Andy Brown

[andy brown]

Thanks Michael I have updated my pics accordingly.

After Guys great observations of my schoolboy errors I have gone back through day 6 pics and am stuck on this one I thought Heath/False heath then Meadow based on Guys previous note, but the white elongated spot has thrown me any help appreciated.

Cheers

Andy

[andy brown]

Been Sorting pictures and gardening so not had the chance to go out this weekend but have been trying out my new extension tubes in the garden on the large and small white Larvae/eggs, still need more practice but a couple are ok I think. With the amount of eggs that have been laid I am not sure they will have time or the food to mature, we will see and look forward to recording them grow over the coming weeks.

About ready to hatch

And they started the following morning

And a pristine Small Copper from Friday

Cheers

Andy

[Padfield]

Do you have any uppersides of that last fritillary, Andy? The underside is compatible with Provençal frit, Melitaea deione.

Guy

[andy brown]

Sorry Guy, no upperside pictures just one from the other side which has the larger white dot/patch missing, see attached.

Thanks Andy

[andy brown]

Last part of day 6, just the one for ID help and if your reading this Guy any thoughts on the Fritillary you wanted another picture of, unfortunately its only from the other side did not get one of upperside.

Nearest I can see is Large Grizzled

Grayling - Hipparchia semele

Green-veined White -(Pieris napi)

Marbled Fritillary - (Brenthis daphne)

Silver-washed Fritillary 1 (Argynnis paphia)

Woodland Grayling - (Hipparchia fagi)

This I have as Brown Argus but is a very rich rusty colour so assume its right for the summer brood

Brown Argus - (Aricia agestis)

Sussex Emerald

Long-Tailed Blue - (Lampides boeticus)

Cheers

Andy

[andy brown]

Another Fritillary I need some help with, missed this from Day 5 and initially though Spotted but looking back it is much Brighter and heavier spots, could it be lesser spotted? no underside picture I'm afraid.

Thanks

Andy

[Padfield]

Hi Andy. For that earlier fritillary, I'm just not sure. The hindwing looks good for Provençal and in general the forewing does too, though there is considerable heavy black branding inside the submarginal lunules in your second picture. The pattern of this branding is quite compatible with Provençal but the intensity suggests heath. I'm afraid I'm going to pass, as I have rather little experience of Provençal fritillary in the Pyrenees and here in Switzerland we have a distinctively different subspecies.

The skipper is large grizzled, Oberthür's or, with an outside chance, Foulquier's. I'm pretty sure I've found Foulquier's in the Pyrenees. I'd be most inclined to call it Oberthür's, because of the tone of the hindwing and the visibly brighter veins.

I can't see any reason not to call the spotted fritillary just that - nothing lesser spotted leaps out at me.

The brown argus is presumably southern brown argus, Aricia cramera (if you recognise that as a good species) - it certainly looks like it. A. agestis doesn't fly in Spain. I don't know what current orthodoxy is on the status of cramera but my most recent books treat it as a species. In a sense, it doesn't really matter - the taxon is well defined and distinctive and definitely worth getting acquainted with.

Guy

[andy brown]

Guy That's great thanks, glad my first assumption on Spotted was right and will stick with Heath for now on the earlier one, and yes Southern Brown Argus and having looked at many pictures now of the underside will go with Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper, that will be another one to add to the species list for the trip. Next year I think I will concentrate on picture quality and try to get shots of upper/undersides to ease identification although I know it will not always be possible. Just got to decide where to go, Bulgaria looking favourable at the moment although Hungary is still in contention.

Part 1 of the last day

Red Underwing Skipper - (Spialia sertorius)

Provençal Short-tailed Blue

Provençal Short-tailed Blue

Help with this one please

Scarce Swallowtail - (Iphiclides podalirius)

Purple Hairstreak (Neozephyrus quercus)

[attachment=0]Spanish or Provence Chalk-hill Blue - any ideas please.JPG[/attachment
how do you tell the difference between the two


Cheers

Andy

[Goldie M]

Amazing pictures Andy, love the Silver Washed Frit and the Scarce Swallow Tail Goldie

[Padfield]

Did you see the upperside of the chalkhill blue, Andy? The northern Spanish subspecies (sometimes considered a good species) of Spanish chalkhill blue, arragonensis, is similar to Provence chalkhill blue and unlike the southern, nominate subspecies has silvery blue tones to the upperside. The underside is also less chalky white than that of the nominate subspecies. But in flight it looks white and to the naked eye looks very pale when it spreads its wings. I found that in my photos it always came out looking a little more blue, and sometimes very like Provence chalkhill blue. This is arragonensis (two different individuals):





Most of the individuals I saw had those rather heavy spots on the underside of the forewing but this is not shown in all photos of the subspecies.

Guy

[andy brown]

Thanks for that Guy no upper wing shots in this instance, I have in some earlier post where I am asking the same question from different location/Day, I will take a look based upon your observations though and see what I can conclude, in the meantime here is the latest batch from the last day.

Red Underwing Skipper - (Spialia sertorius)

Berger's Clouded Yellow - (Colias alfacariensis) I Think

Scarce Swallowtail - (Iphiclides podalirius)

Purple-shot Copper - (Lycaena alciphron)

Cardinal - (Argynnis pandora)

Cardinal - (Argynnis pandora)

These 2 are the same Butterfly and cannot seem to ID!

Not Sure

Not Sure

Thanks

Andy

[andy brown]

Alas here is the last few from the last day, already making plans for next year, where! still not sure.

Turquoise Blue - (Polyommatus dorylas)

Cleopatra - (Gonepteryx cleopatra)

Painted Lady - (Vanessa cardui)

Bath White - (Pontia daplidice)

Chapmans Blue

Common Blue

Short-tailed Blue - (Everes argiades)

Mallow Skipper - (Carcharodus alceae)

Cheers

Andy

[Maximus]

Great series of photos, from your trip to the Pyrenees, Andy I am also very interested to know the progress of the Large White ova/larvae you posted on 14th September?

Mike

[andy brown]

Morning Mike,

Thanks for your comments, The current position with the Large White Larvae is that I am awash with them 100-200 I would say along with Small White and moth larvae all on my Brussel Sprout (Sounds Painful) . I will try to get some pictures tonight if calm enough, most are of a size now I won't need my extension tubes so the breeze shouldn't be a problem so will post once done.

Cheers

Andy

[kevling]

Andy,

Enjoyed the photo collection from your travels. Some great species seen.
Also liked the Large White larvae pictures. I too have some late eggs, spotted this week on a Nasturtiam in my garden.
Lets hope we get some success between us.

Regards Kev

[andy brown]

Evening Mike,

As promised just been out and taken a couple of quick snaps still a bit breezy, as you can see lots of Large white larvae of different sizes and some fresh eggs as well, just a quick look I recon i must have a 100+larvae on a few plants

Will try to keep up to speed with their growth/stages assuming they make it through to pupation. If so will have to put finer mesh over next years crops or they will eat me out of house and home

Cheers

Andy

[Maximus]

Hi Andy, thanks for posting shots of the Large White ova/larvae, you certainly have a fair few! They certainly appear healthy looking at the moment and I hope it continues that way. Of the 24 larvae I brought inside only 12 are left, the remainder having succumbed to parasitism. The first of the batch to pupate is doing so now, I must also keep my eye on the one which survived parasitism, it will hopefully pupate soon.

Mike

[Padfield]

Hi Andy. I'm well behind on your diary, I'm afraid, but they're great pictures of super butterflies. The 'not sure' frits you posted on 22nd Sept are knapweed.

Guy

[andy brown]

Thanks for the ID guy took ages to get an upper and underside shot as it was faded and thought may need both angle's.

Mike, good luck with cats but mine will have to take their chances outside, lets hope it stays fair for them to mature

Thanks

Andy

[Maximus]

Hi Andy, It will be interesting to see how they fare outside.

Mike