What's flying in Marseilles 2015

[FISHiEE]

Queen of Spain are also common in luberon. Seen maybe one brimstone but plenty of Cleopatra!

Holly blue are also pretty thin on the ground. I have seen maybe one or two in my times there. Don't recall seeing any holly.

I have seen hummingbird hawk moths flying together with both types of bee hawkmoths. That has to be one of the highlights!

Not seen camberwell beauty. I have only ever seen two of those, both in Austria. One butterfly I'd love yo get a decent pic of.

[David M]

Not seen camberwell beauty. I have only ever seen two of those, both in Austria. One butterfly I'd love yo get a decent pic of.

Me too, FishiEE. This is in my top five 'must see' species.

[Matsukaze]

Lesser PE does occur in Var but it is quite sparse. It is, like Guy says for CB, always found very near water. I have found it in three locations in Var, including on my local patch where I have only seen it once. I have only ever seen it at one spot in the Alpes-Maritimes, at a spot which was being guarded at the time by a tethered llama which seemed naturally suited to its guard-dog role. The site is now severely fenced off so I haven’t seen it there since. There are only about five records since 1998 of LPE in each of these départements.

I saw it in the far north of Var last summer after staking out the only suitable-looking patch of poplars in the district. I would not have had to wait so long to see it if I had realised sooner that the large fritillary with the extensive dark markings that was repeatedly hassling the Silver-washed was actually clytie.

[Chris Jackson]

SPRING IS HERE
Wednesday, February 18th - Sunny in the South of France with temperatures reaching 13°C

During lunchbreak, first sighting this year of Western Dappled White (2+) and Wall Brown (1) - both expected and on schedule.
Also flying : Red Admiral (8+), Lang's STB (1), Humming Bird Hawk Moth (3+)

Western Dappled White - 1st sighting within 1 day of last year's 1st sighting

Wall Brown - 1st sighting within 2 days of last year's 1st sighting

Context photo

Prickly Juniper Juniperus oxycedrus

Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Things finally seem to be waking up in southern France, Chris.

It must be great to see such species in mid-February.

[Chris Jackson]

...
It must be great to see such species in mid-February.

You're right David, it is very uplifiting to see the first new species of the season appear. Things can only get better.
You must be counting down the days in the UK now also.
I will be out hunting at lunchtime again today, only the extreme South of France is protected from bad weather in the coming days - this is often the case with high pressure in the Med.
Chris

[LancsRover]

Hi Chris nice to see the weather has picked up in your area, the weather here in Spain is still a bit iffy, sunny,cool am and cloudy/windy pm
I like your pics of the Wall and WDW(still waiting for my 1st ever siting).
Russ

[Charles Nicol]

SPRING IS HERE
Wednesday, February 18th - Sunny in the South of France with temperatures reaching 13°C

During lunchbreak, first sighting this year of Western Dappled White (2+) and Wall Brown (1) - both expected and on schedule.
Also flying : Red Admiral (8+), Lang's STB (1), Humming Bird Hawk Moth (3+)

Western Dappled White - 1st sighting within 1 day of last year's 1st sighting

crameri11 Vitrolles garrigue 18 Feb 2015 (8).JPG

crameri11 Vitrolles garrigue 18 Feb 2015 (7).JPG

crameri11 Vitrolles garrigue 18 Feb 2015 (2).JPG

Wall Brown - 1st sighting within 2 days of last year's 1st sighting

megera11 male Vitrolles garrigue 18 Feb 2015.JPG

Context photo

Context crameri Vitrolles garrigue 18 Feb 2015.JPG

Prickly Juniper Juniperus oxycedrus

Genevrier cade1 Vitrolles garrigue 18 Feb 2015.JPG

Cheers, Chris

Félicitations mon ami !!

i am looking forward to lots more of your lovely papillons from the Midi

Charles

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Charles, howdy do

Hi All,
Last Sunday, 22nd February, I saw my first Speckled Wood of the year in an urban park in Marseilles. Sunny, cold wind, but 13°C.

In the same place, I saw a Red Fire-bug.

Today, Monday 23rd Feb., in the scrub at work, I saw my first Daffodil Narcissus dubius of the season. This fragile little flower does not last long, but is restricted to the scrub in Southern Europe.

Chris.

[David M]

Wow! I wasn't expecting Speckled Woods this early, Chris. Is this normal?

[Chris Jackson]

Wow! I wasn't expecting Speckled Woods this early, Chris. Is this normal?

Apparently, David. Last year I had regular sightings from the same week onwards, i.e. from the last week of February onwards, however I must say that average afternoon temperatures at the same time last year were circa 16°C compared with circa 13°C this year. I guess I can conclude that a few degrees difference in temperature does not significantly influence the natural rhythm of the Speckled Wood down at my latitude, and that it is relatively constant.
Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Saturday, 28th February - about 14°C in South of France, and sunny

The Speckled Wood is the star at this start of season. However, the other species missing down here for the moment, Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue, are expected in the coming days.
You'll have to get to the end of this post before you see a photo of a BF
Meanwhile today:
Broom (Genista scorpius) in the Park of Saint Pons in Gémenos near Marseilles

More broom along a sunny alleyway, Gémenos, near Marseilles

Butcher's Broom, Park of Saint Pons, Gémenos, near Marseilles

Spurge, nearer home in Marseilles

Context, Park des Bruyères, my stomping ground just behind chez moi in Marseilles

View over Marseilles with sea in the distance,

Speckled Wood on Viburnum, Park des Bruyères, Marseilles, Saturday 28th Feb. 2015

I'm sure spring is just round the corner in the UK. Courage mes amis.
Chris

[LancsRover]

Hi Chris, I'm expecting Green H/S, Holly Blue and Panoptes Blue, anytime now in Spain, I saw them on 9th & 8th March respectively last year here.
Keep up the good work, Russ.
Ps. I'm out this afternoon if the sun comes out as forecast, temp. should be around 19c and no wind

[Chris Jackson]

South of France, Monday 02 March - forecast 19°C this afternoon

Hi Folks,
Despite the forecast of 19°C for mid afternoon, it was cool and decidedly overcast this lunchtime in Vitrolles.
Species flying: Red Admiral (x 1), Wall Brown (x 4), possible Western Dappled White (x 1) and then a Clouded Yellow (x 1)

This female Clouded Yellow had particularly pale uppersides in flight, without it however being form helice. Could it be anything other than crocea ?

Here is the rather cloudy context on the escarpment of the Plateau of Vitrolles, with Marignane down in the background, Marseille-Provence airport and the Etang de Berre (salt water lake).

Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

Very nice Clouded Yellow pics ! I also enjoy your botanical snaps. Is the lake any good for butterflies ?



Charles

[Chris Jackson]

....Is the lake any good for butterflies ? .... Charles

Hi Charles,
As for our 'salt water lake' (the Etang de Berre), human influence has once again triumphed !
This étang, as many others along the South coast of France, joins the Mediterranean sea.
There used to be a thriving fishing industry on this lake, however 'man' decided to channel the cooling water from a power station into this lake and now it is neither salt water, nor fresh water, and therefore now is devoid of all life
The cherry on the cake is, Shell chimie, BP and Total are installed on the shores of the lake, so, bienvenue in the Bouches du Rhone, and put your gas mask on on certain days
And to answer your question, Charles, no self respecting butterfly has any reason to hang around this lake.
salut, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Marseilles, suburb,
Sunday 08 March, overcast / sunny, barely 15°C

Hi folks,
This weekend produced my first Large Tortoiseshell of the year - looking quite worn, was no doubt just out of hibernation.

It was nectaring on Viburnum in my local Parc des Bruyères:

I am still expecting Holly Blue and Green Hairstreak in the coming days
Will keep you informed
Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Monday 8th of March - South of France - 15°C with cloud cover

Flying today at lunchtime in the scrub:
Swallowtail (x 1) - first sighting this year
Wall Brown (8 +)
and, surprisingly for the 2nd time this year, a Small Tortoiseshell
(I believe these to be vagrants in my area):

A bit of lunch-time stomping-ground context:

Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Nice to see another rare Tortie end up chez toi!

By the way, does your 'patch' include that private property that entry is forbidden into?

[Chris Jackson]

... does your 'patch' include that private property that entry is forbidden into?

It may well do David. That "no trespassing" sign is next to my workplace and is at the junction of 3+ properties (including ours).
Some may say that in true French diplomatic style, one cannot tell to whom the directive applies - so nobody adheres to it
Anyway, I plod on in the interests of natural science - that's my excuse
Vive la France, et vive la nature !
Chris