The family went to Cannobio to visit family, where we camped. This is a town on the Italian side of the border with Switzerland on Lake Maggiore.
The campsite was in the forest and was fantastic for wildlife. On the campsite the azaleas were all in flower making it very beautiful.
At the beginning of the week we saw 2 snakes - both so far not absolutely identified, however I think they were immature female smooth snakes.
This fly was displaying on the rocks by the river (R. Cannobina). It is a picture-wing fly but I have not got a species identification yet.
There were a lot of firebugs (Pyrrhocorus apterus), which are found on many kinds of vegetation. They sometimes swarm and do attack other insects.
2 ants dragged this dead bee away!
River Cannobina
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) - look at the length of it's tongue!
There were loads of butterflies mainly flying too high, but I photographed white admiral, painted lady, red admiral, brimstone and speckled wood. I also saw several fritillaries.
White admiral (Limenitis camilla)Moths were good. They were seen mainly around the toilet blocks in the early morning as the lights were on all night. I did not take a moth trap but may well do next time.
This is a brown silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata)
which is common wherever there is bracken, it's foodplant.
This is a froghopper
and this is a scorpionfly (Panorpa spp.)
Malesco (note the impending thunderstorm in the background)
European wall lizard (Podarcis muralis)
A firefly (Luciola lusitanica) - the photo was taken through a wine glass that was used to capture the insect. It is amazing the amount of light that these insects can generate, flashing every second. The female has a pointed abdomen and a smaller head, and although she is fully winged she does not fly.
Beautiful golden Y (Autographa pulchrina) - the garden's first of the year.
Poplar hawkmoth (Laothoe populi)
The campsite was in the forest and was fantastic for wildlife. On the campsite the azaleas were all in flower making it very beautiful.
2 ants dragged this dead bee away!
River Cannobina
Malesco (note the impending thunderstorm in the background)
European wall lizard (Podarcis muralis)
A firefly (Luciola lusitanica) - the photo was taken through a wine glass that was used to capture the insect. It is amazing the amount of light that these insects can generate, flashing every second. The female has a pointed abdomen and a smaller head, and although she is fully winged she does not fly.
A lifer visited - a mullein (Shargacucullia verbasci),
The spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)
however the wedge in the trailing corner of the forewing is greyer white, more elongated and narrower, extending at least halfway to the base.
