Hi again!!
Interesting cans of worms opened up by Roger!!
For that first fritillary, I did consider knapweed, because of that lunule, but only for a millisecond (rightly or wrongly). Nothing else about the butterfly says knapweed, from the wing shape to the pattern, especially considering that the local knapweeds are
occitanica. I have once seen an equally pale knapweed fritillary, in Switzerland, and I admit its wing shape was weird too, but that one screamed 'knapweed' at me:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2008/phoebe081.jpg)
Notice that the
outer edge of the lunule is almost invariaby indented too in knapweed.
On the other hand, it is very common for heath fritillary to have a lunule that size. This is from Switzerland:
So,
within my experience I would definitely plump for heath fritillary. I don't mind at all being proved wrong and broadening my experience!!
For the marbled/lesser marbled, I simply didn't look closely enough because your ID looked good, Denise, and I passed over it! Although the jizz is so good for marbled frit it does fit the bill for a thinly marked lesser marbled male and I agree that is probably what it is. In the field, of course, you don't even have to look at the butterfly - they are so different!
For the skippers, I'm reserving judgment at the moment!! This year I've seen literally dozens - many dozens - of olive skippers, and have really gained a feel for the Swiss ones, at least. I've seen them in the Pyrenees too in the past. Your brother's simply don't look like olive skippers to me.
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/serratulae096.jpg)
Olive skippers - note the dark ground colour on the veins, separating the white marks.
I'm going to have to continue on another post because I can't see what I'm writing when the post gets this long - either a problem with the programme or my computer.
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