Marseilles and its region 2016

[Chris Jackson]

Things are warming up today in the South of France, with a forecast hi of 17°C and sunny spells.
To make up for the previous bad shot of a Large Tortoiseshell this weekend, at lunchtime I headed down into the olive grove near work where I was hoping to find a Large Tortoiseshell, as each year, at the foot of some oak trees in the leaf litter.
As if to order, there were two of them - here is one at point blank range during passing cloud cover:

context - the Large Torts are found invariably each year at the foot of these oak trees:

context - looking down into the olive grove with the oak trees centre-right

This was the only species flying down in the olive grove.

Also seen today, just higher up on the plateau of Vitrolles:
SPECIES No. 13 : Small White:

and just for the pleasure, I also counted 5 + Green Hairstreak up on the plateau:

also flying up on the plateau: Red Admiral (3), Wall Brown (5+), Bath White (2) and one Clouded Yellow.
Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Excellent stuff, Chris, and thanks for the context picture. Looks like things are coming alive down there chez toi.

[NickMorgan]

Wow, 13 species already. I am enjoying reading about what you are seeing.

[Chris Jackson]

As you say, David, this week things are coming alive.

Hi Nick, unless the weather turns, this season is off to a very early start and things should accelerate even more. What effect this will have on the rest of the season, or even on 2017 populations, we will see.

Thursday 25th February - 13°C, sunny and very little wind.

SPECIES No. 14 : Swallowtail.
I had a feeling about this one emerging before the end of February. The 2016 season is very early down here, the Green Hairstreaks are 6 weeks ahead of last year, and this Swallowtail is 3 weeks early compared with last year.
On my usual lunchtime patch on the plateau of Vitrolles:

The Narcissus dubius are in full bloom and all over the scrub:

And the Giant Orchids are growing in patches, rather than isolated - perhaps something to do with the mild weather ?:

Also seen this lunchbreak : polychloros (in a different location), atalanta, megera, daplidice, rubi, rapae, cardui, pirithous.
I should be seeing Western Dappled White by now on my lunchtime patch, and even though Baton Blue is not expected for another 4 weeks, I am on the lookout for them.
à bientôt
Cheers, Chris

[Sylvie_h]

Hi Chris,

I like your giant orchids, they bring good memories of my time in the Alpes Maritimes, I used to walk up to Domaine des Courmettes at this time of year and on the way, every year, the orchids were there, I also remember the Morrocan Orange Tips on mustard along the path. One advice, do never take this for granted and take the most of it because if you happen to come back to the UK to live, you will be missing these little delights.... especially at this time of year when the weather is depressing.
Sylvie

[David M]

One advice, do never take this for granted and take the most of it because if you happen to come back to the UK to live, you will be missing these little delights.... especially at this time of year when the weather is depressing.
Sylvie

Hear, hear!

[LancsRover]

Hi Chris, nice Swallowtail , I think you are right about an early season this year, it's been a "good" winter in Spain also, so people tell me. I'm hoping to pick up S/T soon it was 2nd March last year.
Keep up the good work.
Russ

[Chris Jackson]

Hello Sylvie and David,
I don't think I will be coming back to live in the UK - I couldn't afford it and probably wouldn't get a job.
Wise man says "Better to live in France and sometimes visit the UK than to live in the UK and sometimes visit France"

Russ,
The afternoon temperature has dropped 3 or 4 degrees and my lunchtime Swallowtail has gone into hiding:

But then there is this :
Although spotted a week or so back elsewhere east, in the Var, today my lunchtime patch finally produced the all-expected Western Dappled White (3 + individuals):

Notice the angled hindwing costa which is indicative of Euchloe crameri :

Seen earlier in the week:
Clouded yellow in good nick :

Humming bird hawkmoth, heavily cropped. (Maximum shutter speed of 1 / 2000 s with the Panasonic FZ150):

Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Notice the angled hindwing costa which is indicative of Euchloe crameri

Nice tutorial. Shows the defining characteristic perfectly.

[LancsRover]

Hi Chris, I liked your W/Dappled White, I've not seen one of those yet
Weather here up and down, no pattern, Last Saturday 10c and rain, Monday 16c but gale force winds and today (Wed) 25c and no wind, but I had to go bowling
Cheers Russ

[Charles Nicol]

enjoyed catching up on a month's postings Chris !

everything seems to be emerging là bas !

No Pashas yet ?

[Chris Jackson]

David,
Glad you approve of my Euchloe crameri hindwing shot, it was what I wanted.

Russ,
In France, Spring has not fully made up its mind what to do yet. We are having ups and downs the same as you in Spain.

Charles,
Thanks for looking in. You'll be getting first-hand reports when TTP emerge.

*************************************************

Wednesday 9th of March - South of France - overcast and cool (11 °C)
In France, 'April showers' occur in March, so we are not into guaranteed good weather yet.

It was very cool during my lunchbreak so my tally was low: Bath White (3 +), Western Dappled White (2), Green Hairstreak (1), Wall Brown (5 +) but many Humming-bird Hawkmoths.
The Bath Whites were easy to photograph as they were slightly immobilised by the chill breeze.
Context - a grey and cold plateau of Vitrolles:

Female Bath White:

Male Bath White:

Orchid (any ideas of what this type is called ? - it was 125 mm tall).
I don't remember having seen this type before on my patch:

Cheers, Chris

[Roger Gibbons]

Hi Chris,

Your orchid looks like an Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) to me.

Roger

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Chris,
Your orchid looks like an Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) to me.
Roger

Thank you Roger. I'll google that and have a look.
The weather looks fair for next weekend and temperatures should reach 14 or 15°C, so I will go hunting again for Spring Ringlet.
Cheers, Chris

[David M]

The weather looks fair for next weekend and temperatures should reach 14 or 15°C, so I will go hunting again for Spring Ringlet.

You lucky blighter.

[Chris Jackson]

David,
Only 12°C today (with blue skies) but the sun feels strong on your back when you're sheltered from the wind.

Thursday 10th of March, Vitrolles, South of France

I popped down into the Olive grove during my lunchbreak to keep tabs on my Large Tortoiseshells.
(I'm trying to measure their post-hibernation flight period as accurately as possible).
As predicted, there were 2 of them in the oak leaf litter.
Here is one basking (with that annoying grass stem in the direct line of sight, throwing a shadow up its back):

A view of the oak trees down in the Olive grove, some with last year's dead leaves still clinging on (and yes, the colour of that sky is real ):

Back up on the plateau, first Dwarf iris (Iris chamaeiris) seen this year:

Also flying today: crameri (2), daplidice (3+), megera (5+), rubi (4+), rapae (3+), atalanta (3+), pirithous (1).
Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Hello Folks,
South of France, 18th March 16°C
I think that Spring has definitely arrived in the South of France.
SPECIES No. 15 : Holly Blue
SPECIES No. 16 : Nettle-tree Butterfly
SPECIES No. 17 : Orange Tip

Today on the east of Marseilles along a dry river bed (and also in my local Parc des Bruyères), at 16°C, I saw:
My first Orange Tip of the year:

My first Nettle-tree Butterfly of 2016:

I also managed my 1st female cleopatra photo of 2016:

This is the path and vegetation along the river bed to the east of Marseilles. I bet this new site (new for me in 2016) will produce 40+ species this year !!

The central bush in this photo over the last 2 week-ends has attracted: rubi, celtis, polycloros, atalanta, aegeria ...
The male Orange Tip patrolled along the path and stopped only to nectar at this flower:

- any idea which flower this is ?

The Grape Hyacinth is in flower at the moment :

The Holly Blues refused to stop for a photo
Cheers, Chris

[LancsRover]

Hi Chris, nice nettle-tree photo's, I've yet to see one of those
Weather here in Spain is a bit iffy at the moment, plenty of light showers around, hoping for better next week.
Russ

[CFB]

Chris,

Your little blue flower is some kind of Speedwell (Veronica).

Lovely Nettle-tree Butterfly.

Cheers,
Colin

[Roger Gibbons]

Veronica chamaedrys, would be my guess. I have seen it in the Var.

Roger