Jason Sargerson

[David M]

Perfect timing! Should rouse my spirits before my first overseas jaunt of the year in a week's time.

[jasonsargerson]

I have returned from my first trip to Switzerland this year. The weather was not very good, considering it is early June.

I now have Covid for my troubles - probably caught on the overcrowded Northern tube line in London.

On the first day of my trip (Wednesday 5th June) I arrived at my hotel just after 3pm, so immediately set off for Leuk as it was sunny.

However, very few butterflies present - Common Blue, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Clouded Yellow, Large and Small Whites and Small Heath.

Not a promising start.

[Pete Eeles]

With the chequered fringes, that looks like an Adonis Blue to me, Jason.

Cheers,

- Pete

[jasonsargerson]

Thanks Pete - adds another species to my very short list!

On the second day of my holiday - Thursday June 6th - I met up with Gyorgy Liptovszky again to visit the Cardinal site near Martigny.

He picked me up at Martigny railway station and kindly drove us over to the site. Last time we visited in 2022 we managed one female Cardinal and one female Iolas Blue. This time we were more fortunate with two male Iolas Blues and both male and female Cardinals. The underside of the hindwing of the female Cardinal has distinctly more white markings.

Other butterflies seen included Green-underside Blue and Dark Green Fritillary - but not the usual Marbled Fritillary and Turquoise Blue.

We visited another vineyard site but the sun deserted us - we did see Purple-shot Copper and Chequered Blue.

This was the best butterfly day of my holiday - only really a half day.

I have put clips of the Iolas Blue and Cardinals on my youtube account.

[David M]

Sad the weather wasn't ideal, Jason, but western Europe as a whole seems to be having a particularly atrocious year in 2024.

One can only hope and pray that things change....and soon.

[jasonsargerson]

On the next three days of my holiday there didn't appear to be any butterfly weather, so I was on the train, taking photos at various places.

On the fifth day of my holiday (Sunday 9th June) I did visit Leuk because it warmed up and there was some sunshine.

At Leuk I found a Comma and several Small Heaths.

[jasonsargerson]

On the sixth day of my holiday (Monday, 10th June) I set off in the pouring rain from Brig.

The railway runs beside Lake Geneva for the first time at Montreux, looking down the lake there was blue sky at the far end.

By the time I reached Geneva it was sunny - the second best butterfly day of my holiday.

I visited Allondon Reserve - very little flying here - only Small White and Small Heath, no White Admirals or Marbled Fritillaries.

I took the train back to Russin and was rewarded with Marbled White, Small Skipper, Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper (new for me)
and best of all Reverdin's Blue (last seen 2011).

I think the wet spring has encouraged excess green growth in the normally dry areas, then this has been cut down, along with the usual flowers.
This was apparent at Allondon and Russin and also at Leuk.

[jasonsargerson]

On the last full day of my holiday (Tuesday 11th June), I met up with Gyorgy Liptovszky again.

He collected me from Nyon station and we headed into Geneva to drop his wife off at the United Nations.

There are some amazing road tunnels under Geneva, even at the outskirts.

Unfortunately the weather turned against us, instead of sunshine, it rained and was dull.

We went to the upper Allondon, to see the possible Large Copper sites, then back to Russin, where only Marbled Whites were flying.

So overall a disappointing holiday, but the big pluses were Cardinal, Iolas Blue, Reverdin's Blue and Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper.