Papilio alexanor 23 June 2014 France near Grasse

[jamesweightman]

I was able to get these photos of Southern Swallowtail (Papilio alexanor) above a disused quarry (alas now an unofficial rubbish dump) beside N85 near Escragnolles, Alpes-Maritimes (NW of Grasse). These butterflies were very active in the hot sunshine; pairs (male/male or male/female?) chasing each other using thermal currents in front of naked rock face:

I had therefore had given up hope of obtaining a close photo until one obligingly came to rest on some foliage:

I was also able, albeit at a distance, to observe some other aspects of behaviour;
nectaring at abundant red valerian

as well as female looking for possible egg laying site (on unidentified umbellifer not in flower?)

[Chris Jackson]

That's cool James.
A subspecies of Papilio alexanor is on the French national "Red list" of species in critical danger of extinction.
I see plenty of Scarce Swallowtails, but I've never seen one of these - I think I am slightly too far West. Apparently they are restricted to the South East of France.
According to
http://www.lepinet.fr/especes/nation/le ... =29260&e=l
the umbellifer host plant is probably Ptychotis saxifraga.
I wonder whether Colin or Roger are aware of this species around their way?
An exciting find in any case!
Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

That's cool James.
A subspecies of Papilio alexanor is on the French national "Red list" of species in critical danger of extinction.
I see plenty of Scarce Swallowtails, but I've never seen one of these - I think I am slightly too far West. Apparently they are restricted to the South East of France.
According to
http://www.lepinet.fr/especes/nation/le ... =29260&e=l
the umbellifer host plant is probably Ptychotis saxifraga.
I wonder whether Colin or Roger are aware of this species around their way?
An exciting find in any case!
Cheers, Chris

would they be living in the Aude ? if so i could look out for them on my hols...

Charles

[CFB]

I wonder whether Colin or Roger are aware of this species around their way?

I've never seen one, but I'll look a bit closer at Swallowtails in future. Apparently the number of observations in the Alpes-Maritimes has decreased noticeably in the last few decades. I bet that Roger knows a site or two though .
--
Colin

[jamesweightman]

In case it is helpful to those who happen to be in the area, this is a detailed google map showing the site where I saw alexanor flying 4 days ago:

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for the info James. I wish I lived a bit closer to the site.
Charles, I don't think this species reaches as far as the Aude (Aude = the Carcassonne département for those who don't know).
Chris

[Padfield]

With all respect, and no intention to offend, I have (unilaterally) removed the file showing where this observation was made. I've saved it, in case I should be overruled, but in general it is UK Butterflies policy not to advertise the locations of rare species. On the continent, collecting is still a perfectly normal activity and I happen to know many collectors scour these pages for information - I get loads of requests for site information every time I post pictures of rare stuff.

Guy

[Chris Jackson]

A wise initiative Guy, I suppose, considering the stakes. I think there is probably very little enforcement here in France concerning the capture of endangered species.

Ah well James, anyway, you've had your moment of glory and I'm glad you've got your souvenir photos .

Chris

[David M]

Guy's right. In Papillons de Jour - Atlas de Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, under the heading 'Threats', it states "Captures made by collectors and butterfly traders (in spite of the species being protected) pose a risk of making it disappear from sites. The sub-species destelnsis is on the brink of extinction".

Looking at the accompanying distribution map, its range has clearly shrunk since 1983, although there are several localities where it appears to still be strong, most notably in the environs of Digne.

An absolutely stunning creature and one I'd like to see before these idiots with nets wipe it out.

[jamesweightman]

I was probably rather naive in publishing the location and extending British standards to continent. For example Butterfly Conservation actively encourages reporting of precise locations of the endangered Duke of Burgundy in my county of Gloucestershire and assumed same principles could be extended elsewhere. Although I do understand the short term dangers, I do feel the long term solution for protection is widespread knowledge and ownership rather than secrecy. The bad guys, who have their secrets anyway, can then be put to shame by public vigilance; anyway encouraging widespread recording is surely desirable in the context of conservation. On my visit I did not see one net, or camera for that matter, but I did see widespread dumping of trash (even while I was there) over areas where the foodplant was growing. On this evidence it seemed to me that habitat destruction, perhaps through public ignorance, was a far greater problem than collecting.

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks again James. Some images sent over by my brother at viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4065&start=1740 following a visit to your site.
BWs, Neil

[Roger Gibbons]

By pure coincidence, I had visited a site for alexanor in Vaucluse the day before James posted and had seen them floating across lavender fields but never stopping, the same experience that I had had at that site last year.

And, equally coincidentally, I was passing James’ location the next day heading for the Alpes-Maritimes. I would like to publicly thank James (as I did in a pm at the time) for emailing the location promptly so that I could visit the site the next day. They are indeed a rarity in France and it was absolutely right to have taken down the location from UKB. There were several alexanor flying there, gliding up and down the steep rocky scree and stopping to nectar on Valerian on the higher reaches. It was a delight to watch them for a couple of hours even though photography was limited to distance, on-the-move shots. However, in a stroke of exceptional good fortune, a female came down to rest on a low bush and I was able to get a photo as it slipped into the shade (attached).

I don’t know whether James found the site by good fortune (and a good nose) or had prior indications. I have alerted the one conservation body that can be trusted absolutely. There are collectors still operating, and alexanor is a major target for them.

I suspect the alexanor flying at this site were probably not the subspecies destelensis which I understand occurs only in south-western Var, although finding images of destelensis is quite a challenge. There are known recent locations near Toulon and a lot of effort is currently being put into thorough searches of the region. I had searched there in 2008 and 2009 and at other historic locations in Var every year since, with no joy. It is suspected that destelensis is now extinct and it is widely believed that a woman (whose identity is known) removed all the caterpillars a few years ago and sold them.

I would add that if Neil Hulme’s brother has seen alexanor and Southern Comma (Polygonia egea) on the same trip, that seriously is a result as these two are probably the most sought-after species in this part of the world.

At the same site, I also saw this rather odd female Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) of the subspecies gordius, unusual in that most of the markings are missing.

[David M]

I would add that if Neil Hulme’s brother has seen alexanor and Southern Comma (Polygonia egea) on the same trip, that seriously is a result as these two are probably the most sought-after species in this part of the world.

Tell me about it, Roger!!

It's so sad that collectors are still targeting these species in the 21st century. This kind of behaviour seems, to we Brits, to be a real anachronism, but sadly, in continental Europe, such activities do not necessarily invite the opprobrium that would naturally occur were these activities to be carried out within our isles.

Great Britain has many faults, but concern for the welfare of native butterflies isn't one of them, thankfully.

[jamesweightman]

I reckon I found the site by 90% luck and 10% research inasmuch I expected to find it in the general area behind Grasse in craggy warm areas with abundant red valerian. From field guide guessed the best time would be late June. The specimens I saw seemed very fresh. I later noticed a female taking an interest in the foodplant (rather insignificant to the extent that initially overlooked it) but never saw eggs being laid.
I would be interested to know the diagnostic of destelensis - is it something that can be discerned from photographs? Incidentally I have noticed that the one specimen I managed to photograph close up (qv) is not perfectly symmetrical; there is an extra black area on the left upper wing. Does this rank as an aberration?!