Hummingbird Moths in Colorado

On June 15, 2020June 15, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado8 Comments

Generally speaking, we are not a fan of moths as they are not usually as colorful or pretty as butterflies. That doesn’t mean that we haven’t seen some that are quite interesting, even if still a little disturbing. Perhaps it is because moths often fly out of dark places when disturbed that make them even more freaky in addition to their furry bodies. We did, however, have a visitor come to our patio this past week that was both a little creepy and yet interesting, it was a hummingbird moth. We had never heard of such a thing until we saw one in our yard and looked it up on the internet.

After a long day of working on our yard, we sat out on our patio to relax at the end of the day. We have a couple of honeysuckle plants at the edge of our patio that will often attract hummingbirds to our yard. As it had gotten dark, we were preparing to go inside when we saw what looked like a hummingbird buzzing around one of the honeysuckle plants, but we knew that a hummingbird wouldn’t be at out in the dark. We took our phones a took a couple of photographs, but the pictures weren’t able to capture any detail. It was clear that it was a moth, but that was all that we could discern.

Photograph from Our Phone. It Looks Like an Alien and You Can See How Long the Tongue Is.

Later in the week, we had a couple more hummingbird moths show up and drink nectar from the honeysuckle plants, so we grabbed our actual camera. We were able to capture the moths and actually see their colorful wings. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t still a little creepy when you see them buzzing around in the dark, but at least we know that they aren’t as ugly as we had first thought when all we had were shadowy images. Have you ever seen a hummingbird moth before and, if so, what did it look like?

It Looks Like It Is Going to Give the Flower a Hug

Caves of Hercules in Morocco

On May 21, 2020May 21, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn morocco2 Comments

One of the interesting sites that we visited during our tour of Tangier, Morocco, was the Caves of Hercules (Grottes d’Hercule). Although the cave itself isn’t particularly fascinating compared to many other caves we have explored, its history makes it worth taking time to visit. It is located on the coast of the Strait of Gibralter and the drive from Tangier to Cape Spartel where the cave sits on the beach is quite beautiful. The cave is partially natural and partially man-made as the Berber people cut stone from the walls of the cave to use to make millstones.

Shape of Africa in Reverse from Within the Cave

You Can Still See Where the Stone Was Cut Away

There are two openings to the cave, one from the sea and one from land, but the one from one land is the actual entrance to the cave. The opening to the sea was believed to have been carved by the Phoenicians and when viewed from the sea is in the shape of Africa. There are a couple of interesting legends associated with the cave. First is the belief that Hercules, the Roman god, stayed and slept in the cave during the 11th of his 12 labours that were given to him by King Eurystheus of Tiryns. This myth is obviously the source of the current name of the cave complex. Perhaps even more interesting is the legend that the cave was believed to be the entrance of a tunnel underneath the Strait of Gibralter that led to St. Michael’s Cave in Gibraltar. That same legend has the famous Barbary Macaque Monkeys that inhabit Gibraltar having used this tunnel to get from Africa to Europe.

Walking Through the Cave Towards the Sea Opening

The Africa shaped opening, carved walls, and fascinating legends make this a worthwhile stop when visiting Tangier, Morocco. We also stopped at the Cape Spartel Lighthouse to have a snack and enjoy the amazing views. We also rode camels on the beach nearby, but that was very touristy. The Caves of Hercules remains one of our favorite memories of our tour in Morocco.

Interesting Coloration (and Yes, We Were Leaning Over as We Took This Photograph)

Waves Crashing on the Rocky Cave Entrance

The Monkeys of Gibraltar

On May 7, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Spain1 Comment

Gibraltar is a British Territory located in Southern Spain where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is a very interesting place to visit for a variety of regions and hiking the trail that leads to the summit of the famous Rock of Gibraltar is obviously number one on the list. We took the cable car to the summit and then hiked down the trail, which includes going into the caves that served as part of the fortress system. As interesting as that is, seeing the monkeys that live along the trail is also very fascinating.

The monkeys are Barbary Macaques that have inhabited the area for hundreds of years, if not even more. There are several theories as to how the macaques came to live in what is now Gibraltar, but no one is sure if they were introduced by the Moors, migrated there naturally, or brought by some other group of people. Either way, they can’t be missed if you decide to take the trail that provides stunning views of the area.

Sitting Right in the Middle of the Trail

Although the monkeys look cute, it is important to remember that these are wild animals and should not be approached. In fact, they are the only wild monkey population in any part of Europe. You also need to be very careful with your cameras, purses, or other items that you might carry as they are known for grabbing them and running away. As long as you treat them with the respect that they deserve, they will enhance what is already a wonderful experience.