Chris Jackson in Marseilles

[Chris Jackson]

... Great shot of the Camberwell I've got a single shot in my collection of a very distant, white edged triangle .... Wurzel

Hi Wurzel,
Now that I know the location of this site I hope it will be a yearly sighting - I bet they have the same habits, generation after generation, in the same location, just like Large Tortoiseshells.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Folks,
Today, Tuesday 2nd of April.
Just before some bad weather is due to set in - probably the same you are getting in Blighty.
Behind my workplace during the lunchbreak, I finally spotted some of the Spanish Festoon host plant coming through - Aristolochia pistolochia.
Although this plant is still very small, a female has clearly found it and laid her eggs on it.

Here is the relative size of the plant:

Here is the context, in the closed end of the olive grove.

And today in the same place in the olive grove I saw my first Glanville Fritillary imago of the season, whereas there are some straggling M. cinxia cats from the same colony still feeding on the Plantago and that have still to pupate:

Chris

[Wurzel]

I reckon you're right about the Camberwell 'passing' down habits - I have a spot at my early site called Comma Corner due to this phenomenon Cracking shot of the Glannie

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice work with antiopa, Chris. You may well be right about their recurring habits; I know Roger G often finds them in the same locations year after year.

Amazing to see Glanvilles on the wing so soon. Is this the earliest you’ve ever recorded them?

[Chris Jackson]

... Cracking shot of the Glannie .... Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel.

[Chris Jackson]

... Amazing to see Glanvilles on the wing so soon. Is this the earliest you’ve ever recorded them?

Hi David,
Up to now the earliest I've seen a Glanville is the 10th of April.
This year I can't determine whether the season is early or late - it seems bit of a mix depending on the species.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Folks,

This is to bring you up to date with my local Southern Festoon colony not far from work.
My first sighting was on the 21th March, which means that today we are 15 days through the flight period.
I went to the site at lunch time but the conditions were not favourable - a chill wind (12°C) and intermittent cloud - although one cloud seemed to linger just above me for most of the time so my sightings today were probably not representative.

Here is the only worn individual I saw, grounded with the sun behind that cloud:

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These small Aristolochia rotunda plants were peppered with eggs at different stages of maturity. There is even one small cat. just about visible on the middle plant, and another down on the dead grass at the foot of the plant:

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And here is the context. The host plant is alongside this path:

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Chris

[Wurzel]

A chill wind of 12 - I'd settle for that at the moment - we've had sleet and hail

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That’s quite a move on your earliest Glanville date, Chris. Perhaps a cooler snap will slow emergences down somewhat?

Those aristolochia plants are properly ‘peppered’ with ova. Will they eat their way through the entire plant once they all hatch?

[Chris Jackson]

A chill wind of 12 - I'd settle for that at the moment - we've had sleet and hail
Have a goodun
Wurzel

Hi Wurzel,
Despite a fine spring day yesterday, today Saturday 6th we are rained out in southern and south-east France - this must be the tail-end of what you are experiencing. Today a regional Provence Hairstreak hunt was scheduled by local associations but obviously now this has been cancelled. Fortunately I had a sighting yesterday.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

... Those aristolochia plants are properly ‘peppered’ with ova. Will they eat their way through the entire plant once they all hatch?

Hi David,
In my short experience I have never seen so many eggs together. I would say that on average I would expect about 4 eggs per leaf.
With 4 eggs on one plant, the plant generally grows quicker than the cats. can eat it (finishing with the fruit that will appear at the top).
It will be interesting on these 3 plants to see who eats how much of what. I will monitor things.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

A pleasant spring day in the south of France yesterday, with a hi of 15°C.
Making the most of it I set off in search of a reported new colony of Provence Hairstreak, a species which barely reaches west across the border into my département.
One individual does not make a colony, but its a good sign - and here he is:

Seen (as reported) along this path. View looking back down:

View looking up:

And I found the necessary host plant - in our region => Dorycnium hirsutum:

Chris

[Wurzel]

They are cracking yet odd looking butterflies, like a Small Copper that's fallen head first in a tin of green paint Hopefully normal business will resume in your part of the world soon, we look like having un-butterfly friendly weather for the long haul over here

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

In my short experience I have never seen so many eggs together. I would say that on average I would expect about 4 eggs per leaf.
With 4 eggs on one plant, the plant generally grows quicker than the cats. can eat it (finishing with the fruit that will appear at the top).
It will be interesting on these 3 plants to see who eats how much of what. I will monitor things.

Thanks, Chris. Monitoring progress would probably be a good idea to see whether the cats can outstrip the plant growth! Are adult numbers in excess of what you are used to seeing this year?

Well done with the Provence Hairstreak. I know this is quite an iconic species in France so any new populations are to be welcomed.

[Chris Jackson]

... we look like having un-butterfly friendly weather for the long haul over here .... Wurzel

Spring is often a dodgy time weather-wise, just when we need to see those spring species.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

..... Are adult numbers in excess of what you are used to seeing this year? ....

Ah David, unfortunately I am stuck to my office chair 99% of the time. I consider myself lucky to see what I actually do see.
I cannot judge the populations. I wish I was out and about more often to get better statistics.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Folks,
On January 13th I posted photos of a Southern White Admiral cat. in his hibernaculum.
Today he is out of hibernation on his host plant.
L. reducta 3rd instar on Lonicera implexa:

his hibernaculum is still hanging on:

The Southern White Admiral cat. is on his host plant here, growing out of this rock face on the left:

Elsewhere on the outskirts of Marseilles, we have Provence Orange Tip eggs on Biscutella laevigata:

This is the context for the POT host plant:

Chris

[bugboy]

Your diary has taken on a slightly different slant for me now that I'm familiar with several species you follow down there

[Wurzel]

Interesting to see the SWA cat Chris - I'm used to seeing images of the WA but I don't know how they compare appearance wise - this looks a little more 'stripey'?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Excellent early stage images, Chris. There's so much going on down your way with your extended species range, meaning there is plenty to find even when the weather is not conducive to butterfly activity.

Surely you'll get some respite from your office seat over the Easter break?