Holiday to Tenerife part 2

[Philzoid]

Part 2 (more waffle and fluff, less pics)
As the evening was nice and sunny (as ever) I took the family down to Las Galletas old town. On arrival I parked the car by the beach and was quickly into some rockpooling, with the girls showing some real enthusiasm and joining in for a change A crab was spotted scooting across the rocks (about 10 times faster than our shore crabs ) and was duly caught and photo'ed. Others were seen but like everything out there, they all move as if they are on amphetamine so my catch was limited to this one indivdual. Also the camouflage aspect was impressive, both for the crabs (lots of hermit crabs too) and the numerous fish in the pools .

Superb camouflage of the crab

More good camouflage from this Goby

Going for a walk along the sea front I became suddenly aware of a 'MASSIVE fly' which landed on a fence. Immediately identified as a Robber Fly, only this one was over 1.5 inches long . As I've seen our 'puny English' examples take on butterflies, my mind boggled as to what these feed on ..... cockroaches, lizards, pigeons, dogs!? (plenty of those in the larder)

Robber Fly, seen frequently on the Island

Sunday was my daughter Francesca's 11th birthday. As a treat we went to Aqualand (water park with Dolphin show) and paid for a private session with the Dolphins. Isabella was understandably jealous and upset, but later on during the main show both she and Francesca were chosen to be pushed around on surfboards by the Dolphins to the tune of "I get around" (Beach boys). That was a really magical moment for them and for us watching .
At Aqualand on our second discounted rate visit, my wildlife vigilance was rewarded with catching a large flying glossy green beetle (camera not to hand unfortunately) and sighting a Monarch butterfly . I also came across a poor almost-dead praying mantis which had probably been swiped by an inconsiderate tourist, and, which like the cockroaches mentioned before, was being eaten by ants .

Wasp anyone ID please?

Mantis: Squashed or killed from passive smoking?

Next on the agenda was a trip to the Island of La Gomera. The island is the second smallest in the canaries and yet has numerous habitats and microclimates. As you travel up through steep narrow switchback roads (competence of the tour coach drivers out here is exceptional it has to be said) the vegetation goes from cacti to palm trees to tall (10ft+) Ericas (heather) and eventually to temperate woodland in the centre of the Island. This area is known as Garajonay national park. When we got off the bus for a pee and coffee break it felt like we were back in England. You had to remind yourself that you were 4000 ft up! The cafe served coffee, cakes, wine and honey liquor (which was very popular)
Despite it looking like an English woodland clearing with trees and bramble in flower, no butterflies were seen. A solitary Grasshopper was my only invertebrate sighting.

Butterflies soon I promise!

Leaving the cafe pit-stop the bus gradually descended as it weaved through the woodland. On its route I spotted what looked like a small Silver-washed Fritillary which I've since thought could've been a Canary Speckled Wood or more likely a Queen of spain Fritillary. The woods gradually thinned out and we came back into heather and then into a verdant sub-tropical agricultural zone of palms trees, banana plantations etc. I then caught site of a male Cleopatra, a large yellow butterfly with orange flashes on the forewings. If I'd have been driving the bus I'd have slapped the anchors on at this point .
Further on in the Hermosas region the coach pulled in to the "Las Rosas" Restaurant for lunch. As I got out the coach my immediate concern was to identify the white butterflies on the other side of the road. As everyone else settled down to eat I was doing my best to get this (poor) photo of a 'common or garden' Small White

Small White: A well distributed species on larval foodplant nasturtium

After our meal we were treated to a demonstration of the La Gomeran Whistling language, and then we moved on further descending down to the coast and eventually pulling into our next stop the Museum Molino de Gofio. At this point I lost interest in the tour as small butterflies whizzing around the pepper plants close to the ground, grabbed my attention. The butterflies were African Grass Blues, which I later discovered were common on Tenerife too.

African Grass Blue Zizeeria knysna (female) on pepper plant.

in flight

Underside shot Club Marina gardens

Underside, taken on waste ground, Monterrey, San Eugenio Alto

One final stop before San Sebastien and the ferry back to Tenerife yielded another Bath White (circa 1000 ft elevation)

As a further birthday treat me and Francesca signed up to Scuba Diving at the resort's school
Training was carried out in the Resort swimming pool. This was great fun but getting into the wet suit is a trial when you're fat and fifty plus

Everything OK, about the only hand sign I remembered

After training we were taken to a little harbour to the north of Costa Adeje. Swimming in the sea was much more difficult due to currents , but the experience was worth it and Francesca took to it like a duck to water . Numerous fish were encountered, including puffers and flatfish . Also seen was a Green Turtle

Me and Francesca with turtle on the left

Sol Scuba library pic of green turtles from same area

The teaching group were heavily into marine conservation as I found out when they aired their views on what they would do to those persons who dumped poly-bags in the sea. Whilst underwater we saw a shoal of fish 'attack' a carrier bag before eventually giving up on it as inedible . Turtles on the other hand can be killed by swallowing these things .

Final part to follow later ... you have been warned

[Gibster]

MORE PHIL, MORE!!!! Swimming with turtles? You lucky, lucky people! But did you go to any of the Blue Chaffich sites???

Say hello to the girls from me, catch you all again soon?

Gibster.

[Padfield]

Fascinating stuff, Philzoid.

Your African grass blues are males. The females are typically brown on the upperside with very little blue:



Guy

[Wurzel]

Cracking part 2! What next flying gliding with vultures?
The African Blue is a stunner, what a contrast with the white below and the showy blue on top!

Part 3 coming soon I hope!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Philzoid]

Your African grass blues are males. The females are typically brown on the upperside with very little blue:

You are quite right Guy .
The dark border looked thicker in that specimen, a bit like on a Holly Blue so perhaps that was the reason I erroneously jumped to that conclusion . My Collins Field guide book clearly shows the males are blue and the females much less so. It also shows the that the abodomens in the males are longer too which shows quite well in the second and third pic (although no female to compare with).

[Philzoid]

Cracking part 2! What next flying gliding with vultures?

No, but riding on camels was a possibility . There was also a chance to go sea fishing and I was hoping Francesca would've been keen to come but she decided it would be too upsetting to see the little fish part of the catch being killed ...and for that reason I shouldn't go too