November grayling

[Padfield]

I found 9 species still flying in the Rhône Valley (Switzerland) today, 1st November. Bad weather is moving in tonight, including snow at my altitude, so it was probably the last day of mortal existence for most of these insects.

Most surprising was this grayling - not fresh, but in reasonable condition still:


Tolman gives the flight period as late June to September, so this little creature proves you can't trust the books!

There are still some very fresh Queen of Spain fritillaries around:


Lots of fresh male clouded yellows, but no females, strangely:


The other species still on the wing are tree grayling, wall, red admiral, peacock, Berger's pale clouded yellow and Adonis blue. The problem butterflying in wild places in November is that there are so few nectar sources around, so after the morning warm-up period everything goes very quiet. The only nectar plants available were clover, which attracted the clouded yellows, and a few dandelions, which the walls liked:



Guy

[Padfield]

Two weeks later and the species count has dropped to 4 - no graylings of any species on the wing today (14th November). I only had one hour of sunshine on site, though, so I might have missed things.

Clouded yellows are numerous, often concentrated around the mini-carpets of speedwell, which provide winter nectaring:



Among them were at least two helice. I also watched a (normal) female laying eggs, apparently on bare ground but it turned out they were on tiny, new cotyledons. I don't know what the plant is:



Here's a Queen of Spain, in a desolate autumn landscape:



It was actually amazingly well camouflaged against dead leaves and stone:



Finally a wall:



This was also well camouflaged when it closed its wings, apart from the stonking great eye:



The fourth species was red admiral.

Guy

[Padfield]

Every trip to the valley seems to bring a different surprise! Today's (21st November) was a male speckled wood sunning himself on a path littered with autumn leaves:



I think this is extremely late for the species.

Other species still flying were Queen of Spain, clouded yellow and red admiral.

Guy

[Zonda]

Guy, your pics are awesome, must be the Swiss light.

[geniculata]

i missed this thread first time out guy,

the walls are a welcome sight, another of my favourite species, but your speck pic is a cracker.

gary.

[Padfield]

Thanks, both! The speckled wood was a great surprise - definitely my latest sighting of this species.

Guy