Hi John Can't help with the ID's but would just like to complement you on a great set of photos from a place I am hoping to visit in the next couple of years. Someone like Guy or Roger will probably be of help with the ID's. Please put a full trip report on this site including details of the sites y...

Hi Lee

The Burnet could be Zygaena carnioloca, apparently commonly known as the Blood Droplet Burnet.

Cheers

Paul

Hi Pete

These are gorgeous solitary bees and as you say they're pretty big.

I think a few were reported in the south of England this year.

Paul

Yes looks like Violet Carpenter Bee - Xylocopa violacea Apparently they fly in spring summer and into autumn.

Paul

Has anyone out there tried using fill in flash. I generally use a Sigma 150 hand held and use fill in flash to keep the ISO down to 400 at the most. The Canon 450D will go to a maximum of of 1/200th in manual mode allowing f stops up F16 dependent on the light. This can be useful in poor lighting al...

Hi all. Yep these are great photos and the Sigma 150mm is a great lens at an affordable price.

Michael if we meet up again I'll let you have a go with mine if you're thinking of a purchase.

Cheers

Paul

Hello Guy Many thanks for replying to my request. If you could email me any sites that are not too sensitive for species I may not find easily on my own I would be extremely grateful. I will PM my email address to you. The offer of assistance is fantastic and I will contact you when I finalise the d...

Ok so this follows on from the French Alps post but I thought a new topic was in order as I have decided on the Swiss Alps for definite and Michael appears to be thinking seriously about the same. We really would like some information on sites to visit at altitude in the mountains plus a couple of g...

Thanks for the comments Guy I've emailed you as I now intend to look into visiting the area around Evolene as I visited this area as a child with my parents. If you would like to answer my email on this forum that would be fine as others are showing interest. Obviously any sensitive info would be om...

Hi Nick I too have been to Evolene but around 30 years ago. I guess it has become a little more built up since my visit with my parents. I have some old film photos taken with a crummy old Zenit B of Apollo and a few other mountain species. I do remember having to chase the Apollos over several moun...

Total agreement. I would never give the location of a rare species as certain unscrupulous people keep an eye on websites such as this one. Although I'm sure these people probably know the sites much better than many of us. Whats wrong with a good photograph. It won't fade like a dead specimen. I'm ...

Hi Michael I think I'll probably plump for the Hautes Alpes as I have had replies from Roger and am going to look at camping in this area. I think concentrating on one area will help. Anyone out there have any information on sites in the Hautes Alpes. This would be greatly appreciated. I'm not after...

Visited Hope Gap on Saturday to look for Clouded Yellow. Two males were found on the lower slopes at the end of the gulley thanks for the information Neil. One was fairly worn with some staining on the hind wings, the other in pretty good condition. Don't know how these compare to the two you saw Ne...

Hi Michael Thanks for the link I was particularly interested in the Evolene part as I went there as a teenager with my parents and saw Apollo and some Brassy Ringlets there. We weren't really as keen on butterflies in those days though. I've been emailing a few people regarding sites in the southern...

Couldn't agree more

To be sitting in a warm alpine valley surrounded by butterflies.

The thought will keep me going over the winter.

I've looked through the forums and was spurred on by Michaels request for suggestions for places to visit in Europe this coming year. I've started a new topic as I have a more specific request. I would love to visit the south western French Alps in July next year and having read some reports and loo...

Hi Michael

Have you had a look at this site http://www.eurobutterflies.com/ it might help you decide on where to go.

Cheers

Paul

Looks like Southern Hawker with the two huge green stripes across the thorax and a large anti humoral stripe also. Colours look like a male of that species. Sexual appendages should confirm male or female. Not something I've got into though, looking at dragonflies naughty bits.

Nice one Neil

Many thanks for this information.

Cheers

Paul

Hi Neil Nice to hear you got to see my number 58 butterfly before it went off to roost. I'll probably try Hope Gap next Saturday if the weather is any good. Would be nice to get some film of the helice form or any female for that matter. I've checked through all my footage of Clouded Yellow from las...