de Torremolinos (further down I will write a bit more about this excursion) and saw crested tits Lophophanes cristatus (Paridae). On the 28th I found two galls, which could be iDed. Tetraneura akinire was on Ulmus minor and is an aphid and the walnut blister mites Aceria erinea form galls on Juglans regia leaves.
The dead moth was found in Málaga after a day on the beach on the way to the bus station and still needs ID, but the ants were IDed as Paratrechina longicornis by the amazing identifiers @max_devis and @ard23 . The nice live moth is Nola infantula, (Nolidae) which was found on a moth-walk on the 27th. Also on a nightly walk I came across Dryadocoris apicalis (Pentatomidae). The following photos are from my weekly snorkelling-trips to a beach in Málaga. The edible crab Cancer pagurus (Cancridae) is actually not known to occur in the Mediterranean. I saw it on the 12th of July. The mediterranean fanworm Sabella spallanzanii (Sabellidae) was found on the 19th. The cute Caneva's blenny Microlipophrys canevae (Blenniidae) is from the 26th.
My favourite lifer of this month has to be the harlequin sea goddess Felimida binza (Chromodorididae), seen on the 19th.
Sharing the winner's podium with the sea slug is this beetle.
Ever since I found a dead beetle of this species seven years ago, I wanted to see a live one. So at least once a year I organise a trip to Torremolinos and hike through the mountains in the summer heat. For the 9th the weather report announced a temperature drop to only 25°C. So I took an early bus to Málaga and then the cercanias train to Torremolinos. In the mountains behind the town and the motorway grows the foodplant of the beetle, the joint pine Ephedra fragilis. The temperature was definitely more than 25°, but still supportable. I tried to stay in the shade of the pine trees and when I saw the crested tits I thought, well, at least the trip was not completely useless. I usually always encounter what I least expect. I did look at every joint pine though - and suddenly there was this couple of Buprestis sanguinea (Buprestidae) right on top! I am especially happy to have found male and female, because they look so different. What a day!
The overall RG animal species count for this year is at 631. Unfortunately special lifers don't count any more than say a cockroach.
I have sorted the lifers of June into groups. The first row has new species of moths.
Epicallima mercedella (Oecophoridae) and Enolmis acanthella (Scythrididae) were found on my moth-walk of the 13th. Euchromius anapiellus (Crambidae) is from the 27th, also seen on the moth-walk in Antequera.
The beetles in the next row are Coptocephala scopulina (Chrysomelidae) from the 18th, Dermestes undulatus (Dermestidae) from the 15th and Anthaxia ignipennis (Buprestidae) from the 11th; all seen in and around Antequera.
Once a week I take the bus to Málaga city and go snorkelling at a beach. Since I am now in the third year, lifers become rarer. The axillary seabreams - Pagellus acarne (Sparidae) were observed on the 21st. I took the photo of the small periwinkle - Melarhaphe neritoides (Littorinidae) on the 29th, when the water was rather cold, so I mainly stayed very close to the shore and only up to my hips in the water. The next shell Euspira guilleminii (Naticidae) I found in about 1 m deep water on the 21st. It looked different, so I dived down to collect it. I was right, as it has only 10 observations on iNat. Then I realised it is inhabited. The hermit crab inside is the photo on the right. It was an iNatFirst, because the species Diogenes curvimanus (Diogenidae) was only separated from D. pugilator in 2021. I'm very grateful to @pierrenoel who identified it.
Two other species were not new, but they deserve a honorary mention.
On a long hike on the 18th I saw this mother red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa with more than 10 chicks.
The snorkelling-day of the 21st also brought me this marbled torpedo Torpedo marmorata (Torpedinidae), which fled in front of my feet in only knee-deep water. Two memorable experiences.
Mainly through the snorkelling I have managed to raise the number of RG-animals to 575.
The animals in the grid on the left side are all lifers for me. I have changed the order a bit to make it more interesting looking. The micro-moth Cosmopterix pulchrimella (Cosmopterigidae) was found on the 4th in Antequera. On the night-walk of the 7th I saw the beetle Calosoma maderae (Carabidae). On the 12th I was very surprised to suddenly stand in front of this beautiful western black-eared wheatear Oenanthe hispanica (Muscicapidae) at the Torcal de Antequera. The night-walk of the 11th brought me an interesting fly Oxyaciura tibialis (Tephritidae). On the 24th I wanted to start my snorkeling-season, but the water was still rather cold. So I mainly stayed on the beach collecting some shells, like this Columbella rustica (Columbellidae). I was very excited to have found another tephrid fly on the 28th, similar but different: Aciura coryli (Tephritidae). It was sitting on an almond tree which was totally covered in honeydew. I saw a lot of interesting insects there, but most of them are not/ cannot be identified. On the 30th I photographed a colourful wasp, which could be identified as Ctenochares bicolorus (Ichneumonidae). The honeydew-tree brought me another cute little fly on the 25th: Trigonospila transvittata (Tachinidae). Finally I found a caterpillar on a fig-tree on the 30th, which turned out to be Choreutis nemorana (Choreutidae).
The insect on the right is not new, but belong to those that I have to see every year. It flies only for a few weeks in early summer, so I really made an effort to find it. It is the two-winged spoonwing Nemoptera bipennis (Nemopteridae).
I think I have by now covered a lot of the easy to find and/ or easy to identify species. Even though I saw a lot, the tally is (only) at 471 RG animal species.
Those insects which could be titled "50 shades of grey" were all new for me in April. 7 of them I found during my nightly moth-walk, where I now have a fixed route with the best lit facades.
Aethiessa floralis (Scarabaeidae) was found in Fuente de Piedra on the 6th. During a moth-round on the 14th I spotted this tiny Shiny Spider Beetle Mezium affine (Ptinindae). The night of the 17th brought me this Plumed Fan-Foot Pechipogo plumigeralis (Erebidae). A lacewing that could be identified as Pseudomallada genei was found on the night of the 20th. On the 22nd I found a new member of the large genus of Idaea, the Portland Ribbon Wave Idaea degeneraria (Geometridae) and this Long-legged China-Mark Dolicharthria punctalis (Crambidae) (which I just realised is not new). On the next day I went to the local pine forest and saw the planthoppers Tettigometra impressifrons (Tettigometridae) on thistles! The night of the 26th brought me a "punkish" Antirhinum Brocade Calophasia platyptera (Noctuidae). On the 28th I went on a day-trip to Córdoba and included a bit of colour with this hoverfly Ceriana vespiformis (Syrphidae). The highlight of the month has to be the moth on the right, because it was not only new for me, but also an iNatFirst! Meanwhile there are two more observations by me and two by someone else, so it can't be that rare. Cleonymia pectinicornis (Noctuidae).
But I also have to show some nice birds.
The Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida (Laridae) was seen in Fuente de Piedra. The next two photos show drakes trying to impress their females: White-headed Ducks Oxyura leucocephala from the Guadalhorce-mouth in Málaga and a pair of Marbled Ducks Marmaronetta angustirostris in Fuente de Piedra. The next two photos are herons - the Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides is from Fuengirola and the Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax from Córdoba. The woodchat shrike Lanius senator was seen in Málaga.
Spring started really slowly and we haven't reached "Spanish" temperatures yet. But I managed to reduce last month's backlog and am now at 388 RG animal species.
Steatoda paykulliana (Theridiidae) is nothing new, but one of the nicest coloured and patterned individuals I have ever seen. I found it in Jimena de la Frontera in the kitchen sink and caught it in a cup. What a great start to the day! On the same day I found this Chelotrupes sp. (Geotrupidae), which has inspired me to start a project about "Beetles with horns". On the 15th I made a day trip to the coast, collected some shells and came across this dead hermit crab Dardanus arrosor (Diogenidae). The following day brought me two lifers in my patio Crocistethus waltlianus (Cydnidae) and Cordicomus instabilis (Anthicidae). On the next day I could observe this couple of the very common Colias croceus (Pieridae). You usually never see them with open wings, so for me the mating rejection was a really lucky occurrence! The last three pictures are lifers from a day trip to Loja (province Granada) on the 23rd. Phragmatobia fuliginosa (Erebidae), Melanopsis praemorsa (Melanopsidae) and Trigonidium cicindeloides (Trigonidiidae). The hoopoe Upupa epops (Upupidae) I observed for quite a while in Jimena de la Frontera, while it found some snacks on the floor. Then for just a moment, it raised its hood! Never seen before, I thought it had something to do with social behaviour but there was no one else. Maybe it was excited about the food or afraid about the vultures circling overhead - anyway a memorable experience!
The last week of March was characterised by more or less constant rain - very unusual for Andalusia and very unwelcome because it was Semana Santa and all processions had to be cancelled. I just managed to keep up my streak and achieved only 276 RG animal species until the 31st.
Cassida deflorata (Chrysomelidae) as larva, pupa and adult - on thistle; Abrostola triplasia (Noctuidae) new for me in my hometown; on the 18th I went for a day trip to the Bay of Cádiz and saw Afruca tangeri West African Fiddler Crabs - they only occur on the Atlantic coast from West Africa to the Algarve; as well as Numenius arquata (Scolopacidae) and Phoenicopterus roseus (Phoenicopteridae), not new, but I don't often get a photo in flight. From 29.2. to 3.3. I stayed with a friend in Jimena de la Frontera (Cádiz province). On the first night I did a moth-walk and found this new Horisme scorteata (Geometridae). The Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa is also from the Bay of Cádiz.
The number of RG animal species until the end of February is 196.
Perigune narbonea (Geometridae); gall of wasp Andricus quercustozae (Cynipidae); Cisticola juncidis (Cisticolidae) is not new, but I think a really cute photo; of Dicranopalpus caudatus (Phalangiidae)I have to show two photos, because I find the forked pedipalps really fascinating; Conostethus venustus (Miridae) on thistle :-); Deroceras reticulatum (Agriolimacidae); Menemerus taeniatus (Salticidae); Chesias rufata (Geometridae). All of those species I found walking around Antequera. The wigeon Mareca penelope (Anatidae) I spotted on a day trip to the Guadalhorce-mouth in Málaga. This day and another trip to Fuente de Piedra provided all of the usual avian suspects (except cranes) and this new duck.
The number of RG animals species for January is 103.
Comentarios
One hundred each month makes over one thousand in a year! Good luck
@optilete Thank you! You were really fast; I thought nobody would see my posts anyway ;-) My most important goal are the 100 thistle-beasts, and there I only have 6 so far. The 1000 will only be a virtual list, but a book about beasts on thistles...
Best of luck @susanne-kasimir! I like the thistle fauna goal.
Thanks @muir . The thistle fauna is no "big year" goal, but it's a nice bit of ecology. I had started something like this a few years ago, or let's say I got as far as realising that insects don't just randomly sit on any plant. So I'll be really curious to see what comes out of this.
How can we see the progress of your thistle "project"? Do you work with observation fields? Or will you create an Inat project? I find that one quite interesting as well and think about adopting it (on thistles oder other popular host plants).
@ogeukord , so far I only put the tag "on thistle". Here are the results: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?d1=2024-01-01&place_id=any&q=%22on%20thistle%22&user_id=susanne-kasimir&verifiable=any
And I've just noted that the search finds anything with thistle, so I think I will start a traditional project and then specify host plant in an observation field. Then you could of course join :-) Thanks for bringing this up!
You are all welcome to add your photos to my new project: Thistle Fauna 2024:
EDIT: changed, see below
there are no thistles growing yet in this area so it will take a while ;-)
@ogeukord , I took off the "2024" so you can also add older observations :-)
new URL: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/thistle-fauna-worldwide
done
Nice February! I like the double flamingo picture blocks and the tortoise shell beetle. You're right on track for 1000 species.
What gal is on the second photo in the collage?
Thanks @muir and @optilete . I was missing a photo to fill the block, so the double flamingo was a makeshift - but it turned out quite nicely. The second photo is the pupa of the tortoise shell beetle. I enjoy that I've got all three stages of this thistle beast.
Nice! Is it too early to find galls and leafmines where you are? Those will be good to add to your animal list, particularly if you add anough context to identify the host plant as well.
Thanks for the inspiration about galls @muir . I don't see much of them here in Antequera, because (I think) they require trees. But on Sunday I was in Granada and looked especially for galls - also in parks. And I even found two - and now there is the problem of identifying them. :-(
So far the nightly moth-walks yield the best results for just a 1,5 hours walk.
Good to have cooperative moths. My advice for galls is to join the gall project and add your observations. That will get your observations in front of the right people to ID.
Wow that are a lot lifers in just 1 month. I have looked for my lifers this year and have been counting about 30 so far this year in 453 "RG"-species.
I already told you about my jealousy on some of your findings like the partrigde chicks.
Halfway through. Good luck in July and August.
@ogeukord , if I counted correctly, I have 63 lifers - about 10 per month. Do you remember how long it took me to get the first photo of a partridge? With the chicks it was just sheer luck. :-)
@muir , thanks. I had hoped to fill the "summer hole" with snorkelling. But the only two new species of today were an invasive wasp on the beach and a "pest" moth on a wall on the way home. (Maybe someone can ID blurry juvenile fish).
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