søndag 8. juni 2014

The Moths of May

Late May is an exciting time for moths in Southern Norway. During three nights with the light trap in optimal weather conditions at my summer house by the Oslo fjord in Vestfold county, I had the chance to study incredibly colorful Hawkmoths and other early summer fliers.

Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus)Liten snabelsvermer

Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus)Liten snabelsvermer
Portrait of Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus)Liten snabelsvermer
Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) in Lilac shrub.
Liten snabelsvermer
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)Stor snabelsvermer
The catch of one night put together:
five Small Elephant Hawk-moths (Deilephila porcellus) and two Elephant Hawk-moths (Deilephila elpenor)
Fem små snabelsvermere og to store.

The Eyed Hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellata) flashes its bright blue «eyes»
when disturbed.
Kveldpåfugløye

I found this mating couple of Eyed Hawk-moths (Smerinthus ocellata)
just outside my porch!
Kveldpåfugløye

Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi)
Bringebærspinner
Chocolate-tip (Clostera curtula)
Rødflekkstjertspinner

The fantastic camouflaged Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)
Nebbspinner

Scorched Wing (Plagodis dolabraria)
Smal skumringsmåler

White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda)
Punkttigerspinner

The Shears (Hada plebeja)
Gulflekkfly


torsdag 5. juni 2014

May - in the north and the south of Norway

The month of May is definitely not the same in northern and southern Norway! While May in the south is a green month when all plants find their summer coat, it is basically a month of waiting in the north.
The appearance of butterflies and migratory birds are also two different stories...


Golden Plower (Pluvialis apricaria) on the bare fields in Lofoten 10. May,
waiting for the snow to disappear in the higher areas.
Heilo.

The beautiful drake Teal (Anas crecca) watches over his territory, where the
 female is probably all ready brooding her eggs. Lofoten 13. May.
Krikkand
Female Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), Lofoten 31. May
Siland

The Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) is an early arriver, and among
the first waders to start breeding. Lofoten 31. May
Sandlo
Not too many butterflies fly in the north in May. But suddenly, on a warm,
sunny day, the beautiful Green Hearstreak (Callophrys rubi) was flying in
great numbers. Lofoten 11. May
Grønnstjertvinge
In the south, several species of butterflies are flying in late May. Among
them the Swallowtail (Papilio machaon). Tjøme 25. May.
Svalestjert



Excited Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) is a sign of summer!
Askim 22. May.
Låvesvale

House Martins (Delichon urbicum) busy collecting mud for their nests.
Askim 22. May.
Taksvale

The song of Trush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) is dominating the nights
and mornings along the Oslofjord in southern Norway. Tjøme 23.05.
Nattergal
The Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) is a close relative to the nightingale,
and often referred to as «the nightingale of the north». Lofoten 31.05

The Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) arrives Northern Norway from Africa
in May. It have to accept that the trees are still not green at the start of
the breeding season. Lofoten 27. May.
Svarthvit fluesnapper.