As no-one has yet ventured to guess, as I am briefly back in the UK I will offer my instinctive IDs (i.e. without detailed analysis as no reference books available), even though ID on upperside alone is often not possible. 9777: very worn, but very likely male armoricanus. 9782: female serratulae, b...

I think you can be fairly certain that it is Asian ( intermedia ) and not Scarce ( maturna ), on the dual grounds of distribution (Scarce is limited to certain lowland sites in Eastern France, at least in France) while Asian is Alpine, and for much the same reason, on the grounds of altitude. I have...

I think you may be confusing a yawn with a gasp of admiration. This is the result of a very rare combination of a beautifully fresh female, a very rare appearance at ground level, and the (equally rare) presence of a photographer who could do it justice. This type of opportunity comes along so rarel...

This photo was taken not far from where you were staying, Lee.

http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html ... re_10Jul08_

These two photos are of different sides of the same puddle (and this is only part of the total) in the Alpes Maritimes, and before anyone asks were they Small or Essex, there seemed to be plenty of both. There were 50+ species flying or puddling within 20mm of that puddle on a single day, hundreds o...

I am somewhere in the Mercantour (Alpes Maritimes) but a quick look: 1360: the one on the right looks Meadow, the one on the left is Heath (exceptionally common and variable, I have been seeing some as small as blues) 1383: looks Dark Green to me 1176: Mazarine 1219: hard to say for sure, but looks ...

A few recent photos from Provence: A pair of Green-underside Blues (Glaucopsyche alexis), the female immaculate as usual. Glaucopsyche alexis_25564_1000.JPG A male Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron). It was highly territorial, chasing off anything that came near it. The fact that it always retur...

I am in the UK briefly, so have time to look at UKB, so here are a couple of comments. Traplican’s underside, from what little can be seen (and a very clear underside shot would make it rather easier) could be either serratulae or armoricanus . Although the s4/5 discal spot is slightly anvil shaped,...

Hi Sylvie, The white background is the wall of our home. The previous pasha photos always seemed to merge with the background, mainly because it does not have clear white borders, so this time I decided to have a white wall as the background. The pasha did not seem to care! A beautiful Large Tortois...

A few shots from the south of France: A male Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus lavatherae) in typical territorial pose. Unmistakeable in flight as the underside is almost pure white. Carcharodus lavatherae_24838.JPG A female Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis). Glaucopsyche alexis_24662.JPG A fema...

discal line looks sufficiently jagged for actaea, for me.

Roger

The views of the Var, Provence, jury: The fritillary looks good for Provencal Fritillary (Mellicta dejone). The colour contrast between the submarginal band and the adjacent bands is indicative of female dejone. Heath Fritillary (Mellicta athalia) is as Guy says hugely variable but tends be a strong...

I will take the page back and have a look. Meanwhile, some clues here maybe:
http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html ... esculi.htm

Guy mentioned the work I am doing on identifying Pyrgus species. This is largely based on the premise that some species can be identified from a single characteristic feature, but that feature can be very variable (you have seen the variation in the onopordi “anvil” mark) and ID can only be made by ...

The two Pyrgus: my reaction was exactly the same as yours, Guy. The first looked good for malvoides, as the discal spot is too narrow for anything else. The second did not look right for armoricanus, but rather odd for malvoides as well. If I am associating the upperside with underside #2, it is alm...

Re the LOTSW II trip report, I should mention that we met at 10.00 on the first day when the sky was black and rain tipping down. Our fearless trio had come to see butterflies and were not going to be deterred by the weather. Any weather. The ground was muddy and the grass soaking and just about all...

The possible Turquoise Blue was at a spot where I had seen them before, but I was several metres away and the blue colour looked rather Turquoise-y. I just thought the photo should be checked in case. Having seen the photo, I would be fairly sure Guy is right.

Roger

before sniffing out my first vibrant colony of Provence hairstreaks. Fantastic little butterflies, and special to me because I haven't seen them since I was on my gap year in Gibraltar in 1983. They have the hairiest legs of any butterfly I know! I found another colony before long. I concur! They a...

Philologist. Amy Farrah-Fowler would approve. Very mellifluous, maybe it should be the word of the day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lpY0Kt4 ... re=related

Will,

We were there 16-17 July 2006. It was mainly for our 35th wedding anniversary. Mathematicians will be quick to realise that 2011 is the 40th which will be celebrated looking for Iolas Blues. I fear some advice may be forthcoming from our resident marriage guidance counsellor.

Roger