List of dragonflies observed in Madeira Archipelago in recent years:

Small Bluetail Ischnura pumilio

Blue Emperor Anax imperator

Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope

Vagrant Emperor Anax ephippiger

Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii

Island Darter Sympetrum nigrifemur

Clouded yellow (Colias crocea) is a resident migrant butterfly in Madeira. This is one of the most common butterflies that one may find in Madeira. When it is flying the upper side of its wings are shining yellow with a green body in the middle, which makes it very easy to be identified.

Its habitat is usually on open fields though it can be found all around the island.

Clouded-Yellow butterfly standing on a Cardoon

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

This spider is known by many different common names, like Wasp Spider, Zebra Spider, Banded Garden Spider or Banded Argiope.

All these names have some reference to its coloured body with black and yellow stripes. This spider species have a big sexual dimorphism where females can reach 2 cm of body and 5 cm of leg-span while males are much smaller with a body of only 1.2 cm and 3 cm of leg-span. Males are also much whiter in colour and much less marked than the females.

Female wasp spider

The Wasp spider is distributed all over Europe except in Sweden and Norway and, it is also part of Madeira's Nature. Its habitat is much diversified as it adapts easily to the environment. It only needs a wide space to build its vertical orb web with vertical zig-zag band of silk. It is not a dangerous spider, though it might bite if grabbed, but their venom is not regarded as a serious medical problem for humans.

Photos by Hugo Romano

This white upperside wings butterfly was not known in Madeira Island until late 70s but once it got here, on a migration route, it was so amazed with Madeira’s habitats that now the Cabbage White live and is common not only in Madeira but also in Porto Santo island.

The Pieris rapae is called the cabbage butterfly as its green caterpillar attacks the Cruciferae and Brassicaceae specimens – the cabbage family.

Photo by Hugo Romano