Report from 24 to 26 June 2023

Proper summer heat is now upon us. The only creatures that seem to enjoy it are the cicadas, happily singing away in the torrid temperatures.

The big news this week is the arrival of the Crested Porcupine. This species is expanding its range northwards, and in recent years they have been reported quite close to La Cassinazza. The quills that I found this week are proof that one was here.

In the heronry, many eggs have now hatched, and the activity of adults feeding young is incessant. The late arrivals that are still building nests must settle for exposed positions at the margins of the colony.

The only bird sighting of note was a Greenshank, the first fall migrant of this species,

Butterfly diversity is increasing, albeit slowly and later than usual. New species this week included the Queen-of-Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia), White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album),Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius), Swallowtail(Papilio machaon), and Oberthur’s Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus). Overall numbers remain very low.

This weeks photo once again comes from the fascinating (at least for me) world of insects. It may not seem so, but this is a moth. It could easily be mistaken for a wasp, and indeed that may well be the point, as it would like potential predators to think it is dangerous. Known in English as the Fiery Clearwing, its scientific namePyropteron chrysidiformis roughly translates as “wasp-like firewing”.