COCHINEALS ATTACK!

Cochineal is a small tick (5mm) which lives on Opuntia Ficus-Indica cactus. It sucks the juices of the plant and reproduces on the leaves. Only the wingless  female cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) sucks the plant liquids, while the male has wings and it's only purpose is reproduction. Cochineals has a nymh phase which lives together with the females and produces waxy white substance. The ancient Aztecs and Mayas used dried insects  for coloring clothes.
We had lot of Opuntia fig cactus here in Los Vives , but the cochineal plague has destroyed most of them.

 In the picture above ,waxy substance covered cochineals.Near the white square  flattened  insects with their carmine color.
   

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VINTAGE ROUTE

We have a new trekking route which can be connected with Finca Sofia - Cerro Agudo route.It is called Ruta de Rio Chicamo-Finca Sofia  and you can find it in es.wikiloc.com. Also I will advertise here our old Pinoso Vintage Route, which starts  from Abanilla and goes through  Pinoso to Culebron. These two communities belongs to Alicante province and they are famous for their wines. In the picture L'antigon table wine bottles.

L'antigon red and white wine from Alicante.


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PICUDO ROJO ATTACKS!

The warm weather and the sun shine brings back one of the most harmful plagues, the Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus). They  are not  good flyers and their  flying makes a faint noise so you may have time to catch them before they have laid their eggs in the  defenceless date's stem. The plague was first reported in  Spain in1994, and already in 2005 it was attacking Elche's Palm tree forest, the patrimony of humanity.

The Red Palm Weevil , Picudo Rojo, (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus)

A date palm with young fruit starts.

SPRING MENU
Cooked mountain snails (Serranos) in hot sauce.
Spinach soup with boiled eggs
Grilled sardines with lemon and pepper
Season's fruits

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SNAILS, CAPER AND LONG BLOSSOM THYME

Here in Los Vives one  can enjoy a very exquisite gastronomic delicacy, Iberus gualtieranus alonensis- snail. You can find it here on the rocky slopes of Cerro Agudo.Very common are   also Helix aspersa, Helix aperta  and Helix engaddensis snails. At this time of the year, the fresh  Long blossom thyme leaves  (Thymus longiflorus) and  fresh Caper shoots (Capparis spinosa), can be a good alternative for seasoning the snails.

The Iberus gualtieranus alonensis- snail is highly valued among the Spanish gourmands and in some places it has disappeared because of excess collecting.

Chef Thor's Aroma Aurora Borealis Category for edible snails.

I    Iberus gualtieranus alonensis: Vaqueta,Caracol  blanco,Serrano, Serrana (ESP)

II   Otala punctata : Cabrilla, Caragol cristia (ESP)

III  Helix pomatia : Roman snail (ENG), Viinimäkikotilo (FIN)

IV  Helix aspersa: Garden snail (ENG), Tarhakotilo (FIN)

V   Helix aperta : Green garden snail (ENG), "Vihreä tarhakotilo" (FIN)

VI  Helix engaddensis :"Garden snail" (ENG), "Levanten tarhakotilo" (FIN)

Otala punctata snails

Young Caper shoot

Thymus longifloris thyme 

PARASITIC PLANTS GROWING IN LOS VIVES

Cistanche phelypaea,Pijo de lobo ES,Mata pojera ES,

Cuscuta epithymum,Cabellos del monte ES, Apilanvieras FI

Orobanche amethystea, Pijo de lobo ES,Jopo ES, Piikkiputkennäive FI

Cytinus hypocistis, Keltakistuksenloisio FI

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