Morocco3

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THURS

DAY

24.3.11

Left hotel at 9 am. Took all day driving round and round the hills to Chefchaouen and a Moroccan hotel. We made many stops to look at plants. The views were impressive, lots more farmed land and grander houses. We stopped for lunch above a slope with Romulea and Gagea.

Teucrium pseudo-chamaepitys

Tulipa sylvestris

Trifolium tetraphyllum

Thymus algeriensis

Oxalis pes caprae

Lichen

Iris filifolia

Small Copper

Ophrys lutea

Matthiola

Lavandula stoechas

Arbutus unedo - the strawberry tree

Erica arborea

Cistus

Shop

Low cloud on the valley

View across the valley

Erophila verna - whitlow grass

Processionary moths have one generation in a year. Eggs are laid in July but do not hatch until the following spring. The eggs are deposited on the branches in large groups, covered with scales from the body of the female. The caterpillars live in a communal nest, coming out at night to feed on the foliage. Their habit of moving in columns gives rise to the name 'processionary'. Pupation takes place within the nest in June and moths emerge in the following month.

Processionary caterpillars following each other - nose to tail. We saw a line of dead ones which no longer touched the one in front in the middle of the car park.

Processionary moths feed on conifers and oaks. They are covered with poisonous hairs and should be handled with care. (Collins Field Guide to Caterpillars of Britain and Europe - D J Carter & B Hargreaves)

Gagea durieui?

Bellis sylvatica

Teesdalia coronopifolia

Terraced hillside from the lunch spot

Romulea

Two towns we passed through had markets. They were full of people, mainly men, ambling about.

We saw some strawberries that we fancied, but did not risk trying to buy some.

Teucrium fruticans

Balcony and a Butchers shop viewed from the bus through the glass which reduced the quality.

Stall

Boys hanging out; any girls we saw tended to be working...

Blue

Launaea arborescens

Ranunculus

Spider

The Hotel is full of pots and decorative needlework and a very loving young tomcat. The shower was warm enough initially, but soon went cold. We had couscous for dinner after soup.