Butterflies on the wing in June in the Sierra de Grazalema

Butterflies on the wing in June in the Sierra de Grazalema

These delicate insects can be seen in a multitude of colours, patterns and sizes, ranging from 3 to 10 cm and from plain white to jazzy orange mosaics. There are 80+ species of butterflies on the wing in June in the Sierra de Grazalema. Some are rare and localised, others are common throughout Europe.

Read more about butterflies in Spain over at Wildside Holidays: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/butterflies-found-in-andalusia/

A hot sunny day in June, proved to be a good time to see a variety of butterflies whilst walking on the Sierra de Endrinal footpath above the village of Grazalema. Some species were numerous, others in singles and not all of them posed to be photographed, but this will give you an idea of what butterflies you might be able to see in Grazalema. Heres the list of the butterflies seen on the day and a gallery of images of some of them. 🙂

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Insects in June in the Sierra de Grazalema

Insects in June in the Sierra de Grazalema

Summer time is when many insects reach the adult phase of their life. They may have spent months, even years as a larva, drab in colour and unable to move far, possibly living underwater or underground. Now, in this last stage of their lifecycle, they might be brightly coloured, able to fly or to emit sounds and so they become more obvious to us.

Insects are a very important part of the food chain on which we depend. We also rely heavily on insects for their ability to pollinate much of our food crops, and so they deserve at least a moment of our time. Here is a tiny selection of Insects that can be found in June in the Sierra de Grazalema.

Southern Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthamelii).
Insects in June in the Sierra de Grazalema
Southern Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthamelii).

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Hornets – The Gentle Giants of the Wasp World

Hornets - The Gentle Giants of the Wasp World


English: Hornet
Scientific: Vespa crabro
Spanish: Avispón / Avispa Europea
Catalan: Vespa xana
Portuguese: Vespa grande

Description
Hornets (Vespa crabro) Avispón
Hornets (Vespa crabro) Avispón

This article, Hornets – The Gentle Giants of the Wasp World, is about the native hornet to Spain Vespa crabra.

Read about the invasive species of hornets in Spain over at Wildside Holidays: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/hornets-in-spain/

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Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa violacea) Abeja azul de la madera

Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa violacea) Abeja azul de la madera

Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa violacea) Abeja azul de la madera are large, virtually all black bees which visit flowering plants and shrubs throughout the spring and summer, their scientific name is Xylocopa violacea. The later part of this name derives from the beautiful purple / blue sheen seen on the wings as they catch the sunlight. … Read more