



Iberian Marbled Whites appear to have escaped the ravages of Winter, they were prolific in the sunny banks and clearings along a small road that winds its way up the Sierra Nevada from the small town of Guejar Sierra. This little known, narrow, and hard-to-find road is very picturesque. Bordered by flowering hedges, small meadows and woody clearings it is a delight for butterfly enthusiasts in high summer. The Brimstone is the origin species of the word Butterfly, the male being a very "butter-coloured" fly. This is one of the longest lived adult butterflies, they are known to hibernate through winter and fly again as soon as the springtime sunshine warms their wings sufficiently. | This Small Pincertail dragonfly struck a typical upturned abdomen pose on a streamside rock, and a Speckled Wood butterfly conveniently held its wings open flat for the perfect ¨field guide¨ species shot. The Queen of Spain Fritillary is a very handsome species. The large silver spots on its hindwing underside seem to glow in the sun´s rays, fabulous. The Marsh Fritillary is described as in serious decline in Europe due to changes in agricultural practices. We are lucky enough here to see them frequently although usually solitary, not in any numbers. I like their large club-shaped orange antennae. The Long-tailed Blue is a fast flying wanderer. It can reach the Azores 1400 kms from the mainland, and has been observed 3300 metres up on Mount Everest |

