Aisatsu

Aisatsu

This blog is for family and friends, to share my feelings and photos with and for myself, to support my fading memory. Readers who have my site translated automatically, please refer to the original if necessary. Especially when it comes to identification. Any comments, anonymous or by email name are always welcome!.

Wednesday, 15 July 2026

Kusembusan in June

One day, when I was looking for butterflies, somebody told me about this mountain location between Fukuoka and Saga. I wanted to go there, to see what was there and, moreover, to explore a new place. I had not been lucky with some Fritillaries, yet here I found some. I have no confidence in determining their gender, but I guess the one below is a male.


Silver-washed Fritillary, ミドリヒョウモン





To my surprise, an Indian Awlking, アオバセセリ stopped by at the same tree. I knew the season was officially over; nevertheless, I had only once ever seen one in Hiroshima, so despite its ruffled appearance, I was very happy with this encounter.








Wings and Things also include moths. Below is one of Japan's biggest, a Japanese Moon moth, オオミズアオ. I've always felt sorry for them since I found out they don't have a mouth. If they cannot eat, they must surely die of hunger...


This marking looks like the lacking mouth



Another moth, abundant at the mountain top. The delicate wings look almost transparent. I found the Japanese name ホシベッコウカギバ and that it's probably a male, but I don't know what it's called in English, except that it belongs to the group of hook-tip moths. Does it have a mouth?



Then these caterpillars would turn into moths as well, I guess. Which one?
Owlet moth キバラケンモン? Somebody should think about the English names for these insects



Upon returning to nishi-ku I briefly stopped to check a sap tree. 
Titan Stag Beetle,ヒラタクワガタ - First one this year


Now, I must go home and get ready for the trip to Hokkaido!

Monday, 6 July 2026

Kashibaru Wetlands

Mid-June, the Dragonflies should be active. 


First one: Scarlet Dwarf, ハッチョウトンボ - male



Aomon Itotombo, アオモンイトトンボ 





High brown Fritillary, ウラギンヒョウモン



Oriental Swallowtail Moth, アゲハモドキ



ツバメシジミ, Short-tailed Blue



Watershield, ジュンサイ



Arima umano suzukusa, アリマウマノスズクサ



Kakiran, カキラン Pretty as usual



Asian Pogonia,トキソウ Standing out proud by itself



Round-leaved Sundew, モウセンゴケ



This year I could not take any good pictures of it. Too much other stuff



Pygmy water-lily (ヒツジグサ)



Japanese Tree frog, 日本アマガエル





Just when I thought I didn't need to see another Tree Frog, my eye fell on this one: シュレーゲルアオガエル, Schlegel's Green Tree Frog. Look at the way his limbs fold into his body. He resembles a foetus


Then I saw another one, and another, and another... 5 or 6


Watching a firefly



At last some birds. Grey Heron's nest, アオサギ



Grey Wagtail, キセキレイ, adorning a roof ornament




Saturday, 4 July 2026

Small stuff achi kochi

Continued from previous post. The nurses have finished checking my bandages and are back at their station. I take out my laptop and I find so many small treasures in June's photo album, I cannot possibly post them all. 


West Fukuoka: Young Wagtails, exploring their world, White Wagtail, ハクセキレイ





Jumping out of the green wild bush: Gooseneck Loosestrife, オカトラノオ



I was worried that the people with their big nets would find it. It's been here 2 weeks now. So far so good. メスグロヒョウモン · Sagana Fritillary





At the usual tree the first beetles have arrived
Drone beetles, カナブン



カシワマイマイ幼虫 · Caterpillar of Pink Lymantria Moth



A little further south, Pea Blue, ウラナミシジミ





Every year's classic: Small Coppers, ベニシジミ on Daisy Fleabane, ヒメジョオン





How many butterflies? Cabbage Whites, モンシロチョウ


It's the perfect weather for Rain Lilies, サフランモドキ. The Large Skipper, キマダラセセリ likes them as well.



This year they appear "everywhere" Short-tailed Blue, ツバメシジミ



Japanese Grass Lizard, ニホンカナヘビ





This perfectly shaped orange blob was calling me from far. 



In one corner of the park were clusters of young pretty Stinkbugs, nymphs of the Southern Green Stink Bug, ミナミアオカメムシ





They like to huddle together



Left over from Mt Kuju: Emerald moth sp. コシロスジアオシャク



Hoso Longhorn Beetle? ホソカミキリ



Flowers of the Japanese Snowbell, エゴノキ, floating down the stream