France/Spain 2014

[LancsRover]

Hi Chris, sorry about the delay, I've been off line a few days. Thanks for your comments, yeah I always put common blue if I'm not sure and I hope somebody corrects it if it's wrong
Cheers Russ

Thanks for your comments Charles, I must check out that cirque, so many things to see, so little time.
Cheers Russ.

[LancsRover]

Cheers Dave(Buchan Boy), I'm already planning next years trip, as no doubt you are?
Russ.


Lac de Gaube, cont'd., other butterflies seen around the lake, were Small Heaths( no pic), these two "Blues" and a b/f. new to me, I'm guessing, Pearly Heath, Scarce Heath or Chestnut Heath, it seems to have a bit of each?
What do you think?
Cheers Russ

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Russ,
Your blues could be Adonis blues, you can see a bit of black chequered fringe. And I reckon the Heath is Pearly according to the distribution maps - I didn't realise they flew so late in the season
Chris

[LancsRover]

Saturday 13.9.14.
Last report on French Pyrenees.

Close to our campsite at Agos-Vidalos(nr.Argeles Gazost) there was a disused quarry which I could cycle to in 10 minutes. I'd been there 3 or 4 times in the week we had been in the area, just for the odd hour or so.There was always plenty flying along an old track which was lined with wild buddleia.

The following is a list of the different butterflies I had found here, including some pics.
Cleopatra
Red Admiral
Great Banded Grayling
Wall Brown
Clouded Yellow
Small White
Large White
Green-Veined White
Swallowtail
Silver-washed Frit.
Mallow Skipper
Small Heath
Chalkhill Blue and
Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

Russ

[LancsRover]

Tuesday,16.9.14.
I arrived at AQUARIUS campsite on the Roses Bay coast(N/E Spain) yesterday.
This afternoon I cycled to the fields, 5 minutes ride south of the campsite.At first I was disappointed not to see any flowers in the fields at all, unlike last year, but after only a 20 metre stroll, up flew a Plain Tiger, then another and then I spotted a mating pair, FANTASTIC!!!!(last year it took me a whole week to get 2 pics).
I must have seen at least 12 Plain Tigers that first afternoon.
Over the next few days I must have seen well over 100, they are all over the place even on the campsite. I have seen over 5 mating pairs and observed many females laying eggs; a quick flutter, in what looks like a type of ivy(?), land, an arch of her body and lays a tiny white egg, all in a second(no pic )beautiful.

Russ

[Chris Jackson]

Marseilles, Sunday evening:

Great photos Russ of the Plain Tiger .
I'd like to see one of those myself. You are excelling yourself this year ! New camera as well ? Nice clear photos.
Perhaps the host plant is Hedge bindweed or Calystegia sepium.
I'm back to work tomorrow morning and will be watching out for the rest.
Chris

PS
Love the Cleopatra and Hummingbird higher up !!!

[Mikhail]

The Plain Tiger foodplant appears to be Cynanchum acutum, Stranglewort. It's in the Milkweed family, as you would expect, but I have not heard of it being used before.
Correction; I see that Paul Browning lists it as a foodplant.

M.

[LancsRover]

Thanks Chris for your kind comments, yes I have a new bridge camera, a Samsung WB1100F, good for macro pics and distance, I'm a point and shoot man
Cheers Russ.

Hi Mikhail, It could be CYNANCHUM ACUTUM, as it is listed in my book by HAAHTELA & SAARINEN also.
Russ.

As previously stated the WiFi on this site is rubbish, it comes and goes(paid 35 euro for 21 days, robbery!!)
I only put half my pics on last night because it was so slow, so here are the other 4
Cheers Russ

[David M]

Wow! Fantastic images.

For rarity value these have to rate 9.5/10.

[Padfield]

Those are lovely pictures of a really splendid butterfly. I saw my first plain tigers in the Canaries, on La Palma, and I remember well my excitement - I didn't know what to do with myself.

The plain tiger has the distinction of being the subject of the world's oldest identifiable butterfly paintings, in the tomb of Nebamun, datable to the 14th century BC (http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/ ... 6ed207.jpg).

Guy

[Chris Jackson]

You certainly saved the best 'til last Russ.
Chris

[LancsRover]

Thanks boys for your kind comments, here are a few pics of Clouded Yellows from the sand dunes near AQUARIUS.
Russ

[Johncob]

Great shots Russ. Especially the Tigers.

[LancsRover]

Cheers John, see you soon.
Russ

I have a Skipper and a few moths to ID please, all seen either in the dunes or around the fields and orchards of Aquarius.
Russ.

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Russ, you're right about the Crimson speckled footman (Utetheisa pulchella), which reminds me I should be seeing one or two myself over here late October.
Chris

[Roger Gibbons]

The grizzled skippers look good for malvae/malvoides.

[LancsRover]

Cheers Chris,
Russ.

Thanks Roger for ID of Grizzled Skipper- malvoides, a new one for me

Stop press! well 2 days ago, we spotted these cats. on strangle wort, munching away, there are 2 different cats. one is twice as big as the other.

They look like plain tiger cats to me?

It was only a few days ago that I saw them laying eggs and I've seen 2 pairs of p/t's mating again today 4/10/14, amazing.

Russ

[David M]

Great observations, Russ. That is one of the most attractive larvae I've seen.

[Roger Gibbons]

And they call this butterfly "Plain"???

[LancsRover]

Saturday 4/10/14 Aquarius.

Pics from this afternoon, only out 30 minutes in the dunes, I must have seen 50+ plain tigers, with 2 mating pairs as previously stated(pics. attached).

Russ