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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Cyprus 2013: day one, the Baths of Aphrodite

We left snowy Gatwick behind yesterday, to settle in to the ever-welcoming Aphrodite Beach (home from home!).

My fourth spring in a row in Cyprus: and still, new things to be seen!

One of the main events of today was the evidence of a massive immigration of Vagrant Emperors Hemianax eppiphiger: literally thousands were in the air over the Akamas Peninsula, with fairly strong, warm winds from the south and a heavy dust cloud over the island.


A cool mantis outside my room: Sphodromantis viridis
An impressive jewel beetle, Julodis armeniaca cypria

Starred Agama: as well as the dragonflies, today was an excellent reptile day, with some very photogenic Agamas, seven or eight Banded Skinks (usualy a hard lizard to find) sunbathing out in the open, and a handful each of the other 'usual' lizards: Troodos Wall Lizard, Snake-eyed Lacertid and Budak's Snake-eyed Skink.

Oh, and since the main focus of the trip is the island's botany, I guess I'd better include a plant. This is definitely one of my favourites: nothing rare or unusual, a very common roadside plant that we will be seeing every day, but how can you not love that red? 
Tetragonolobus purpureus, the Asparagus Pea

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