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Yannick van der Veen Photography, Trier (2026)

24/05/2026

In my opinion, one of the most beautiful transformations—from egg to fully grown moth—occurs in Saturnia pavonia. Here are two photos showing different caterpillar stages.

The Emperor Moth, *Saturnia pavonia*, is one of Europe’s most remarkable moth species and a true masterpiece of natural design. Its caterpillars undergo an extraordinary transformation throughout their development: from tiny black larvae covered in dense hairs to vibrant green caterpillars adorned with striking yellow or pink tubercles. Each stage seems almost like a different species entirely.

This moth belongs to the family Saturniidae, the giant silk moths, and can be found across large parts of Europe and into Siberia. Despite its wide distribution, encountering one in the wild always feels special. The adults only live for a few days and, fascinatingly, possess no functional mouthparts. Their entire adult life is devoted solely to reproduction.

Male Emperor Moths are active during the day and use their large, feather-like antennae to detect pheromones released by females from several kilometers away — an astonishing example of evolutionary adaptation and chemical communication in insects.

The caterpillars feed on a wide variety of plants, including heather, blackberry, willow, and various Rosaceae species. Before winter, they spin an incredibly tough cocoon in which they pupate, sometimes remaining dormant for more than one season before emerging as adults the following spring.

A small moth with an extraordinary life cycle — and one of the finest examples of nature’s artistry.

📸 Photographed near with DMC GX80 and 100–400 mm

21/06/2025

🦋 White-letter Hairstreak
Satyrium w-album (Knoch, 1782)

Family: Gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae)
Wingspan: 28–34 mm
Flight period: Mid-June to August (one generation)
Distribution: Widely across Europe, local in Germany; highly endangered in parts of western Europe
Habitat: Woodland edges, parks, tree-lined avenues with elm presence
Larval food plants: Elms (Ulmus glabra, U. minor, U. laevis)

✨ Appearance & Special Features

Though subtle in color, this small butterfly holds a striking secret: a delicate white W-shaped line on the underside of the hindwing gives it its name. The upperside is chocolate-brown, rarely seen. Males often perch high in the tree canopy, while females fly lower when seeking egg-laying sites. It’s a treetop specialist, more often spotted with binoculars than bare eyes.

🌿 Life Cycle

Eggs are laid in summer on young elm twigs and overwinter in this stage. Larvae hatch in early spring, timed with the opening of elm buds. After feeding and growing quickly, the caterpillars pupate near the ground. Adults are active for only a few weeks, often unnoticed high among the branches.

🛑 Conservation Status & Threats

This butterfly depends entirely on elm trees, a genus devastated in Europe by Dutch elm disease. In North Rhine-Westphalia, it’s listed as “critically endangered” (Red List 2). Conservation efforts aim to preserve and replant native elms and maintain elm-rich habitats in both rural and urban landscapes.

🔍 Observation Tip

Look up on sunny days in July near old elm stands. Occasional sightings occur when they descend to nectar on bramble or hemp-agrimony. Patience, and binoculars are key!

📸 Photographed near with the DMC GX80 and 100–400mm

All pictures ©️Yannick van der Veen

17/06/2025

🦗 Nymph of a Grey Bush-Cricket
Platycleis albopunctata (Goeze, 1778)

Family: Tettigoniidae (Bush-crickets)
Body length: ♂ 13–16 mm / ♀ 16–22 mm
Adult period: June–October
Distribution: Widespread in much of Europe; locally common in warm, open landscapes
Habitat: Dry grasslands, dunes, embankments, forest edges, and ruderal areas
Diet (nymphs & adults): Omnivorous, feeds on small insects, grass seeds, and plant matter

✨ Appearance & Special Features
Despite the name, this greyish-brown cricket can be surprisingly variable in color. A key feature is the white-tipped (albopunctate) tip of the ovipositor in females. Nymphs already resemble miniature adults with short wings and agile jumping legs. Adults are excellent jumpers and often hard to spot due to their camouflage and elusive behavior.

🌿 Life Cycle
Eggs are laid in soil or plant material and overwinter. Nymphs hatch in spring and go through several molts before reaching maturity in early summer. The full development takes about 2–3 months depending on temperature. The species is univoltine (one generation per year).

🛑 Conservation & Ecology
Platycleis albopunctata benefits from extensive, dry open land, which is increasingly threatened by land-use change, urban sprawl, and intensive agriculture. In Central Europe, it's still frequent in semi-natural dry habitats, but populations are declining in overgrown or fragmented sites.

🔍 Observation Tip
Look for basking individuals in sunny, sparse vegetation. They often drop to the ground when disturbed. Early instar nymphs can be found from late spring onwards—perfect for close-up photography!

📸 Shot on the DMC GX80 with 100–400mm

15/06/2025

🦋 Large Copper
Lycaena dispar (Haworth, 1802)

Family: Gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae)
Wingspan: 35–45 mm
Flight period: May–September (1–2 generations depending on region)
Distribution: Scattered across Europe and western Asia; endangered or extinct in many regions
Habitat: Wet meadows, fenlands, reed beds, riverbanks
Food plants (caterpillars): Various dock species (Rumex spp.), especially Rumex hydrolapathum

✨ Appearance & Special Features

This vivid orange butterfly is a true eye-catcher in wetland landscapes. Males show a rich copper color with dark edges, while females are slightly duller with black spots. The large size and shimmering wings make it one of Europe’s most charismatic butterflies. Rare and sensitive, it serves as a flagship species for wetland conservation.

🌿 Life Cycle

Depending on climate, Lycaena dispar can be single- or double-brooded. Eggs are laid on or near dock plants; caterpillars hatch and feed on leaves before pupating close to the ground. In northern areas, it overwinters as a young caterpillar. Adults are strong fliers, often seen basking or nectaring on thistles and meadow flowers.

🛑 Conservation Status & Threats

Once widespread, the Large Copper has disappeared from many areas due to drainage of wetlands and intensive agriculture. In Germany, it's listed as "endangered" (Rote Liste 3). Conservation efforts focus on restoring wetland habitats and protecting traditional land use practices that support its host plants.

🔍 Observation Tip

Look for it near large stands of *Rumex* in sunny, moist meadows between May and August. Its strong, direct flight and vivid coloration help distinguish it from other coppers.

📸 Shot on the DMC GX80 with 100–400mm

All pictures ©️Yannick van der Veen

12/06/2025

🇬🇧 European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Finches (Fringillidae)
Wingspan: 21–25.5 cm
Flight period: Year-round resident (some partial migration in northern Europe)
Distribution: Across Europe, North Africa, western and central Asia
Habitat: Farmland, orchards, parks, gardens, forest edges
Food: Mainly seeds (especially thistles, dandelions); insects for nestlings

✨ Appearance & Special Features

This dazzling songbird lives up to its name with a striking red face, black-and-white head, golden wingbars, and melodic twittering calls. It’s one of the most colorful and recognizable finches in Europe. Often seen in small flocks, especially in winter, it moves with a bouncing flight and a cheerful, tinkling song.

🌿 Life Cycle

Goldfinches breed from April to August, building small, neat nests in trees or shrubs. They usually raise 2–3 broods per season. While adult birds feed mostly on seeds, they bring protein-rich insects to their chicks.

📍 Urban Adaptation & Comeback

Once declining due to pesticide use and trapping, goldfinches have made a strong comeback and are now common in gardens, especially where wildflowers and thistles grow. Supplementary feeding in winter has helped urban populations flourish.

🔍 Observation Tip

Listen for their liquid “tickelitt” calls and watch for bouncing flight patterns. You’ll often see them perched on teasels, sunflowers, or feeders. A true splash of color in the dullest seasons!

07/06/2025

🧚‍♀️ Gemeine Becherjungfer
Enallagma cyathigerum (Charpentier, 1840)

Familie: Schlanklibellen (Coenagrionidae)
Spannweite: ca. 40 mm (Länge: 29–35 mm)
Flugzeit: Mai bis September
Habitat: Stillgewässer aller Art – auch kleine Gartenteiche!
Verbreitung: Ganz Europa bis in hohe Lagen – eine der häufigsten Libellenarten.

✨ Aussehen & Besonderheiten

Die Gemeine Becherjungfer ist eine grazile Kleinlibelle mit leuchtend blauer und schwarzer Zeichnung bei den Männchen – auffällig sind die becherförmigen schwarzen Zeichnungen auf dem 2. Hinterleibssegment. Weibchen sind variabler: oft grünlich oder bräunlich mit blauen Anteilen.

Die Flügel sind glasklar, und im Sitzen halten sie diese parallel zum Körper – typisch für Schlanklibellen.

🌿 Lebensweise & Bedeutung für den Garten

Diese Art zeigt eindrucksvoll, dass selbst kleine naturnahe Gewässer wie Gartenteiche einen wertvollen Beitrag zur Förderung der Artenvielfalt leisten können. Die Larven leben unter Wasser und sind wichtige Räuber im Kleintierreich, die zur natürlichen Mückenregulation beitragen.

Nach rund einem Jahr Entwicklung schlüpfen die Libellen und erfreuen uns im Sommer mit eleganten Flugspielen über dem Wasser.

📍 Verbreitung & Wandel

Die Gemeine Becherjungfer kommt in ganz Europa vor und ist eine der anpassungsfähigsten Libellenarten. Ihr Vorkommen in Gärten zeigt, wie wichtig auch kleinste Lebensräume für Insektenvielfalt sind. In Zeiten des Klimawandels und Biodiversitätsverlusts ist das Erhalten und Gestalten naturnaher Strukturen ein aktiver Beitrag zum Artenschutz.

🔍 Beobachtungstipp

Setz dich an einen sonnigen Teichrand – oft sieht man die Männchen in Revierflügen, während die Weibchen zur Eiablage dicht ans Wasser kommen. Frühmorgens sind sie besonders fotogen, wenn sie noch mit Tautropfen bedeckt auf Halmen sitzen.

05/06/2025

🦋 Red Dock Clearwing

Pyropteron chrysidiformis (Esper, 1782)

Family: Clearwing Moths (Sesiidae)
Wingspan: 17–23 mm
Flight period: June to July (up to August in higher elevations)
Distribution: Central and Southern Europe; expanding northward (e.g., western Germany)
Habitat: Ruderal areas, sandy slopes, meadows, and fallow land with dock plants
Larval host plants: Various Rumex species (docks)

✨ Appearance & Special Features

This striking day-flying moth mimics a wasp in both coloration and wing shape — a clever defense mechanism against predators. The forewings are reddish to red-brown with transparent windows, while the hindwings are almost entirely clear. Its body is dark metallic green-black, with pale yellowish rings on abdominal segments 4 and 6. A distinctive red band runs through the black a**l tuft (wikipedia.org).

🌿 Life Cycle

Adults are active during the day, especially in June and July, and visit flowers like thistles, pinks, fleabanes, and clovers. The larvae develop over one to two years, boring into the roots and stems of dock plants. They overwinter inside the plant and pupate in spring (wikipedia.org).

📍 Distribution & Climate Change

Historically found in warm regions such as the Rhine and Moselle valleys, this species has recently been recorded farther north — for instance near Pulheim in North Rhine-Westphalia. This range expansion is likely linked to climate change, allowing thermophilic (heat-loving) species to colonize new areas (ag-rh-w-lepidopterologen.de).

🔍 Observation Tip

Males can be attracted using synthetic pheromones developed for other clearwing species, making it easier to detect and study them in the field (ag-rh-w-lepidopterologen.de).

A rare but remarkable moth — a small symbol of how species are adapting to our changing climate. Keep an eye out for it on sunny fallow land and meadows with dock!*

24/05/2025

Brilliant Emerald – Cordulia aenea
✨ A flying jewel of springtime wetlands ✨

🔬 Scientific name: Cordulia aenea
📏 Body length: 50–55 mm
🪶 Wingspan: Around 70 mm
🌍 Range: Widespread across central and northern Europe
🏞 Habitat: Sunny forest ponds, bogs, and lakes with surrounding woodland

🟢 How to recognize it:

* Metallic green-bronze body with a striking sheen
* Bright emerald-green eyes that seem to glow in the sun
* Fast, darting flight – often just above the water surface
* Brief rests on leaves or twigs at the water's edge

📆 Flight period:
April to July – one of the earliest flying large dragonflies in spring!

🪰 Life & behavior:
Males are territorial and patrol sunny shorelines, often returning to the same perch. Both sexes are agile aerial hunters, feeding on midges, mosquitoes, and other small flying insects.

🧬 Fun facts:

* The aquatic larvae (nymphs) live hidden in pond sediment for up to 3 years before emerging.
* Transformation to adult form (emergence) takes place at night or in the early morning – a delicate and vulnerable moment.
* Adults live only a few weeks – a short, brilliant finale after years underwater.

📸 Photo tip:
Catch them sunbathing in morning light – their metallic sheen really comes alive. But approach slowly – they’re quick to flee!

Shot on the DMC GX80 with 100-400mm

All pictures ©️Yannick van der Veen

17/05/2025

Eurasian Coot – the black diver with the white forehead

Fulica atra is much more than just a “black chicken on the water.” This rail species thrives on lakes, ponds, and slow-flowing rivers, even in the middle of our cities. Its trademarks: soot-black plumage, red eyes, and the striking white frontal shield that gave the bird its German name ("Blässe" = pale spot).

Coots are surprisingly assertive: they fiercely defend their territory with loud calls and bold behavior, even against much larger waterbirds. They dive skillfully for aquatic plants but also feed on insects, mussels, or small fish. Their breeding behavior is just as unique: both parents build the nest and raise the chicks together, but if the young beg for too long, they may face tough parental discipline.

A true survivor that proves: in the bird world, it’s not just beauty that matters, but character.

Shot on the DMC GX80 with 100-400mm

All pictures ©️Yannick van der Veen

Yannick van der Veen Photography

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