Lucca Day 3 - a trip to Viareggio

(Mon 10 Oct 2016)

I'd been to Viareggio many years ago but this visit was far better.

Firstly the weather was glorious from the time we left the hotel to the station and then to our destination.

Some graffiti on a road sign!!

and down to walk along the street running alongside the beach...

As soon as I saw Lantana (Lantana Camara is of the Verbena species) growing and still very much in flower, I knew there should be bees and flutters.  In the UK this perennial plant will not survive our winters but is often found in Greenhouses...

and we weren't disappointed.  No idea what this bee is but there were several and seemed commonplace..

We stopped for lunch and had some company..

We also saw Speckled Wood flutters

and dragonfly.. which I now understand to be a Red Veined Darter

Several Lizards

and Clouded Yellow flutter

No idea what this is... is was very very small though....

Edit: I now believe this to be a male Long Tailed Blue!

a very tatty Painted Lady..

There were a few about but this Painted Lady was in better condition..

We stopped for lunch along the way

We had a wander around a garden... but Italians don't really 'do' gardens... and time was catching up so we walked leisurely back

and as we got back to the point where we turned inland to go to the station, the sun went and a black cloud hovered!!

A last look at the sea.. before heading off to the station to get back to Lucca

Some evening pics in Lucca..

Great day out lots of wildlife in brilliant sunshine.