We must speak before I go again!!! :mrgreen: :D Most Blues I saw were of the Zizina family, but my books confuse me over the actual identity... So I've gone for otis though I'm not totally convinced these are that species... all from the Perth area... 181126 Zizina otis _Yanchep _2335.jpg 181121 Ziz...

There's some very good things there!! I never thought of asking for site info on UKB!! Maybe before my future trip/s I will beg some knowledge. :D I would certainly like to have seen some of those Jewels. I did find one of my most wanted supposedly common species up North near Jurien, Ogyris amaryll...

Your experiences then Andy were very much like mine, but that would be their late summer, there should have been some worthwhile things if you could find them!!!. Mind you, I enjoyed that challenge once I got used to a butterfly free landscape. :D I did eventually see most of the "common" ...

This is the Wattle Blue, Theclinesthes miskini . It looks similar to the Long-tailed Blue, boeticus , close up, but it's smaller (think SSB) and it's behaviour differs. I found it only once, again hilltopping. It is supposed to be common, but that brings in the third difficulty factor, which is timi...

Well, the three books I have don't agree on the number of species, and it is a huge continent, and things are being taxonomically shifted the same as over here, so I guess there's much more room for additions... who knows what's dancing about in some of the remote oases... but much of the central ha...

After a few weeks of Aussie sun and a number of butterfly expeditions, I have a few more overseas images to share. I found generally that butterfly observing there was rather more difficult than anywhere else I have been. Some "common" species I stumbled across in singles after much bush w...

I'd go with aberrant Zephyr Blue female... I saw the species favouring the same plant in Turkey and this is a female upperside... looks similar enough to me.

Wow Guy... you must have a wild mix of feelings about your relocation. I guess a meet up in the UK would be possible, though sounds like you will be busy and a bit restricted... good luck!

Thanks Guy.. it was the stand out differences to most other Frits that made me want to see it properly, and two of the ones I saw behaved very well for me.. they evidently don't like flying if they don't have to!
If you ever fancy a flight or road trip up there, I know where to look!!!

My final addition here is of encountered Fritillaries, the possibilities for which fuelled my conviction to visit the area. The first encounters were with our familiar Small Pearl B. selene , though I had hoped they would be a more exotic species!! 180708 B. selene_ Alta_K_9883.jpg 180708 B. selene_...

Colias species were just eclosing towards the end of my stay, here is the lovely Moorland Clouded Yellow C. palaeno which I have seen before in the Alps.... 180710 C. palaeno_ Alta_S_0584b.jpg More exciting than the beauty above, was a single male specimen of the rare Northern Clouded Yellow, C. he...

Another new one for me.. flying at the highest levels and sticking to the more boggy areas was Erebia disa , the Arctic Ringlet. They were very difficult to approach, flying 50 metres or so each time I got within 2 metres or so. Most I saw had well delineated contrasting hindwing bands, but one, was...

pandrose appears in the more boggy lowland areas there. I'm used to seeing it at the highest Alpine levels, so at first a bit incongruous... 180708 E. pandrose_ Alta_G_9226.jpg 180709 E. pandrose_ Alta_G_0419.jpg The first totally new species I encountered was E. polaris , the Arctic Woodland Ringl...

Another true Arctic species is the Arctic Grayling, Oeneis bore . This was found in low numbers hilltopping on the highest mounds of open tundra, giving a momentary impression of being a fritillary ( the main aim of being there). They must have been fairly freh, as they are supposed to rapidly lose ...

Another interesting variation on the species we are used to is phlaeas - the form polaris having notably pale underside hindwings, as these photos just about show. This female was definitely larger than those I am used to seeing at home... 180708 L. phlaeas polaris_ Alta_K_9859.jpg 180708 L. phlaeas...

The first true polar species is aquilo - proved quite difficult to find but several were flying when I eventually stumbled on them rather excitedly. A bit late in their season I feel, so less pristine than ideal. These Small Blue sized butterflies were flying basically over shingle, low, fast and ea...

I saw some of the ones I went to see, but by no means all of the possible species David. It seems most fly in the first two weeks of July, but there is annual variation on emergence dates, so you get what you get at any given time. I suppose it's a reason to go back, but you run into the law of dimi...

fantastic images Guy, I'm resigned to not seeing christi now, but I'm pleased it seems they're maybe having a good season?

Call me stupid, but isn't it a Large White? (preparing to feel stupid )

I have just spent eight days experiencing the highs and lows of butterfly finding in the far north, in the land of the midnight sun. Only four of my eight days were positive, weather wise, and emergences seemed to favour the last 3-4 days, fortunately co-inciding with the sun. Dull days were spent i...