Our summer holiday to France this year was a little later than previous years and also not as far south. So my expectations were not overly optimistic.
In preparation I had prepared a list of what was likely to be on the wing in the Dordogne in August together with a few recommended locations from a local expert. It was a list with some interesting species on there but I tried to keep my enthusiasm in check. As we left the UK it was raining but the weather forecast for the Dordogne was 30+ for the whole week (with some showers on the two day journey down). Each year I go to France I say we can't keep doing these huge distances (and then have such a great time change my mind...
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). It is a compulsion and a dilemma. This year I booked us into two Chateau B&Bs on the way down, and one on the race homewards (mistake should have done two back as well).
Our holiday was staying in a small pretty village surrounded by walks into lovely countryside. There was the traditional Dordogne fare of caves and canoes should we have wished it, but we didn't. We stick to peace and rural solitude.
The weather was initially OK 30-34, but on some days the temperature hit 38 degrees and that tended to keep even mad dogs inside for a few hours. It seems wrong to moan but our house was at the top of a hill and I am built for comfort, not speed.
So I have a few pictures to share and one video. I'll do my best at uploading them with a few comments to see if I can share what we saw just a couple of weeks ago...(seems like last year!
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There were many hundreds of fritillaries. Biggest numbers were of - Silver-washed Frits
Silver-washed Fritillary, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Weaver's Frits
Weaver's Fritillary - Boloria dia, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Violet (or Weaver's) Fritillary - Boloria dia - underside by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
A good few Meadow Frits
Meadow Fritillary - Melitaea parthenoides, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Pearls
Pearl-bordered Fritillary by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
and Knapweed
Knapweed Fritillary - Melitaea phoebe by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Knapweed Fritillary - Melitaea phoebe by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Sometimes together...
Silver-washed and Knapweed Fritillaries sharing flowers. by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
One of my personal favourites the Queen of Spain Frits
Queen of Spain Fritillary, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Queen of Spain Fritillary, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
As you can see most were in pretty good condition and most of these pictures were taken in quite unremarkable meadows and waste land.That is the one thing that makes France a personal joy to me - the amount of good open ground there is teeming with butterflies. There were the 'dead' areas probably sprayed and farmed the 'modern' way but plenty of old and untouched meadow and scrub to walk through full of insect life. I wish we had it in Northants!
One of the highlights for me were the Lesser Purple Emperors. Both the dark and orange (Clytie) forms. I saw more than I could photograph as they were quite active in the heat and often high unless there was something smelly to bring them down. I was a partial draw with one enjoying some sweat (sorry no pictures!)
Lesser Purple Emperor - Aparatura ilia (form Clytie) by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Lesser Purple Emperor - Aparatura ilia (form Clytie) by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Lesser Purple Emperor- Aparatura ilia by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Lesser Purple Emperor- Aparatura ilia by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Lesser Purple Emperor- Aparatura ilia by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Alongside the LPE's were Southern White Admirals and Maps.
Southern White Admiral - Liminenitis reducta by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Map butterfly second brood (dark form) by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Another highlight was to see a number of Dryads. A butterfly I struggle to depict well. It is always ungainly and clumsy in landing. I was actually fairly pleased with this shot...
Dryad - Minois dryas, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
This one displaying the more usual ragged and torn specimen. But they are still lovely
Dryad - Minois dryas, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Speaking of ragged and torn. Here was a late surviving Large Blue. I had hoped for better but am glad I kept this shot as it was my only sighting.
Large Blue - Maculinea arion, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
But some specimens were in absolutely super condition. Including this Sooty Copper
Sooty Copper - Lycaena tityrus by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
And this Small Copper
Small Copper by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Dozens of Adonis Blues
Adonis blue - France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Hundreds of Holly Blues
Holly Blue. by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Holly Blue - Celastrina argiolus by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
Berger's Clouded Yellow
Berger' Clouded Yellow - Coleus alfacariensis, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
The one Swallowtail that slowed down....
Swallowtail - Papilio machaon, France by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr
And I'll stop part one with a picture which I love as a picture...
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. Just shows what good light can do for a photo and why artists love the European light...
Peacock on Lavender by
Peter Willmott, on Flickr