What's flying in Marseilles 2015

[David M]

Well done you!

[Charles Nicol]

....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

oops

Man 1 Nature 0

[Chris Jackson]

Wednesday 11 March - South of France - 16°C and overcast

Despite the weatherman's promise of blue skies and 20°C today, it was pretty overcast for my lunch-time walk in the scrub.
I spotted my 1st Green Hairstreak of the year yesterday, but scared it off. So I headed back to the same spot today, but with more stealth, and there it was:

Not far away I saw a Humming Bird Hawk Moth go down, so I managed to get a photo of it at rest:

And here is the context for both (not much of a surprise for those who've seen it already)
The plateau of Vitrolles (again):

Cheers, Chris

[David M]

How many species are you up to now, Chris?

[Chris Jackson]

How many species are you up to now, Chris?

I've seen 12 species so far this year David.
Now that I seem to have 'grasped' the majority of species in my vicinity (newcomers are always welcome though ), my interest is directed more towards pin-pointing, as accurately as possible, the different flight periods.
You seem to have had a good start to the season yourself David !!
Cheers, Chris

[LancsRover]

Hi Chris, nice shot of GHS, I've not seen one yet in Spain this year, so well done. I saw one on the 9th march last year in the scrub, south of the camp site, so I'll have to get down there tomorrow to see if they have come out yet.

Cheers Russ.

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Russ, here is some more ...

Thursday 12th March - South of France - 16°C and hazy

Today's lunch-break in the scrub came up with my first (confirmed) Small White of the year, and apart from a Western Dappled White and a few Wall Browns, little else flying.
Western Dappled White

Small White

A bit of context:

Cheers, Chris

N.B. : Thank you to Roger Gibbons for correcting my earlier mis-identification of the crameri - I was so expecting a Bath White sighting this week that I jumped to conclusions.

[NickMorgan]

Lovely. That is a beautiful Green Hairstreak.

[Chris Jackson]

Saturday 14th March - South of France - 16°C mixed weather

Hi Folks,
Never believe the weather forecast in the South of France during the month of March.
The UK notion of "April showers", occurs one month earlier in France (les giboulées de mars).
Today I spotted 3 + Large Tortoiseshells in my local scrub park, Le Parc des Bruyères - generally I am lucky to see 1 ex-hibernator per year.
It's either a bumper year for L. Torts or I'm getting better at spotting them ?
First, a bit of context, - Parc des Bruyères next to Marseilles :
Storm water retention scheme (I saw 2 L. Torts basking/battling here):

Each year I see 1 L. Tort. either on the trunks of these Lime Trees, in the head-down poise, or basking on the ground on a stone warming itself in the weak March sun.

Large Tortoiseshells:

Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Hope you're checking them to ensure they're not Yellow-Legged Tortoiseshells, Chris!

[Chris Jackson]

Wednesday 18th March - South of France - 16 °C but hazy

Today, 1st sighting this year of a male Cleopatra (1), then of a Bath White (2+), in the scrub on the plateau of Vitrolles.
Despite the very mild weather forecast for today, I saw few butterflies around during my lunch break:
Wall Brown (5+), Green Hairstreak (1)

Bath White on Globularia:

Bath White with context:

Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Thursday 19th March - South of France - 16 °C, no wind

Today, 1st sighting this year of a Scarce Swallowtail in the scrub on the plateau of Vitrolles.
Also seen during my lunch break: Swallowtail (1), Bath White (2+), Western Dappled White (1), Wall Brown (5+), Green Hairstreak (2), Lang's STB (1), Clouded Yellow (1), Large Tort (1) - things are livening up at last
Scarce Swallowtail (full zoom with FZ150 bridge):

Bath White:

Green Hairstreak:

Context - plateau of Vitrolles:

Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Monday 23rd March - South of France - 17°C - pleasant

My usual lunchtime stroll in the local scrub came up with the first sighting this year of Baton Blue.
Other species flying: Swallowtail (1), Scarce Swallowtail (1), Wall Brown (5+), Western D White (1), Bath W (1), Cloudie (1), Red Ad (1).
First Baton Blue of the year:

Scarce Swallowtail - about on-time this year

Yellow Irises coming up at this time:

Iris, with backdrop of Marignane and Etang de Berre:

Clouded Yellow (female, looking worn, ex hibernator ?):

Cloudie, with a bit of context:

Swallowtail nectaring on Narcissus dubius (Panasonic FZ150):

Soon -> Orange Tip (but not in the open scrub)
Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Wow! Can't wait to get out there next month, Chris!

[Charles Nicol]

lovely batch of photos there Chris !

especially liked the Swallowtail on the Narcissus. Chapeau !

Charles

[Chris Jackson]

Hello David and Charles.

Today, Thursday 26th March - South of France - 15°C

At lunchtime at work today, due to the strong cool breeze in the scrub up on the plateau, I decided to jump on the motor bike and head down to a more sheltered spot only a few minutes away - a bit of waste ground on the outskirts of Vitrolles

I got my 1st sighting this year of a Small Copper and a Green-veined White.
Also flying : Specklies (2) and Small Whites (2).
Green-veined White in poor condition, one wing seems not to have dried out properly, and the other is torn:

Small Copper:

Small Whites in cop:

Context - waste ground near Vitrolles, sheltered from the cool wind (a jacket is still necessary down here):

I have spotted 19 species to date down here this year, however the Nettle-tree Butterfly and the Holly Blue are noticeable by their absence.
Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

keep 'em coming Chris !!

Charles

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Charles, from a very blustery Bouches du Rhone

Tuesday 31st March - South of France - Low of 14 °C and High of 21 °C - Sunny and very windy

Despite the stong Mistral wind we have had for at least 5 days now, I've managed to glimpse my first Holly Blue and Nettle-tree Butterfly of the season (no photos yet).
Apart from that, the only things that will sit still are Green Hairstreak and the occasional Large Tortoiseshell.
Today at lunchtime in Vitrolles, in a sheltered spot, one Green Hairstreak (same individual) :

This weekend in the scrub near home, a Large Tortoiseshell nectaring on Viburnum:

Context for the Large Tort. (Parc des Bruyères):

All eyes peeled now for Orange Tips and Provence Orange Tips
Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

thanks for braving the Mistral to get us those lovely pics Chris. More pouvoir to your coude !!

Charles

[Chris Jackson]

Here's more, Charles,

Saturday 4th April, South of France, still windy, Low of 14°C, High of 21°C

Despite the continuing (though weakening) Mistral wind, I managed to photograph my first Holly Blue and Nettle-tree Butterflies of the year (spotted some days earlier though).
Also flying: Cleopatra, Specklies, Green Hairstreak.
Green Hairstreak in the Park des Bruyères :

The rear entrance to my local scrubland park - not very welcoming I admit. Many things are forbidden as you can see, according to the signs, but in true French tradition, they are completely ignored:

Sage-leaf cistus:

Nettle-tree Butterfly (first photo this year):

Holly Blue (first photo this year) :

Cheers, Chris