- Fuerteventura Guide
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- Nature
- Butterflies and Dragonflies
A variety of butterflies and dragonflies can be seen in Fuerteventura. Some of the species that now live here originated in other countries, and they seem to have evolved into variations of that species. Due to the constant warm climate in Fuerteventura, butterflies can be seen throughout the year.
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The African migrant, African emigrant, or common vagrant (Catopsilia florella) is a butterfly of the Pieridae family and can be found on Fuerteventura
This pretty little butterfly is scientifically known as Pontia Paplidice. In accordance to its name it is white, although the underside of the hind wings display small green patches.
The Bath White also exists in North Africa, South-West Europe, and Afghanistan. On occasion it migrates to Belgium, Holland, and the UK, although very rarely.
The Clouded Yellow is from the Colias genus of butterflies, and is a member of the Pieridae family. They also exist in Africa, India, and China. This species does not build up toxins from their feeding plants; therefore they are easy and much sought after prey. They do however; possess an advantage in that they are particularly agile and fast. They are therefore better able than most butterflies to avoid predator attacks.
The Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae and can be found on Fuerteventura.
These colourful Dragonflies love water and are often seen hovering around swimming pools and rock pools on the beaches. Dragonflies don't sting and generally don't bite people, groups of dragonflies are called swarms and watching dragonflies, similar to bird watching, is called oding.
One of the best things about dragonflies is that they eat mosquitoes.
The Geranium bronze is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae and can be found on Fuerteventura.
The Green-striped White (Euchloe belemia), is a butterfly in the Pieridae family and can be found on Fuerteventura.
This is a poisonous butterfly. Animals that eat a Monarch will vomit and generally feel very ill, although they are unlikely to die. Because the animal kingdom is highly intelligent, an animal will remember this and therefore will not eat a Monarch twice. This is surely a contributory factor in the reason why Monarchs continue to exist in abundance.
Painted ladies belong to the cynthia group of colourful butterflies, and can be found on Fuerteventura
The Red-veined darter or nomad dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is quite common in Fuerteventura, these are quite small reaching a length of up to 40 millimetres and have a wingspan of up to 60 millimetres. Despite it's name mature males have a bright red abdomen wheras female’s and immature males are yellow and brown.
These beautiful Dragonflies love water and are often seen hovering around swimming pools and rock pools on the beaches. Dragonflies don't sting and generally don't bite people, groups of dragonflies are called swarms and watching dragonflies, similar to bird watching, is called oding.
One of the best things about dragonflies is that they eat mosquitoes.
Saharan Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura saharensis) also known as Sahara Bluetail can be seen in Fuerteventura, these small damselflies average from 26-31 millimetres in length and are easily identified by their extremely bright blue tails.
Both sets of the damselflies wings are the same size and shape unlike dragonflies whose hind wings are larger than the front set of wings.
Along with Fuerteventura, this species can be found in the countries of Southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
Surprisingly, a sighting of the Scarlet Darter was reported in the English county of Cornwall in 1995. Since this time a small number have been seen in various locations across the UK
The small copper, or the common copper (Lycaena phlaeas) is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or gossamer-winged butterfly family can be found on Fuerteventura.
The small white, also known as the small cabbage white (Pieris rapae) is a small to medium-sized butterfly species of the whites-and-yellows family Pieridae which can be found on Fuerteventura.
