Insects of Spain

Southern banded groundling – Brachythemis leucosticta

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Southern banded groundling - Brachythemis leucosticta
  • Family: Libellulidae.
  • Scientific: Brachythemis leucosticta.
  • English: Southern banded groundling.
  • Spanish:
Description

The Southern banded groundling – Brachythemis leucosticta is a small species with an overall body color that ranges from yellowish to blackish-brown. The face of young males and females is yellowish-cream, and the thorax and abdomen are yellow-greenish with noticeable brown or black marks. As they age, males become black, and females become brown.

Southern banded groundling - Brachythemis leucosticta
Southern banded groundling – Brachythemis leucosticta – Male

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Yellow carpenter bee – Xylocopa Pubescens

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Yellow carpenter bee - Xylocopa Pubescans

The yellow carpenter bee – Xylocopa Pubescens is typically found in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, North Africa, and the Middle East, ranging from Cape Verde to South Asia. However, it has recently expanded its distribution to the Canary islands and mainland Spain. This species prefers relatively warm areas with a minimum temperature of 18 °C (64 °F) for foraging, so it is expected to be restricted to coastal and low altitude areas of Iberia.

One notable feature of Xylocopa pubescens is its strong sexual dimorphism. Females are black with bright yellow fur on their thorax, which is large and shiny black. On the other hand, males are smaller and distinguished by a narrow head and yellow pubescence that covers their entire bodies.

(Top image – Female Xylocopa pubescens – Author: Jan Richtr – https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxonimage/id109367/?taxonid=399701&type=1)

Yellow carpenter bee - Xylocopa Pubescans
Male Xylocopa pubescens – Photo from https://spain.inaturalist.org/taxa/357357-Xylocopa-pubescens

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Parnassius apollo – Apollo – Apolo

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Parnassius apollo - Apollo - Apolo

Parnassius apollo – Apollo – Apolo is a mountain species of butterfly that typically inhabits hills and flowery alpine meadows in continental European mountains, including Spain. This species requires specific climatic conditions, such as cold winters and sunny summers. It also prefers wide open spaces with less than 5% shrub cover and ample meadow surfaces of at least 50%. The presence of host plants for caterpillars is also crucial for its survival.

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Mantis in Iberia

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Mantis of Iberia - Empuza penata

Mantis in Iberia are carnivorous insects that rest on plants while they await their prey. The size, colour and shape can vary greatly between species through their virtually world wide distribution, which consists of more than 1800 species. The green, brown or grey body colouring that we see in these European species allows them to … Read more