As the days become warmer so more and more Butterflys, Moths, Dragonflies and Crickets appear. The Cicadas have still to appear in large numbers, but every day seems to bring something new to our attention.
This morning it was this Two-tailed Pasha, warming up in the early morning sunshine. It’s the largest European Butterfly and the food plant is the Arbutus bush or “Strawberry Tree”.
Those markings on its under-wing are pretty vivid and should bring it to the attention of all the nearby birds, but maybe it doesn’t taste too good as we make our local hooch out of the same bush – it’s pretty powerful stuff!
Called Medronho it’s drunk out of tiny glasses at any hour of the day, but normally accompanied by a slice of cake or a biscuit or two. The first one’s enough to make your eyes water, but the second goes down easily enough and the third even easier – by the fourth you’ll be past caring!