To start with, there are one hell of a lot of Browns, Ringlets, Graylings, Marbled Whites and Heaths to choose from, and narrowing it down to just ten was truly tough!
In the end, I went for a bit of a "selection box" approach...
Number Ten Esper's Marbled White
My first attempt at a top ten didn't have a single "Marbled White" in it, which was clearly unacceptable. It was a toss-up between this species and the Western Marbled White. This one makes the cut largely because of the excitement of finding my first one in a steep meadow near Barcelonette, at the end of July a few years back. It was my first ever Esper's, and I spent a good half hour chasing around like a lunatic, waiting for it to land so that I could get a photo. This is a large Marbled White species, appearing quite white in flight. I have revisited the Barcelonette site several times since, and never seen the butterfly there again, but we did encounter quite a few in the Picos de Europa last year, which is where these were photographed, and later on it was about in the Montes Universales in early August, if a little past its prime.
Number 9 Dusky Heath
I find this species highly attractive. I think it is the way that the hindwing ocelli are bordered on both sides by a pale whitish colour that gives it such appeal. Another memorable first encounter. As Roger has mentioned, you always remember your first time of finding a given species. My first Dusky Heath was on a scree slope in the Maritime Alps, and it lead me on a merry dance up and down the slope in 35 degree temperatures before eventually landing for long enough to confirm that it was indeed what I suspected it to be. Seeing new species is certainly good for the soul; I am not always convinced it is quite as good for the heart!
Number 8 Dryad
This large, dark Satyrid made a big impression on me when I encountered it in the north of the Dordogne at the end of July 2002. It was numerous, and also very freshly emerged. The effect when a fresh adult flicks its wings open to reveal those dreamy blue-centred spots is quite dramatic! A few of these shots were taken not far from Stephane's hotel, along the famous track.
Number 7 Spring Ringlet
This butterfly was the main target for an early spring trip to the PACA region of SE France. I had identified a potential location via google earth; the aerial view looked like the habitat might be suitable, and it wasn't too far away from an historic record. We drove from Nice up to the site, as the weather deteriorated, and we arrived in dense cloud with the car giving the temperature as 8 degrees. Not great butterflying weather. I got out of the car just to have a look at the habitat, and within 100metres I had kicked up a rather sleepy epistygne. What a moment! I hadn't even taken my camera with me. A return trip the following morning in much better weather produced about a dozen of this early season Erebia. The undersides are particularly attractive, with their marbled markings and very prominent venation, and the uppersides have interesting contrasts between forewing and hindwing, with the ocelli being backed with orange on the hindwings, and a more yellowish colour on the forewings.
Number 6 Lattice Brown
My first encounter with this gorgeous beast was in Corfu some years ago. The underside markings are lovely, and the butterfly is quite a character, loping along and often resting up in the shade on the trunk of a tree in between brief flights. Sometimes it rests up in more accessible places, and allows itself to be approached for photography.
Good luck folks with making your choices!
Top five to follow shortly...
