My last foray into the mountains today before I fly to the UK for a week, I found this large bee idling on a Daphne gnidium waiting for it to warm up.
This was one of the reasons I wanted to go, though I didn't expect them to be in flower because of the lack of rain, however they were plentiful and looking wonderful with no snails or slugs to munch on them. Quite a few butterflies still about, mostly too quick for me, but I think this is a Silver Studded Blue.
This is the main reason for my trip today, the foliage is evident during the spring, so the plant has to be located then, and a good memory lets you know where to look. As none of my books have a photo of it in flower, and only two of them mention it, one giving a line drawing, and a note saying they're in flower from September to October I decided to risk a trip and hope for the best. The first location was hopeless, but persistence paid, and I've bagged Lapiedra martinezii, it smells faintly of lilac, and as it doesn't appear in the books has to be scarce, I'm one happy bunny.