Central Switzerland

[Simon C]

We spent a few days walking and sightseeing in Switzerland earlier this month, and I am just getting round to going through some photos and IDing what we saw. It was wonderful to recognise so many of the UK species in large numbers, and to see so many butterflies in general. A couple of highlights were Purple Emperor, Wood White and Silver Washed Fritillaries in woods near Solothurn, which is a beautiful city with some wonderful buildings, well worth a visit, and Chequered Skipper, Duke of Burgundy, Heath Fritillary, Apollo and - wait for it - Small Tortoiseshell, all within 20 feet on Rigi.

Please feel free to correct me if I've got any of these wrong - no doubt I'll be posting some more troublesome ones in due course.

Simon

Black Veined White


Purple Edged Copper


Chequered Skipper


Chequered Skipper


Mountain Green Veined White


Large Blue?


Silver Washed Fritillary


False Heath Fritillary


Swallowtail


Mazarine Blue


Humming Bird Hawk Moth

[Padfield]

Beautiful photos, Simon! I'm looking forward to the next batch.

I'm sure you are right about the large blue - that is the typical underside of form obscura, though it looks dark and worn. If there is really doubt about the id in your mind (you saw the ups), do you have anycloser shots or croppings of the same individual?

Guy

[Simon C]

Thanks Guy. The one ID'd as Large Blue was pretty docile as it was overcast and cool at the time, so I never got much sight of the ups, but I'm pretty sure Ive got a closer shot that I will dig out and post. I saw large blue elsewhere which were more like the ones I am familiar with from Collard Hill.

Simon

[JKT]

The Silver Washed is absolutely gorgeous!

[Padfield]

I agree, the SWF is outstanding.

As for the Maculinea, I find the marginal markings just too obscure in this view to tell if it might possibly be rebeli (or even telejus). These can appear to have double marginal spotting, though they don't really.

This is rebeli, for example. It doesn't look much different from yours...



Guy

[Denise]

Stunning shots Simon.
The Silver Washed Fritillary and the Mazarine Blue are knock out! ( I have a thing for blue's)
Looking forward to the next entry.

Cheers
Denise

[Simon C]

Thanks for the comments JKT, Denise. The SWF is certainly one of my favourite shots from the holiday. The weather forecast was suspect, so we planned a day sightseeing in Solothurn, then it brightened up in the afternoon and we jumped onto a train traveling into the nearby mountains, aiming to get to a chairlift up to the top. But Sarah thought the chairlift looked a bit suspect (me too, but I didn't say so), and seeing a sign pointing through the woods to some dinosaur footprints, we decided to head there instead - only to immediately see a purple emperor!!! The SWF was just after we had been to the quarry and seen the dino-tracks. It was a terrific day.

Guy, this is most revealing shot of the assumed large blue. Not sure it is any more help. The shot was taken at ~1600m on Fronalpstock, south of Schwyz.



Simon

[Padfield]

Thanks, Simon!

Like you, I probably concede defeat here, in which case large blue must be the default. I can't rule out rebeli but I can't rule it in either.

Whatever, it's a truly wonderful picture, with the butterfly perched in such delicate and beautiful surroundings.

Guy