David M

[selbypaul]

Sounds like a truly excellent trip David, and one that is on my radar when my diary allows! Your list includes 9 species I've not seen before!

[trevor]

That is a very impressive list, David, as are the images you've posted.
It just goes to show what we are missing over here.

[John Vergo]

I must say David, an impressive list, 7 would be new for me, looking foreward to the tour next year

[Goldie M]

WoW! is all I can say David, I lived in Canada for two years in Alberta ( my Husband was working there) and never saw a Bear
Has for the Butterflies , what a great holiday.Goldie

[David M]

Sounds like a truly excellent trip David, and one that is on my radar when my diary allows! Your list includes 9 species I've not seen before!

Best week's butterflying for a long while, Paul.

[David M]

That is a very impressive list, David, as are the images you've posted.
It just goes to show what we are missing over here.

I wish I could say it had been like that everywhere in Europe this year so far, Trevor.

2024, in western Europe at least, has been difficult.

[David M]

Sunday 26th May – Quick local visit…

Today was the only real chance I had to check out my local Fritillary populations before heading abroad again.

Conditions weren’t great, with around 70% cloud cover, and the commons near my home were much damper and boggier that they are normally at this time of year.

In the 45 minutes I could spare, I saw just 5 butterflies, two of which were Green Hairstreaks.

Thankfully, the others were my targets, with two fresh-looking Marsh Fritillaries being especially welcome:

I saw just one Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, but given the mainly cloudy conditions he was fairly approachable and both upper and underwing shots were easy to achieve:

[David M]

I must say David, an impressive list, 7 would be new for me, looking foreward to the tour next year

Trust me, John, it's a real eye-opener.

[David M]

WoW! is all I can say David, I lived in Canada for two years in Alberta ( my Husband was working there) and never saw a Bear Has for the Butterflies , what a great holiday.Goldie

The bears were amazing, Goldie, and the butterflies equally good. Wish I could say the same for western Europe but sadly it has been a dire year for our winged friends there.

[David M]

28th May to 1st June – Eastern French Pyrenees…

I have made this trip for several years now and it is always a pleasure, being in a beautiful part of Europe just as spring is giving way to summer.

The season was somewhat behind, but following the sighting of Violet Copper on the first day the other great pleasure was seeing quite a few Swallowtails along with their cousins, Iberian Scarce Swallowtails:

[Goldie M]

Fantastic David, keep them coming Goldie

[David M]

Thanks, Goldie. Plenty more to come when I can find time to upload things during this busy schedule.

[David M]

28th May to 1st June – Eastern French Pyrenees cont…

Once again, the weather was less than ideal, with most days beset by cloud cover and even mist above 1,000m.

That didn't deter me when I went looking for Apollos, as these butterflies get grounded quickly when cool conditions suddenly arrive, and they are unable to take flight again until the sun comes out and temperatures rise. Being huge and white, they are also easy to find in the vegetation if you know where their favourite haunts are.

This female took less than 5 minutes to locate. I picked her up and put her on a thistle which she immediately began nectaring from:

Half an hour later, the sun had come out and i noticed her in flight coming straight back to the same thistle patch:

[David M]

28th May to 1st June – Eastern French Pyrenees cont…

Another benefit of the mist at 1,300m was the opportunity to go looking for any Provence Orange Tips roosting temporarily on the biscutella flowers.

To my delight, I found one at the roadside just as the sun was about to break through the mist so I stood for a few minutes and watched this beautiful insect stir into life again with the increased warmth:

[Goldie M]

The weather might not be too good there but your still seeing some lovely Butterflies David I think the weather here as to change for the worst .Goldie

[Padfield]

I still haven't seen Apollos in Switzerland this year, David, though the earlier clouded Apollos are on the wing. I think it's not just a late year in western Europe but a difficult one too, with some species suffering particularly. I'll be very interested to see the rest of your French discoveries. You're a little further south than me and maybe they haven't had such an incredibly wet, cold year.

Guy

[David M]

28th May to 1st June – Eastern French Pyrenees cont…

As well as Apollo, two other members of the Papilionidae family were seen.

Several Spanish Festoons were found, a higher number than usual given the late season:

As ever, Clouded Apollo was present too:

[David M]

The weather might not be too good there but your still seeing some lovely Butterflies David. I think the weather here as to change for the worst.

I'm not complaining, Goldie.

[David M]

The weather was hit and miss, with wind being an aggravating factor. Nonetheless, a good range of species were seen.

Amongst the Fritillaries, the variety within female didyma was eye-opening as ever:

I never see many Meadow Fritillaries, so this one was welcome:

Glanville Fritillaries were common:

Pride of place within this group however went to the many beckeri Marsh Fritillaries:

[David M]

I still haven't seen Apollos in Switzerland this year, David, though the earlier clouded Apollos are on the wing. I think it's not just a late year in western Europe but a difficult one too, with some species suffering particularly. I'll be very interested to see the rest of your French discoveries. You're a little further south than me and maybe they haven't had such an incredibly wet, cold year.

Thanks, Guy. The Pyrenees seemed to be around a week behind in late May, but the French Alps was certainly a fortnight or even more a month later.

By contrast, I'm currently in the Arctic Circle where conditions are quite warm and sunny.

It truly has been a bizarre year.