CFB

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Colin,
The Great Banded Graylings are so impressive. I've seen up to 3 on my buddleias in the garden at the same time. They are quite curious as well, and they come and check me out (attack me ?) when I come into the garden.

... though perhaps False Ilex Hairstreaks are in even greater numbers ...

Surprisingly the False Ilexes peaked chez moi a long time ago, and I only saw one in the scrub today. My records from last year show that next week (week 27) is their final week of the season here.
Chris

[David M]

Yes, Great Banded Graylings love buddleia in the same way our vanessids do. When I was in the Massif Central in 2012, practically any well placed buddleia would have one or two, and the best placed ones could harbour double figures.

Their behaviour is enchanting too. They really DO interact with you, swooping around and investigating you (and occasionally landing on your body).

[CFB]

Nothing much seen today along the Piste des Bouillides except many Cleopatras, Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns, and two Scarce Swallowtails:

--
Colin

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Colin,
I immediately checked to see whether your Scarce Swallowtail was an alexanor, but I don't think so .
Chris

[CFB]

This morning I went to see how my Spanish Festoon larvae are faring. I found two of them in good condition on the same plant. I wonder how long they stay in a larval state? This is the larger of the two.

Nearby there were one or two Common Blues:

There were still many Cleopatras, Marbled Whites and False Ilex Hairstreaks:

Also some Silver-washed Fritillaries:

I also saw a Marbled Skipper, a very tatty Southern White Admiral and several Wall Browns.

This afternoon in the garden there were three or four male Common Blues and one female.
--
Colin

[CFB]

Yesterday along the Brague I saw for the first time a Marbled White, form leucomelas. The rear underside is white with hardly any markings, though the upperside markings do show through. There were many other Marbled Whites just about everywhere.

I saw several Large Skippers:

Other butterflies seen include Cleopatras, Wood Whites, a Weaver's Fritillary and quite a few Lulworth Skippers.
--
Colin

[CFB]

This morning it was at first very cloudy with some light rain. But soon the clouds and rain disappeared, so I went for my walk in the sun somewhat later than usual.

I visited my Spanish Festoon larvae. I saw two of them, on the same plant as two days ago. This one seemed to be resting after having eaten quite a lot of the edge of a Aristolochia pistolochia leaf.

At the same place was a Marbled Skipper, which didn't move all the time I was taking photos of it and the larvae.

I saw a solitary, tatty Knapweed Fritillary.

Others seen were Spotted Fritillaries, False Ilex Hairstreaks, Cleopatras, Marbled Whites...
--
Colin

[Chris Jackson]

Yesterday along the Brague I saw for the first time a Marbled White, form leucomelas.

That Marbled White is curious - I will keep my eyes open for one of them.
Chris

[David M]

That Marbled White is amazing, Colin. I've probably seen 2,000 or so within the last week but none of them have shown aberrations like this.

[CFB]

David, according to T&L leucomelas is commoner in the south, so perhaps there aren't any in your area . To corroborate T&L's statement, this morning I went to the same place and saw at least three, and photographed two of them .

In their company was a Scarce Swallowtail, a regular Swallowtail and a Great Banded Grayling:

Elsewhere I saw this magnificent Berger's Clouded Yellow (?):

Also flying where many Silver-washed Fritillaries and a couple of Southern White Admirals, and no doubt others that I have forgotten.
--
Colin

[David M]

David, according to T&L leucomelas is commoner in the south, so perhaps there aren't any in your area

Well, I'll be in your part of the world next week, Colin, so I'll keep an eye out for them.

[CFB]

After rain and thunder yesterday, this morning was sunny and warm/hot with some clouds. So along to Roche d'Ardy. I didn't see any of my Spanish Festoon larvae. I don't know if they were hiding, had been eaten, or had been washed away by the rain.

Nearby was a solitary, fresh-looking male Lang's Short-tailed Blue:

There were still many False Ilex Hairstreaks, this one looking particularly new:

And still plenty of Cleopatras, Wall Browns, Marbled Whites and assorted skippers, and in the garden a Scarce Swallowtail and a Geranium Bronze.
--
Colin

[Chris Jackson]

That LSTB does look fresh Colin, and I think my False Ilex around Marseilles must be finished now.
We arrived at our holiday destination in the Massif Central this afternoon (a village called Parent, 25 km South of Clermont Ferrand), so I will be looking out for any original species.
Cheers, Chris

[CFB]

Wishing you good look Chris in your search for original species.
--
Colin

[CFB]

During this morning's walk I went to the site where last Thursday I saw three Marbled Whites, form leucomelas. The first Marbled White I saw there today was a leucomelas .

upperside:

and underside:

Due to the wind there were fewer butterflies around than usual. But I did see a Scarce Swallowtail being blown all over the place clutching desperately to a scabious. During a less windy moment I did manage a photo or two:

There were one or two Southern White Admirals, including this one:

Apart from that there were many Wall Browns, several Cleopatras and Large Skippers, a few Lulworth Skippers and a Silver-washed Fritillary form valesina.
--
Colin

[CFB]

I wasn't out for long this afternoon, but did manage to get a nice photo of the underside of a Southern White Admiral:

Also this photo of a Marbled White:

This morning it was sunny and cloudless, but windy and a bit cooler than the previous couple of days. Now it is still windy but is raining. At least I don't have to water the garden today .
--
Colin

[CFB]

Even though it was sunny this morning with no clouds, it was (relatively speaking) quite cool, due to the wind. So the number of butterflies seen on my way to la Roche d'Ardy was quite low.

There were several Wall Browns, mostly males, including this one which stayed in place long enough to be photographed:

There were just a few Common Blues, and I only managed photos of this male:

However there were still several Brimstones, and great quantities of Cleopatras, both male and female, including this male:

Also seen: many Marbled Whites, a few Small Heaths, several Large Skippers, one Spotted Fritillary, a couple of False Ilex Hairstreaks, and a couple of dragonflies:

--
Colin

[CFB]

This morning along the Piste des Tamarins there were even fewer butterflies than yesterday, even though the sky was cloud-free and there was not much wind. I wonder where they all are . One exception was the number of Wall Browns - they seemed to be everywhere. There were also a fair number of Marbled Whites:

Apart from that there were a few Cleopatras, a couple of Speckled Woods, and this Small Copper:

--
Colin

[Chris Jackson]

Few butterflies Colin? Not as few as here in rain-lashed Auvergne
Better luck next week I hope.
Chris

[CFB]

There were still relatively few butterflies in the Parc de la Brague this morning, but it was quite cloudy at times. The most numerous were Wall Browns, Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites, followed by Large Skippers and Cleopatras. Also seen were one Weaver's Fritillary,

one Scarce Swallowtail,

two tatty Painted Ladies,

and a Common Blue.

--
Colin