Greenwings: Pyrenees Orientales, 23 May - 31 May 2017

[David M]

This trip has been something of an eye-opener, not least because the collective species tally of the group reached an amazing 98! Of course, not everybody sees all the butterflies, and I personally missed out on 5, leaving my own personal haul at a mere 93.

Western Dappled White, Large Tortoiseshell, Grayling, Lesser Marbled Fritillary and White Admiral were the species I ducked out on, but if anyone had told me beforehand that 90+ species could be notched up in Europe prior to June in a trip lasting just 8 full days I would have been very sceptical.

This year, the town used as our base was Prades, which is nestled in the easternmost part of the Pyrenean massif, and the weather and views were spectacular. The first 5 days were abnormally hot and sunny, and the remaining three provided enough sunshine to keep adding to the tally and also gave everybody the chance to get closer to the butterflies than is usual in perfect conditions, with cloud cover making normally hyperactive species relatively docile.

Here is the view from the breakfast room of the hotel, which is as good as I have seen anywhere:

This is the view of Prades from the col immediately to the north, with the 2,784m Mt. Canigou in the background:

Here's one of the better examples of the many butterfly-rich, grassy meadows around these parts:

....and here's a particularly lovely view from the day spent near Andorra:

[John Vergo]

Hi David
Looking forward to see more from the tour

[Tony Moore]

Me too .

Tony M.

[Chris Jackson]

Stunning views already, David.
Can't wait for la suite.
Chris

[David M]

Thanks, all. I hope what follows is suitably appealing to you.

Highlights - Spanish Fritillary

Last year, we were unable to locate Spanish Fritillary on the known site for it, mainly due to the cloudy weather. Arriving a day early gave us another chance to look for it, only this time in perfect conditions.

If you've never seen a particular species of butterfly however, then it's always a bit tricky as you don't know how they behave or what their preferences are. In the case of desfontainii, things are even trickier by way of their resemblence to the local Marsh Fritillaries round these parts, which are of the form beckeri, generally larger than the nominate form and having a more wide ranging orange/brown sheen to them, extending all the way to the upper wing margins:

Sadly, we didn't find it at this site, nor were we able to locate it there the next day, but one thing had started to filter into my subconscious - that the Marsh Fritillaries were behaving very unusually. Rather than buzzing at low altitude around the vegetation, these Frits were acting more like Dukes of Burgundy, flying in short bursts and settling quite high on prominent leaf tips ready to launch themselves at trespassers.

So, after having given up on desfontainii for a second year, we headed off to a nearby quarry where the Marshies were doing exactly the same thing....except one. This single individual stood out precisely because it wasn't exhibiting territorial behaviour; instead, it was content to fly from flower to flower (wild thyme and valerian being its preferences).

This was sufficient for me to pay it greater attention, and I was very glad I did:

Make no mistake, this is an exceptionally rare butterfly in France, and finding it is made all the harder by its resemblance to its close relative, Marsh Fritillary, especially on the uppersides. The undersides are very different though; much paler in colour and with clear black spots on the forewings which Marshies lack:

Sadly, it was extremely active and getting anywhere within two metres of it was all but impossible, but to see it at all was an achievement and was possibly my most satisfying 'lifer' ever!

[Tony Moore]

Terrific butterflies, aren't they? Only like Marsh Frits until you actually see one! Especially the females. Well found

Tony M.

[Padfield]

Congratulations David! I felt a stab of pitywhen I opened your post as you were talking about desfontainii and there in front of me were two pictures of aurinia!! Then I scrolled down ... What a lovely insect.

Guy

[David M]

Thanks for the comments, both. Yes, Tony, once seen never forgotten. I suppose it would be harder to distinguish Spanish Frits from UK Marshies, given the contrasting colours of both within the upperwing mosaic?

Highlights - Cardinal

I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but prior to this trip I had never seen a Cardinal!

That statistic was put to bed on Day 1, as at least half a dozen of these bodybuilders of the butterfly world were seen zooming around looking for nectar sources....usually valerian:

A handful more were seen during the rest of the trip, including this gleaming male who landed right in front of my car at the first stop on the last full day:

[John Vergo]

Hi David
Congrats David,now you are showing the pearls

[David M]

Highlights - Violet Copper

Talking of 'pearls', another stunner was Violet Copper. This insect is simply delightful and behaves rather like Small Copper in that the males love to command a territory from where they perch and repel all other insects that come near:

Of course, it is much rarer than phlaeas and its preferred habitat is damp, marshy areas where its LHP, bistort, grows in profusion.

Its distribution in the Pyrenees is very patchy, although I suspect it may well turn up in many unrecorded areas so long as the foodplant is there and the altitude is right:

[David M]

Highlights - Camberwell Beauty

Camberwell Beauties are always welcome, though they mostly appear as a dark ball hurtling towards (and then away from) you. Such was the case this year but we did manage to find one defending a territory by a fast flowing river. It kept settling on a tree in the middle of this river and consequently no-one got too close, but these beasts are always popular and the assembled throng were captivated for a good 20 minutes, especially when the butterfly swooped around looking for intruders, which led to it going missing for a while after a Peacock was foolish enough to enter the arena:

[Padfield]

It looks as if you timed your trip perfectly, David, both from the species point of view and the weather. May can sometimes be a write-off in the mountains. I remember when you used to lust after my violet coppers - now you see them on a yearly basis!

Look forward to more pictures.

Guy

[David M]

Thanks, Guy. Trust me, I still yearn for Violet Coppers (after all, I've only ever seen about eight). You're right about mountain weather, but it's rarely a washout in the Pyrenees in late May, so opportunities can usually be found, most of them very good!

Highlights - Spanish Festoon

None of us could really work out the 'season' during the trip. Many times we were convinced it was behind, but there were also times when it appeared to be ahead of 2016.

The hotel staff described spring as being "up and down", and given that we walked into extremely good conditions, I feel that what was a late season gradually became average or even early as 5 days of 27c - 31c sunny weather elicited emergences galore.

Pearly Heaths & Heath Fritillaries suddenly exploded, whereas the likes of Cleopatras & Clouded Apollos seemingly withered on the vine.

One species that was indicative of a late season was Spanish Festoon. Last year we saw none, but this time there were four observed, all of which were in presentable condition, including this one on the very last day:

[essexbuzzard]

Never seen a violet copper, you get a for that. Bistort grows in abundance in the Lake District- next year, can you bring a few adults back with you?

[David M]

If only things were that simple, Mark!

Highlights - Apollo

Everyone gets excited when they see an Apollo, and thankfully this trip turned up far more than in last year's Pyrenean jaunt, and indeed it saw far greater numbers than the Alps trips in high summer.

I reckon 40-60 were seen in total, and on Day 4 we found a spot where early rising Apollos were floating around the sun-facing banks, taking nectar every now and again from the smorgasbord of plants on the edges of the pathways, which allowed closer than usual approaches:

[David M]

Highlights - Spanish (Iberian) Swallowtail

I received my EIG newsletter just prior to this trip, and on page 44 there is a list of butterflies that taxonomists have agreed should be considered 'new' species. Iphiclides feisthamelii is one of them, and having studied them more closely than ever last week I think I can understand why.

This butterfly is visibly different from podalirius, with a greater contrast between the yellow colouration generally and that within the outer wing margins, as well as a noticeably smaller red area around the hindwing spots.

We saw 30+ during the 9 days we spent there, and on one morning there were several behaving very accommodatingly whilst nectaring from the abundant cystus flowers:

I will look forward to reacquainting myself with podalirius in the Alps in early July.

[Chris Jackson]

A tantalising display so far David.
Going back to your first posting, apparently someone spotted a Grayling.
This leaves me a little intrigued, so early in the season. Could there be an explanation for this? An over-winterer from the South of Spain heading north ?
In the South of France (the Med.) Graylings have always been very well behaved up to now and are usually as regular as clockwork.
Chris

[David M]

Hard to answer your question regarding the Grayling, Chris. I didn't see it personally but the individual who did isn't somebody I would question as he knows his butterflies!! Perhaps the situation is akin to the subspecies that flies much earlier in the UK around the Great Orme?

Highlights - Provence Orange Tip

There weren't huge numbers of this delightful species encountered; probably no more than 40 in total. On the very first afternoon, a handful of flighty males were seen, including this one:

As time passed, the males became less common and it was the females that tended to turn up:

[David M]

Highlights - False Ilex Hairstreak

Saw quite a few of these at a couple of sites, and for the first time I was able to get close and have a good look at them, which is useful so as to attempt to differentiate in future between this species and its close relative, Ilex Hairstreak.

[David M]

Highlights - Chequered Skipper

We had to go into a different département for this one - the Aude. It was a blazing hot afternoon, and it seemed quite peculiar to be looking at this species in cloudless sunshine and 30-odd degree heat!

Only a handful seen, but it was satisfying nonetheless.