Chris Jackson in Marseilles

[David M]

That was great timing with those Glanville larvae, Chris.

As for Spanish Festoon, I wonder whether they are toxic, given their colour pattern of yellow, black and red.

[Chris Jackson]

That was great timing with those Glanville larvae, Chris.
As for Spanish Festoon, I wonder whether they are toxic, given their colour pattern of yellow, black and red.

Hi David. I do believe the cats are toxic having eaten the host plant.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Folks.
South of France, late May.
Introduction to Turquoise Blue.
Not a common butterfly and unusual so close to home. This is a newcomer near me in Marseilles.
Turquoise Blue male on its host plant (the female is brown) :

Male undersides (wide white marginal borders and no fwd uns cell spot):

Context in my local park where the host plant is :

Host plant leaves (Anthyllis vulneraria) :

Host plant - Anthyllis vulneraria

And in the same place the Little Blue uses the same host plant, Anthyllis vulneraria:

Chris

[Wurzel]

Another cracking species Chris Interesting to see the underside - seems really unusual to have the white margins, I don't know why, I suppose it just goes against all the usual species I see

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...Introduction to Turquoise Blue...

An absolute joy. One of my favourites, Chris.

Didn't know they were scarce round your way. I always thought they favoured dry environments?

[Chris Jackson]

Another cracking species Chris Interesting to see the underside - seems really unusual to have the white margins, I don't know why, I suppose it just goes against all the usual species I see
Have a goodun
Wurzel

Hi Wurzel,
At a glance, the Turquoise Blue could easily pass for a Common Blue, particularly when you're not expecting it. As you can see on the map further down, they are not very common close to Marseilles.
Cheers,
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

.... Didn't know they were scarce round your way. I always thought they favoured dry environments?

Hi David, down here there is dry and there is DRY.
DRY is the garrigue (scrub) where a limited number of species venture .
My Turquoise Blues are in a transition (lush, hospitable) area of my local park between the outskirts of town and the garrigue.
To my mind their host plant is not adapted to the garrigue.

Here is the PACA-region distribution map for this species. The red arrow tip indicates Marseilles - not many Turquoise Blue sightings:

The cluster of sightings we see on the map, 1 cm (approx. 40 km) north east of Marseilles, corresponds to the vicinity of the Sainte Baume mountain - by far the overall richest BF area, closest to me.
Cheers,
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Folks,

Meadow Brown has been flying down here since May 10th.
Today was my first reasonable photo opportunity:

Cheers,
Chris

[David M]

Thanks for the explanation, Chris (along with the distribution map). Yes, I see what an influence the area round Saint Baume has. No wonder it's a mecca for you.

[essexbuzzard]

Great new species for you there, Chris. Turquoise blue are a gorgeous butterfly, aren’t they? Given their abundance in parts of Britain, and also in the Alps, I wouldn’t consider Anthyllis vulneriana (Kidney vetch) particularly drought tolerant, indeed I’m surprised it grows near you at all. Though in GB it usually, but not always, has yellow flowers.

I have noticed in the Alps, near La Clusaz, that Silver studded blue also uses it, so it is a very important plant!

Great diary Chris, most interesting.

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the info Chris - it goes to show that it was a cracking find

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Just catching up on your diary Chris, I'm with Wurzel, that Turquoise Blue underside is very eye catching

[NickMorgan]

Just catching up on your diary Chris, I'm with Wurzel, that Turquoise Blue underside is very eye catching

Yes, me too! The Turquoise Blue is lovely. Very like the Nevada Blue, which is one of my favourites. It also uses Kidney Vetch which manages to cling on in the high Sierra Nevada in very desolate conditions.

[Chris Jackson]

Hi David, Essex, Wurzel, Paul and Nick.
Thanks for your encouraging comments.

For a year now I have been following the life cycle of the Black-veined White, from mating, from a female laying eggs last June, eggs hatching, the early stages, over-wintering and parasiting.
Now, the last week of May is an interesting moment for the Black-veined White.
All in the space of one week we can see the first imagoes that have emerged, mating pairs, the last straggling cats preparing for pupation, and the chrysalis, and in principle, egg laying:
I saw my first male imago on May 25th:

Whereas still on May 25th only a 100 metres away, a straggling cat was preparing for pupation on a sprig of thym:

(it would need to be head-up to pupate though)

I moved it to a more protected and re-locatable sprig of thym, and by May 30th it had righted itself and pupated:

The context at 650 m altitude on the Var / Bouches du Rhone border:

After my trip back to the UK, I will start looking for this year's eggs, on Hawthorn and Wild Pear.
Cheers,
Chris

[Wurzel]

That would be fantastic to see, the life cycle laid out on a plate in one sitting - it would have made Pete's forthcoming book much easier

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Fascinating to see, Chris. This is a butterfly that explodes into life in late May in the French Pyrenees and, given how visible it is, can seemingly be the commonest butterfly at that time of year.

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks Wurzel and David, I'm sure by now you have seen my Black-veined White life story.

As I write, 14 September, temperatures have risen again in Marseille up to 31°C in the afternoon.
At the end of last year I planted a spindly fennel plant in my garden, taken from nearby waste ground.
It is having difficulties taking root but has nonetheless obviously attracted a Swallowtail. It is only recently that I spotted the cat - it was up to then well hidden.

The cat is 30 mm long. I guess it will reach 35 mm before it pupates.
When I disturbed the cat it deployed its defensive glands (their name eludes me).

Hope I can get a photo of the pupation.
And yes, that is a Strawberry Tree we can see in the background, I am hoping for results from that!!
Chris

[Pauline]

Hi Chris - At last I've found it again. I knew I'd seen it somewhere and it stuck in my mind. Great life-cycle shots of the BVW. I'm impressed with all your observations of the immature stages and behavioral aspects. Shall be looking in quite a bit more now that I've discovered it. Really interesting!

[Wurzel]

Brilliant shots Chris Thank you for letting me use Pete's book properly for the first time - those defensive glands are called its osmeterium Good luck with your charge, I'm looking forward to following their progress

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Chris - At last I've found it again. I knew I'd seen it somewhere and it stuck in my mind. Great life-cycle shots of the BVW. I'm impressed with all your observations of the immature stages and behavioral aspects. Shall be looking in quite a bit more now that I've discovered it. Really interesting!

Thanks Pauline. Thats very kind of you - I won't necessarily develop that thread. The immature stages do open up other satisfying avenues of exploration.
Chris