Back
Ecological Observations
Home

01 May

Weak to moderate winds, 24°C (1:01 PM) and very few clouds make this day feel like an average summer day.

I've used the opportunity to greatly expand the areas which I keep track of, now that this territory will be re-mapped soon. It turns out that the vast majority of butterflies prefer parts of the path not part of the FFH territory. In fact, most of the territory itself is being taken over by cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias). The invasive Turkish wartycabbage (Bunias orientalis) also has been introduced when my municipality decided to let sheep graze this place again. The overall amount of species, both flora and fauna, remains sparse within the actual territory but continues to increase just outside of it, with A. agestis, C. argiades and C. minimus making their very first appearances near the hill.

To my own surprise, A. agestis, C. argiades, P. bellargus and P. malvae were seen exclusively feeding on dog excrement. All but one C. minimus was feeding on some leftover mud, though this may be due to the amount of tractors using this path, as I counted two P. bellargus individuals, both male, that got torn apart by tractor tires whilst feeding on some mud.

---

An additional Celastrina argiolus was spotted by my mother at "Cemetery" in the afternoon. Considering that this zone is supposed to be dropped by the end of this season, it is noteworthy enough to be included in this log, despite this observation falling outside of this day's observation time AND not having been confirmed by my own eyes.