There are no birds. There are lots of bugs (in the widest non-scientific sense).
Until this morning I had not seen a bird apart from some pigeons, swallows and a gathering of unidentified corvidae in San Giminiano. This morning when I went into the garden I could hear the unmistakeable chatter of sparrows. I saw a small flock but they dispersed into the trees before I could photograph them. Then patience won and I managed to locate a Blue Tit down in the grove below The Villa. Then I saw a couple of the inevitable starlings on the roof and a collared dove in the tree above me. It was before the sun had reached the fields so it was lucky there was enough light for the long lens.
The bugs have, however, been more plentiful with the inevitable - now dead - horse fly when we were washing the car (it may amuse you to know Pat that the lump on my leg is every bit as spectacular as the lumps you had) and the occasional mosquito.
There are some interesting ones most of which I am not able to identify because although I brought the kitchen sink on holiday I forgot all my flora and fauna reference books.
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| Centipede (his carapace was over 2cm) |
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| Grasshopper - big! |
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| I thought it was a cockroach but I think they all have long antennae - about 2.5 cm and apparently missing 2 legs (which may be why he was crawling slowly up a wall) |
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| Centipede - Possibly 6 cm long and very fast (Not as I first said a millipede 'cos it has only 1 leg each side of each segment) |
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| One of hundreds of shield bugs which seem to love the bedrooms |
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| Absolutely no idea but it was about 1.5cm long |
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| Unbelievably fast and flitting I was very lucky to get this shot with the lens on long focus. Help? |
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| A fire bug |
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| A splendid piece of armouring by the look of it. No idea what it is though. |
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| And another grasshopper capable of jumping at least three metres. |
Help with identification would be appreciated.
If the butterfly photo had been taken in the UK then I'd say it was a very orange variant of a Comma -- so I'm going to take a guess that they are more orange on the continent than in the UK and that it is actually a Comma.
ReplyDeleteNo idea on the others though.
I'm sure you are correct Mark. Italian Commas are quite orange apparently.
DeleteThe one with the two missing legs could be a grillo, but this is a very far shot and coming from someone who is certainly not an expert on bugs. I am simply guessing, and it is not unlike the grilli I've so often heard (and seen) during the many summers I spent on Sicily many years ago.
ReplyDeleteA grillo? I've never heard of one Meike. I shall investigate.
DeleteWell done with the bird-detecting. As for the bugs... As usual I'm reminded of one of the advantages of living where I do... (not so many creepy-crawly things)
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica. Yes Lewis does have it's advantages too. NZ has plenty but at least most of them are harmless.
DeleteGB, the photo you have identified as a millipede is actually a centipede....we have the exact centipede here.
ReplyDeleteI will send you a photo of a millipede....they move slowly.
Please make sure you don't inadvertently transport any of those bugs home with you....please.
Lovely bird photos by the way....love the Blue Tit.
DeleteThanks Virginia. I started my comments at the bottom so have just said to Adrian that you are, of course, correct and I did know about the two legs per segment v one but have conditioned myself to think of centipedes as having long trailing legs from the time when I called everything with lots of legs a centipede. I shall amend that.
DeleteThese both look like centipedes. they have a leg each side of each segment and millipedes have two legs each side of each segment. A wonderful place to be. Could the big armoured job be a female stag beetle. See if it bites! Whatever it is it's very impressive. The butterfly is I hope a tatty Comma. Probably been out in all that rain you had. Is the big grasshopper a locust?
ReplyDeleteThanks Adrian. You are, of course, correct and I did know about the two legs per segment v one but have conditioned myself to think of centipedes as having long trailing legs from the time when I called everything with lots of legs a centipede. I shall amend that.
DeleteI didn't think that the 'large grasshopper' was a locust nor was I sure whether it was, in fact, a cricket.
DeleteYou poor thing. I know only too well how painful clegs/horse fly bites can be. Give me a midge bite any day. Enjoy the rest of your warm weather. Autumn has set in here today. Quite a nip in the air so it looks like bye-bye to summer.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely selection. I do think the two-legs-missing is a cockroach. I think that whatever incident removed its legs, also removed part of its antennae.
ReplyDelete