The European Nature Almanack - April 2022

 

April is the bonanza month for naturalists in Europe. Everything really starts to happen this month in the northern latitudes, whilst down south, Spring is in full swing. It's impossible to pick out any one item on which to focus, so this month we're going to zoom in on relationships.

As the flowers start to bloom, so the insects emerge. 88% of flowering plant species are pollinated by insects, which includes three quarters of our food crop species. So, this month's first photographic theme is #InsectPollination. Here, a Marmalade Hoverfly is busy pollinating an ox-eye daisy.

Flies are major pollinators, coming second only to bees, a fact that this Pink Crab Spider is taking full advantage of. Pink? That's its neutral colour. Crab spiders have the ability to change colour to match their backgrounds. It takes a while but it's very effective. This one has matched the yellow of the crown daisy perfectly and nabbed itself an unsuspecting Parasite Fly. #Predation, in all its forms, is the second photographic theme for the month.

With food in such abundance, it is the perfect time to start the mating game. Courtship rituals are fascinating to watch, so take the time to stop and observe the species that you are photographing this month. Your time will be well rewarded. Photographic (and video) theme number 3 is #Courtship.

After courtship comes copulation. I caught these two Tiger Beetles mating in Crete, and used it as the cover for my book, The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies (if you haven't got yours yet, then you'll find it at its most useful this month, when there's so much going on). #Copulation is our fourth and final theme for the month. Send your photos and videos, with hashtag and location, to any of the following:

 Steve's Nature

 Steve Daniels Naturalists

 Steve Daniels Cumbria

Steve's Wild Kitchen 

 

With so much to forage this month, I thought I'd look into a question that's been puzzling me for some time. What's the difference between oregano and marjoram?

The store bought Oregano in your kitchen is Origanum vulgare. This is also known as Wild Marjoram, not to be confused with Sweet Marjoram which is Origanum majorana which is also known as Knotted Marjoram or Pot Marjoram.

Pot Marjoram is also the name given to Cretan Oregano which is a different species, Origanum onites. Hardy Marjoram AKA French/Italian/Sicilian Marjoram is a cross between O. vulgare and O.majorana.

Spanish Oregano, Thymbra capitata and Mexican Oregano, Poliomintha spp. are from the same family but not in the same genus, so they are not true oregano. The famous Cretan Dittany is however, despite not having oregano in its name. It is Origanum dictamus.

Hope that clears up the confusion!

Steve's Books

	Chubby's Crematorium & Burger Bar A book of humorous poems to cheer, amuse and entertain your friends with.		The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail very simply and find out more about it.
	The Eggs of Saramova A science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction. A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world (and it starts right here in Crete).		Not Just For Twisted Women A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex.

See sample pages of all my books and keep abreast of latest publications here: http://author.to/SteveDaniels

All of the nature books featured on my posts are now available to view, by category, on one page: Build Your Own Nature Library

Build Your Own Nature Library

Enjoy the Spring

All the best,

Steve

The Love Life of Flowers

We’ve spent a lot of time with insects, and their close relatives, over the last couple of weeks, so this week, I thought we’d go and have a look at some flowers. We’re still on lockdown, so we’ll stay close to the house, and this one is growing right next to the wall. It’s called ‘Everlasting’, and is quite a favourite with florists. If we cut and dry some, then they will retain their colour and shape for quite a long time. How long? I don’t know; let’s cut and dry some, and find out. Of course, we wouldn’t have so many flowers without insects, (this blog wouldn’t be the same without them), as 80% of flowers are pollinated by them. The other 20% being either self-pollinated, or wind, or water pollinated. Who have we got doing the job here? A Variegated Ladybird, a Malachite Beetle and a Fairy Long Horn Moth. The scientific name for this moth is Adela, meaning graceful and noble. If you are an Adela, or Adele, then this one is for you.

Half-way down the gully, we’re still only about ten metres from the house, and we have an endemic flower, Cretan Viper’s-grass. Possibly so-called, because it was meant to be an antidote to snake bites. As we have no vipers here on Crete, we cannot test the theory, (so you’re excused guinea pig duties for today). These are also insect pollinated, and we have a Flower Chafer and a False Blister Beetle representing the Coleoptera, as well as a Western Honey Bee, from the R&D department, who is obviously working on anti snake-bite honey. Very useful.

Down at the bottom of the gully, and a full twenty metres from the house, is another endemic, The Cretan Rock-rose. The leaves contain a resin, called labdanum, which has been used medicinally since biblical times. It used to be collected by combing goats that had been wandering about the bushes. Nowadays, the leaves are distilled for use by the perfume industry. For some reason, this bush is absolutely full of Flower Chafers. Six of them, all with their noses in the same trough, on this one. Not much room for that little Mason Bee over there, but she seems to have found an unoccupied spot.

That’s about as far as we dare go, without a passport, but I did notice some Scarlet Pimpernel, spreading along the ground back there. This one doesn’t seem to be attracting any pollinators, and there’s a reason for this: the flowers produce an oil that specifically attracts only bees of the genus Macropis. Whereas, most flowers are pretty promiscuous when it comes to pollination, the Scarlet Pimpernel is ‘demned fussy’.

Not all insects that visit flowers do so in order to sip nectar, others go for the sap. Take a look at this fellow going for the stem of a Garland Daisy. Can you see that hypodermic-like appendage, poised, ready to pierce? This is called the rostrum, and it is specific to members of the Hemiptera, or True Bugs. It is also, in my opinion, the easiest way to tell the difference between a bug and a beetle – the beetle has a mouth full of cutlery in comparison.

Which gives me the chance to remind you that The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies is still on offer until the end of this month, and it is full of little tips & tricks, to help you to identify what you see, as well as tidbits of information (such as whether you can eat them!). Order yours today – as they say in marketing.

Steve's Books

See sample pages of all my books and blogs, and keep abreast of latest publications here: http://author.to/SteveDaniels
The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail, very simply, and find out more about it.
The Eggs of Saramova A science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction. A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world (and it starts right here in Crete).
Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex, in a series of short stories with a twist in the tail.

Crete Nature Catch-up
Series 1 - Welcome to Lasithi	Series 2 - The Rhythm Of Life	Series 3 - A Journey Begins
Series 4 - The Milonas Valley	Series 5 - This Is Ferma	Series 6 - Upland Villages
Series 7 - The Forty saints	Series 8 - Sunday Strolls	Series 9 -Stormy Weather

*********************************************************************

LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Explore the region with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Cretan Flora Flowers of Crete BIRDS OF CRETE Crete Birding

Greek Butterflies and Moths Aquaworld Aquarium

Visit Greece (National Government Tourist Office)