Euphorbia helioscopa

Sun spurge(english)

Lechetrezna(spanish)
Sun spurge is native to most of europa,north africa and east thru most of asia..Sun spurge is a annual plant growing best on disturbed land,like gardens fields etc.Sun spurge is flowering in half spring to mid summer and dyes of with the first signs of frost.The milky latex sap coming from the plant is highly toxic,but extracts are used in the farmceutical industry.From Galicia

Dysdera crocata

Woodlouse spider(english)
Arana roja(spanish)
The Woodlouse spider is found worldwide,living under logs or stones close to their pray;woodlice.Hiding in their cocoon like web during the day and hunting during the night.Woodlouce spider's are agressive,also in mating.They can bite humans when handeling them,because they have big teeth.The bite is painfull,but not dangerous for humans.Despite their agressive behavior the mother is though to care for the young.From Galicia

Hedera helix

Common Ivy(english)
Hiedra comun(spanish)
Common Ivy is native to most of europa,and is a invasive species in america and australie.Common Ivy is normally flowering late summer and a lot of insects enjoy the late honey source,seeds are inportant for birds in late winter or early spring.And animals can hide in it or feed on the leaves.Common Ivy is also cultivated as an ornamental plant.From Galicia

Timarcha tenebricosa

Bloody-nosed beetle(english)
Escarabajo de la nariz sangrante(spanish)
The Bloody-nosed beetle is found in southern and central europa.It is a beetle that is flightless,so you can find it walking around looking for a mate or foodsource.The female lays its eggs on Bedstraw on wich both larvea and adult feed.The Bloody-nosed beetle gets its name from the fact that when disturbed it exudes a red fluid from the mouth.From Galicia.

Centaurea nigra

Black knapweed(english)
Aciano negro(spanish)
Black knapweed is native to most parts of europa and is introduced to other parts of the world where it is considered invasive.Black knapweed belongs to the family of sunflowers,it flowers from spring to summer,and grow preferably on limestone soils in full sun.Black knapweed has medicinal properties and parts are edible.The flowers atract insects like butterflys and bees,and the seeds are eaten by birds.From Galicia

Discoglossus galganoi

Iberian painted frog(english)
Sapillo pintogo iberico(spanish)
This little frog is native to western spain and portugal.The Iberian painted frog is variably in color and painting.It is diverse in its habitat as long as the water doesnt move to much,for example i found the one on the picture hibernating in a pile of grass in a field without water.The Iberian painted frog is endangered due to habitat loss.From Galicia

Stellaria holstea

Greater stitchwort(english)
Estrella(spanish)
Native to most of europa,the Greater stitchwort can be abundant in its habitat,like forest edges or road sides.The Greater stitchwort likes the soil not to rich in nutrients and a little acid.The Greater stitchwort flowers from spring to half summer,when temperatures are not to high or low.The Greater stitchwort will grow in the same place every year.From Galicia

Deroceras reticulatum

Grey garden slug(english)
This slug is native to europa,north africa and atlantic islands,and has been introduced to north america.The grey garden slug is common and can become a serious pest.There are several ways to control them,like using salt,but this is not good for the crop,slug pellets,but they kill as well other animals.An other is using nematodes,parasitic worms,that enter the slug and kill it with no harm to other wildlife.From Galicia

Echium vulgare

Viper's bugloss(english)
Viborera(spanish)
Viper's bugloss is native to most parts of europa and parts of asia,it has been introduced in usa and is there considered a invasive weed.Viper's bugloss is flowering here on the coast from early spring to late autum.Viper's bugloss can be very invasive on bare land.Uses for oil in seeds are there.From Galicia

Trombidium holosericeum

Red velvet mite(english)
Mite's are related to spiders together with the ticks.Red velvet mite's have a somewhat curious lifestyle,as juveniles the are parasiting spiders or insects and as adults they forage freely.Red velvet mite's are thought to be important for the decomposition,but this is largly unknown.From Galicia

Ranunculus ficaria

Lesser celandine(english)
Celidonia menor(spanish)
Lesser celandine is a herbal perrenial plant originating from europa and west asia.Growing often near water or on damp soils gave probably the name Ranunculus which means ,little frog,.Lesser celandine does have some medicinal uses and also for eating as the early leaves hold a lot of vitamine C,but lesser celandine also can be toxic.As being a early flower lesser celandine was recorded in some folklore and poems for indicating the arrival of spring.From Galicia

Oxychilus drapernaudi

Dark bodied Glass snail(english)
With snails like this it is very difficult to be sure which species it is.The ones on the picture look like the Dark bodied glas snail,but there is like a 100 different ones of glas snails so who knows.For glass snails itself the names comes from the fact that some of them are transparent.From Galicia

Potentilla montana

Consuelda de bosque(spanish) There is not to much info about this flower,but i did find it is native to northern spain and central and west of france.It likes to grow on relative dry soil low in nitrogen which is acid.As the name indicates it is a species from the mountains.It is not withstanding frost or extreme changes.From Galicia

Arion vulgaris

Spanish slug(english)
Babosa(spanish)
A very invasive species in many places,the Spanish slug originates from northern spain,western france and southern england.The Spanish slug is considered the worst pest slug in europa.The reason is because it is adapted to a dryer climate in a way to put more eggs so some will escape drying out.Also the Spanish slug is both male and female,like others from the same family,so one can start a new colony.From Galicia

Prunella vulgaris

 Self heal(english)
Consuelda menor(spanish)
Self heal is a herb that can live more than two years(perennial)and probably has is origins in europa,but this is not sure.Self heal is a herb that is edible and has medical uses.In folklore Self heal is said to be send by god to heal all ailments.From Galicia

Lithobius forticas

Brown centipede(english)
Ciempies(spanish)
Centipedes are normally living under stones or pieces of wood with decaying matter.Centepedes are more active at night,and feed on insects and small animals.Centipede sp.lithobius forticas is the most common in europa.From Galicia

Acacia dealbata

Silver wattle(english)
Mimosa(spanish)
Silver wattle is a evergreen tree or shrub native from australie.Here in galicia it is common,but at first i did not see it,now with spring around the corner i find the yellow trees everywhere.Silver wattle really breaks the monotone green of the eucalyptus here,making it look like little oasises in a green desert.Silver wattle is a tree which is used for ornamental purposes,it also has some use in the timber industry.From Galicia

melanocoryphus albomaculatus

From the order of hemiptera in the insect kingdom commonly called chinch bugs or seed bugs.You can find chinches worldwide and there are about four thousand kinds.Chinches are feeding on seeds or plantjuice and some on other insects.Adult chiches can survive the winter by clustering togethe,like in the picture.Some of the chinches can on favorable conditions become a pest by feeding on cultivate crop.From Galicia

Geranium pyrenaicum

Hedgerow crane's-bill(english)
Geranio(spanish)
This flower is native to south and east europa,but is introduced in many more areas.The Hedgerow crane's-bill likes growing on semi dry soil and is indicating alkalinity and richness in nutrients.The Hedgerow crane's-bill doesnt have any medical uses but with its pretty flowers it is enriching the landscape and probably it has uses for insects.From Galicia

carabus nitens

I cannot find to much info on carabus nitens but on ground beetles there is.Groundbeetles are often night hunters feeding on a variety of insects,groundbeetles are often considered good for gardes as they eat pest insects.Ground beetles are mostly between one or four cm,and some are brightly colored,like carabus nitens,it really jumped out when i turned the stone it was hidding under.Carabus nitens likes dryer places and is  considered endangered but can be locally abundant.From Galicia

Urtica dioica

Stinging nettle(english)
Ortiga mayor(spanish)
The Stinging nettle is a plant that grows back every year,it is a indicator for rich humid soils often common on habitations left by humans.Stinging nettle is a herbal plant native to europa,asia,north-africa and north amerika.Stinging nettle is plant with a lot of uses both medical and food.It is also possible to use the fibers and make cloths out of Stinging nettle.From Galicia 

Porcellio scaber

Woodlouse(english)
Bichos bolitas(spanish)
Woodlouse are animals that are related to the crustacean.Woodlice live in humid places because the need of moisture to breathe through their gills.By looking for information i found that there are several different kinds very common.So far here in the garden i found four,Porcelllio scaber,from the picture,Oniscus asellus,which looks very simular.Also i found the thru pill bug,Armadillidium vurgare and a pill millipede Glomeris marginata which are ones that roll into a bol.Woodlouse are detrivores,feeding mostly on death plant material.Woodlice are also a food source for different insect eaters there is even a spider specialiced in it: the Woodlice spider.From Galicia 

Potentilla sterilis

Barren strawbarry(english)
Fresa esteril(spanish)
At first i thought i found wild strawberry plants,but looking more closely i found out that this little plant is actually a member of potentilla but not one that forms fruit,which gives the name steriles.It likes places which are humid and shaded like forests walkways which are calcium rich It is a subatlantic species growing in middel and north europa.It does not really posses any medicinal properties.From Galicia

Micrelytra fossularum

This little creature is member of Hemiptera the so called true bugs I found this one sunbathing on a leave,but i couldnt find information on behavior or wat it eats.I did find a slim and fat version and saw them connected with their abdomen,one walking forward and one backwarts,but this was last summer.They seem to be quite common here on the coast.And i think i will start finding a lot more of true bugs with spring coming very soon.From Galicia

Amanita gemmata

Gemmed mushroom(english)
Lanperna hori(spanish)
Member of the famous amanita family it looks a lot like the false death cap(amanita citrina),but the Gemmed mushroom doesnt have a very distinct ring on the stem,as well the gemmed mushroom grows year round and prefers sandy pine forest where i found this gemmed mushroom.The gemmed mushroom is not edibly but is said to be hallucinogenic,so lets party.From Galicia

Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion(english)
Diente de leon(spanish)
The Dandelion weed is now found on most of the planet,but originates from eurasia.You can find the Dandelion in a lot of different places,because it doesnt need a lot of specifications to grow.The Dandelion  is normally considered a weed in gardens etc.,but in some places the dandelion is even grown for use.The dandelion does have a lot of uses both eating and medicinal.From Galicia

Chalcides striatus

Western three-toed skink(english)
Eslizon tridactilo iberico(spanish)
This little lizard i found yesterday in the garden,while it was trying to catch the first sun on a relative warm day for this time of the year.It is normally a pretty common lizard with a big variety of habitats,but of coarse it is loosing ground to habitat loss by human.As well it is intentially killed because it looks a lot like a snake,so if you see a snake like animal dont just kill it ,because they say snakes are are bad.It is on the opposite,they eat a lot of animals we try to kill as well,so snakes and lizard are in one way helping to keep pest animals at low levels.About the skink again it likes messy places where it can hide and hunt for crickets grasshopers etc.It just needs a place with sun,and it is happy.From Galicia

Allium triquetrum

Three cornered leek(english)
Lagrimas de la virgen(spanish)
This little flower is a mediterranean plant,probably introduced here.It normally starts growing in februari and start giving flowers in april,here on the coast it is already flowering.I found this one close to houses.I found out it has uses for eating,the bulb,as it is an allium,after the leaves dry out,the leaves and stem to even the flowers.Medical uses as far as it has healthy additions,like it reduces colesterol,it helps the digestive system.From Galicia

Ommatoiulus rutilans

After finding this name on the internet it hard to say if it really is ommatoiulus rutilans,as there are thousends of different one.One thing for sure,it is a millipede.Millipedes are detrivores and slow moving normally feeding on decaying leaves but also scraping of plants,they can become a pest in green houses by eating the seedlings.Because of there  slow and non agressive behavior and feeding on death leaves,they are good to keep as peds,especially the tropical big ones are popular.From Galicia