Austria

[David M]

I'm deliberating over my mid-summer butterfly holiday, and I'm increasingly coming to the conclusion that the Austrian Alps would provide a good opportunity to see a fair range of species in a guaranteed warm environment.

Has anyone been there and if so, are there any peculiarities that one would be far less likely to see in France/Switzerland/Italy?

[Pete Eeles]

... are there any peculiarities that one would be far less likely to see in France/Switzerland/Italy?

Men dressed in knee long shorts, long socks, suspenders and a funny hat. Oh - you mean on the Lepidoptera front, don't you?

I think I'll leave that answer to the experts

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Hulme]

Oh Pete ... you can't tar an entire nation of von Trapps with the same brush!
BWs, Neil

[David M]

Well, I have duly booked a week in Alpbach (17-24 July). I'm going there because my boss goes ski-ing nearby every February and when I look at the live-feed she shows me, I wax lyrical about how it must be in the summertime.

Just £481 for a week's half board (including flights and transfers). What's more, there are cable cars running throughout the summer up to the highest peaks in the vicinity (2,500m being the greatest altitude attainable looking at the map).

[Padfield]

... are there any peculiarities that one would be far less likely to see in France/Switzerland/Italy?

Yes - Erebia claudina!

Guy

Funnily enough, Plebejus trappi, which is Latin for Plebejus von Trapp (literally), doesn't fly in Austria. And sorry - I didn't notice the first round of this conversation, or I would have mentioned claudina sooner.

[David M]

Good pointer, Guy. Yes, I see what you mean. According to what I've read, this species "is a high altitude butterfly found only in the Austrian Alps".

Is it likely to be observable at around 2,000m though?

[Padfield]

The altitude's fine. Tolman lists several specific mountains and while that won't be exhaustive it will be a pointer. These high Erebias don't move much and remain in the same sites for hundreds of years. It's probably worth doing some research on this species before you go.

Guy

[David M]

Seems its territory is a fair distance from where I'm staying, sadly. Looks like at least 60km away.

I will certainly do a bit of research though as this species looks pretty easy to identify with its 'blind' uppersides and tiny white spots on the undersides.