Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn

Naturetrek Tour Report 1 - 8 October 2019

Althea cannabina Flame Brocade Spiranthes spiralis

Monkodonja

Report and images by Paul Tout & Paul Harmes

Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

Tour Report Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn

Tour participants: Paul Tout and Paul Harmes (leaders) with 14 Naturetrek clients

Day 1 Tuesday 1st October

Trieste Airport - Istarske Toplice (our hotel accommodation) Paul Harmes met up with the group at Stansted. Arriving at Trieste airport just after 5pm, we passed through passport control, collected our luggage and moved out into the Arrivals hall where we were met by Paul Tout. We were soon on our way towards Istria, passing through the very attractive historic centre of Trieste and on towards Koper-Capodistria, the main port in Slovenia. At the crossroads of where the three main language groups meet (Romance, Slav and Germanic), the area is an ethnic mix with large areas of bi- (and even tri-) lingualism, so place names are usually hyphenated, made up of two languages. The weather was fine, sunny and warm.

We took the road for the centre of Trieste along the Costiera. but no Alpine Swifts were visible. They nest in a colony on the cliffs beside the road and they continue to visit the colonies until mid-October but evidently, they were feeding high up in the fine weather. Passing through the centre of Trieste, the city looked very fine in the evening light, with its Viennese-style waterfront and main square, Piazza Unita d’Italia, the only one in that opens onto the sea.

After 90 minutes we arrived at our destination with time to unpack and brush up before going for a very nice meal. This evening we were at the Konoba Oprtalj, as our regular restaurant, Dolina, in the village of Gradinje closes on a Tuesday. After dinner, glancing out from the town walls, Noctule bats could be seen hunting up and down in the lights.

Day 2 Wednesday 2nd October

Around the hotel; Mirna-Quieto valley. Our first morning dawned cloudy and calm and the decent weather meant that we could explore the area around the hotel which is excellent in wildlife terms. With clear conditions the overnight temperatures were rather low. During the night the local Eagle-Owl was calling behind the hotel. Our walk took us round the hotel grounds with the amazing rockfaces. It was rather quiet but the birds recorded included a large female Goshawk, Middle Spotted (heard) and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (heard) and Spotted Flycatcher, while butterflies included numbers of Clouded Yellows, a Pale (or Berger’s) Clouded Yellow, Common Blue, Woodland Grayling, Large Wall Brown and a very late female Silver-washed Fritillary.

Lunch was taken on the tables beside our hotel, but the weather was worsening as lunch went on and around 2pm it began to rain, so it was decided to do some birding from the buses along the Mirna-Quieto river from the sea and back towards the hotel. The weather remained poor with heavy intermittent showers and it began to get cold. Birds seen included a single Ferruginous Duck, plenty of Great Egrets, a juvenile Red Kite (a very rare bird in Istria and in Croatia more generally, only returning as a breeder to eastern part of the country in 2019 after an absence of 50 years), and Common Sandpiper. Moving up the river towards our hotel, the influence of the sea declined, and the birds were more typical of farmland. Birds seen included Hobby, , Meadow Pipits and a large flock of Corn Buntings, a very common bird on farmland in Istria.

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

In the evening, making our way to take the daily log, about 20 Alpine Swifts were to be seen and heard high above the hotel. These birds nest in the quarry above the hotel and are usually around until mid-October, much later than is the case for Common Swift. Only Pallid Swifts stay longer, until early November. Tonight was our first meal in the Dolina restaurant and it was as splendid as expected with lots and lots of truffles.

Day 3 Thursday 3rd October

Kamenjak peninsula; Pula Arena, Monkodonja hill-fort. This morning we attempted to dodge an extensive cold front passing through by making our way down to the very southern tip of Istria, the Kamenjak peninsula, with, it must be said, very limited success. The day, however, was not a complete write-off and the weather improved greatly in the afternoon.

As we made our way southwards along the motorway towards Pula, the weather worsened rapidly, with driving rain and strong winds. Arriving at the Kamenjak peninsula, the rain was almost horizontal and there was no point in getting out of the minibuses. Other than a view of the site, little was gained, and we made our way to the Pula Arena, by which time the rain was beginning to lessen a little. Pula’s is the sixth largest Roman arena still standing, and once held 20,000 spectators, indicating the importance and wealth of the area 1,600 years ago, with an economy based on wine and olive oil and a vast number of agricultural workers living in the vicinity at the time. It survived the depredations suffered by arenas elsewhere because of a collapse in Istria’s population after the departure of the Romans and the abundance of the raw materials (marble and limestone) in the immediate vicinity which meant that the old site was not looted. Two Pallid Swifts were seen over the arena during the visit. The species has nested in the nearby Venetian church tower since at least the mid-1990s.

Our final stop of the day was further back in time, at the hill-fort of Monkodonja, close to the city of Rovinj- Rovigno. Construction on this immense structure, covering several hectares, began almost 4,000 years ago when people arrived in Istria from further south in the Balkans. At its peak, Monkodonja was inhabited by about 1,000 people and was occupied right through the Roman period and until the sixth century and the arrival of Slavic peoples from the east around the time of the collapse of the Roman Empire. Occupation of the hill-fort seems to have ended with a terrible massacre as many skeletons were discovered in trenches at the base of the walls dating to this period and no finds on the site date later than this period.

Local project managers have overseen the clearing away of scrub from the main section of the hill-fort and this has had a marvellous effect on the flora. We had a picnic lunch and made our way up onto the fort with a magnificent view to the Adriatic and several islands offshore. Birds were thin on the ground, but we did see a Hobby, Woodlark, a Sardinian Warbler and a Wheatear together with a continued passage of Chaffinches. The were much more interesting and included hundreds of Autumn Lady’s-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) and the last few Autumn Squill (Prospero autumnale), large patches of Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) and Yellow Odontites (Odontites luteus). Lots of butterflies were seen, including Clouded Yellow, a Holly Blue in the Holm scrub, several Common Blues, a fresh Painted Lady, Woodland Grayling and Common Grayling, Wall Brown and Large Wall Brown. We also added a Migratory Locust, many Blue-winged Grasshoppers and a Common Cone-headed (also called Nosed) Grasshopper.

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

The spot was beautiful and after such a terrible start, the weather was now excellent, but by now it was time to return to our hotel. As on other evenings the local Eagle-Owl began hooting at about 6pm but still appears to be without a mate.

Day 4 Friday 4th October

Zrenj-Stridone, St. Mary of the Snows church; Motovun-Montona The weather continued to hold and, although it was still chilly and misty in the mornings, any fog soon cleared, and we were able to enjoy the sunshine. We were able to run the -traps overnight and caught a few including Orange Swift, a Map-winged Swift, Many-lined, Yellow Shell, a Scalloped Oak, a Square-spot Rustic, White Point, the European noctuid Mniotype solieri and a single Silver-Y.

Today we went up onto the high plain above the hotel, for a walk close to and through the lovely village of Zrenj-Stridone. There is a lovely old meadow close to the village’s cemetery, filled with Autumn Lady’s-tresses some of which spiralled clockwise, others anticlockwise and a small number not at all. There were also several Autumn (Colchium autumnale) in and many butterflies on the wing, including Clouded Yellow, Pale (or Berger’s) Clouded Yellow, a Red Admiral and Wall Brown and a single Queen of Fritillary. We chatted to a local lady who had collected a couple of kilos of Parasol Mushrooms (Macrolepiota procera). She kindly let us enjoy the figs from her garden close by. One of the most interesting sightings was a Praying Mantis, a large pregnant female; Paul T. also found a spongy Praying Mantis ootheca ( mass) beneath a rock while looking for lizards.

Walking through the village, there was a constant movement of small birds overhead, mostly Chaffinches but also White Wagtails. The newly ploughed fields were full of birds, including Black Redstart and Mistle Thrushes. We also found a huge black caterpillar of Convolvulus Hawk-moth feeding voraciously on bindweed on a sunny bank. We moved on for lunch to the beautiful surroundings at the St. Mary of the Snows church between Cepic- Ceppici and Sterna and were fascinated by the large Hornet nests in the wall of the church! They seemed to be peacefully co-existing with a feral Honey Bee nest in the wall. Hornets often prey on honeybees as they come and go from the hive.

After lunch we made our way down to the hilltop town of Motovun-Montona where the racing driver Mario Andretti was born in 1938 before his family emigrated to Canada after World War Two. On top of a 270-metre hill and the site of a fortress since pre-Roman times, it overlooks the Mirna-Quieto valley, and became an important administrative centre during the area’s long period of Venetian domination when the oak forest became vital for shipbuilding. It was heavily fortified to protect it from Ottoman and Austrian forces who attacked Istria at various moments in history. There were strong rivalries with the neighbouring towns of Buzet- Pinguente and Oprtalj-Portole. At the turn of the 21st century much of this beautiful town was derelict, but tourism has turned things around and there were hundreds of visitors on the day we were there.

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

Day 5 Saturday 5th October

Rakitovec, Hrastovlje; Skocjanski zatok The day began cloudy but fairly warm as we headed into Slovenia to visit the Karst Edge, an upland area overlooking the Osp valley. Here, dry dominates, with EU-funded grazing maintaining areas that are particularly important for rare breeding birds. The are grazed by cattle, horses, sheep and goats to imitate natural grassland ecosystems. Along the gravel road across the grassland common local birds were noted, including Woodlark, Mistle Thrush and Stonechat. Large numbers of Chaffinches, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were passing over, but overall numbers of birds were rather low for the time of year.

Along the track Lilac-flowered Savory and Winter Savory (Satureja subspicata and S. montana) were still in full flower and frequented by large numbers of Honey Bees. It was fairly warm and several butterflies including Clouded Yellow, Pale (or Berger’s) Clouded Yellow and Small Copper on the wing. As we made our way back along the track, a single Common Redstart moved along the fence-line before moving away onto the low Smoke Bushes (Cotinus coggygria) and joining forces with a family of Stonechats.

Moving on, we arrived at the church of Hrastovlje, world famous for its medieval murals dating back to the time of Columbus and featuring both a ‘Dance of Death’ and inscriptions in the locally used Glagolitic script dating back to the early 15th century. Paul T. pointed out a bird in the main mural on the eastern wall, which has been tentatively identified as a juvenile Bald Ibis. We know from the writings of Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522 -1605) that the species occurred in Istria and Northern Italy during the late Medieval period, so its presence in the mural shouldn’t come as a surprise. Back in the 15th century there was very little forest in Istria and the Bald Ibis would have had vast areas of grassland in which to feed, while the cliffs of the Osp valley would have provided marvellous nesting sites for this species, similar to those used until recently in Turkey and Syria and still in use in Morocco today.

We had our lunch in a beautiful layby looking up at the cliffs of the Osp valley with its fascinating railway that runs between Koper-Capodistria in Slovenia and Rijeka-Fiume in Croatia before moving on to the nature reserve at Škocjanski zatok-Val Stagnon near Koper. The reserve was very dry, and the number of birds was very low but included Teal, Great Crested Grebe, a single Greater Flamingo, Avocet, Wigeon, Great Egret and Little Egret, while Speckled Wood was added to the butterfly list.

Moving on and back into Croatia we finished the day with a quick run up a short length of the Mirna-Quieto when we added a range of birds including Curlew. Returning towards the hotel, a Great Grey Shrike was seen on the wires close to the town of Motovun-Montona. After dropping people off at the hotel, one minibus returned in the hope of getting better views, but the shrike had vanished, perhaps because a ring-tail Hen Harrier was quartering the fields where it had been hunting. We followed the harrier for several minutes, obtaining excellent views in beautiful light, before it was time to return to the hotel. As the sun set, Alpine Swifts were again active in the skies high above and the Eagle-Owl was calling.

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

Day 6 Sunday 6th October

Učka Nature Park, Mala Učka; Hum. With the weather continuing to hold, today we made our way to the highest part of Istria. Our first stop was on the Poklon Pass overlooking the Kvarner Bay, the city of Rijeka-Fiume and the northernmost islands of Dalmatia. The visibility was excellent, and we were able to see the city of Rijeka-Fiume, the immense Velebit mountain chain and the Dalmatian coast stretching away towards the islands of Rab and Pag. Moving on, we arrived at Mala Učka, a small village at 1000 metres above sea level.

Visible migration was continuing with regular movements of small flocks of Chaffinch, the occasional Brambling, Meadow Pipit and Siskin. The tightly grazed meadows below the road were frequented by large flocks of Mistle Thrush and several Black Redstarts on the short turf. We walked on, through the village where the latter were the commonest birds. Most of the houses are now holiday homes but a few shepherds still graze their here and a few sheep with their late lambs grazed amongst the buildings along the road.

As we rounded a corner, Paul T. became unusually animated, even by his standards! He had located a Wallcreeper feeding on a house, around the shutters and beneath the overhang of the roof just a few metres from the group. The bird continued feeding for about five minutes in unbroken sunshine, occasionally fluttering down to chase a dozy fly. The Wallcreeper is a breeding bird in the Alps and along the Velebit chain, usually above 1600 metres. In autumn the birds descend towards the cliffs on the coast here, and this bird was probably on migration. Many spend the winter at sea-level and have even been seen feeding on flies in the nests of Griffon Vultures on the island of Cres-Cherso, just off the coast of Istria. By now it was getting chilly at 1000 metres above sea level and, well satisfied with the morning’s birding, we headed off for somewhere warmer.

We headed towards our next stop, the village of Hum, and settled down for a picnic amongst an ‘installation’ celebrating the Glagolitic alphabet close to the hamlet of Šavki. Glagolitic is the oldest known Slavic alphabet and was created by Saint Cyril, a Byzantine monk in the ninth century with his brother, Saint Methodius. They were sent by the Byzantine Emperor Michael III in 863 CE to spread Christianity among the western Slavs. The script was preserved by the clergy of Croatia and Istria (and more specifically Hum) was one of the last areas where it continued to be used.

The meadow beside the stone artwork was considerably warmer (24°C) than on the mountain (14°C) and the meadow was filled with late , particularly mint (Mentha sp.) and many butterflies and orthopterans of various species. Butterflies included several Clouded Yellows, a Pale (or Berger’s) Clouded Yellow, a Small Copper, Common Blues, Wall Brown and a splendid Oberthur’s Grizzled Skipper, together with a Sickle-bearing Cricket – a species that has recently appeared in southern England.

After lunch, we visited Hum. Dating back to 1102, this tiny town with just 30 permanent residents has a bell and watch tower built in 1552 as part of the town's defences alongside the town’s loggia (or council chamber) which is now a wine bar! Hum’s Glagolitic wall writings are preserved in the church, in the second half of the 12th century and are one of the oldest examples of Croatian Glagolitic.

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

Hum is also the world centre for an alcoholic drink! Called biska, it is a mistletoe brandy but not the familiar Viscum album associated with Christmas kisses (which is poisonous), but the Yellow-berried Mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus), a which grows on Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea).

By now it was time to head back to the hotel. On our return the Eagle-Owl was calling again; it seemed to be taunting us. We would have to make an effort to see it the following evening.

Day 7 Monday 7th October

Savudrija-Salvore, Saini; honey shop (Livade), Ipši (oil & wine tasting) Our final full day dawned sunny. After a poor start we had been lucky with the weather on the holiday. Today we headed for a brisk walk along the north-west coast of Istria, hoping to pick up on some of the bird migration that the headland, Savudrija-Salvore, is so well known for. This is the most north-westerly point of Istria (and of Croatia). The promontory sticks out into the Gulf of Trieste and is the first landfall for many birds crossing the Adriatic. As we arrived several Robins and Blackbirds from the gravel track in front of the minibus. It was cool and rather cloudy as we got out of the minibuses.

Walking around the headland several flocks of migrating birds were seen, again mostly Chaffinches but also Meadow Pipits, migrant Blue Tits and Great Tits, a Mistle Thrush and Blackbirds. Several Sparrowhawks and a rather tame Buzzard were also probably migrant birds. Butterflies were present in large numbers, albeit not in great variety given the time of year, in the sheltered, south-facing glade at the foot of the pines. Purplish Scabiosa columbaria, Winter Savory and lots of Woody Fleabane (Dittrichia viscosa) provided the nectar for an enormous number of Clouded Yellows together with a handful Pale Clouded Yellows, a Small Copper, many Common Blues, several fresh Painted Ladies and Red Admirals, a few Speckled Woods and the only Large White and Southern Small White we had seen during the week. Migratory Locust, Cone-headed Grasshopper and Blue- winged Grasshopper were also seen; these three species are very common in this kind of waste ground around the Mediterranean.

Arriving down at the beach we were treated distant views of a Mediterranean Shag, while Paul T explained a little of the geological history of the area and pointed out an incredible set of fossils, a thick layer composed largely of rudists, an extinct group of marine heterodont bivalves of the Hippuritida that arose in the Late Jurassic and were major reef-building organisms in the Tethys Ocean that once opened here, but were wiped out at the close of the Cretaceous about half-a-million years before the disappearance of the dinosaurs. The younger, smooth, whitish rocks above the solid layer of rudist shells at Savudrija-Salvore suggests the Tethys Ocean (that then lay where Egypt is today) deepened dramatically and rapidly, too quickly for these reef-building animals to respond. By now time was getting on and we had an appointment at the honey shop at Livade and an olive-oil tasting with Irena at the lovely Ipši, fairly close to the hotel.

On our way back towards the hotel we stopped in a meadow close to the hamlet of Saini for lunch. A large flock of migrating Wood Pigeons passed westwards as we ate, together with small flocks of Chaffinches, Hawfinches and Goldfinches, all on the move. After lunch we went on to Ipši where we added a final butterfly species to the 26 already seen during the week, an amazing total for mid-October. Geranium Bronzes were fluttering close to the rather sickly looking Pelargoniums outside Irena’s shop. This is a species that was introduced to Europe

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accidentally in the 1980s and reached Istria earlier this century. Its larvae live inside the stems of cultivated Geranium species making overwintering the plants very difficult without recourse to neonicotinoid pesticides.

Getting back to the hotel fairly early, we headed off across the road to search for the local territorial Eagle-Owl. A little later than usual the bird beginning to call from cover, before emerging into the open and moving from one rocky perch to another. We had telescopes available and everyone had excellent views in reasonable light, the bird looking like a cat sitting on a rock in the pinkish evening light. By now small bats were beginning to emerge and it was time to put together the day’s checklist and make arrangements for our departure tomorrow, before heading off for our final meal at the Konoba Dolina and saying goodbye to Edi and Mirijana.

Day 8 Tuesday 8th October

Carsiana, Isola della Cona - airport Our final day began with breakfast at 8am and departure at 9am. By 10.30, we were at the botanical gardens at Carsiana. This tiny (6,000 square metres) repository holds many of the Karst plants, more than 500 species, and Paul took us on a quick tour, pointing out the species still in flower and giving a run-through of a history of the local vegetation and how this interacts with geological history and the presence of humankind in the area, the great Bronze Age deforestation, the role of the hill-forts and how the 20th century and its terrible wars saw forest spread back across the open grazing land, to the detriment of many of its birds, animals and plants.

Our final stop, for lunch and a brief birdwatching session was the nature reserve of Isola della Cona, a wetland reserve at the mouth of the River Isonzo and close to the airport. While Paul prepared lunch, a quick visit to the hides added a dozen or more new species for the week including several species of geese (including Ruddy Shelduck, Egyptian Goose and Bar-headed Goose), waders including Grey and Golden Plover, Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Ruff and Wood Sandpiper, as well as Pygmy Cormorant, Cattle Egret and duck such as Shoveler and Gadwall.

By now it was time to make our way to the airport and say our goodbyes. After a rocky start the weather had held dry and warm for the rest of the week, and that, in 2019, was better than average!

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

Species Lists

Plants (* = Endemic or limited distribution; [] = Introduced or escape)

Nomenclature contained within this list follows the taxanomic amendments, based on DNA analysis, made by the Royal Botanic gardens Kew and the Missouri Botanic Gardens, and following , an internationally accepted list of families, published and maintained by the two institutions.

Scientific name Common name Location

PTERIDOPHYTES FERNS & ALLIES Calamophytes Horsetails Equisetaceae Horsetail Family Equisetum telmateia Great Horsetail Istarske Toplice

Leptosporangiate Ferns True Ferns Aspleniaceae Spleenwort family Asplenium ceterach Rustyback Fern Istarske Toplice Asplenium ruta-muraria Wall-rue Srbani Asplenium scolopendrium Hart's-tongue Carsiana Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens Maidenhair Spleenwort Ucka

Cystopteridaceae Brittle Bladder Fern Family Cystopteris fragilis Brittle Bladder Fern Family Ucka

Dennstaedtiaceae Family Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Istarske Toplice

Polypodiaceae Polypody Family Polypodium cambricum Southern Polypody Istarske Toplice Polypodium vulgare Common Polypody

Pteridiaceae Ribbon-fern Family Adiantum capillus-veneris Maidenhair Fern Istarske Toplice

GYMNOSPERMS CONIFERS Cupressaceae Juniper Family Juniperus communis Juniper Stridone Juniperus oxycedrus Prickly Juniper Ucka

Pinaceae Pine Family Pinus nigra Black Pine Ucka Pinus pinaster Maritime Pine Salvore

ANGIOSPERMS FLOWERING PLANTS Pre-Dicots Primitive Angiosperms Aristolochiaceae Birthwort Family Aristolochia clematitis Yellow Birthwort Mirna Valley Aristolochia rotunda Round-leaved Birthwort Stridone

Eu-dicots True Dicotyledons Adoxaceae Moschatel Family Sambucus ebulus Danewort Istarske Toplice () Sambucus nigra Elder Roadsides

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Scientific name Common name Location

Viburnum opulus Guelder Rose Isola della Cona

Amaranthaceae Goosefoot Family Chenopodium album Fat Hen Istarske Toplice

Anacardiaceae Sumach Family Cotinus coggygria Smoke Bush Stridone Pistacia terebinthus Turpentine Istarske Toplice

Apiaceae Carrot Family Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley Lagonisi Berula erecta Lesser Water Parsnip Vai Stagnon Daucus carota Wild Carrot Kotle Eyngium amythestinum - Srbani Eryngium campestre Field Eryngo Kamenjak Peninsula Foeniculum vulgare Fennel Kamenjak Peninsula Heracleum sphondylium Hogweed Oprtalj Pastinaca sativa Wild Parsnip Istarske Toplice Pimpinella saxifraga Burnet Saxifrage Istarske Toplice Scandix pecten-veneris Shepherd's-needle Nova Vas Seseli tortuosum - Kamenjak Peninsula

Apocynaceae Periwinkle Family Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Swallow-wort Monkodonja

Araliaceae Ivy Family Hedera helix Ivy Istarske Toplice

Betulaceae Family Carpinus orientalis Oriental Hornbeam Monkodonja Hazel Kotle Ostrya carpinifolia Hop-hornbeam Ucka

Boraginaceae Forget-me-not Family vulgare Viper's-bugloss Istarske Toplice Heliotropus officinalis Heliotrope Novigrad Onosma echioides (O. javorkae) a Golden Drops Rakitovec

Brassicaceae Cabbage Family Capsella bursa-pastoris Shepherd's Purse Stridone Diplotaxis tenuifolia Perennial Rocket Istarske Toplice Iberis linifolia - Istarske Toplice Sisymbrium officinale Hedge Mustard Istarske Toplice

Campanulaceae Bellflower Family Campanula pyramidalis - Trieste

Caprifoliaceae Family Scabiosa columbaria Small Scabious Istarske Toplice

Caryophyllaceae Pink Family Moehringia tommasinii a Sandwort Istarske Toplice () Petrorhagia saxifraga Tunic Flower Istarske Toplice

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Scientific name Common name Location

Silene latifolia White Campion Istarske Toplice Silene vulgaris Bladder Campion Istarske Toplice

Celastraceae Spindle Family Euonymus europaeus Spindle Hrast

Cistaceae Rock-rose Family Helianthemum nummularium Rock-rose Monkodonja

Compositae (Asteraceae) Daisy Family Achillea millefolium Yarrow Istarske Toplice Artemisia absinthium Wormwood Ucka Artemisia maritima Sea Wormwood Salvore Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort Salvore Bellis perennis Daisy Istarske Toplice Bellis sylvatica Southern Daisy Monkodonja Bidens cernua Nodding Bur-marigold Mirna Valley Bidens fondosa Beggar-ticks Ucka Carduus nutans Nodding Thistle Stridone jacea - Srbani Cichorium intybus Chicory Salvore Cirsium vulgare Spear Thistle Stridone Conyza canadensis Canadian Fleabane Istarske Toplice Dittrichia viscosa Woody Fleabane (Stink Aster) Kamenjak Peninsula Erigeron annuus Annual Fleabane Istarske Toplice Galinsoga quadriradiata Gallant Soldier Ucka Galinsoga parviflora Shaggy Soldier Ucka [Helianthus tuberosus] Jeruselem Artichoke Very common escape Helichrysum stoechas Curry Plant Monkodonja Helminthotheca echioides Bristly Ox-tongue Istarske Toplice Leucanthemum vulgare Ox-eye daisy Istarske Toplice Picris hieracioides Hawkweed Ox-tongue Monkodonja Senecio inaequidens Hrast

Convolvulaceae Bindweed Family Convolvulus arvensis Field Bindweed Stridone Convolvulus cantabricus Pink Bindweed Monkodonja

Cornaceae Dogwood Family Cornus sanguinea Dogwood Hum

Crassulaceae Stonecrop Family album White Stonecrop Hum Sedum hispanicum - Ucka

Euphorbiaceae Spurge Family Euphorbia characias subsp. characias Large Mediterannean Spurge Trieste Euphorbia cyparissias Cypress Spurge Monkodonja Euphorbia helioscopia Sun Spurge Stridone Euphorbia myrsinites Broad-leaved Glaucous Spurge Kamenjak Peninsula Euphorbia prostrata Prostrate Spurge Motovun

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Scientific name Common name Location

Fagaceae Beech Family Quercus ilex Holm Oak Monkodonja Quercus petraea Sessile Oak Hum Quercus pubescens Downy Oak Monkodonja Quercus robur Pendunculate Oak Istarske Toplice

Geraniaceae Crane’s-bill Family Erodium cicutarium Common Stork's-bill Stridone Geranium rotundifolium Round-leaved Crane's-bill Ucka

Juglandaceae Walnut Family [Juglans regia] Walnut Naturalised

Lamiaceae Dead-nettle Family Galeopsis bifida Bifid Hemp-nettle Ucka Marrubium vulgare White Horehound Srbani Prunella laciniata Cut-leaved Selfheal Above Istarske Toplice Prunella vulgare Selfheal Monkodonja Salvia verticillata Whorled Clary Stridone Satureja montana Winter Savory Srbani Satureja subspicata Lilac-flowered Savory Rakitovec Stachys recta Yellow Woundwort Monkodonja Teucrium chamaedrys Wall Germander Istarske Toplice Teucrium polium Felty Germander Srbani Thymus longicaulis a Thyme Monkodonja

Leguminosae (Fabaceae) Pea Family Anthyllis vulneraria agg. Kidney-vetch Rakitovec Lotus corniculatus Bird's-foot Trefoil Stidone Lotus pedunculatus (L. uliginosus) Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil Salvore Medicago sativa subsp. sativa Lucerne Istarske Toplice [Robinia pseudoacacia] False Acacia Istarske Toplice Securigera varia Crown Vetch Vai Stagnon Trifolium pratense Red Istarske Toplice Trifolium repens White Clover Istarske Toplice cracca Tufted Vetch Istarske Toplice

Loranthaceae Mistletoe Family Loranthus europaeus a Mistletoe Hum

Malvaceae Mallow Family Althaea cannabina - Kotle Malva sylvestris Common Mallow Near Kotle

Moraceae Mulberry Family [Broussonetia papyrifera] Paper Mulberry Istarske Toplice [Ficus carica] Fig Naturalised

Oleaceae Olive Family angustifolia Narrow-leaved Ash Istarske Toplice Fraxinus excelsior Ash Ucka Ligustrum vulgare Wild Istarske Toplice Phillyrea latifolia Broad-leaved Phillyrea Istarske Toplice

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Scientific name Common name Location

Orobanchaceae Broomrape Family Odontites luteus Yellow Odontites Monkodonja Odontites vernus Red Salvore Orobanche hederae Ivy Broomrape Istarske Toplice

Plantaginaceae Plantain Family Cymbalaria muralis Ivy-leaved Toadflax Hum Globularia cordifolia Matted Globularia Ucka (leaves) Linaria vulgaris Common Toadflax Monkodonja Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain Stridone Plantago media Hoary Plantain Istarske Toplice Veronica beccabunga Brooklime Ucka

Polygalaceae Milkwort Family Polygala nicaeensis Nice Milkwort Monkodonja

Portulacaceae Purslane Family Portulaca oleracea Purslane Trieste

Primulaceae Primrose Family Cyclamen purpurescens A Sowbread Istarske Toplice

Ranunculaceae Buttercup Family Clematis flammula - Monkodonja Clematis vitalba Traveller's Joy Istarske Toplice Helleborus multifidus - Ucka (leaves) Helleborus niger Christmas Rose Ucka (leaves) acris Meadow Buttercup Istarske Toplice

Resedaceae Mignonette Family Reseda lutea Mignonette Istarske Toplice

Rhamnaceae Buckthorn Family Paliurus spina-christi Christ's-thorn Istarske Toplice alaternus Mediterranean Buckthorn Trieste

Rosaceae Rose Family monogyna Hawthorn Kamenjak Peninsula Poterium sanguisorba Salad Burnet Istarske Toplice mahaleb St. Lucie’s Cherry Ucka Blackthorn Rakitovec Rosa canina agg. Dog Rose Ucka Rosa spinosissima Burnet Rose Ucka Rubus fruticosus agg. Bramble Istarske Toplice Sorbus aria Whitebeam Ucka

Rubiaceae Bedstraw Family Galium verum Lady’s Bedstraw Istarske Toplice Rubia peregrina Wild Madder Monkodonja

Rutaceae Rue Family Ruta officinalis Rue Rakitovec

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

Scientific name Common name Location

Salicaceae Family tremula Rakitovec Salix purpurea Purple Willow Istarske Toplice

Santalaceae Sandalwood Family Osyris alba - Istarske Toplice Thesium divaricatum A Bastard Toadflax Monkodonja

Sapindaceae Family Acer campestre Field Maple Istarske Toplice Acer opalus Italian Maple Ucka Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore Ucka

Scrophulariaceae Figwort Family Scrophularia canina French or Dog Figwort Monkodonja

Simaroubaceae Tree of Heaven family Ailanthus altissima Tree of Heaven Roadsides

Solanaceae Nightshade Family nigrum Black Nightshade Hum

Tamaricaceae Tamarisk Family Tamarix gallica Tamarisk Mirna River Valley

Urticaceae Nettle Family Parietaria judaica Pelitory-of-the-Wall Istarske Toplice Urtica dioica Common Nettle Istarske Toplice

Verbanaceae Vervain Family Verbena officinale Vervain Istarske Toplice

Violaceae Violet Family Viola riviniana Common Dog Violet Istarske Toplice

Monocots Monocotyledons Amaryllidaceae Daffodil Family Allium montanum Mountain Onion Rakitovec

Araceae Arum Family Arum italicum subsp. italicum Italian Arum (Lords and Ladies) Istarske Toplice (leaves)

Asparagaceae Asparagus Family Asparagus acutifolius Spiny Asparagus Monkodonja Asparagus officinale Asparagus Val Stagnon Prospero autumnale Autumn Squill Srbani

Colchicaceae Meadow Saffron Family Colchicum autumnale Autumn Crocus Stridone

Orchidaceae Orchid Family Spiranthes spiralis Autumn Lady's-tresses Monkodonja

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

Scientific name Common name Location

Poaceae Grass Family Arundo donax Giant Reed Mirna River Valley Chloris sp. - Istarske Toplice Chrysopogon gryllus Cricket Grass Stridone Cynodon dactylon Bermuda Grass Istarske Toplice Dactylis glomerata Cock's-foot Istarske Toplice Molinia caerulea Purple Moor Grass Stridone Phragmites australis Common Reed Istarske Toplice Setaria pumila Yellow Bristle-grass Istarske Toplice Setaria viridis Green Bristle-grass Istarske Toplice

Smilacaceae Smilax Family Smilax aspera Smilax Kamenjak Peninsula

FUNGI: Macrolepiota procera Parasol Mushroom Stridone Omphalotus olearius Jack-o-Lantern Monkodonja

Birds (✓=recorded but not counted; H = heard only)

October Common name Scientific name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus ✓ ✓ 2 Bar-headed Goose (feral) Anser indicus ✓ 3 Greylag Goose Anser anser ✓ 4 Mute Swan Cygnus olor ✓ ✓ 5 Egyptian Goose (feral) Alopochen aegyptiaca ✓ 6 Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna ✓ 7 Ruddy Shelduck (feral) Tadorna ferruginea ✓ 8 Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata ✓ 9 Gadwall Mareca strepera ✓ 10 Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope ✓ 11 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 12 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca ✓ ✓ 13 Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca ✓ 14 Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba ✓ ✓ ✓ 15 Pallid Swift Apus pallidus ✓ 16 Rock Dove [Feral] Columba livia (feral) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 17 Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 18 Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 19 Water Rail Rallus aquaticus H 20 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus ✓ 21 Eurasian Coot Fulica atra ✓ 22 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis ✓ 23 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus ✓ 24 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus ✓ 25 Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta ✓ 26 Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus ✓ 27 European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria ✓ 28 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola ✓ 29 Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius ✓ 30 Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata ✓ ✓

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

October Common name Scientific name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 31 Ruff Philomachus pugnax ✓ 32 Dunlin Calidris alpina ✓ 33 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos ✓ 34 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola ✓ 35 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus ✓ ✓ 36 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 37 Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus 38 European (Mediterranean) Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii ✓ 39 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo ✓ ✓ 40 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ✓ 41 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea ✓ ✓ 42 Great Egret Ardea alba ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 43 Little Egret Egretta garzetta ✓ ✓ 44 Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus ✓ ✓ 45 Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis ✓ 46 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus ✓ 47 Red Kite Milvus milvus ✓ 48 Common Buzzard Buteo buteo ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 49 Eurasian Eagle-Owl Bubo bubo H H H H H H ✓ 50 Little Owl Athene noctua ✓ 51 Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes medius H 52 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dryobates minor H 53 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major H ✓ H ✓ 54 Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius ✓ 55 European Green Woodpecker Picus viridis H H 56 Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus H H H H 57 Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo ✓ ✓ 58 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus H 59 Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor ✓ ✓ ✓ 60 Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 61 Eurasian Magpie Pica pica ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 62 Western Jackdaw Coloeus monedula ✓ 63 Hooded Crow Corvus cornix ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ H ✓ ✓ 64 Northern Raven Corvus corax ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 65 Marsh Tit Poecile palustris ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 66 Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus ✓ ✓ ✓ 67 Great Tit Parus major ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 68 Woodlark Lullula arborea ✓ ✓ ✓ 69 Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis ✓ 70 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica ✓ 71 Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti H 72 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus ✓ 73 Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita H ✓ ✓ H 74 Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla H 75 Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala ✓ H 76 Goldcrest Regulus regulus ✓ 77 Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea ✓ H ✓ H 78 Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria ✓ 79 Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 80 Common Blackbird Turdus merula ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 81 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos ✓ ✓ ✓

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

October Common name Scientific name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 82 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus ✓ ✓ ✓ 83 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata ✓ 84 European Robin Erithacus rubecula ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 85 Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros ✓ ✓ ✓ 86 Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus ✓ 87 European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola ✓ 88 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe ✓ ✓ 89 House Sparrow Passer domesticus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 90 Italian Sparrow Passer italiae ✓ ✓ 91 White Wagtail Motacilla alba ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 92 Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis ✓ ✓ 93 Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 94 Brambling Fringilla montifringilla ✓ 95 Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes ✓ 96 European Greenfinch Chloris chloris ✓ 97 European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 98 European Serin Serinus serinus ✓ 99 Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus ✓ ✓ 100 Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra ✓ ✓ 101 Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus ✓ H

Mammals (S = Signs Of; D = Dead)

1 European Mole Talpa europaea S 2 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes ✓ 3 European Badger Meles meles D 4 Wild Boar Sus scrofa S 5 European Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus ✓ ✓ 6 European Hare Lepus europaeus ✓ 7 Coypu Myocastor coypus ✓ S

Reptiles & Amphibians (LO = Leader Only)

1 Italian Great Crested Newt Triturus carnifex ✓ ✓ 2 Marsh Frog Pelophylax ridibunda ✓ 3 Eastern Green Lizard Lacerta viridis ✓ 4 Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis ✓ 5 Dalmatian Wall Lizard Podarcis melisellensis ✓ ✓ ✓ 6 Dalmatian Algyroides Algyroides nigropunctatus ✓ 7 Western Whip Snake Hierophis viridiflavus LO 8 Horn-nosed Viper Vipera ammodytes ✓

Butterflies

1 Large White Pieris brassicae ✓ ✓ 2 Small White Pieris rapae ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 3 Southern Small White Pieris mannii ✓ 4 Eastern Bath White Pontia edusa ✓ ✓ 5 Clouded Yellow Colias crocea ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 6 Pale Clouded Yellow Colias hyale ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 7 Wood White Leptidea sinapis ✓ 8 Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas ✓ ✓ ✓ 9 Geranium Bronze Cacyreuis marshalli ✓

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

October Common name Scientific name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 Brown Argus Aricia agrestis 11 Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus ✓ ✓ 12 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 13 Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus ✓ ✓ 14 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta ✓ ✓ ✓ 15 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui ✓ ✓ ✓ 16 Comma Butterfly Polygonum c-album ✓ 17 Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia ✓ 18 Queen of Spain Fritillary Issoria lathonia ✓ 19 Woodland Grayling Hipparchia fagi ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 20 Grayling Hipparchia semele ✓ ✓ 21 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria tircis ✓ ✓ ✓ 22 Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 23 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina ✓ 24 Wall Brown Lasiommata megera ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 25 Large Wall Brown Lasiommata maera ✓ ✓ 26 Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae ✓ ✓ 27 Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus armoricanus ✓

Moths (C = Caterpillar)

1 Horse Chestnut Miner Cameraria ohridella S S S S S S 2 Elachistid Depressaria radiella ✓ 3 Crambid Agriphila staminella ✓ 4 Crambid Anania perlucidalis ✓ 5 Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella ✓ 1 Orange Swift sylvina ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 2 Map-winged Swift Pharmacis fusconebulosa ✓ 3 Mullein Wave Scopula marginepuntata ✓ 4 Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata ✓ 5 Many-lined Costacovecta polygrammata ✓ 6 Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata bilineata ✓ ✓ 7 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata ✓ 8 September Thorn Ennomos erosaria ✓ 9 Scalloped Oak elinguaria ✓ ✓ 10 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria ✓ ✓ 11 Convolvulus Hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli C 12 Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 13 Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata ✓ 14 Pigmy Footman Eilema pygmaeola pygmaeola ✓ 15 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba ✓ 16 Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa ✓ ✓ 17 White Point Mythimna albipuncta ✓ 18 Deep Brown Dart Aporophyla lutulenta ✓ 19 European Noctuid oxalina ✓ 20 European Noctuid Mniotype solieri ✓ ✓ 21 Flame Brocade flammea ✓ ✓ 22 European Noctuid Tiliacea sulphurago ✓ 23 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha ✓ 24 Silver-Y Autographa gamma ✓ ✓ ✓ 25 Scarce Blackneck Lygephila craccae ✓ ✓ ✓ 26 Straw Dot Rivula sericealis ✓

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Go Slow…. In Istria in Autumn Tour Report

October Common name Scientific name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Other Invertebrates (O = Ootheca; N = Nymph; Ne = Nest)

1 Beautiful Damoiselle Calyopteryx virgo ✓ 2 Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta ✓ 3 Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombi ✓ 4 Common Darter Sympetrum striolatium ✓ 5 Migratory Locust Locusta migratoria ✓ ✓ 6 Red-winged Grasshopper Oedipoda germanica ✓ ✓ ✓ 7 Blue-winged Grasshopper Oedipoda caerulea ✓ ✓ ✓ 8 Cone-headed (Nose) Grasshopper Acrida ungarica ✓ ✓ 9 Raymond's Bush-cricket Yersinella raymondii ✓ 10 Schmidt's Marbled Bush-cricket Eupholidoptera schmidti ✓ 11 Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket Phaneroptera falcata ✓ 12 Praying Mantis Mantis religiosa ✓ O ✓ 13 Green Shield Bug Palomena prasina ✓ ✓ ✓ 14 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Haylomorpha halys ✓ ✓ ✓ 15 Fire Bug Pyrrhicoris apterus ✓ ✓ 16 Ground Bug Spilotethes equestris N 17 Assassin Bug Rhynocoris sp. ✓ 18 Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis ✓ 19 Crane-fly Tipula sp. ✓ ✓ ✓ 20 Caddis-fly Trichoptera sp. ✓ ✓ ✓ 21 Hover-fly sp. ✓ 22 Drone-fly Eristalis tenax ✓ ✓ 23 Paper Wasp Polistes dominula Ne 24 Hornet Vespa crabro ✓ ✓ ✓ 25 Carpenter Bee Xylocopa violacea ✓ 26 Honey Bee Apis mellifera ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 27 White-tailed Bombus lucorum ✓ ✓ ✓ 28 Ivy Bee Colletes hederae ✓ 29 7-Spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata ✓ 30 Dor Beetle Geotrupes stercorarius ✓ ✓ ✓ 31 Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata ✓ 32 Green Leaf Beetle Chrysomelidae sp. ✓ 33 Istrian Worm Octodrilus Istriacus S S 34 Black Slug Arion ater ✓ 35 Clusillid Snail Clusilidae sp. ✓

Convolvulus Hawkmoth caterpillar Many-lined

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