French Alps 4th - 11th July 2020

[Medard]

Hi David , you timed your visit to France well, we arrived at Nevache yesterday and found the place swarming with visitors, the mountain road leading up from the Village was barred, access limited by Navette, a large queue was patiently waiting their turn, most without masks, we decided to move on, the lady in the office attributed the numbers of visitors to the Covid effect.
Hoping to give Alpe d'Huez a try, thanks for the location tip.

[David M]

That's frustrating, Jim, but not really that surprising. The French seem to decamp to the south every year once schools break up. I suppose the restrictions on travel have made them do this in record numbers this year.

Good luck at Alpe d'Huez. You should be able to park easily by the second telecabine station.

[David M]

Plenty of Fritillaries about, though I saw fewer of the likes of Spotted and Heath due to time spent at altitude in the wrong habitat for them.

The large Frits were especially frustrating. Must have seen 200+ but only about half a dozen settled for sufficiently long for me to ID them. I probably saw Niobe Fritillary in the air several times but I haven't included it because I wasn't able to positively identify one at rest.

Nymphalids - Fritillaries

43. High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe)
44. Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja)
45. Silver Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)
46. Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)
47. Mountain Fritillary (Boloria napaea)
48. Shepherd's Fritillary (Boloria pales)
49. Titania's Fritillary (Boloria titania)
50. Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne)
51. Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino)
52. Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)
53. Cynthia's Fritillary (Euphydryas cynthia)
54. Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia)
55. Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia)
56. Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
57. False Heath Fritillary (Melitaea diamina)
58. Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma)
59. Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe)
60. Grisons Fritillary (Melitaea varia)

[David M]

Given the length of time spent above 2,000m, it wasn't surprising that members of the Aristocrat group was seen infrequently. However, to fail to see a single Painted Lady or Red Admiral was extremely surprising. Some compensation was had with the sightings of Poplar Admiral and Map.

Nymphalids - Aristocrats

61. Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
62. Comma (Polygonia c-album)
63. Poplar admiral (Limenitis populi)
64. Map (Araschnia levana)

[David M]

Nymphalids - Satyrids

65. Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe)
66. Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania)
67. Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus)
68. Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion)
69. Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
70. Alpine Heath (Coenonympha gardetta)
71. False Mnestra Ringlet (Erebia aethiopella)
72. Almond-eyed Ringlet (Erebia alberganus)
73. Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides)
74. Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron)
75. Large Ringlet (Erebia euryale)
76. Blind ringlet (Erebia pharte)
77. Dewy ringlet (Erebia pandrose)
78. Marbled Ringlet (Erebia montana)
79. Sooty Ringlet (Erebia pluto)
80. Large Wall (Lasiommata maera)
81. Wall (Lasiommata megera)
82. Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
83. Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
84. Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
85. Great Sooty Satyr (Satyrus ferula)

[David M]

Papilionidae

86. Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)
87. Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
88. Apollo (Parnassius apollo)
89. Small Apollo (Parnassius phoebus)

[David M]

Pierids

90. Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
91. Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi)
92. Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis)
93. Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea)
94. Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone)
95. Moorland clouded yellow (Colias palaeno)
96. Mountain Dappled White (Euchloe simplonia)
97. Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
98. Wood White (Leptidea sinapis)
99. Large White (Pieris brassicae)
100. Mountain Green-veined White (Pieris bryoniae)
101. Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
102. Small White (Pieris rapae)
103. Peak White (Pontia callidice)

[BarrieS]

David
You've obviously had a really good trip, in wonderful scenery, and posted a selection superb images of some high altitude species that are difficult to just see, let alone photograph - Peak White, Moorland Clouded Yellow, Alpine and Cranberry Blue, Poplar Admiral and Marbled Ringlet to name a few. Being here and reading your report is a timely reminder of great days in some of those meadows in the past. Obviously, a couple of days at the hotel track and the fort would have added another two dozen species, but by being alone you had the chance to explore the peaks in search of more scarce species.
Regarding your three lifers:
I assume that Cranberry Blue was at the edge of its range in the area you found it and not possible on the tours I've been on with you.
Looking at the distribution maps, Marbled Ringlet looks to be distributed widely in that part of the Alps your tours visit. Is it absent on the Cols we've visited with you, or is the timing of the tours not quite right for it.
Ripart's A Blue presumably is extremely local in France. With three distinct populations, in the Balkans, SE France and Northern Spain, I've wondered if they are actually different races (sub-species). Have you any thoughts? I suppose that's one for the scientists to work out.

[selbypaul]

As ever David, a fascinating read. You saw 12 species I've never seen before, so very jealous, especially of the Poplar Admiral and Alpine Grayling!

Good luck on the Monte Universales trip this next week, which Matt has said is still going ahead, airlines permitting! Looking forward to hearing what butterflies you see this year, different to what we saw last year. Also looking forward to you solving the mystery of the Provencal Chalkhill Blue vs hybrid Chalkhill Blue debate!

Very best wishes
Paul

[David M]

...Regarding your three lifers:
I assume that Cranberry Blue was at the edge of its range in the area you found it and not possible on the tours I've been on with you.
Looking at the distribution maps, Marbled Ringlet looks to be distributed widely in that part of the Alps your tours visit. Is it absent on the Cols we've visited with you, or is the timing of the tours not quite right for it.
Ripart's A Blue presumably is extremely local in France. With three distinct populations, in the Balkans, SE France and Northern Spain, I've wondered if they are actually different races (sub-species). Have you any thoughts? I suppose that's one for the scientists to work out.

Hi Barrie. Yes, Cranberry Blue was seen in Isère which is an area my trips haven't covered (that might change!). Tristan Lafranchis took guests to a site a couple of years ago in the Queyras though. I found out it was near Ristolas, but it was a two hour walk into the mountains!! They only saw one so I didn't repeat the visit in 2018 and 2019.

Marbled Ringlet is probably quite common when its flight season is in full swing. I will find out in a couple of weeks when a couple of people report back to me. It's a late July/August species (like many erebia) which explains why I hadn't seen it before.

Ripart's is an enigma. I'm sure it goes massively under the radar due to it superficially appearing like a female Blue. Even an experienced butterfly watcher would probably pass it over unless they knew they were in an area where it has been recorded.

[David M]

..Good luck on the Monte Universales trip this next week, which Matt has said is still going ahead, airlines permitting! Looking forward to hearing what butterflies you see this year, different to what we saw last year. Also looking forward to you solving the mystery of the Provencal Chalkhill Blue vs hybrid Chalkhill Blue debate!

Thanks, Paul. For some reason this trip always gets beset by problems - in 2018 there was a taxi strike at Madrid airport and we had major difficulties getting to our hotel; last year the time of my return flight was changed by 10 hours meaning I had to book another, and now this!!

I'm not counting any chickens yet; just crossing my fingers.

[Chris Jackson]

A great tally David. You chose the right places at the right time.
Damon Blue was one of my favourites this summer in the Savoie. 10s and 10s of males, but only 1 female.
Chris

[petesmith]

Fantastic results from your trip David! I am looking forward to seeing what is still on the wing out there in a couple of days time, although I shall mostly be staying within the Alpes de Haute Provence/Maritime Alps, with a probable day's excursion further north into the Hautes Alpes.

[David M]

Thanks, Chris. I share your view regarding damon. One of the loveliest European Blues.

[David M]

Fantastic results from your trip David! I am looking forward to seeing what is still on the wing out there in a couple of days time, although I shall mostly be staying within the Alpes de Haute Provence/Maritime Alps, with a probable day's excursion further north into the Hautes Alpes.

Thanks, Pete. Best of luck with your trip. I'm really looking forward to finding out what's there in late summer.