What's flying in Marseilles 2015

[Chris Jackson]

Today, Sunday, 26th April - South of France - Overcast but mild

Seen in Cuges les Pins, Wood White, feasting on something:

mind you, it WAS lunchtime and I was getting peckish myself - context

Back in Marseilles, the Blue Flax is in flower:

and here, under the olive trees

Provence Orange Tip larva were in number, on Buckler's Mustard:

I missed the egg-laying this year - one cannot be in the field and working in an office at the same tme - roll-on retirement.
More Glanvilles => (I promise I will take no further shots of Glanvilles this season - I must concentrate on other species)

An OT to sign off

Wishing you all a good forthcoming BF week in the UK.
Cheers, Chris

[David M]

Great shot of the Provence OT larva, Chris. I'm assuming it's on that biscutella plant the adults are so fond of?

[Chris Jackson]

... I'm assuming it's on that biscutella plant the adults are so fond of? ...

That's right David, on Biscutella laevigata.
I'm hoping to go back and see that same caterpillar this weekend, to see how it has developped.

Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Wednesday, 29th April - Vitrolles - South of France - 18°C, whispy cloud cover - very little wind

Today at lunchtime was the first time I've been out butterflying for 3 or 4 days due to unsuitable weather.
Yesterday the Mistral wind was blowing a gale.
I've been expecting the Western Marbled White and the Spotted Fritillary for a week now, and today I spotted both of them for the first time this year.
Western Marbled White:

on the plateau of Vitrolles - I believe this long wavy grass is its host plant:

Spotted Fritillary:

down in the olive grove:

Brown Argus however is long over-due !!
Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

lovely pics. those woods at Cuges les Pins look interesting.

[Chris Jackson]

lovely pics. those woods at Cuges les Pins look interesting.

Well, Charles, horses DO seem interested, (étant donné les crottes),

On a more serious note, there are insufficient clearings in the wood for BFs, le milieu est trop fermé.

CJ

[Chris Jackson]

Thursday 30th April - Vitrolles - South of France - 20°C - very little wind

At luchtime I went out onto some local waste land and found what I was looking for - my first Brown Argus of the year - nearly 3 weeks late compared to last year.
However this individual must have already been around for a while because it has a piece of wing missing:

Waste land:

Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Monday 11th May - Vitrolles - South of France - 26°C - hazy cloud

Hi folks, its warming up in the South of France with 26°C forecast for today.
1st sighting this year of the Spanish Gatekeeper - on time - on exactly the same date as last year. This species likes the dry scrub.
This photo of a male is from last year:

1st sighting yesterday near Marseilles of a Southern White Admiral - possibly been around for a week now, but I've been away:

Orange skippers near Marseilles - 3 different individuals - help with ID would be welcome (I'm hopeless (also) with Skippers):
Skipper 1

Skipper 2

Skipper 3

I would say that Skippers 1 and 2 are males as they were protecting their respective territories vigourously.
Skipper 3 had a totally different jizz, fluttering delicately about in the long grass, looking only for thistles.

Meadow Browns are imminent and I expect the Two-tailed Pasha within one week.
Cheers, Chris

[Charles Nicol]

we are looking forward to a balmy 21º this afternoon...

great pics there... looking forward to the TTP

not sure what type of skippeurs you have ...

[Padfield]

Hi Chris. Your skippers are all Lulworth.

Guy

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks, Guy.
Can I presume that No. 3 is female, due to its behaviour?
Chris

[Padfield]

Yes, it looks like a female (and the first two are certainly males). The behaviour is typical of a female newly mated, carrying eggs.

Guy

[David M]

Intoxicating images there, Chris.

Looks like your niche has suddenly seen a fair few new emergences.

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for the ID, Guy.

You're right, David, the species are coming on thick and fast in mid May.
See below:

Tuesday 12th May - Vitrolles - South of France - 23°C - hazy cloud

Lunchtime today up on the plateau of Vitrolles, there was an invasion of what I think are Provence Chalk-hill Blues.
I have only ever seen one before (June last year), which I took to be a vagrant, however today I saw 10+ males and 3+ females, before I stopped counting.
I don't know where they have all suddenly appeared from.
Could it have something to do with the fact that last summer the Council mowed the whole of this part of the scrub for fire prevention ?, and that mowing favours growth of the LHP (that I had never noticed before anyway) ?
Confirmation of the ID is welcome.
The females were particularly attracted to a spindly plant with yellow flowers, possibly the LHP ?
Individual No. 1 - male

Individual No. 2 - female - underside AND upperside

(on spindly plant - LHP ?)

Individual No. 3 - male

Context - plateau of Vitrolles (again )

Spindly plant - LHP ?

Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Wednesday 13th May - Vitrolles - South of France - 24°C - hazy

Today the hazy conditions in Vitrolles calmed the male Provence Chalk-hill Blues a little and I managed another couple of photos.

Male

Female

Cheers, Chris

[Chris Jackson]

Thursday 14th May - Marseilles - 26°C, hazy and muggy

1st sighting this year of Meadow Brown on the outskirts of Marseille - last year they were around 1 week earlier:

1st sighting this year of a Two-tailed Pasha in my local Parc des Bruyères - bang on schedule:

The TTP was hanging around this path, popular with dog walkers, possibly waiting for some dog poo to drop along:

The Southern White Admiral has been around for 2 weeks now:

In the next day or so, I'm expecting Blue-spot Hairstreak and False Ilex Hairstreak

Cheers, Chris

[CFB]

Hello Chris,

Nice to see that you are taking advantage of the four public holidays this month. Are you "doing/making the bridge" tomorrow?

All the best,
Colin

[David M]

I do wish you'd refrain from posting TTP pics, Chris.

It makes me want to up sticks and bloody well emigrate!!

[Charles Nicol]

thanks for the terrific pics... the TTP is lovely

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for the comments, David and Charles.

David, you should pop down South some time during one of the two TTP brood flight periods.
One of my aims this season is a full openwing shot of the TTP, however this will be a tall order as they generally only open up by about 50%.

Yes, Colin, I am doing "le pont" (having an extended public holiday weekend), however today, Friday, a chill Mistral wind has blown up so that's a bit frustrating - Saturday and Sunday should be better. I don't think the Mistral reaches as far East as chez toi.

Cheers, Chris