Algarve in March.

[roundwood123]

Just back from a week in the Algarve,
Festoon.. Lots.
Swallowtail ...lots.
Green Hairstreak.
Small Heath.
Large White
Red Admiral.
Painted Lady.
Small Copper.
Black Eyed Blue.
Common Blue.
Mystery Blue.....will post a pic later.
Also an Orange one that flew past a few times that i cant work out?.

[Jack Harrison]

Mystery Blue. I like it. The butterfliers equivalent of the Birders LBJ (Little Brown Job).

I don’t know if moth-ers often use my terminology BBJ (Boring Brown Job) for those tedious nondescript noctuids.

And is there a better term than mother-ers? Spelt without the hyphen the word could lead to confusion; mothers do indeed use the term BJ for in connection with nappies!

Jack

[Lee Hurrell]

My uncle used to call the brown noctuids BBM's, as in boring brown moths, rather than jobs...

Cheers

Lee

[roundwood123]

I usually refer to myself as a Moffer , Here is the blue that i cant id and a picture of a Chameleon that i found whilst bugging in the Ria Formasa,

[Jack Harrison]

Female Common Blue I would think.

Jack

[Roger Gibbons]

It could be a female Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) or perhaps a female Chapman’s Blue (Polyommatus thersites). The first brood females of these species are very similar. I would doubt that it could be anything else. The colouring is good for thersites first brood female and it is an early emerger, as is icarus.

The factor that suggests thersites is that the upf orange lunules do not extend to the apex, whereas I find that icarus usually does, although the lunules extend further than any female thersites I have seen. However, the unf seems to suggest a cell spot which would clearly indicate icarus, as thersites does not have it. If you have a photo showing the underside more clearly, that would be conclusive.

Tolman’s distribution map shows thersites occurs in the far south of Spain. Thersites is actually not that rare in southern regions and in Provence it usually occurs at medium altitudes. But based on the apparent cell spot, I would go for icarus in the absence of any other indication.

Roger

[roundwood123]

Thanks Jack/Roger, I did not manage any better pics, in fact getting any pics of butterflies was very dificult as they seemed far more interested in finding mates than posing for me.

[FISHiEE]

Hi Roundwood. Just had this thread kindly pointed out to me by Matsukaze.

I am looking to go to Southern Spain/Portugal in March and was looking for any info on locations in these regions. Quite impressed by your species list in this report - noteably the festoons which are stunning and the swallowtails which I have yet to get a decent photo of.

I also notice on your flickr site you had Moroccan Orange Tips in Spain same time of year?

Any info on sites to try would be very appreciated so I can work out a good area to stay.

[roundwood123]

Hi, i will get back to you tonight with some sites, i need to check my records first.
Steve.

[FISHiEE]

Hi Steve,

That would be excellent. Much appreciated thanks

[roundwood123]

Hi, rather than me write about my March trips here are the links to my 07 08 and 09 trips.
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1953

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2947

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=915

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=916

I would choose Portugal, Algarve area, for a March Holiday personally, if you are lucky and its warm and sunny you should see the most Species, and rather than look for specific sites just look for weedy fields, works for me.
Steve.

[FISHiEE]

Hi Steve,

Thanks. Much appreciated

I have found a few places I am torn between in Algarve and the Malaga area of Spain and will pick one in the next few days

John

[roundwood123]

Hi John, if you stay in a Villa [ they are very cheap in March ], leave any outside lights on all night as this will attract Moths, which are far nicer than Butterflies , there are good numbers flying in March.
Steve.

[FISHiEE]

Thanks Steve, I'll bear that in mind if there are some ouitside lights

I one day plan to take my moth trap overseas but never manage to find the space. I'll have to drive I guess!

When fishing in Africa I'd always leave the little camping lights out at night to see what they'd attract. Mostly mantids, frogs, spiders and ants that ate all the other stuff though!