Insects

Insects are among the most numerous groups of animals of Goričko, both in the number of individual specimens and in the number of species represented. They are easily recognizable by their three pairs of legs and their divided body of three parts. Almost all of them can fly. That includes various beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, bees and bumblebees, flies and dragonflies, with some of the butterflies, beetles and dragonflies considered as environmentally important.

Owlfly (Libelloides macaronius) is an insect from the group of net-winged insects (Neuroptera), but due to its appearance could be easily mistaken for a butterfly. It lives on warm, dry and open terrain, where it hunts its prey during the flight. On drier meadows, we can also often notice European mantis (Mantis religiosa), normally in its typical praying pose. The female devours the male after the mating, as is expected of the exceptional predator. In the evenings, bushes and meadows get filled with the characteristic chirping of great green bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima), a species of grasshopper, which is most often part of the menu of Eurasian scops owl. During the day song of European field cricket (Gryllus campestris) could be heard on dry meadows.

Beetles

Largest group of insects. 

Butterflies

Species-rich meadows, borders and forests are home to over hundred species of butterflies and over thousand species o...

Damselflies and dragonflies

Goričko is home to 44 species of damselflies and dragonflies.