Various Swiss wildlife for ID (1 Viewer)

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Jul 31, 2004

• #1

I already posted a thread about the birds I saw during a week in Switzerland (about 3,000 feet above sea level) but I thought I'd post a few other pix in case anyone can Id any of the creatures.
The beetle was well over an inch long.
The one which I think was a hoverfly was also nearly an inch long--it was inside the cheese factory at Gruyere, unlike the other photos which were taken at Caux-sur-Montreux.

 

Attachments

• 
  Swiss_beetle-a.jpg

  34.8 KB · Views: 166
• 
  Swiss_hover.jpg

  49.2 KB · Views: 144
• 
  lizards.jpg

  44.4 KB · Views: 162
• 
  bug1.jpg

  21.8 KB · Views: 156
• 
  bug2.jpg

  12.8 KB · Views: 162

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Aug 1, 2004

• #2

A few more 'bugs'

 

Attachments

• 
  bug3.jpg

  41.1 KB · Views: 150
• 
  bug4.jpg

  75.6 KB · Views: 162
• 
  bug5.jpg

  24.1 KB · Views: 151

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Aug 3, 2004

• #3

Hi,
this is from memory, just as far as i know so you should check it again:

1. A ground beetle of the genus Carabus, probably a dark legged form of C. cancellatus
2. The vein pattern in the wing shows this is not a Syrphid (=Hoverfly), but of the Family Tabanidae
3. Probably Lacerta vivipara
4. A Bee Beetle (Trichius spec), Superfamily Scaraboidea
5. A Digger wasp, but I cannot Identify it to genus (more Photos available?)
6. Trichodes spec (alveolarius?), Family Cleridae
7. Strangalia spec. , maybe maculata, Family Cerambycidae
8. Leptura rufa , Family Cerambycidae

Thanks, that was making a dull day somewhat nicer!

Jörn

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Aug 3, 2004

• #4

Thanks Jörn! There was an abundance of insect life among the wildflowers... a lovely place. Sorry, but I've no better photo of the digger wasp.
Ken

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Aug 3, 2004

• #5

Hi Ken
I remember the fantastic beauty of nature in switzerlands high alps, it is really great! The most fascinating insect life I found, was in the valley of the rhone on the lower and middle slopes of the mountains-also the flowers were great. Hope you enjoyed your time as much as I did mine several years ago...
sadly enough now summer is my main working time...

Jörn

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Aug 3, 2004

• #6

Hi, Jörn. the place I was staying was a bit further down the Rhone, on a hill above Montreux. I was technically working... but fortunately there were free moments when I could look around. Many of the wildflowers were over, so I expect that there would be even more insects a month earlier. But I saw some lovely insects as well as what I think was a pine marten.
Also a fritillary which the experts are still trying to ID!
(And an orchid which I think might be fragrant orchid.)
Hope you get there again one day!
Ken

 

Attachments

• 
  fritillary.jpg

  50.3 KB · Views: 157
• 
  fragrant_orchid.jpg

  141.6 KB · Views: 134

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Aug 3, 2004

• #7

If Fragrant orchid is Gymnadenia conopsea, I´d think so too...


Jörn

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Aug 3, 2004

• #8

That's the one!

 

Keithec

'Green Scum'

• Oct 28, 2004

• #9

Surreybirder said:

I already posted a thread about the birds I saw during a week in Switzerland (about 3,000 feet above sea level) but I thought I'd post a few other pix in case anyone can Id any of the creatures.
The beetle was well over an inch long.
The one which I think was a hoverfly was also nearly an inch long--it was inside the cheese factory at Gruyere, unlike the other photos which were taken at Caux-sur-Montreux.

Click to expand...

Hi,
A bit late with a response but only just noticed this. I think the lizard is a wall lizard of some kind and not a viviparous lizard. A possible candidate is Podarcis muralis The Common Wall Lizard. A good site for ID is www.herp.it

If you do want to check look at all the pictures of this species as there seems to be a tremendous variation. I am not sure how comprehensive this site is though.

Keith

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Oct 31, 2004

• #10

Keithec said:

Hi,
A bit late with a response but only just noticed this. I think the lizard is a wall lizard of some kind and not a viviparous lizard. A possible candidate is Podarcis muralis The Common Wall Lizard. A good site for ID is www.herp.it

If you do want to check look at all the pictures of this species as there seems to be a tremendous variation. I am not sure how comprehensive this site is though.

Keith

Click to expand...

Thanks, Keith,
Somewhere along the line, when I changed pcs, quite a few of my photos got corrupted. However, I've downloaded the lizards from this page and re-edited them. I think the result is a bit better?
Ken

 

Attachments

• 
  lizards.jpg

  41 KB · Views: 147

LAF

Registered Member

• Nov 1, 2004

• #11

Without a doubt, the lizards are Lacerta (Zootoca) vivipara. They're commonly associated with high altitudes in southern europe (as are sand lizards!).

Regards, Lee.

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Nov 8, 2004

• #12

I double-checked my original idea of this being L. vivipara and i still have to say that this looks best to me for the pics available.