Lacerta viridis

European Green Lizard(english)
Lagarto Verde(spanish)
Native to southern europa the Green Lizard is one of the biggest lizards found in europa,it can grow up to 40cm plus. It also has a protected status.The Green Lizard is feeding on insects and invertabrates,but also the young of small mammels and birds are eaten if the occasion arises.The Green Lizard is a aggresive lizard when handled,with biting and scratching.This can cause tetanus.Habitat is forest edges with a lot of undergrowth and some stones to warm up.From Galicia

Anagallis arvensis

Scarlet pimpernel(english)
Pimpinela escarlata(spanish)
This annual herb is found in europa,asia and north america.The Scarlet Pimpernel is low growing herb with week stems and flowers from spring until autum.The flowers are suppose to respond to atmospheric pressure and can tell if bad weather is coming.The plant is toxic for eating but has medical uses for topical(on the skin)aplication.Chicken are said to start singing euphoric after eating Scarlet Pimpernel.From Galicia

Arion ater

Black Slug(english)
Babosa(spanish)
The Black Slug is found in northern europa and the pacific northwest and grows to 10 to 15cm long.It is covered in a foultasting mucus which has use for protection against predadores and it is used for keeping moist.The Black Slug is omnivorous(feeding on plant as well meat)and is found feeding at night or when raining.You find them especially in spring when you have the morning freshness,and then should be collected to prevent pest outbreaks.From Galicia  

Silena maritima

Sea campion(english)
Colleja marina(spanish)
Native to the rocky coastal lines of europa the Sea Campion likes growing on cliffs.It flowers in spring with the other coastal flowers.The Sea Campion doesn,t have nutricional value neither medicinal,but insects like butterfly's like them and also together with the other coastal flowers,it really make a difference having a stroll along the coast in spring.From Galicia

Erodium citutarium

Common Stork's Bill(english)
Alfilerillo(spanish)
Native to the Mediterranean Basin and introduced in north america in the 1800's.Common Stork's Bill is a anuall and in warmer climates a bianuall herb.It flowers from february until october.The whole plant is edible,flavor like sharp parsley when picked before flowering.Common Stork's Bill has medicinal properties as well.Leaves can be used as thee and also to clean insect bite's.The seeds contain vitamin K.From Galicia

Carpocoris fuscispinus

Shieldbug(english)
Chinche(spanish)
Found worldwide,shieldbugs feed on plants and on plant seeds,and some are pest bugs making millions of euros worth of damage.The damage is in money spend on pesticides and on crop damage as well.By using pesticides and monoculture it gets worse so it is important to have natural zones to have natural enemies to prevent outbreak.Pesticides should be a last resort only.Mating is done back to back and you can find them walking like that.Mating takes a long time ,but time is taken to make sure other males dont have time to mate with the female as well,the male tends to guard the female until egglaying is done.The Shield Bug in the photo is Carpocoris fuscispinus laying eggs on the flower Asphodelus albus. From Galicia

Trifolium pratense

Red Clover(english)
Trebol Rojo(spanish)
Native to europa,west asia and north west africa,but naturalised in many other countrys.Red Clover is grown as animal food and for soil increasement,because it fixes nitrogen.Red Clover also has a lot of medicinal uses.From Galicia

Polistes dominula

European paper wasp(english)
Avispa cartonera(spanish)
Native to soutern europa,north-africa and parts of asia and introduced to australia,south and north america.The Paper Wasp starts a new nest in spring and spends a month building and rearing young.After the queen(founder)only spends time rearing young and expanding the nest and the previous young are gathering food and also building the nest.In summer the queen produces new queens who leave the nest and overwinter to start nests in the coming spring.The Paper Wasp is feeding mainly on insects and can be used as a pest controler.It is not really disturbing humans as it doesnt like sweet things,but it can sting in case of protecting the nest.From Galicia

Calendula officinalis

Pot Marigold(english)
Calendula(spanish)
Native to probably southern europa,but is difficult to know for sure because of long cultivation.It may even be a cultivar.Pot Marigold is a herbal perrenial plant and can have flowers all year in a suitable climate,but in cold climates it usually dies of in the winter.Pot Marigold has a lot of uses.It is edibly has medicinal properties and has been used as a dye to food,fabrics and cosmetics.From Galicia 

Formica rufa

Red Wood Ant(english)
Hormiga roja(spanish)
Native to europa and preferred habitat is coniferous forest in which it can make huge nests.The Red Wood Ant is collecting all sorts of food,it is edible it collects it.In forestry it is populair because it removes pest animals.Also the Red Wood Ant is harvasting the Aphids(plant lice),which excrete honeydew.The Red Wood Ant is in some places protected,because it is getting endangered due to habitat destruction.From Galicia

Scilla verna

Spring Squill(english)
Escila de Primavera(spanish)
Native to western europa,Spring Squill is a flowering plant growing from a bulb.The flowering time is spring and likes growing in dry short grass usually near the coast.It is not edible and doesnt have medicinal properties.From Galicia

peirates stridulus

Assassin Bug(english)
Chinche Asesina(spanish)
Found worldwide with 7000 species,Assassin Bugs are the biggest family in Hemiptera.Assassin Bugs are predatory and are from 4mm to 40mm long,they hunt and capture other insects and then inject venom to predigest.Some people breed them as pets or for insect control.Depending on the species it can cause a painful sting when handled,but normally nothing dangerous.The one in the picture is Peirates Stridulus.From Galicia

talpa europaea

European mole(english)
Topo comun(spanish)
This little mammal is a not very wanted visiter of gardens and fields,in which the Mole make tunnels and as well the Mole hills.The Mole is a very active animal in both day and night,needing to eat 40 to 50 grams a day.The main food source is earthworms,but insects and little mammels are eaten as well.In spring the male starts expanding in search of a female,it is then when they become a nuiciance in gardens.Mole's are good for the soil because they open it in the same way worms do,but on a larger scale.Not for plants but for trees.Also they eat a lot of unwanted insects that eat plant roots.From Galicia

Iris pseudocorus

Yellow iris(english)
Lirio amarillo(spanish)
Native to europa,western asia and northwest africa.The Yellow Iris is often found in wetlands or places where it can be partially underwater.The Yellow Iris is sometimes used for cleaning polluted water as it has the abillity to uptake heavy metals.It reproduces by seeds or with underground roots(rhizomes).It is used as a cultivar in many places,but in some country's is forbidden because it can be very invasive when it is left unchecked.From Galicia

Arum italicum

Lords and Ladies(english)
Aro(spanish)
Native to mediterranean europa and central asia,but introduced as cultivar in many other countrys.Lords and Ladies prefers soil wich is rich and moist.It flowers in spring and leaves a stalk with seeds in summer,to be distributed by birds and mammals.Lords and Ladies can be invasive where the climate is warm.It does have some medicinal properties,but as the family of Arum also the Lords and Ladies is toxic.From Galicia

Uroleucon jaceae

Plant lice(english)
Afidos(spanish)
Plant lice are small insects feeding on plant juices and are not very wanted in gardens or in agroculture.The juices from plants are low in nitrogen and the Plant lice needs a lot of this,so to compensate eats a lot,the excess juice is excreted as honeydew and is sometimes harvested by ants.The most known enemy of the plant lice is the ladybird beetle. The plant lice on the picture i found on centaurea nigra.From Galicia

Galactites tomentosa

Thistle madder root(english)
Cardo(spanish)
Thistle madder root is a annual or biannual herbaceous plant native to SWeuropa and the mediterranean,flowering from may until september.It grows in full sun,dry or semidry soil which is not to rich in nutricions and is acid.Thistle madder root prefers limestone substrates.From Galicia 

Rana perezi

Green frog(english)
Rana verde(spanish)
A true frog native to most of iberia and france,but not in the mountains as it doesn't like altitude.The Green frog is abundant especially along the coast where you can find it in most freshwater sources.It is a frog that likes sun bathing,but it will jump in the water if there is any sign of danger.To catch by hand is very difficult.The Green frog feeds on insects,freshwater crustaceans,earthworms,etc.Breeding is in spring and can be a orquestra of frogs.The eggs are normally layed all together,in the same pool as they live.After being a tadpole for between 2-4months it takes about 4 years to become adult.From Galicia

cardamine pratensis

Cuckoo flower(english)
Berro de prado(spanish)
Native to most of europa and western asia, the Cuckoo flower likes to grow in wet pastures and close to water.The Cuckoo flower is pretty to see and in the fields where its grows,especially in dense numbers it make's a beautiful sight.In folklore it is said to be sacred by fairies and cannot  be taken inside as that brings bad luck.The Cuckoo flower has medicinal properties and also nutricinal value.It should be collected when flowering.From Galicia

Romulea bulbocodium

Sand crocus(english)
Azafranillo comun(spanish)
Native to europa especialy around mediterenean area the Sand crocus looks a lot like the normal crocus,but it is not related.The Sand crocus is evolved simular like the crocus,this is called convergent evolution.The Sand crocus likes growing in dry sandy soil,it can grow up to 15cm high with thin long leaves.The bulbs of this flower are supposed to be edible.From Galicia

Aquilegia vulgaris

Common Columbine(english)
Aguilena comun(spanish)
Native to europa growing to 1.2m high flowering from spring to half summer.Common Culumbine likes growing on wet grassy shaded places or places in forest with light.Common Columbine has been used in folklore medicine and carying the flowers was said to arouse the loved one.In herbalism these days is used as astringent and diuretic.Common Columbine does have medicinal uses but as a member of Ranunculus it is poisonous an it is dangerous to experiment with it.From Galicia

caelifera sp.

Grasshopper(english)
Saltamontes(spanish)
Grasshoppers are found around open sunny areas with vegetation.In spring the grasshoppers emerge from eggs that where layed in the previous summer.Grasshoppers grow quickly in spring warmt and abundance of food.After changing the skin(molding)a few times,they reach maturity and the males start to lure the females with vibrating their leggs.After mating the female warms the eggs and deposits them in the soil and the cycle is complete.Grasshopper are a food source for both animal and human,being rich in protein and low in fat.Grasshoppers found in big swarms are called locusts and can cause mayor damage to crop.From Galicia

Stellaria media

Common chickweed(english)
Hierba gallinera(spanish)
Native to europa,this herh is often eaten by chickens wich gave its name.Common chickweed is a annual weed,it is very productive and it can be very competitive with small grains.Common chickweed is a edible herb and was used a medicine in folklore.From Galicia

Podarcis bocagei

Bocage's wall lizard(english)
Lagartija de Bocage(spanish)
Bocage's wall lizard is endemic to the north western part of iberica,its habitat is forest,shrubland,sandy shores,rural gardens etc.It warms up in the morning sun and after it hunts for insects.Bocage's wall lizard is in spring all day active,but in summer only in the mornings.After autumn it looks for a place to hibernate to emerge again in spring.From Galicia

Ophrys bombyliflora

Bumblebee Orchid(english)
Orquidea Abejorro(spanish)
The Bumblebee Orchid is native to south europa and the canary islands.It flowers in spring but the leaves start to grow in the end of the summer.After flowering it goes dormant in a under ground bulb during the summer.Pollination is done by bumblebees in a way the flower attracts them with a feromone that smells like a female,the bumblebee gets excited and mates with the flower and fertilizes the flower in the proces.This is called pseudocopulation.The Bumblebee Orchid is a protected flower.From Galicia.

Tipulidae sp.

Crane fly(english)
Mosca grua(spanish)
Crane fly's are flys with long legs and are from 2 til 60 mm big.Crane fly's are not strong flyers,often found flying like the engine broke.They are feeders of nektar as adults,as larvae they feed on roots of plants.The larvae can become a pest in grassfields,but you can prevent a lot by keeping the grass short in egg laying time,this is normally in the end of the summer.The adults start emerging in spring after rain with a little sun warmth.Crane fly's are a food source for many birds and also insects.From Galicia

Pinus Pinaster

Maritime Pine(english)
Pino Maritimo(spanish)
This pine is native to the western mediterranean part of europa and north africa.Flowering happens in spring and after pollination it takes two years to ripe the cone,then over years when the cone hardens seeds are dispersed by wind,forest fires makes the hardening of the cones go faster.Maritime Pine likes growing on well drained sandy soil,like dunes close to beaches.It can grow to an age of 300 years.Maritime Pine is used for plantations(timber and paperpulp) as well as ornamental in parks.Also the resin has uses in the chemical,cosmetic and medicinal industry.From Galicia

Natrix natrix

Grass snake(english)
Culebra de collar(spanish)
Native to  most of europa the Grass Snake a snake of a everage length of one meter is found often close or in water,it feeds almost exclusive on amphibiants.After hibernating the males come out first then the females somewhere in april.First they mate and then they go hunting.Grass Snake's have a lot of predators,and their protection is to play death and leave a garlic smell fluid from their anal glands.Or hissing and flatening their head and striking,but rarely biting.From Galicia