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  • These beautiful Demoiselles are the largest of our native damselflies. The males have a dark blue-green metallic body and dark blue coloured patches on their wings. It is a large damselfly with a total length of up to 48 mm (1.9 in) and a wing length of up to 36 mm (1.4 in). The female has translucent, pale green iridescent wings with a white patch near the tip and a metallic green body. She can lay up to 10 eggs per minute for 45 minutes (450). They lay in a wide variety of emergent or floating plants, sometimes even submerging to do so. Males are usually territorial, but large numbers can sometimes be found in lush bank-side plants and on floating objects. They are easily identified because they resemble butterflies with their gentle, fluttering flight. They court females by opening their wings and performing an aerial dance. You can usually find Banded Demoiselles around slow moving areas of water and they are very sensitive to pollution so their presence is often an indicator of good water quality. They are on the wing throughout June and July and often into August and it is when they fly in the sunshine that you can see the stunning blue shimmer. The Banded Demoiselle is a Eurasian species and is present throughout Eurasia from the Atlantic coast to the northwest of China. They are also found throughout the UK and Ireland.
    Banded Demoiselle.jpg
  • "Imagine a city full of people ruthlessly pursuing wealth, fame and self-improvement, at any cost? Where everyone you met was either a celebrity, trying to be a celebrity, or used to be a celebrity? Where nature's bounty meant you could enjoy perfect weather all year round? Where the air was so good you could literally see and taste it? Dare to dream, because that city exists. Los Santos is truly one of the most audacious and must see cities of the world. The people are beautiful and their attitudes... well, that's for you to discover. The city has everything... whether you're jet-setting, roughing it or in between, it's all here”.<br />
― San Andreas City Guides<br />
<br />
Los Santos is a city located in the State of San Andreas, and it is the first city encountered in San Andreas. It is based on Los Angeles, California. Los Santos translates to 'The Saints', a play on Los Angeles, meaning 'The Angels'. This also applies to the two cities' nicknames - "The City of the Saints" and "City of Angels".<br />
Los Santos is the largest and most populous city in the state. It is situated on the southeastern part of San Andreas, south of Red County and east of Flint County. Los Santos is a major world centre for motion picture, television and other related entertainment industries.<br />
Like Los Angeles, Los Santos is a huge, sprawling co-mingling of cultures and perspectives, full of two-bit hoodlums and small-time and really big time actors and musicians. The population of 3,000,000 is divided into 27 districts, which are home to movie and television studios, multimillion dollar estates, crack-ridden suburbs, a racetrack, an observatory to satisfy stargazers, and the fourth busiest airport in the world. Occasionally, drug dealers are seen carrying huge wads of cash from recent transactions. Graffiti is commonplace and gambling venues like the racetrack are frequented by many of the city's denizens.
    City Lake.jpg
  • The Alamo Sea is based on the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is a shallow rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys.<br />
The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018. The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo rivers, as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. The Salton Sea was accidentally created when in 1905 the Colorado River swelled, breached its levees and flooded into the Salton Sink desert valley. For two years the water flowed, creating the Salton Sea – a 15-mile by 35-mile freshwater lake 45miles outside of Palm Springs. Salton Sea mud contains enough arsenic and selenium to qualify for disposal in a dump reserved for the most toxic of society's trash. Chromium, zinc, lead and pesticides, including DDT, are also in the lake bottom.
    Alamo Sea Rocks.tif
  • The Santa Monica Pier (constructed in 1909) is a large double-jointed pier at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California, United States. It contains a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing.You know you’ve arrived in Santa Monica, California when you see the iconic Ferris wheel of the Santa Monica Pier jutting into the inviting waters of the Pacific Ocean. Set at Santa Monica’s westernmost point, the Santa Monica Pier is a staple of this picturesque seaside community. Packed with family-friendly activities, restaurants and shops, it also has stunning views and over a century’s worth of history.
    Santa Monica Pier.tif
  • Mount Chiliad Cable Car Station.tif
  • "Imagine a city full of people ruthlessly pursuing wealth, fame and self-improvement, at any cost? Where everyone you met was either a celebrity, trying to be a celebrity, or used to be a celebrity? Where nature's bounty meant you could enjoy perfect weather all year round? Where the air was so good you could literally see and taste it? Dare to dream, because that city exists. Los Santos is truly one of the most audacious and must see cities of the world. The people are beautiful and their attitudes... well, that's for you to discover. The city has everything... whether you're jet-setting, roughing it or in between, it's all here”.<br />
― San Andreas City Guides<br />
<br />
Los Santos is a city located in the State of San Andreas, and it is the first city encountered in San Andreas. It is based on Los Angeles, California. Los Santos translates to 'The Saints', a play on Los Angeles, meaning 'The Angels'. This also applies to the two cities' nicknames - "The City of the Saints" and "City of Angels".<br />
Los Santos is the largest and most populous city in the state. It is situated on the southeastern part of San Andreas, south of Red County and east of Flint County. Los Santos is a major world centre for motion picture, television and other related entertainment industries.<br />
Like Los Angeles, Los Santos is a huge, sprawling co-mingling of cultures and perspectives, full of two-bit hoodlums and small-time and really big time actors and musicians. The population of 3,000,000 is divided into 27 districts, which are home to movie and television studios, multimillion dollar estates, crack-ridden suburbs, a racetrack, an observatory to satisfy stargazers, and the fourth busiest airport in the world. Occasionally, drug dealers are seen carrying huge wads of cash from recent transactions. Graffiti is commonplace and gambling venues like the racetrack are frequented by many of the city's denizens.
    Hill House.jpg
  • "Imagine a city full of people ruthlessly pursuing wealth, fame and self-improvement, at any cost? Where everyone you met was either a celebrity, trying to be a celebrity, or used to be a celebrity? Where nature's bounty meant you could enjoy perfect weather all year round? Where the air was so good you could literally see and taste it? Dare to dream, because that city exists. Los Santos is truly one of the most audacious and must see cities of the world. The people are beautiful and their attitudes... well, that's for you to discover. The city has everything... whether you're jet-setting, roughing it or in between, it's all here”.<br />
― San Andreas City Guides<br />
<br />
Los Santos is a city located in the State of San Andreas, and it is the first city encountered in San Andreas. It is based on Los Angeles, California. Los Santos translates to 'The Saints', a play on Los Angeles, meaning 'The Angels'. This also applies to the two cities' nicknames - "The City of the Saints" and "City of Angels".<br />
Los Santos is the largest and most populous city in the state. It is situated on the southeastern part of San Andreas, south of Red County and east of Flint County. Los Santos is a major world centre for motion picture, television and other related entertainment industries.<br />
Like Los Angeles, Los Santos is a huge, sprawling co-mingling of cultures and perspectives, full of two-bit hoodlums and small-time and really big time actors and musicians. The population of 3,000,000 is divided into 27 districts, which are home to movie and television studios, multimillion dollar estates, crack-ridden suburbs, a racetrack, an observatory to satisfy stargazers, and the fourth busiest airport in the world. Occasionally, drug dealers are seen carrying huge wads of cash from recent transactions. Graffiti is commonplace and gambling venues like the racetrack are frequented by many of the city's denizens.
    Los Santos Sunset.tif
  • Cassidy Creek River.jpg
  • Bolingbroke Penitentiary is the state prison of San Andreas and is located in Los Santos County. It is governed by the San Andreas State Prison Authority. The prison is located on the Los Santos County side of Route 68, just down the road from Harmony. The prison's shape is that of an octagon. The perimeter of the prison is patrolled by the Los Santos County Sheriff and sometimes the Los Santos Police Department. There are armed San Andreas State Prison Authority officers standing near the entrances, making sure that no one attempts to break in or out. The penitentiary seems to be inspired by the real-life Victorville Federal Prison in Victorville, California. The exterior of Bolingbroke resembles Texas state penitentiary in Rocksprings, Texas. Inside the recreation yard, there is writing on a wall that reads, "Where water meets land and fire once spewed forth, there the infinite 8 shall stay until I return." The message is left by Merle Abrahams, who was obsessed with the number eight and had killed eight people in 1999.
    Bolingbroke Penitentiary.jpg
  • "Imagine a city full of people ruthlessly pursuing wealth, fame and self-improvement, at any cost? Where everyone you met was either a celebrity, trying to be a celebrity, or used to be a celebrity? Where nature's bounty meant you could enjoy perfect weather all year round? Where the air was so good you could literally see and taste it? Dare to dream, because that city exists. Los Santos is truly one of the most audacious and must see cities of the world. The people are beautiful and their attitudes... well, that's for you to discover. The city has everything... whether you're jet-setting, roughing it or in between, it's all here”.<br />
― San Andreas City Guides<br />
<br />
Los Santos is a city located in the State of San Andreas, and it is the first city encountered in San Andreas. It is based on Los Angeles, California. Los Santos translates to 'The Saints', a play on Los Angeles, meaning 'The Angels'. This also applies to the two cities' nicknames - "The City of the Saints" and "City of Angels".<br />
Los Santos is the largest and most populous city in the state. It is situated on the southeastern part of San Andreas, south of Red County and east of Flint County. Los Santos is a major world centre for motion picture, television and other related entertainment industries.<br />
Like Los Angeles, Los Santos is a huge, sprawling co-mingling of cultures and perspectives, full of two-bit hoodlums and small-time and really big time actors and musicians. The population of 3,000,000 is divided into 27 districts, which are home to movie and television studios, multimillion dollar estates, crack-ridden suburbs, a racetrack, an observatory to satisfy stargazers, and the fourth busiest airport in the world. Occasionally, drug dealers are seen carrying huge wads of cash from recent transactions. Graffiti is commonplace and gambling venues like the racetrack are frequented by many of the city's denizens.
    Los Santos.tif
  • Imagine coasting down a winding road, convertible top down, with the sea breeze running through your hair, palm trees swaying in the wind and the sun shining down on the water. The Pacific Coast Highway is probably the most iconic and scenic route left in America, and it’s the dream destination for avid road trippers, car lovers, and travel geeks in general. The entire length of the PCH stretches from north to south along the entirety of the United States’ western border of the Pacific Ocean (hence the name, Pacific Coast Highway). Drivers can take it from San Diegoto LA, San Francisco, and all the way up to Washington state. With the vast majority of the highway located in California, it has become a classic symbol of the state’s substantial natural beauty.
    Paleto Bay Sunset.tif
  • The Santa Monica Pier (constructed in 1909) is a large double-jointed pier at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California, United States. It contains a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing.You know you’ve arrived in Santa Monica, California when you see the iconic Ferris wheel of the Santa Monica Pier jutting into the inviting waters of the Pacific Ocean. Set at Santa Monica’s westernmost point, the Santa Monica Pier is a staple of this picturesque seaside community. Packed with family-friendly activities, restaurants and shops, it also has stunning views and over a century’s worth of history.
    Santa Monica Pier Sunset.tif
  • Imagine coasting down a winding road, convertible top down, with the sea breeze running through your hair, palm trees swaying in the wind and the sun shining down on the water. The Pacific Coast Highway is probably the most iconic and scenic route left in America, and it’s the dream destination for avid road trippers, car lovers, and travel geeks in general. The entire length of the PCH stretches from north to south along the entirety of the United States’ western border of the Pacific Ocean (hence the name, Pacific Coast Highway). Drivers can take it from San Diegoto LA, San Francisco, and all the way up to Washington state. With the vast majority of the highway located in California, it has become a classic symbol of the state’s substantial natural beauty.
    Pacific Coast Highway.tif
  • The Raton Canyon Bridge is a train bridge located in Raton Canyon, Blaine County. The bridge crosses over the Cassidy Creek river as it passes a large drop, and connects either side of the Raton Canyon. It is a single-tracked steel deck arch rail bridge. Trains will travel in a clockwise direction, heading across the bridge from south-to-north. At either side of the track are small pathways for maintenance access. It is an extremely narrow bridge with low railings on either side. The bridge's foundation are embedded deep into the canyon walls at either side of the dirt trails. At either side of the bridge are tunnels where the train passes through; on the south side of the bridge, the Raton Canyon Rail Tunnel, and on the north side, the Mount Chiliad Rail Tunnel.
    Raton Canyon Bridge.tif
  • The Sonoran Desert occurs primarily in Mexico. More than two-thirds of its total area is in Baja California and the state of Sonora. In the United States, most of the Sonoran Desert can be found in the southern third of Arizona, with small areas in southeastern California. It is a subtropical desert and the most complex desert in North America. It has great diversity in geological structures as well as the number and variety of plants and animals. One reason for the many plants and animals in the Sonoran Desert is that it receives rainfall bi-seasonally. Rain falls in this desert during the winter months and also in July and August. Because the rain occurs twice a year, the plants don't have to wait so long between drinks.
    Señora Desert Cactus.tif
  • Zancudo Estuary.tif
  • Sandy Shores Airfield is a private airfield located on Panorama Drive, southwest of the namesake town of Sandy Shores, Blaine County in the middle of the Grand Senora Desert. The airfield consists of three unnamed and unmarked runways: two large parallel runways that run east to west and a smaller runway that runs northeast to southwest. The runways are large enough to easily land any plane (with the exception of a Cargo Plane). The airfield also contains a hangar large enough for one plane that is equal to the size of a typical private jet. Additional structures include a helipad, a small control tower, and a Globe Oil gas station called Flywheels Garage. Parallel to the runways is a freight train line that runs through the north and leads to Paleto Bay. It is accessed directly by Panorama Drive and by dirt roads connecting it to Joshua Road in the north and Route 68 in the south. Directly in front of its main entrance, across the street from Panorama Drive is the Senora National Park.
    Sandy Shores Airfield.tif
  • Chumash is coastal town (based on Malibu, California) located just along the Western Highway, less than a mile northwest of the city of Los Santos along the coast. It is bordered by Banham Canyon to the east and south. Chumash is described as the "land of beach hipsters" by Dave Norton, and that "beards are in fashion". It is implied that the town has a large Central Asian immigrant population. Chumash is wealthy and above middle class, as indicated by the large houses and the Chumash Plaza, a shopping centre with many different brands. It is also supposedly where all the "cool celebrities" live. Chumash is located on a strip of land between the Tongva Valley and the beach. The town mostly consists of houses, except for the famous dock and a few convenience stores. Chumash mostly sits on top of sand rather than soil. The settlement continues further south, but strangely the southern half of the settlement is a nameless part of Banham Canyon.
    Malibu Pier.tif
  • Trucker At Rest.tif
  • The Tehachapi Pass wind farm is one of the first large scale wind farms installed in the U.S., with around 710 megawatts (950,000 hp) produced by about 3400 wind turbines. Wind development in the Tehachapi Pass began in the early 1980s by James Dehlsen and Zond Corporation. The first set of wind turbines installed were of American-made Storm Master brand, however they proved troublesome and eventually had to be replaced. Dehlsen turned to Danish-built machines later, which now make up the majority of the turbines at the pass. The area hosts a multitude of wind farms, comprising one of California's largest wind resource areas. The pass is undergoing much repowering activity. The area has multiple generations of wind turbine technology installed, including both single and double-blade turbines, as well as the more modern three-blade horizontal axis design. The older generation turbines generate kilowatts, and the modern turbines installed generate up to 3 megawatts, depending on the specific turbine and manufacturer. The Tehachapi wind resource area is a net exporter of generation to other parts of the state of California. A state initiative to upgrade the transmission out of Tehachapi (Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project) began in 2008 and was expected to be completed by 2012. This has opened the door to further regional wind power development and multiple projects are expected to be installed to utilize that capacity. A prime location for viewing the turbines is off of State Route 58 and from Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road.
    Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm.tif
  • Slab City, also called The Slabs, is a largely snowbird community in the Sonoran Desert located in Imperial County, California. It is 100 miles (161 km) northeast of San Diego and 169 miles (272 km) southeast of Los Angeles within the California Badlands. Slab City is used by recreational vehicle owners and squatters from across North America. It took its name from concrete slabs that remained from the abandoned World War II Marine Corps barracks of Camp Dunlap.<br />
Several thousand campers, many of them retired, use the site during the winter months. The "snowbirds" stay only for the winter before migrating north in spring to cooler climates. The temperatures during summer are as high as 120 °F (49 °C); nonetheless, there is a group of around 150 permanent residents who live in "The Slabs" year round. Some of these "Slabbers" derive their living from government programs and have been driven to "The Slabs" by poverty. Others have moved to "The Slabs" to learn how to live off the grid and be left alone. Still others have moved there to stretch their retirement income.<br />
The site is both decommissioned and uncontrolled, and there is no charge for parking. The site has no official electricity, running water, sewers, toilets or trash pickup service. Many residents use generators or solar panels to generate electricity. The closest body of civilization with proper law enforcement is approximately four miles (6.4 km) southwest of Slab City in Niland where the residents often go to do basic shopping. As a result, the site is described by its inhabitants and news outlets like Vice News as a miniature de facto enclave of anarchy.
    Slab City Trailer Home.tif
  • The Sonoran Desert occurs primarily in Mexico. More than two-thirds of its total area is in Baja California and the state of Sonora. In the United States, most of the Sonoran Desert can be found in the southern third of Arizona, with small areas in southeastern California. It is a subtropical desert and the most complex desert in North America. It has great diversity in geological structures as well as the number and variety of plants and animals. One reason for the many plants and animals in the Sonoran Desert is that it receives rainfall bi-seasonally. Rain falls in this desert during the winter months and also in July and August. Because the rain occurs twice a year, the plants don't have to wait so long between drinks.
    Desert Biker.tif
  • Chumash is coastal town (based on Malibu, California) located just along the Western Highway, less than a mile northwest of the city of Los Santos along the coast. It is bordered by Banham Canyon to the east and south. Chumash is described as the "land of beach hipsters" by Dave Norton, and that "beards are in fashion". It is implied that the town has a large Central Asian immigrant population. Chumash is wealthy and above middle class, as indicated by the large houses and the Chumash Plaza, a shopping centre with many different brands. It is also supposedly where all the "cool celebrities" live. Chumash is located on a strip of land between the Tongva Valley and the beach. The town mostly consists of houses, except for the famous dock and a few convenience stores. Chumash mostly sits on top of sand rather than soil. The settlement continues further south, but strangely the southern half of the settlement is a nameless part of Banham Canyon.
    Malibu Pier At Night.tif
  • Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66), also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System. Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in the United States, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending in Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). It was recognized in popular culture by both the hit song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”. Route 66 served as a primary route for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and the road supported the economies of the communities through which it passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System.<br />
Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime, but was officially removed from the United States Highway System in 1985 after it had been replaced in its entirety by segments of the Interstate Highway System. Portions of the road that passed through Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona have been communally designated a National Scenic Byway by the name "Historic Route 66", returning the name to some maps. Several states have adopted significant bypassed sections of the former US 66 into their state road networks as State Route 66. The corridor is also being redeveloped into U.S. Bicycle Route 66, a part of the United States Bicycle Route System that was developed in the 2010s.
    Route 66.tif
  • Calafia Bridge.jpg
  • The El Gordo Lighthouse is a large lighthouse located off the eastern coast of San Andreas in Cape Catfish Cove. The lighthouse and the large house on the mainland are the most prominent features in the small Cape Catfish Cove settlement. The overall location and rainy weather conditions give the area a creepy feel that matches the only known resident. <br />
<br />
Besides Ursula, who lives in the home near the lighthouse, there are no known residents in Cape Catfish Cove. Ursula comes across as being mentally ill and dangerous. She goes on to tell about her life, saying how the last person to pick her up choked to death on his own hand, suggesting that she killed the person. She also states how a gardener used to visit her a few times a week, and "got sick." She also mentions another visitor falling down a cliff. Her mother is also recently deceased which has sprung rumours of Ursula killing her. The presumed grave of her mother is located on the mountain south of the lighthouse.
    El Gordo Lighthouse.jpg
  • The Sonoran Desert occurs primarily in Mexico. More than two-thirds of its total area is in Baja California and the state of Sonora. In the United States, most of the Sonoran Desert can be found in the southern third of Arizona, with small areas in southeastern California. It is a subtropical desert and the most complex desert in North America. It has great diversity in geological structures as well as the number and variety of plants and animals. One reason for the many plants and animals in the Sonoran Desert is that it receives rainfall bi-seasonally. Rain falls in this desert during the winter months and also in July and August. Because the rain occurs twice a year, the plants don't have to wait so long between drinks.
    Abandoned Bus.tif
  • The Santa Monica Pier (constructed in 1909) is a large double-jointed pier at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California, United States. It contains a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing.You know you’ve arrived in Santa Monica, California when you see the iconic Ferris wheel of the Santa Monica Pier jutting into the inviting waters of the Pacific Ocean. Set at Santa Monica’s westernmost point, the Santa Monica Pier is a staple of this picturesque seaside community. Packed with family-friendly activities, restaurants and shops, it also has stunning views and over a century’s worth of history.
    Santa Monica Pier Amusments.tif
  • The Alamo Sea is based on the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is a shallow rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys.<br />
The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018. The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo rivers, as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. The Salton Sea was accidentally created when in 1905 the Colorado River swelled, breached its levees and flooded into the Salton Sink desert valley. For two years the water flowed, creating the Salton Sea – a 15-mile by 35-mile freshwater lake 45miles outside of Palm Springs. Salton Sea mud contains enough arsenic and selenium to qualify for disposal in a dump reserved for the most toxic of society's trash. Chromium, zinc, lead and pesticides, including DDT, are also in the lake bottom.
    Alamo Sea Wharf.jpg
  • Imagine coasting down a winding road, convertible top down, with the sea breeze running through your hair, palm trees swaying in the wind and the sun shining down on the water. The Pacific Coast Highway is probably the most iconic and scenic route left in America, and it’s the dream destination for avid road trippers, car lovers, and travel geeks in general. The entire length of the PCH stretches from north to south along the entirety of the United States’ western border of the Pacific Ocean (hence the name, Pacific Coast Highway). Drivers can take it from San Diegoto LA, San Francisco, and all the way up to Washington state. With the vast majority of the highway located in California, it has become a classic symbol of the state’s substantial natural beauty.
    Pacific Coast Highway Trucker.tif
  • The Satellite Relay Station (also known as the Radio Telescope Array or Satellite Communication Complex) is located in the Grand Senora Desert, Blaine County. The observatory is located right on the county border, just north-east of Bolingbroke Penitentiary and directly over Route 68 from the Yellow Jack Inn. It is an array of six radio telescopes generally directed north-east. At night, the dishes are colorfully illuminated.
    Satellite Dish.tif
  • Imagine coasting down a winding road, convertible top down, with the sea breeze running through your hair, palm trees swaying in the wind and the sun shining down on the water. The Pacific Coast Highway is probably the most iconic and scenic route left in America, and it’s the dream destination for avid road trippers, car lovers, and travel geeks in general. The entire length of the PCH stretches from north to south along the entirety of the United States’ western border of the Pacific Ocean (hence the name, Pacific Coast Highway). Drivers can take it from San Diegoto LA, San Francisco, and all the way up to Washington state. With the vast majority of the highway located in California, it has become a classic symbol of the state’s substantial natural beauty.
    Pacific Coast Highway Islands.jpg
  • The Alamo Sea is based on the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is a shallow rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys.<br />
The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018. The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo rivers, as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. The Salton Sea was accidentally created when in 1905 the Colorado River swelled, breached its levees and flooded into the Salton Sink desert valley. For two years the water flowed, creating the Salton Sea – a 15-mile by 35-mile freshwater lake 45miles outside of Palm Springs. Salton Sea mud contains enough arsenic and selenium to qualify for disposal in a dump reserved for the most toxic of society's trash. Chromium, zinc, lead and pesticides, including DDT, are also in the lake bottom.
    Abandoned VW.jpg
  • Looking like mini midcentury modern stilt houses or the most seaside of seaside cabins, the 158 lifeguard towers that dot the coastline of Los Angles County are unsung sentinels. Built to shield lifeguards from the glaring sun while also giving them a better view of the beach—and somewhat comfortable quarters—the seemingly simple structures have more going on than meets the eye. For many years you could still find roofless towers. Sun-sick lifeguards called them “penalty boxes.” Today’s towers, which are based on models from the 1950s, feature wide eaves and windows that are UV-protected and angled to cut down on sun exposure. The towers are elevated to provide a better vantage point, of course, but also to protect against errant waves at high tide. Most of the structures are moved inland via tractor in the winter to avoid storm surges and then out again in the spring. The American flag is flown to indicate the tower is occupied. When there are too many swimmers for safe surfing, the blackball flag serves as a warning. If you see a red flotation device—known as a can—attached to the building, the lifeguard is inside, not on the sand or in the water. One of the few pieces of gear permanently stored in a tower is the bucket that lifeguards place at the base of the ramp to wash sand and salt off their feet. They take the high-powered binoculars with them when they leave, folding the tower’s flaps down to protect the angled windows. <br />
Before the mid-’70s, there were three lifeguard services: Santa Monica, L.A. City, and L.A. County. Each had different styles of towers. Some were fiberglass, some wood, some big, some small, some painted white, some blue. It wasn’t until 2001 that the now-unified L.A. County lifeguard service adopted a blue wood version as the standard.
    Venice Beach Lifeguard Tower.tif
  • The classic oil derrick pump is known colloquially as a sucker rod pump, named for the plunger-like mechanics it uses to pump oil from underground wells up to the surface. It uses a series of gears and cranks to pump a polished rod up and down an oil well in a piston-like motion, albeit much slower.
    Oil Derrick.tif
  • Imagine coasting down a winding road, convertible top down, with the sea breeze running through your hair, palm trees swaying in the wind and the sun shining down on the water. The Pacific Coast Highway is probably the most iconic and scenic route left in America, and it’s the dream destination for avid road trippers, car lovers, and travel geeks in general. The entire length of the PCH stretches from north to south along the entirety of the United States’ western border of the Pacific Ocean (hence the name, Pacific Coast Highway). Drivers can take it from San Diegoto LA, San Francisco, and all the way up to Washington state. With the vast majority of the highway located in California, it has become a classic symbol of the state’s substantial natural beauty.
    Pacific Coast Highway.tif
  • Sandy Shores Airfield is a private airfield located on Panorama Drive, southwest of the namesake town of Sandy Shores, Blaine County in the middle of the Grand Senora Desert. The airfield consists of three unnamed and unmarked runways: two large parallel runways that run east to west and a smaller runway that runs northeast to southwest. The runways are large enough to easily land any plane (with the exception of a Cargo Plane). The airfield also contains a hangar large enough for one plane that is equal to or smaller in size than a Shamal. Additional structures include a helipad, a small control tower, and a Globe Oil gas station called Flywheels Garage. Parallel to the runways is a freight train line that runs through the north and leads to Paleto Bay. It is accessed directly by Panorama Drive and by dirt roads connecting it to Joshua Road in the north and Route 68 in the south. Directly in front of its main entrance, across the street from Panorama Drive is the Senora National Park.
    Control Tower.tif
  • The Alamo Sea is based on the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is a shallow rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys.<br />
The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018. The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo rivers, as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. The Salton Sea was accidentally created when in 1905 the Colorado River swelled, breached its levees and flooded into the Salton Sink desert valley. For two years the water flowed, creating the Salton Sea – a 15-mile by 35-mile freshwater lake 45miles outside of Palm Springs. Salton Sea mud contains enough arsenic and selenium to qualify for disposal in a dump reserved for the most toxic of society's trash. Chromium, zinc, lead and pesticides, including DDT, are also in the lake bottom.
    Abandoned Van.tif
  • The Alamo Sea is based on the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is a shallow rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys.<br />
The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018. The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo rivers, as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. The Salton Sea was accidentally created when in 1905 the Colorado River swelled, breached its levees and flooded into the Salton Sink desert valley. For two years the water flowed, creating the Salton Sea – a 15-mile by 35-mile freshwater lake 45miles outside of Palm Springs. Salton Sea mud contains enough arsenic and selenium to qualify for disposal in a dump reserved for the most toxic of society's trash. Chromium, zinc, lead and pesticides, including DDT, are also in the lake bottom.
    Alamo Sea Sunrise.tif
  • "Imagine a city full of people ruthlessly pursuing wealth, fame and self-improvement, at any cost? Where everyone you met was either a celebrity, trying to be a celebrity, or used to be a celebrity? Where nature's bounty meant you could enjoy perfect weather all year round? Where the air was so good you could literally see and taste it? Dare to dream, because that city exists. Los Santos is truly one of the most audacious and must see cities of the world. The people are beautiful and their attitudes... well, that's for you to discover. The city has everything... whether you're jet-setting, roughing it or in between, it's all here”.<br />
― San Andreas City Guides<br />
<br />
Los Santos is a city located in the State of San Andreas, and it is the first city encountered in San Andreas. It is based on Los Angeles, California. Los Santos translates to 'The Saints', a play on Los Angeles, meaning 'The Angels'. This also applies to the two cities' nicknames - "The City of the Saints" and "City of Angels".<br />
Los Santos is the largest and most populous city in the state. It is situated on the southeastern part of San Andreas, south of Red County and east of Flint County. Los Santos is a major world centre for motion picture, television and other related entertainment industries.<br />
Like Los Angeles, Los Santos is a huge, sprawling co-mingling of cultures and perspectives, full of two-bit hoodlums and small-time and really big time actors and musicians. The population of 3,000,000 is divided into 27 districts, which are home to movie and television studios, multimillion dollar estates, crack-ridden suburbs, a racetrack, an observatory to satisfy stargazers, and the fourth busiest airport in the world. Occasionally, drug dealers are seen carrying huge wads of cash from recent transactions. Graffiti is commonplace and gambling venues like the racetrack are frequented by many of the city's denizens.
    City Street.tif
  • The Alamo Sea is based on the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is a shallow rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in the U.S. state of California's Imperial and Coachella valleys.<br />
The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Its surface is 236.0 ft (71.9 m) below sea level as of January 2018. The deepest point of the sea is 5 ft (1.5 m) higher than the lowest point of Death Valley. The sea is fed by the New, Whitewater, and Alamo rivers, as well as agricultural runoff, drainage systems, and creeks. The Salton Sea was accidentally created when in 1905 the Colorado River swelled, breached its levees and flooded into the Salton Sink desert valley. For two years the water flowed, creating the Salton Sea – a 15-mile by 35-mile freshwater lake 45miles outside of Palm Springs. Salton Sea mud contains enough arsenic and selenium to qualify for disposal in a dump reserved for the most toxic of society's trash. Chromium, zinc, lead and pesticides, including DDT, are also in the lake bottom.
    Alamo Sea Sunset.tif
  • “This bright pink grasshopper is enough to make anyone jump” – and I didn’t find it in the jungles of Borneo or Brazil but in Thomastown, County Kilkenny. When I first found ‘Mr. Pink’, I contacted the Irish Wildlife Trust straight away, thinking that my name would go down in the annals of Irish wildlife history but unfortunately for me, I was informed that it is not a rare species but it is a very unusual colour, which makes it a very rare, interesting and strange find. It’s colour, in terms of percentage in normal Meadow Grasshoppers is less than one percent. Most grasshopper species in Ireland are greenish-brown in colour, but some have genetics that can make them pink or purple-red. It is called erythrism, which is an unusual and little-understood genetic mutation caused by a recessive gene similar to that which affects albino animals. The combination of red hair and freckles in humans is thought to be a form of erythrism, too. These grasshoppers tend not to make it to adulthood or survive for long in the wild as predators easily spot them, so it was a treat for me to see and photograph a grasshopper as beautiful as this one. I suppose if it were found in a field of pink flowers, ‘Mr. Pink’ would have a distinct advantage, so there you go.
    Pink Grasshopper-1.jpg
  • The Fox Moth is one of Ireland’s largest moths with a wingspan of 60 to 70mm (2.5 – 3 inches). It is found in most parts of the country and can be seen in May to early July. The male Fox Moths are a reddish brown colour (resembling that of a fox) with two, thin yellow stripes running straight across each forewing. Female Fox Moths are paler and more greyish in colour. The male flies by day and night, while the female only flies at night. The Caterpillars can be a little tricky to identify as they change colour as they grow. The younger caterpillars are black with thin orange bands along their length. The older caterpillars are a reddish-brown colour and covered in long grey hairs, known as setae. Although many species depend on camouflage as a form of protection against predators, the hair acts as a defence against birds and predatory insects such as parasitoid wasps, which find it difficult to penetrate beyond the hairs to lay eggs beneath the caterpillar’s skin. The Caterpillars eat a remarkably wide range of plants i.e.: Brambles, Strawberries, Raspberries, Alfalfa, Clovers, Blackthorn, Potentillas, Heathers and Roses. They live communally, protecting themselves with a web and hibernating through the winter. These dark hairy caterpillars can often be mistaken for the dreaded, but unrelated, Processionary Caterpillars, which have severely irritant hairs (similar to the Stinging Nettle or Poison Ivy). The caterpillars of the Fox Moth can be picked up and handled, although if you have sensitive skin you might find that they will give you a rash. The caterpillar won’t be too impressed either and will form a coil in self-defence. They can be found in grassland habitats including moorland, damp meadows, sand dunes and open woodland
    Fox Moth Caterpillar-1.jpg
  • This butterfly was photographed in Ballynafagh Lake in August 2014. The ‘Common Blue’ butterfly is the most common of the Blues found in Ireland. It has a wingspan of 29 – 35mm and it is tightly tied to dense stands of its food plants i.e., the Bird's Foot Trefoil and the Common Restharrow. The male is a very attractive shiny blue, whereas the female is mainly brown with her underside being very decorative, with orange crescents and black spots. The colour of the upperwings of females varies from almost completely brown in southern England to predominantly blue in the west of Ireland, but the colour is variable within local populations with some striking examples. With experience and a good eye most individuals can be found usually resting on dried grass stems, facing down and with the wings closed but one side facing towards the sun to absorb as much heat as possible before the sun finally sets. The males fly around their host plants in order to find females. The green caterpillars (10mm in length) are quite flattened in appearance with a shiny black head, secrete nutrient-containing substances that attract ants and in turn, the ants protect the caterpillars from predators.
    Common Blue Butterfly-1.jpg
  • The frog you are most likely to see in Ireland is the common frog (Rana Temporaria), which lives on land in damp habitats for most of the year. It may be found in open woods, hedgerows, fields and gardens, not too far from water. The body colour varies widely, with upper parts usually brown or olive, but sometimes yellowish- orange or grey. The underside is normally paler, and the whole body is blotched or spotted with a darker colour, which helps to camouflage it against its background. This frog has a distinctive dark patch behind its eye. A male common frog is slightly smaller than the female, which measures about 7.5cm (3in.). Frogs move by hopping or leaping, using their long, muscular back legs; they do not crawl. They have very smooth, damp skins. The fully webbed hind feet help them to swim. Frogs eat insects and other invertebrates, such as slugs, snails and worms. On summer days, they like to hide amongst tall plants and come out on warm, damp evenings to hunt. Like all amphibians, it is hard for them to find food during the winter, and they cannot function in cold temperatures, so from about mid-October they hibernate in a sheltered place on land e.g. under a log, or in the muddy bottoms of ponds. Males often hibernate in the bottom of ponds, so that they are already at the breeding site when the females arrive in the early spring. They can take in sufficient oxygen through their skin during hibernation under the water.
    Common Frog.jpg
  • This is one of our more exotic looking spiders. It's a native spider of Mediterranean areas, and has only recently colonized England. Despite the warning colouration this is not a dangerous species. The wasp-like appearance is probably defensive, to deter predators. The Wasp Spider builds its web close to the ground in order to catch grasshoppers and crickets. The female can often be seen hanging upside-down in the middle of her web throughout summer and autumn. The web features a distinctive zigzag patterned section running vertically through it. The large abdomen features yellow, black and white stripes, and the cephalothorax is covered with silver coloured hair. When viewed from underneath you can see two yellow stripes running lengthways along the abdomen. The female Wasp Spider creates one of the largest egg sacs of any of the spiders found in Britain. It is flask shaped, brown in colour and about 25mm across. She fills it with eggs and then seals the top with more silk. The male is much smaller, and is only active for a couple of weeks in July. Like many other male spiders, he has to be careful when mating, to ensure he doesn't end up as dinner for the female.
    Wasp Spider.jpg
  • Green Orb-Weaver Spiders (5-7mm in length), as the name suggests, have a bright green abdomen and a yellow or reddish coloured head. Just above the spinners (the tail end) they have a bright red spot. This is more obvious on young spiders and can only be seen from underneath the spider. Freshly hatched spiderlings are red, and change to brown before the autumn. Despite their almost fluorescent colour the Green Orb-Weavers can remain very well camouflaged amongst vegetation. It's only when they stray from their normal habitat they get noticed. Green orb-weavers are a common native species found throughout the UK and northern Europe.
    Green Orb-Weaver Spider.jpg
  • Forest bugs (15mm in length), also known as Red-legged Shield Bugs, can be distinguished from other Shield Bugs by their square shoulders because they look like they are wearing American football player padding. Their bodies are a dark bronze-brown colour with orange legs and antennae. The antennae are about the same length as the body. The forest bug's main food source is any of several species of oak, alder, hazel and other deciduous trees, including apple and cherry. As it is a sap-feeder, it uses it’s piercing mouthparts to withdraw the liquid. The forest bug is also an agricultural and garden pest, as it will not hesitate to feed on fruit and nut trees. Adults lay eggs during the summer in the cracks of tree bark, and the larvae hatch the following spring. Adults are partly predatory, feeding on caterpillars and other insects. This species overwinters as a nymph, the adults are present from July to November and the eggs are laid in August. The adults live for one year.
    Brown Shield Bug-1.jpg
  • The Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum Sanguineum) attains a wingspan of up to 6 cm. The head thorax and abdomen of the male are vivid red, while the female is slightly smaller, and is a golden-yellow colour with black markings. The all-black legs of the ruddy darter distinguish it from the otherwise very similar common darter. The ruddy darter can be found between the months of July and November. Mating takes place on the wing, with the coupled pair performing a dipping flight over the water. The female jettisons her fertilised eggs at the water surface by alternating movements of the abdomen. The male will hover nearby during this period and protect the female by driving off any approaching males. The larvae spend the year beneath the water surface before emerging and pupating into adults. The ruddy darter is to be found in temperate regions throughout Europe as Far East as Siberia and as far south as the northern Sahara. Its conservation status is regarded as secure, and indeed numbers seem to be increasing in some locations such as central England. It tends to prefer quiet bodies of water that feature semiaquatic vegetation such as rushes and reeds.
    Ruddy Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum Sa...jpg
  • The House Spider is probably the best known and perhaps the most hated of the Irish spiders - it is fairly large and hairy with long legs. It varies in colour from pale to dark brown, with variable sooty markings on the abdomen. Male and female house spiders are similar in appearance, but males have a more slender abdomen and longer legs. Although often detested, the House Spider provides a service wherever it occurs, reducing the number of flies and other unwelcome insects from our homes, so they are "nature's safest insecticides”. It makes a flat sheet-like silk web, typically with a tubular retreat at one corner. These webs can become fairly large when undisturbed. When an insect falls onto the web, the spider dashes out from its retreat, seizes the prey and returns to the retreat to consume the meal. Male House Spiders are usually seen more often than females, as they wander widely in search of a mate. After a male has found a female's web he will stay with her for a number of weeks, mating with her repeatedly during this time. He then dies and the female eats him, the nutrients within the male contribute to the development of his young. The word 'spider' derives from the Old English word 'spithra', which means 'spinner'. Spider webs have been used to heal wounds and staunch blood flow for many years. Found all over the world, the House Spider is common and widespread throughout Ireland and Europe.
    House Spider-1.jpg
  • The Red Palm Weevil is a relatively large beetle (2 – 5cms) and is a rusty red colour. Weevil larvae can excavate holes in the trunk od a palm tree up to a meter long, thereby weakening and eventually killing the host plant. As a result, the weevil is considered a major pest in palm plantations. Originally from Asia, the Red Palm Weevil has spread to Africa and Europe, reaching the Mediterranean in the 1980s. It was first recorded in Spain in 1994, and in France in 2006. While adults cause some damage through feeding, it is the burrowing of the larvae into the heart of the palm that can cause the greatest mortality in trees. The adult female lays approximately two hundred eggs on new growth in the crown of the palm, at the base of young leaves, or in open lesions on the plant. The larva will feed on the soft fibers and terminal buds, tunneling through the internal tissue of the tree for about a month. The larvae leave the tree and form a cocoon built of dry palm fibers in leaf litter at the base of the tree. The total life cycle takes about 7–10 weeks. This beetle is reported in almost 15% of the global coconut-growing countries and in nearly 50% of the date palm-growing countries. In this photo, if you look closely, you will notice that it is carrying hundreds of babies under her head.
    Red Palm Weevil-1.jpg
  • As the name suggests, the common blue damselfly is one of the commonest species in Ireland. Adult males are predominantly blue, spotted with black markings resembling stripes. Adult females are much darker with larger areas of black and usually a green background colour. Both dragonflies and damselflies are strong and swift fliers. Apart from their smaller size and generally more slender build, the easiest way to distinguish damselflies from dragonflies is the position of the wings when the insect is resting. Dragonflies rest with both pairs of wings held perpendicular to the body, whereas damselflies hold them almost parallel; also damselfly eyes are further apart than those of a dragonfly. Common blue damselflies appear in mid to late May and their flight period lasts right through the summer months to September. Adults live for around 12 days on average and in this short period they must breed. Mating can take up to 20 minutes and the females lay their eggs in the tissue of plants both above and below the water line and are capable of remaining submerged for some time. The male will stay guarding her at the point where she entered the water. The common blue damselfly is found around open lakes and ponds, along river and canal banks, and streams, provided there is plenty of bankside vegetation.
    Common Blue-Tail Damselfly.jpg
  • Green Tiger Beetles (the fastest insect on Earth) are easily recognized by their iridescent green colour with yellowish spots on their back. Adult Green Tiger Beetles can be seen from April to September and are between 10 - 15mm in length (they have a life span of 6 weeks). They have long legs that make them agile when hunting for prey and large eyes making them the perfect predator. If disturbed, they will fly short distances making a buzzing sound in flight. Green Tiger Beetles have extremely large jaws (mandibles) that have several teeth that resemble two curved swords with pointed blades. They are among the fastest insects on Earth, they can run at a speed of 5.6 mph, which relative to its body length, is about 22 times the speed of an Olympic sprinter & the equivalent of a human running at 480 miles per hour. In fact, Tiger Beetles run so fast that they actually lose the ability to see once they start moving. They have to visually lock on to their prey first, or run in short bursts to re-orient themselves as they chase their food. Either way they are so fast, their prey stands little chance of getting out of the way in time. Adults feed on any small invertebrates that they can catch including spiders, caterpillars, ants & other beetles. "If a military designer needed a model for a perfect combination of jeep and aircraft, able to switch from one to the other instantly, he need look no further than these feisty little creatures".
    Green Tiger Beetle-1.jpg
  • The Blue-Winged Grasshopper is a heat and drought-loving grasshopper that can be found in of sparse vegetation and barren and sandy areas such as quarries, gravel pits, industrial terrain & the ballast of railway tracks. This species has the ability to perfectly blend in with its surrounding habitat thanks to its morphological camouflage. The base colour varies considerably but you will always find red (to blend in with the soil), blue/white (to blend in with rocks) and almost black animals with a pronounced pattern of dark bands and speckled spots on the bodies. This ability is extremely beneficial for survival as it helps to avoid becoming prey by wandering aerial predators. While they are excellent fliers and very mobile, they usually only fly (reluctantly) when disturbed. The adult animals can be found from mid-June to October. The eggs are laid in open sandy-gritty soil and hatch in late May to early June. It can be found anywhere from Spain to southern Scandinavia and even as far afield as western Russia.
    Blue-Winged Grasshopper-1.jpg
  • The Ladybird is a small colourful beetle that is found all around the world. There are thought to be more than 5,000 different species of ladybird in the world, with more than 450 species found in North America alone. It is best known for it's spotted body, normally red and black, but orange and yellow ladybirds are often found. Ladybirds are fearsome predators within their environment and are known as gardener's friends as they munch all of the tiny pests that eat the plants i.e. aphids, greenfly, plant lice and other small insects. It is thought that a single ladybird can eat more than 5,000 aphids in just one year. Ladybirds will hibernate in large groups in sites that are used year after year, and they are thought to hibernate in this communal fashion in order to increase their chances of surviving the cold winter. It is thought that pheromones are released by hibernating ladybirds and these pheromones attract other ladybirds to hibernate in the same place. The female ladybird can lay more than 2,000 eggs in one year that hatch in just a few days. Due to climate changes and habitat loss, the ladybird is now considered to be one of the animal species that is threatened with extinction. It has been noted that ladybirds are particularly sensitive to temperature and will die from dehydration if it is much hotter than it should be. It is thought to be good luck to find that a ladybird has landed on you, and most definitely bad luck if you then squash it!
    Ladybird.jpg
  • Large and impressive the Egyptian Grasshopper is a common species around the Mediterranean. Adult female Egyptian grasshoppers can reach a length of 65mm. In fact, they are so large, when in flight; they can often be mistaken for a bird. The male is smaller, growing to around 35mm. The antennae of both sexes are relatively short and robust. The spiny projections on the underside of the legs help the insect to cling to vertical surfaces. The adults are generally grey, brown or olive coloured with variable patterns that allows them to camouflage themselves against tree bark and other vegetation and when they catch sight of you they will move slowly to the opposite side of their ‘perch’, hoping to avoid detection. This grasshopper is vegetarian, essentially feeding on leaves. It is a solitary species and not harmful to crops. They can be told apart from other grasshoppers by the diagnostic vertical striped pattern in their eyes, which is visible at all growth stages. Eggs are laid in the spring just under the soil surface. The young grasshoppers are tiny when they first emerge as nymphs and can be found in a variety of colours including bright green and even a pale orange. It is occasionally found in Britain, having been imported on trucks laden with vegetables and plants.
    Egyptian Grasshopper 3 (Anacridium A...jpg
  • Nettles are one of the best places to look for insects because all sorts of creatures can be found on them. Nettles may sting us but insects are immune from the effects. If you look closely at the leaves of the nettle plant you will sometimes see small whitish specks, which close up, prove to be the shiny Green Nettle Weevil. They are between 5mm and 8mm in size and the Green Nettle Weevil is often abundant on the nettle plant, hence its common name. The iridescent sheen of the adult Green Nettle Weevil comes from a coating of green scales, which covers its black body. Over time and with age, these scales easily rub off leaving a black 'shell' underneath resulting in a rather 'worn', patchy appearance, hence the variation between the green and blue colours. They can be found from April to late June.
    Green Nettle Weevil.jpg
  • Large and impressive the Egyptian Grasshopper is a common species around the Mediterranean. Adult female Egyptian grasshoppers can reach a length of 65mm. In fact, they are so large, when in flight; they can often be mistaken for a bird. The male is smaller, growing to around 35mm. The antennae of both sexes are relatively short and robust. The spiny projections on the underside of the legs help the insect to cling to vertical surfaces. The adults are generally grey, brown or olive coloured with variable patterns that allows them to camouflage themselves against tree bark and other vegetation and when they catch sight of you they will move slowly to the opposite side of their ‘perch’, hoping to avoid detection. This grasshopper is vegetarian, essentially feeding on leaves. It is a solitary species and not harmful to crops. They can be told apart from other grasshoppers by the diagnostic vertical striped pattern in their eyes, which is visible at all growth stages. Eggs are laid in the spring just under the soil surface. The young grasshoppers are tiny when they first emerge as nymphs and can be found in a variety of colours including bright green and even a pale orange. It is occasionally found in Britain, having been imported on trucks laden with vegetables and plants.
    Egyptian Grasshopper.jpg
  • Mediterranean Geckos are nocturnal; their bodies are cylindrical, squat and sometimes flattened on the upper side. They have soft, granular skin that feels velvety to the touch. They have the ability to lighten or darken the colouring of their skin in order to blend in or to be less noticeable to other animals. They are expert tree climbers because they have toes that are equipped with claws and sticky toe pads. They provide year-round insect pest control in our landscapes and homes by feeding on the dreaded cockroach and a wide variety of other insects. Geckos have a long breeding season of about four to five months. Each adult female may lay several clutches of two hard-shelled eggs per year. The eggs are often laid in communal nests, are about one quarter of an inch long and are initially soft-textured, but harden quickly. Unlike most lizards, Mediterranean Geckos are capable of vocalising. The males make an advertising call consisting of several clicks. Vocalisations are also used in territorial disputes and to deter predators. An intriguing characteristic of the Mediterranean Gecko is its ability to cast off its tail in defence and regenerate a new one. The tail has several sections on it where it can break off at any given moment and once it has been cast off, the tail will continue to move violently for several minutes until it slows down and stops, thus giving the Gecko a chance to escape. It takes approximately 3 weeks for these geckos to completely regenerate a new tail, although, it is usually never as long as the original one.
    Mediterranean Gecko-1.jpg
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