Insects of Spain

Spain is home to a vast array of insects, from colorful butterflies and beetles to bees, ants, and dragonflies. Many species are endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Insects play crucial roles in pollination, pest control, and as a food source for other wildlife. Spain’s diverse habitats—forests, wetlands, mountains, and coastal areas—support a wide variety of insect life. Enthusiasts and researchers can find unique species in protected natural parks and reserves across the country.

Southern banded groundling – Brachythemis leucosticta

April 18, 2023 by clive

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.

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Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain

I’ve been living in western Andalucía for more than 20 years and spend much of my time researching and running English-language travel websites about Spain. My work covers destinations including Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema and the Caminito del Rey, as well as Wildside Holidays, which focuses on walking, wildlife and nature travel in Spain.

Through Wildside Holidays, I share practical information about Spain’s natural parks, mountains, wildlife and walking destinations, drawing on many years of living and travelling in the country. The aim is to help visitors discover Spain’s natural landscapes responsibly and plan rewarding walking and wildlife experiences.

Yellow carpenter bee – Xylocopa Pubescens

April 28, 2026April 17, 2023 by clive

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)

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Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain

Parnassius apollo – Apollo – Apolo

April 14, 2023 by clive

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.

clive

Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain

Mantis in Iberia

April 13, 2023 by clive

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

Description

The Caminito del Rey