This was at my second site:
This is a characteristic pose: head down on a tree trunk, wings pressed against the bark. In the heat of the morning, though, they landed more often on the ground, where they orientated themselves end on to the sun, with closed wings:
Large tortoiseshell is the hibernator par excellence. The adults emerge in July and I can't recall offhand ever having seen one after that month. In general, I see very few in summer anyway, as they stock up on sugars and enter hibernation soon after emergence. Both the individuals above are in fine fettle but both are probably 7 months old. They slept through the heat of August and September, ignored the protracted autumn, when the red admirals were dining on apples and frantically defending the last sunspots, and finally woke up now, as if freshly emerged from the chrysalis.
Small tortoiseshells were abundant today - if I had counted I would certainly have reached triple figures. They rose from the paths as I walked, sparred in groups of two, three or even four in the air, and generally livened up the whole day.
This species is quite unlike its grander cousin. It is lively and enthusiastic, while the large tortoiseshell is majestic and almost condescending.
No other butterflies flew. The brimstones and commas, prominent early wakers in the UK, bide their time in Switzerland.
Guy
