Gonepteryx rhamni or Common Brimstone

The Gonepteryx rhamni is most conspicuous during the first warm days of early spring when it is one of the first butterflies on the wing following hibernation. This Common Brimstone is said to be one of the longest lived butterflies, living up to thirteen months, but most of this time is spend in hibernation. Their leafshaped wing is designed to act as camouflage while they rest. This butterfly has a striking yellow upper side, but this is not easy to photograph as they keep their wings closed when they settle. At ´El Paraje´ we saw them this morning feeding on the nectar of the Henbit Deadnettle or Greater Henbit. This Lamium amplexicaule is sometimes regarded as an invase weed but it is apparantly an important nectar plant for this beautiful ´limonera´ and for many other insects like honeybees for example.



Related articles:
- All ´butterflies´related posts on this blog (see column at the right for all labels).

Related key words: citroenvlinder, zitronenfalter, le citron, dagvlinder, tagfalter, luzernevlinder, witjes, schmetterling, familie der weißlinge, pieridae family, familie pieridae, famille des piéridés, alpujarras, sierra nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, wanderung, B&B, hotel, bérchules, trektocht, hiking, trekking, standplaats vakantie, wandelvakanties, holiday, urlaub, vacances

Muscari neglectum or Grape Hyacinth

With only a few days to go before the March Equinox, there are a number of spring flowers in full bloom, especially lower down in the valley. One of our favourites is the Grape Hyacinth. This Muscari neglectum grows in the wild along the Rambla del Repenil between Cádiar and Jorairátar. The GR-142 Long Distance Footpath passes through this beautiful river bed.



Related aticle:
- Flores de marzo, artículo de Jorge Garzón de la página web al-Natural

Related key words: agüelicos, ajo de perro, azulete, cebolla de lagarto, cebollica de milano, cebollita de milano, chapín de reina, clavos de Dios, espartillo, frailes, gatos, guitarrillos, hierba del querer, hierbas de los amores, jacinto, jacinto racimosa, jacinto racimoso, jacintos, jacinto silvestre, jacintos silvestres, lloricas, macandil, matacandiles, mata del azulete, mayos, moras, moreta, moro, nazareno, nazarenos, nazarones, pajarillos, penitentes, piececillo de nuestro señor, starch grape hyacinth, common grape hyacinth, weinbergs-traubenhyazinthe, muscari racemosum, traubenhyazinthe verkannte, botryanthus, baby's-breath, muscari à grappe, vergeten druifhyacinth, alpujarras, sierra nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, wanderung, B&B, hotel, bérchules, trektocht, hiking, trekking, standplaatsvakantie, wandelvakanties

XII Fiesta Vino de Polopos with Subida Bicicleta a Haza del Lino

Related articles:
- Alpujarras and Sierra Nevada Sports events
- Alpujarras Outdoors Activity list

Related links:
- Municipality of Polopos - La Mamola
- Map on the web plataformarecorridosciclistas.org

Ruta los tres barrios de Trevélez

In the booklet ´Rutas por Trevélez´ information can be found on a village stroll that takes you through the three neigbourhoods of Trevélez.This route is called ´Los tres Barrios´ as it takes you through the Barrio Bajo, Barrio Medio and Barrio Alto. In the booklet this map can be found with 19 points of interest. These are explained in a text of which we made a copy (Click on this copy from the booklet to read the Spanish text).












Related key words:  alpujarras, sierra nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, wanderung, B&B, hotel, bérchules, trektocht, hiking, trekking, standplaatsvakantie, wandelvakanties

Viola odorata or Common violet

Lower down in the valleys the first spring flowers can be enjoyed. Yesterday we did the small walk of 2 kilometres of the Alquería de Morayma, a rural hotel close to Cádiar. While walking their waymarked Sendero Local ´Las Acequias de la Alquería´ we marvelled at the number of white narcissuses (or narcissi), known as Narcisus cantabriun, close to the patches of holm oak wood. Returning along the acequia or irrigation channel we saw many dark violets, the Viola odorata. Closer to the Alquería we also saw the first Cynoglossum cheirifolium subsp heterocarpum in blossom. To see such a large number of flowering plants on a sunny first of March is quite special.
PS On the third of March we saw this sweet violet also along the Ruta Medieval between Juviles and the cementary of Tímar which must have been if flower mid February.



Related key words: sweet violet, english violet, common violet, garden violet, violeta común, violeta de jardín, maarts viooltje, duftveilchen, märzveilchen, wohlriechendes veilchen, violette odorante, viola odorata violaceae, viooltjesfamilie,veilchengewächse, alpujarras, sierra nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, wanderung, B&B, hotel, bérchules, trektocht, hiking, trekking, standplaatsvakantie