After an enjoyable visit to the Doubs and the Jura we leave on a high to search for the Scarce large blue Phengaris teleius.
A site recommended in the Isère département proved to be all but inaccessible, we quickly abandoned the site and continued our journey to the Dordogne ,making a halfway stop at Noiretable.
Our journey continued the following morning across a spectacular landscape dotted with "Puys" extinct volcanos that are a feature of the Auvergne landscape.
We finally arrived at our destination in the Dordogne and were welcomed at the site by two Hoopoes feeding close by, this pleasant campsite was ideally placed less than a kilometre from the small reserve were I was hopeful of finding teleius.
- Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
The following day visiting the site I was delighted to find freshly emerged Large chequered skippers, a little further down the track several Map, Dryads were numerous,the Dryad is a particularly annoying butterfly , it's habit of dropping into the undergrowth after a short flight makes it a particularly difficult butterfly to photograph,after several days my search for teleius had drawn a bank, conclusion, more patience was needed.
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- Large Chequered Skipper (Heteropterus morpheus)
- Large Chequered Skipper (Heteropterus morpheus)
- Map (Araschnia levana)
- Dryad (Minois dryas)_
- Marbled White.( Melanargia galathea fm. eucomelas)
The wait gave chance for a little tourism, the nearby medieval village of Villbois-Lavalette with its Chateau perched on the hill appears to be a miniature Carcassonne viewed from a distance, an empty shell within the walls, onto the Lac de Jemay in the Forêt de Double, few butterflies were seen at this location unlike the previous year.
- Villbois-Lavalette,Chateau
A lazy start to the morning then another visit to the Tourbiere,among the many Ringlets a single False ringlet seen, another rarity, still no sign of teleuis, Dryads had become more numerous, at long last one gave an opportunity for an open wing shot, so the day was rated a success.
- False Ringlet Female (Coenonympha oedippus)
- Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
- Dryad (Minois dryas)
The following day making my daily visit I met a fellow on the track, I greeted him, he was English, I asked him if he had seen teleuis, three was his reply, I excitedly asked him if he could show me where, he lead the way along the track, the moment we arrived not one but three newly emerged teleuis greeted us, the fifth of my target species accounted for.
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- Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius)
- Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius)
- Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius)
The site is also home to an amazing number of Dragons and Damselfly species ,several protected plants had been pointed out to me by a chance meeting with a knowledgeable local naturalist.
- Thalictrum flavin
- Teucrium scordium sub sp Scoroides.
- Crocothemis erythraea
- Female Onychogomphus uncatus (Blue-eyed HooktailLarge Pincertail
It had been a successful trip five of six rare butterflies seen,regrettably once again the Large heath that was on the list and that I had hoped to find had eluded me, one day perhaps.
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