Simon Wates
Well-known member
The pictures included I took in early May, 2009 on a high hilltop in the Alentejo, Portugal. These beetles (?) were settling on the base of a fire watch tower and on rocks nearby (with a few other species - inc. earwig sp). I've seen this phenomenon at the same place a number of times - always in hot (c.28-30ºC) weather. The site is good for seeing butterflies hill-topping (mainly Southern Scarce Swallowtail, Common Swallowtail, Southern Gatekeeper and Cleopatra) but not in large numbers. The insects in the photos were present in extremely large numbers - probably over 50,000 - the photos don't do justice. Is this common behaviour?
There are some large communication masts on the same hill but they are inaccessible and too far away to see if these pretty things were also congregating there. (No I'm not suggesting that these insects were affected )
There are some large communication masts on the same hill but they are inaccessible and too far away to see if these pretty things were also congregating there. (No I'm not suggesting that these insects were affected )