So many #butterflies already out and about. On Saturday we saw Commas, Brimstones, Red Admirals and several of these... Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros). Warming up in the sun. 😎 #WildHungary #insects #bugs #lepidoptera

A good one 4 #MacroMonday Oil Beetle (I think Meloe violaceus). It gets the name from the toxic hemolymphatic fluid it excretes when attacked. The larvae attach themselves to bees and when the bee carries it back to the nest, the larva feed on the bee's eggs. 😋 #WildHungary #beetles #bugs #insects

Distant shot of a pure white Fallow Deer (Dama dama). Never seen a white one before and never seen this species out on the grasslands. It is more of a forest species around here. #WildHungary #deer

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) .. my first reptile of the spring. It absolutely vanishes in the leaf litter. Exactly the same colour as the dried leaves. #WildHungary #lizards #reptiles

So many of these around right now... Light Orange Underwing (Archiearis notha). One of the earliest spring moths in Hungary, there is usually lots of adults flying around by mid to late Feb. #WildHungary #moths #lepidoptera

Speaking of harbingers of spring, the Snowdrops have been out in the garden for almost 3 weeks now. #WildHungary #wildflowers

You've heard of Sears Roebuck? Well, here's what a roebuck looks like. Their antlers never get larger than this. Typically a short two or three pointer. #WildHungary #deer #ungulates

Not a good mushroom season because of dry conditions, but one species doesn't seem to mind the drought. So many Destructive Pholiota (Hemipholiota populnea) were bursting out of the log ends at this site. As the specific epithet indicates, it is partial to poplar. #WildHungary #mushrooms #fungi

The Danube beavers have been as busy as.. well, beavers. 😄
They are tackling some big trees. Interesting that on every tree, the gnawing was on the upslope side, proving them #beavers ain't stupid. They can gnaw away knowing the tree isn't going to fall on them. #WildHungary #rodents

There are smoothies & Smooth Criminals, but have you heard of a Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca)? 😀 This one just wasn't going to show its head for the camera. Late October, so should be heading to brumation (ie: hibernation) very soon. See you in April. 👋 #WildHungary #snakes #reptiles

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), a member of the aster family. Reasonably common across the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. One day I will post a pic of the other Yarrow.. a town in British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦 😀 #WildHungary #wildflowers #wildflowerpower

I missed #MacroMonday yesterday so here's a catch-up. Hungary's largest grasshopper, the Helmeted Locust (Acrida ungarica). From this angle you can see the oddball head shape very well.. flat antennae and eyes at the top of a super-elongated forehead. #WildHungary #bugs #insects #locusts

One for #SundayYellow - Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canandensis). Very common late summer and fall wildflower in the Hungarian countryside. #WildHungary #wildflowers #wildflowerpower

Dark morph female Orange Swift Moth (Triodia sylvina) for #MacroMonday A late season moth. #WildHungary #moths #lepidoptera

It was the weasel Olympics today! 😂 This Stoat (aka Eurasian Ermine aka Mustela erminea) was in a mad dash, back and forth across the road. Couldn't figure out what this tiny, hyper-active predator was doing as there was no prey apparent. Maybe chasing a bug? #WildHungary #stoat #ermine #weasel

I think this is Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) but not sure. So many asterids look alike. #WildHungary #wildflowers #WildflowerPower

A belated post for #SundayYellow Common Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria). Agrimony can be aggravating as the seeds pods stick to everything.. clothing, pets, etc. 😀 #WildHungary #wildflowers #WildflowerPower

Here's one for #MacroMonday A male Southern Migrant Hawker (Aeshna affinis) (I think 😀). #WildHungary #bugs #insects #dragonflies

Puncture Vine (Tribulus terrestris) is a common & popular bodybuilding supplement because it is supposed to enhance testosterone production. This is what it looks like growing in the wild.. before it is processed into powder and pills. #WildHungary #tribulus #plants #botany

♂️ Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) soaking up some rays. The common name comes from its habit of sunning itself on brick and stone walls. #WildHungary #butterflies #insect #bugs

Still a lot of #butterflies around, like this Rock Grayling (Hipparchia semele). A late season butterfly with the imagines not emerging until about August. They don't often rest with the eyespot visible as it makes them more conspicuous to predators. #WildHungary #insects #bugs

Another European Hornet (Vespa crabro) for #MacroMonday Europe's largest eusocial wasp, they are typically about 1 inch (2.54 cm) long. Fortunately they are not as aggressive as some of those Asian hornets. #WildHungary #wasps #hornets #insects #bugs

🎵 I'm just a little frog lost in the middle. Life is a maze and love is a riddle... 😀 #WildHungary #FroggyFriday #frogs #amphibians #Lenka #TheShow

Hungarians have a saying.. "lower than a frog's ass." For this photo, I WAS lower than a frog's butt.. literally! 😂 This Tree Frog (Hyla arborea) climbed up the observation tower and was sitting sphinx-like above my head. 😀 #WildHungary #FroggyFriday #frogs #amphibians

Autumn Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis).. the only fall-flowering orchid in Hungary. It's such a tiny plant ... easy to overlook in the grasslands. #WildHungary #wildflowers #WildflowerPower #orchids

Here's another meet & greet for #MacroMonday ... European Hornet (Vespa crabro). I call him Horney McHornetface. 😂 Imagine if you were a small bug and saw this coming at you? 😱
#WildHungary #hornets #bugs #insects

Meet Haematopota pluvialis... the Common Horsefly aka the Notch-horned Cleg Fly. It looks so cool with those funky, multi-coloured shades, but it doesn't act cool! Harrassing & biting poor defenseless birders! 😬 Apparently only the females bite. #WildHungary #insects #flies #dipterids #MacroMonday

Europe's largest fritillary.. the Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora). I always thought the common name a bit odd as there is no bright red apparent anywhere. There is some reddish underneath the forewing but you don't see it much. #FritillaryFriday #butterflies #insects #bugs #WildHungary

It's that time of year.. the Autumn Crocuses (Croci??) (Colchicum autumnale) are in bloom. A great splash of colour on the forest floor. Beautiful but don't add it to your salad. Every part of the plant is deadly poisonous 😬 #WildHungary #wildflowers #WildflowerPower

🎵 It's just another Mantis Monday... 😁 Came across this Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) on the weekend. Unless they fly, very hard to see because they blend in so perfectly with the dry grass. They are such a cool bug. Built for the kill. #WildHungary #mantis #PrayingMantis #MacroMonday