European Butterflies - A personal diary

[selbypaul]

It was an early start on Day 8, and it dawned misty and with the first rain of the week. There was no time for butterflying anyway, so it didn’t matter. A 140 minute drive back to Santander airport awaited, and it passed quickly.

Santander airport is tiny, and it was a joy to speed through check-in and security. A quick flight back to Stansted, unusually clear roads in the UK, and I was back home in Sheffield for 5pm!

My summary of the Picos de Europa in one word – superb. Over the last 8 years I’ve visited 20 parts of Europe in 8 different countries. There are other places where you can perhaps see some rarer species, or perhaps in higher numbers of individual butterflies. But in terms of range of habitat type and diversity of species, the Picos is probably equal best, together with parts of the Spanish Pyrenees. Pau’s excellent local knowledge and guiding helped of course.

As a consequence, I’ll be returning next year. There is unfinished business with Woodland Brown and Mountain Dappled White. I also think that, in a perfect year, 130 species in 8 days might be possible. Not that rushing around for species numbers should be a target. But it would be interesting to potentially achieve.

[selbypaul]

On returning home to the UK, butterfly numbers in my garden were finally in good numbers, after the dreadful spring. I spent some time reflecting on my five full butterfly focused holidays this year. The weather patterns across Europe have been completely bonkers. From the scorching hot dry early spring experienced in Spain in April, via the cool late conditions in the Greek Peloponnese in May, to the very late season experienced in the Italian Alps in mid-June, and then a relatively normal season in the Picos de Europa.

As ever, I feel very lucky to be able to afford such holidays abroad. But I also feel lucky to be seeing some of the butterfly species. The changing climate and weather patterns, the changing farming practices, I cannot help fearing there is an element of “last chance saloon” to be seeing many of the species.

Also part of my reflection was the fact that, after 8 years, I’m entering what I personally feel to be my fourth phase of European butterflying next year.

Phase 1 was 2016 to 2018, where I was absolutely still learning the ropes. I was picking destinations based on scenery, doing no research on species identification prior to arriving, and being blown away by how tricky it was to ID species in the field.

Phase 2, from 2019 to 2021, I did lots of research prior to arriving about ID, and picked my destinations based on hoped for numbers of new species, and during Covid, availability of flights!

Phase 3, this last 2 years, I was lucky to have lots of stored up annual leave, and again did lots of winter research. This included encouraging guides to visit locations they’d not visited previously or researched themselves, to see rare species. It also included going on trips on my own, based on my own research, to Tenerife and Sicily.

Next year is Phase 4. David Moore and Jon Dunn, who have guided a number of the trips I’ve been on, and have now become friends, have established their own Wildlife Holiday company. They have asked me to co-guide three of their trips in 2024, all trips I’ve been on as a guest and thoroughly enjoyed.

I never intended these four phases, and certainly never imagined being a Guide. But, having thoroughly enjoyed the last 8 years of Butterfly Holidaying in Europe, I feel immensely privileged to have been asked. And I cannot wait to begin the Co-Guiding journey.

I want to help other people to see the amazing habitats in Europe, and the fantastic butterflies that live there. I want them to contrast that with the paucity of the “Green Desert” landscape that exists in much of the UK. I also want them to turn that learning into action, whether that be protecting those European habitats, or improving the habitats in the UK.

Here’s a quote from my first post about my first trip to the Dolomites back in 2016:

“….I thought I’d give it a go. I booked the holiday as a test, to see if I’d enjoy group holidays, with people I didn’t know. And also to see if I’d enjoy a full 8 days focused solidly on butterflies. I’m so very glad I did….”

Who knew, let alone me, that it would turn out the way it now has?!?

[Charaxes]

Hello Paul,

I've been following your diary for a while now and have found it truly fascinating. So thanks for sharing your experiences!
It sounds like you have had a fantastic journey so far and congratulations on the latest developments! I bet you can't wait for 2024

Interesting to read your 'last chance saloon' comment and it seems this could be extended to the rest of the world from what I've seen on my travels. Let's hope we can all do our bit in the coming years to increase the chances of survival for these fantastic creatures we all love so much.

All the best with phase 4 of your journey,

Regards, Scott

[selbypaul]

Hello Paul,

I've been following your diary for a while now and have found it truly fascinating. So thanks for sharing your experiences!
It sounds like you have had a fantastic journey so far and congratulations on the latest developments! I bet you can't wait for 2024

Interesting to read your 'last chance saloon' comment and it seems this could be extended to the rest of the world from what I've seen on my travels. Let's hope we can all do our bit in the coming years to increase the chances of survival for these fantastic creatures we all love so much.

All the best with phase 4 of your journey,

Regards, Scott

That's kind of you to say Scott, thanks very much

[Rogerdodge]

Paul
I posted on here a while back about Jon Dunn's article in British Wildlife magazine.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11692
Previously his excellent book Orchid Summer had reignited my old love for wild Orchids.
After a rather good self-guided Orchid trip to Crete earlier this year, I decided to visit the even better Orchid island of Rhodes.
Whilst researching sites to visit I discovered that Jon was leading an Orchid trip to Rhodes - also encountering more than a few Butterflies en route.
I booked myself on the trip, and subsequently met both Jon and David Moore at BirdFair this year. They are really entertaining, knowledgable and enthusiastic people.
I am sure Mariposa Nature Tours will do really well - especially with you on board as well.
Looking forward to even more reports in the future.
https://www.mariposanature.com/
Good Luck

Roger Harding

[selbypaul]

Paul
I posted on here a while back about Jon Dunn's article in British Wildlife magazine.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11692
Previously his excellent book Orchid Summer had reignited my old love for wild Orchids.
After a rather good self-guided Orchid trip to Crete earlier this year, I decided to visit the even better Orchid island of Rhodes.
Whilst researching sites to visit I discovered that Jon was leading an Orchid trip to Rhodes - also encountering more than a few Butterflies en route.
I booked myself on the trip, and subsequently met both Jon and David Moore at BirdFair this year. They are really entertaining, knowledgable and enthusiastic people.
I am sure Mariposa Nature Tours will do really well - especially with you on board as well.
Looking forward to even more reports in the future.
https://www.mariposanature.com/
Good Luck

Roger Harding

Thanks for the well wishes Roger, they are much appreciated.

[David M]

...Our grand total number of species for the week was 115.

That's quite some total, Paul. When I visited that area two years ago I didn't breach 90, so congratulations are in order for smashing through the 100 barrier in what has largely been a very poor butterfly year in Europe.

[selbypaul]

In a "perfect" year, if there would ever be such a year, I genuinely think that 130 species would be possible. It really is such a biodiverse area.

[David M]

I still keep believing 150 is possible in the Alps, Paul (132 is the best return we've had), but that 'perfect' year is yet to materialise.

[selbypaul]

I still keep believing 150 is possible in the Alps, Paul (132 is the best return we've had), but that 'perfect' year is yet to materialise.

I think the chances of a "perfect" year are getting less and less as the years pass by, given the various climate shifts going on. But it'll be a pleasure trying!

[David M]

I still keep believing 150 is possible in the Alps, Paul (132 is the best return we've had), but that 'perfect' year is yet to materialise.

I think the chances of a "perfect" year are getting less and less as the years pass by, given the various climate shifts going on. But it'll be a pleasure trying!

We'll get another good one before too long, Paul. Perfection is never attainable, but we're overdue a decent season (last one was in 2017).

[selbypaul]

It was mid-August since I last posted in my diary in this thread, a full five months ago! The reason for such a gap is because I'd used up all my annual leave on my five 2023 holidays. It has been a hard slog in work, with no breaks other than the three Bank Holidays of Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year....

But my European Butterfly travels began in mid-January. I say "Butterfly travels" but it wasn't a butterfly focused holiday. It was a sun/warmth/relaxation focused week in Madeira, based in Funchal, with my partner. But, of course, any opportunity to see some butterflies would be taken.

Getting to Madeira took much longer than it should have done. In normal weather conditions, it takes roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes from the UK. But the wind on the south side of Madeira on our arrival day was described by some locals as some of the worst they'd known in 10 years. It meant that local air traffic control were only allowing flights to land in brief gaps of calmer winds. So, as the flight was just about to land in Madeira, the Captain of the plane announced we'd be circling the island for as long as the fuel reserves allowed, in the hope of a gap in the weather. A full 75 minutes circling Madeira, but that gap didn't happen, which meant we flew a further hour to land in Tenerife to refuel. We were just about to get off the plane for a night sleeping at the airport, when the Captain came into the Cabin to announce there was a small chance of a gap in the winds that evening forecast in Madeira. A further hour long wait before a take-off slot was secured, then another hour long flight back to Madeira....! Thankfully, the landing in Madeira was smooth, and the holiday could begin. A grand total of 8 and a half hours sitting in the same seat on a small plane was not good for the posterior!

The weather forecast for the week was not good, and indeed it turned out to be so. Over the course of the following 6 days, we had two afternoons of sunny weather, plus one trip to the far north west of the island, where it was sunny. Butterflying opportunities were therefore limited.

But the cooler and wetter conditions did allow me the chance to get closer to a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) than I'd ever been before. This photo was taken on my phone camera, so isn't the best, but I still appreciated getting up close and personal with the individual.

Monarch

The main hope of the week had been to see the Madeiran Speckled Wood (Pararge xiphia), a Madeiran endemic. It is sadly in rapid decline after the (European) Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) was accidentally introduced to Madeira in the 1970s. From what I've read, the aggressive behaviour of the non-native towards the native disturbs their breeding activity, meaning less successful breeding. That and the fact that the native was already under pressure as its habitat and larval host plant are decreasing due to rampant non-native introduced plants and trees.

I'd visited Madeira before in January 2018, very much still in my "first phase" of European butterfly spotting. I had seen a "Pararge" of some sort in the right habitat, but didn't get a photo. I'd assumed at the time that it was the native endemic at, but in hindsight I suspected it probably wasn't. So seeing the native for sure this time was a goal.

On my trip to the North West of the island, the driver drove slowly through some woodland, and there I saw it, Pararge xiphia. Unmistakeably so, despite no photograph. Even in flight I could see it was bigger and darker than the non-native which I'd seen the day before in Funchal.

This was clearly a highlight of the week, and the main target seen, despite poor weather and no real opportunity to go searching in the right habitat.

Also seen on the trip were: Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Long Tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) and Lang's Short Tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

Interestingly, on my final morning, while packing a small brown butterfly flew past me on the balcony of my hotel. Without a close look, it felt like a Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli). But this species is not meant to be on Madeira (yet).... I'll never know.

Strong winds caused a further 3 hour delay to the flight back to the UK. Despite everything, I still enjoyed the holiday. It was relaxing, and it was fabulous to sit outside in 18C to 22C temperatures, despite the rain and cloud.

I've now got another long wait until June before my next trip abroad. Looking forward to it already!

[David M]

You haven't had the best of luck weatherwise in the Macaronesian Isles lately Paul, have you?

Still, if it was primarily a break where butterflies were not the #1 reason for the trip then you did well. Madeiran Speckled Wood (unsurprisingly) cannot be seen anywhere else!

[selbypaul]

You haven't had the best of luck weatherwise in the Macronesian Isles lately Paul, have you?

Still, if it was primarily a break where butterflies were not the #1 reason for the trip then you did well. Madeiran Speckled Wood (unsurprisingly) cannot be seen anywhere else!

I've subsequently read about a flight that departed 75 minutes earlier than us, flying exactly the same route, that landed in Madeira 52 hours after us, after 2 aborted landings, and overnights in both Porto Santo and then in Tenerife!!!! We were very lucky!

You know me David, very little flusters me. I count myself privileged to be able to make such trips to wonderful places. Yes, the weather could have been better, but I saw my one target species on a non-butterfly holiday. And I feel relaxed and refreshed, ready for Italy and France in June!

[Padfield]

I'd be surprised if Geranium bronze could make it to Madeira on its own - the general lack of small Lycaenids there (apart from the notable migrants) suggests it is just too far out - but just one batch of Pelargonium with early stages on the leaves is all it takes for assisted entry! Is this a popular house plant in Madeira?

Xiphia has been on my want list since I was a child, but I've never taken the plunge and gone there. G. maderensis is another endemic that seems to be declining. I hope a sizable gene-bank of these species is being built up, so if the worst happens they can be recovered.

There are plenty of woodland browns (and mountain dappled whites) in Switzerland, should you ever choose to come out this way!

Guy

[selbypaul]

I'd be surprised if Geranium bronze could make it to Madeira on its own - the general lack of small Lycaenids there (apart from the notable migrants) suggests it is just too far out - but just one batch of Pelargonium with early stages on the leaves is all it takes for assisted entry! Is this a popular house plant in Madeira?

Xiphia has been on my want list since I was a child, but I've never taken the plunge and gone there. G. maderensis is another endemic that seems to be declining. I hope a sizable gene-bank of these species is being built up, so if the worst happens they can be recovered.

There are plenty of woodland browns (and mountain dappled whites) in Switzerland, should you ever choose to come out this way!

Guy

There were lots of Pelargoniums on display outside in Funchal, for sure. If (or should I say when) they arrive, I cannot believe they won't do well, as they have done on each of the Canary Isles. Whether or not I saw Geranium Bronze myself last week, I'll never know for sure. But I suspect it really is inevitable at some point this next 5 to 10 years.

I do recommend Madeira. I'm told that August is the best month, which gives you the chance of all three endemics and the best weather. A lot of work is being done by a local organisation, in partnership with BC Europe to try to conserve and improve remaining habitat for the endemics.

As for Switzerland, I'm desperate to come back. I loved it in July 2018, and nearly visited in summer 2021 during a "Travel Window." But it fell through when Switzerland closed its borders to the UK. Perhaps summer 2025. If so, I'll be sure to let you know.

[selbypaul]

On the morning of Sunday 9th June, I set off from Sheffield for 12 days butterflying in France and Italy.

As you'll have seen from my previous posts, I've been asked to guide for a wildlife holiday company, with my first 8 day tour (to the Italian Alps and French Mercantour) starting on Tuesday 11th. My plan was to tag on a few days of butterflying in France, either side of that trip.

Sunday 9th was spent on the long drive to Folkestone to catch Le Shuttle, and then a further long drive to a stopover hotel not too far from Dijon. The roads in both England and France were surprisingly quiet, and the weather sunny. So despite the length of the driving, I found it surprisingly pleasant. Perhaps it was the anticipation of what was to come!

The morning of Monday 10th June dawned sunny but cool, just 12C at 7am. I then drove for 3 hours to a site in the Jura Mountains where there is a strong Scarce Heath (Coenonympha hero) colony. By the time I arrived, it was up to 17C, and still sunny, with barely a breath of wind.

As soon as I entered the site, I saw my first butterfly, this Marsh Fritillary (Euphodryas aurinia).

Marsh Fritillary

I was soon distracted by a rather active chocolate brown coloured butterfly in the distance. I got a quick closer view, before it fluttered away, definitely a Heath of some sort. Soon after I saw two more, and was able to get this photo - Scarce Heath!

Scarce Heath 1

Scarce Heath 2

Over the next 30 minutes I saw around 10 more, including a mating pair which flew off. Here's another one I managed to get close to. A really enjoyable species to see, and much larger than I thought it would be.

Also at the site was Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus). If I'd stayed longer, I'm sure I'd have seen more, but I had a long drive to Nice ahead of me, so I only spent 45 minutes in total. A shame, as the wider area looked good for butterflies more generally.

It was then a very long and stressful drive. The first 2 hours from the Jura were on quiet roads, but from mid-France onwards the motorways were busy and full of lorries. It was slow going, and I eventually arrived at my Nice Airport hotel at 7.15pm.

I then had the faff of parking my own car, picking up the minibus for the trip, and parking that. In the process one of the wheels on my suitcase broke! Anyhow, I went to bed early, as I knew there would be another long drive the next day.

[David M]

Great to see you caught up with Scarce Heath, Paul, undoubtedly one of my top 10 European targets that I have yet to see.

Shame about the weight of traffic as you reached the latter end of your journey. Not sure I could undertake a drive of such magnitude.

[selbypaul]

Day 1 of the 8 day holiday involved picking up the guests from Nice Airport, and theoretically, driving the short 75km over the Col de la Lombarde into Italy.

However, Roger Gibbons, who would be joining us for half the trip, had called me the day before to tell me the Col de la Lombarde was closed due to late snow, and road repairs. I'd then explored alternative routes, and all the mountain passes were closed, for various reasons. So the journey to our first base of Bagni di Vinadio would involve the 5 hour drive along motorways, firstly east into Italy, then North West to Cuneo, and finally West to our destination.

Despite the long drive, it went smoothly. But it was very disappointing that the length of the drive meant that there would be no time for butterflying.

Hey ho. It was good to be back in the Italian Alps, 12 months after my last visit. The scenery alone is very special.

View from the hotel bedroom, in Bagni di Vinadio

[David M]

This entire year so far has been a mix of extremes, Paul.

Western Europe is generally behind schedule; further east it is massively ahead.

There is no 'normal' anymore.