Pintail is a somewhat simple name for this family of large, mysterious, velvety moths. The French name, Sphinx, better suits their mysterious appearance. The poplar pintail is a common species and can be found in summer in places with willows or poplars: the host plants of this butterfly. During the day they rest on tree trunks and their appearance is geared to that: like dead leaves. That special shape – like a puzzle piece – is because they hold their hindwings partially in front of their forewings. It seems clumsy, but they can fly well with those crazy shaped wings. They reach a height of 1500 meters and because they are so large, you can even hear them flying rustling.
Deer have summer in full: July and August is the rutting season for these little deer. After winter they live solitary in separate territories. If you ever see deer in a meadow in the morning or evening, they are not there ‘just like that’. It’s their own place. Now in the summer, the females make a kind of whistling sound: fieps. That’s where the roebucks come in. In all their excitement and searching for females, the roe deer are a lot less shy than usual, so you have a better chance of seeing them. Take a bike ride or walk at dusk, especially forest edges are good places to see deer.
Text: Nienke Lameris, NatureToday.nl
Photos: Jaap Schelvis, Saxifrage; Hans Dekker, Saxifraga
2023-07-23 04:45:56
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