France/Spain 2014

[Chris Jackson]

In my experience, Russ, and in plain language, your 2 Spotted Fritillaries are typical.
The first is male, it is smaller and a darker orange.
The second is female, it is larger and generally paler, with the forewings paler still.

Perhaps this paler version is specific to the South ?
There are some shown on this French website

http://www.lepinet.fr/especes/nation/le ... =29930&e=p#

As for the possible Two-tail Pasha you mentioned higher up, I don't think that they tend to scurry very much, but rather glide and swoop like swifts.
Chris

[Charles Nicol]

As for the possible Two-tail Pasha you mentioned higher up, I don't think that they tend to scurry very much, but rather glide and swoop like swifts.
Chris

this one was scurrying along to find the tasty treat in the grass...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/captainca ... 66925@N20/

[LancsRover]

Charles, was that what i think it was?

Russ

[LancsRover]

Cheers Charles.

Thanks for all the info. Guy.

Cheers Chris.

A couple of Grayling fro CARLUCET,LOT.
The first I think is a FALSE GRAYLING?(new to me)
The second I think is a TREE GRAYLING?

Cheers Russ

[John Vergo]

Hi Russ
I have been looking at your pictures of the Heath/Meadow, I am quit sure that it is Meadows ( M. parthenoides) 1. fw ups a black spot oblique, 2. fw ups postdical band broken. Besides that I think that the upper side color have a lot more contrast, that you nomaly not see on athalia (heath).

[Padfield]

All good for the graylings! So, another lifer for you ...

Guy

[LancsRover]

Thanks John, you have confirmed Guy's thoughts and Meadow Frit. is a lifer for me
Russ

Cheers Guy.
Russ

[LancsRover]

Final pics/count from CARLUCET, LOT.

The Blues far and away out numbered any other butterfly on the site, here are a group that were interested in something on the ground(?)
All other b/f's are shown below, apart from, Small Copper,Clouded Yellow,Swallowtail and Silver-spotted skipper which were also seen on the site.

Cheers Russ

[Charles Nicol]

Charles, was that what i think it was?

Russ

ermm yes... those old familiar faeces

Charles

[John Vergo]

Hi Russ
Have been looking at your skipper, it is not a Oberthür´s , my best shot will be a Cinquefoil Skipper ( Pyrgus cirsii),

[LancsRover]

Hi John, you could be right, the hind wings look more like Cirsii than Armoricanus, all the Pyrgus look very similar to me, not a great photo and I didn't get an under wing shot.
All comments very welcome,
Cheers Russ.

[Padfield]

The problem is, the forewing markings of that Pyrgus are quite wrong for cirsii - or at least highly anomalous. They are much too rounded and discrete, especially the pd markings in ss.1 and 2, which are almost invariably confluent in cirsii. I wouldn't start a fight over it (not until seeing the underside, at least ) but in my experience this would be armoricanus. I've seen very similar individuals in Switzerland.

Guy

[LancsRover]

I'm confused, but standby I've got some more skippers to come later

Cheers Russ.

[Chris Jackson]

I'm confused as well, my T&L doesn't mention Cinquefoil skipper, and cirsii appears in the index but the entry is missing from the page. Mysterious
Chris

[Roger Gibbons]

T&L is wrong (or at least misleading) on this. It lists cirsii as a subspecies of carlinae, which is a straight lift from Higgins and Riley. In every other publication they are listed as separate species with no reference to any connection. They are not even similar in terms of markings.

It doesn't need saying but I am sure Guy is right on this, i.e. the Pyrgus is armoricanus. Cirsii has upf markings that are quite unmistakeably characteristic and bold and consistently so.

[LancsRover]

That's what happens Chris, if you buy books off Amazon for 4 Euro's

Cheers Russ

[LancsRover]

Hi Roger, thanks for your info.
In my book, BUTTERFLIES OF BRITAIN AND EUROPE, by Haahtela,Saarinen,Ojalainen,Aarnio, armoricanus and cirsii are shown separately but under cirsii it says "Sometimes regarded as a subspecies of P.carlinae"???
Cheers Russ

[LancsRover]

Arrived near Argeles Gazost, in the French Pyrenees, on Sunday, 7/9/14. 30c very heavy.
We went for a walk along the Gave de Pau on Monday afternoon(25c) after light rain in the morning.
Butterflies seen clouded yellow, small copper, common swallowtail, cleopatra,,speckled wood, small heath, whites and a few "blues" I could do with a positive ID on please.
Cheers Russ

[Padfield]

Hi Russ. Your 'brown argus' is indeed a blue - a female common blue. The cell spot and the two-tone fringe (dark inner, light outer) give this away. The mating pair are common blues too, as you suggest, and you are also right about the holly blue.

Guy

[LancsRover]

Thanks Guy.
Russ