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Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:45 pm**

David M wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 11:35 pm .... Wow! 23 degrees! That must be unusual even at your latitude for February ? .............. Do I recognise that tree? Isn't that the one which your early Large Tortoiseshells seem to covet every year?

Hi David,
After a couple of days at 23°C the temperature dropped backed down to the norm (lo's of 8°-ish and hi's of 13°-ish). Today we are suddenly back up to 21°C on the south coast and even 24° in other places.

Yep, that tree with the Large Tort is the same one as each year - well spotted !

I think I caught the sun today - I must start putting sun lotion on

There hasn't been a single frost in Marseille this winter, which may be the reason for my latest sighting - see below!
Chris

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:50 pm**

Today (11th of March) in the south of France, I had my first sighting of a Provence Hairstreak this year.
At the best I would expect a first sighting at the very earliest on the 19th of March, so today's sighting really came as a surprise.
Provence Hairstreak - at least 1 week early :

Also seen today - a Western Dappled White :

Cheers, Chris

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2020 8:46 pm**

Cracking species Chris

Can you get them to slow down a bit though - I'm hopefully visiting the south of France the second week of August (Covid-19 willing) and it would be nice if there were still some species flying!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:54 pm**

Fantastic, Chris ( he says through gritted teeth!). It’s so interesting to have someone like your good self showing us what’s going on elsewhere in Europe.

We too have had very little frost this winter-indeed one of my neighbours still has Geraniums in their garden! Mind you, there has been very little sunshine, either. So our situation is very different to yours, and I am still waiting for my first warm day, and my first butterfly sighting.

Posted: **Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:22 pm**

essexbuzzard wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:54 pmWe too have had very little frost this winter-indeed one of my neighbours still has Geraniums in their garden! Mind you, there has been very little sunshine, either. So our situation is very different to yours, and I am still waiting for my first warm day, and my first butterfly sighting.

Agreed. It's been the strangest winter/early spring I can ever remember. Mild but virtually sunshine bereft. Some of my daffodils are actually dying back now before I've seen a butterfly!

After all these dreary weeks though, things look set to change quite soon, with high pressure becoming established over the UK at long last! In the meantime, it's good to be able to see a few species down your way, Chris. Provence Hairstreak is one of my favourite species so good to know it's around, albeit rather early.

Posted: **Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:43 pm**

Hi Wurzel,
My PH sighting is worrying early - global warming ?
Let's hope this virus is cleared up before August, for your hols. I would have thought so.

Hi Essex,
Get out now butterflying while you can in the UK - unfortunately soon you'll be following Italy, Spain and now France.

Hi David,
I'm glad I got a sighting of Provence Hairstreak before the confinement measures we now have in France. I should think that your spring travel programme will be seriously disrupted by restrictions - make the most of what you've got on home territory.

Cheers, Chris

Posted: **Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:47 pm**

Hi Folks,
Just before France went into lock-down at lunch time, I made a trip to my local Parc des Bruyères.

This species is a lot easier to photograph when it is otherwise preoccupied as here:

Female on the right :

Female on the left :

I don't know how rare L. celtis cop-shots are, but it has made my day

I will be braving French lock-down and will report on my local park as and when I can.
Yours in confinement,
Chris

Posted: **Tue Mar 17, 2020 8:25 pm**

I've got my fingers crossed that things get a bit better by August Chris

In the meantime a fantastic set of shots of a species I'd dearly love to see. I too don't know how unusual cop shots are of this species but they also made my day

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Posted: **Wed Mar 18, 2020 5:59 pm**

Chris Jackson wrote: ↑Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:47 pm..I don't know how rare L. celtis cop-shots are...

Very rare, Chris. In fact, all this family seem to be so that's one hell of a sighting.

Hope you can still get out clandestinely down there. I believe there are fines for those that don't have a "valid" reason to be outside. I sincerely hope that policy isn't implemented here but it wouldn't surprise me if it were.

Sois prudent et bon courage.

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 8:16 am**

Wurzel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 17, 2020 8:25 pm .... things a bit better by August Chris ... Wurzel

Now with a little hindsight, Wurzel, August is not all that conservative ?

Chris

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 8:19 am**

David M wrote: ↑Wed Mar 18, 2020 5:59 pm .... Hope you can still get out clandestinely down there. I believe there are fines for those that don't have a "valid" reason to be outside ....

Well they finally locked up my local park, David, which is in fact a "Parc National", but I've been able to continue studying life cycle as you can see below :
Chris

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 8:19 am**

Chris Jackson wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 8:19 am
David M wrote: ↑Wed Mar 18, 2020 5:59 pm .... Hope you can still get out clandestinely down there. I believe there are fines for those that don't have a "valid" reason to be outside ....
Well they finally locked up my local park, David, which is in fact a "Parc National", but I've been able to continue studying life cycle as you can see below :
Chris

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 8:25 am**

What does the Two-tailed Pasha do in March and April ?
The TTP egg would have been laid last autumn, and the caterpillar has overwintered, feeding only when mild. It's host plant is the Strawberry Tree.

On March 16th, this cat is nearly 30 mm long which is big for the end of winter. It was very mild this year without even a frost:

By April 18th the cat has reached its maximum size of 50 mm:

At 50 mm long, the cat is showing signs of loss of vital fluids, I may be wrong, but I am worried about parasitic attack:

On April 24th, 8 am, the cat unusually had not returned to its home leaf and I found it deeper in its bush, exploring a branch:

By 12 midday it had moved under the same branch and appeared to be preparing an area under the branch with a weaving motion with its mouth:

By 4 pm the cat was in position for pupation:

On April 27th, 3 days and a couple of hours later, after much concern over whether the cat had been parasited and had died, the cat pupated unexpectedly and rapidly between 4 pm and 8 pm:

The butterfly is expected to emerge for mid May.
Chris

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:24 am**

Great observation Chris - an incredibly interesting post. Left me wanting more

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:33 am**

Agreed. A fascinating observation brilliantly captured.

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:39 pm**

Chris,

Nice observations of the Two Tailed Pasha. It's pupa is wonderful. I hope you are there to see it emerge. It is one of my favourite non British butterflies.

Regards
Kev

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:25 pm**

Really interesting sequence Chris - the pupae an odd shape - like a little bell pepper

I hope you can still get your butterfly 'fix' legitimately

and that you're keeping safe and well.

Have a goodun, stay safe

Wurzel

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2020 8:37 pm**

What an amazing sequence of shots, Chris! Can't wait to see what happens!
Stay safe. Janet

Posted: **Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:25 am**

I salute you, Chris. Fabulous sequence and I sincerely hope a butterfly emerges from that very striking pupa rather than a parasite.

Posted: **Wed May 20, 2020 5:21 pm**

Thank you Pauline, essex, Kev, Wurzel, Janet and David for your kind encouragements.
I had hoped that the Two-tailed Pasha butterfly would emerge from its pupa during the day .... wrong !
Nature decided otherwise and it emerged over-night which means that I missed out on many photos.
Here are some photos to give an idea of the time-line:

May 19th - 4 pm

May 19th - 6 pm

May 19th - 6.15 pm

May 19th - 10.30 pm to midnight

May 20th - 5 am - after 22 full days of pupation

Ah well ... perhaps better luck next time.
I have released the TTP back in the local park where it originated from.
Chris

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Chris Jackson in Marseilles

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