Natural History Photographs




Between the two villages is a 3000 m high pass, which brought us to melting snow and so to the earliest spring of the high mountains.




We visited this place twice, first late afternoon on the 11th,
then during lunch time and early afternoon on the 12th.

On our way back, we
met some colorful local people

Lizard basking in late afternoon sun

Where the snow had melted, flowers rapidly took over
Pontia callidice
Authority:(Hübner, [1800])
English:Peak White
Deutsch:Alpenweißling
Français:Piéride du vélar
Español:blanquiverdosa alpina
Orthoptera
Authority:Latreille, 1793
Nederlands:Rechtvleugeligen
Deutsch:Heuschrecken
Podalonia hirsuta
Authority:(Scopoli, 1763)
Nederlands:Ruige aardrupsendoder
Deutsch:Behaarte Kurzstielsandwespe
Nicrophorus spec.


The beetles spotted the dead rodent well before I did...I was just amazed I saw several of the beetles - only then to find out about the dead rodent. The beetles were crawling on and under the rodent, making it move again! What surprised me was that the beetles didn't stay for long on the carcass. After a few minutes they moved away several meters where they appeared burrowing - only later to return to the carcass.