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April 27 - Palermo, Italy

Finally took my Easter break to Sicily. It's been a great week with friend and birdwatching. As for butterflies, I am leaving the island quite disappointed.
Even though, there were quite a lot of Pieris, I did not make it to photograph one.
In the week-end, we happened with an excellent spot where to see Colias croceus in very large colonies (Santo Pietro, south of Caltagirone) and the plan is to come back here more prepared to explore more.
I primarily came to Sicily for the Swallow tail but it was quite late (?) already, the other one I looked around for was the Melitaea Didyma but nowhere to be seen. Lots of moths is rather worth to mention.

Cracking close up of the Specklie sonohoma, the Brimstones in the summer are a lot more laid back and easier to approach Interesting looking moth as well.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

That moth looks like a Four-spotted Tyta luctuosa, a rarity in the UK

Philzoid wrote:That moth looks like a Four-spotted Tyta luctuosa, a rarity in the UK

Hello,
this moth was seen in south of Sicily, in the same little private field as some other colourful moths I was not able to make a photo of. I hope to bring back more stuff to share on the abroad forums
cheers

Wurzel wrote:Cracking close up of the Specklie sonohoma, the Brimstones in the summer are a lot more laid back and easier to approach Interesting looking moth as well.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hello Wurzel,
this was my first time shooting a speckled wood properly, most of time i find them active really early. this one was just laid back and seemed not to have much business to attend to. as for the moth, it is the closest thing to a butterfly I actually approached during my stay in Sicily recently and it flew away after some speedily shaking to dry off the dew. well done moth

The brimstones... I think I will pass on those since they are nowhere around in Stockwood where they should be in numbers. I hope to have some tips from Bristol area fellows since I am still very new to butterfly watch. I could use some help

Philzoid wrote:That moth looks like a Four-spotted Tyta luctuosa, a rarity in the UK

I've certainly never seen that species before. Good find, sonomoha.

David M wrote: I've certainly never seen that species before. Good find, sonomoha.

Hello David,
mind you, this one i had to go to Sicily to see it. It was in an area full of Colias butterfly. The place is called Bosco di Santo Pietro in the province of Catania. It takes a journey to get there from Bristol I am really happy you folks liked it.

Cheers.

May 3rd 2017 - Eastwood
The temperatures have been generally low for a week now. Not much in field as for butterflies.
I feel sorry for this butterfly diary which has not much so far. Among today's findind on top entrance of the reserve, a roosting bumble bee. A massive one that I did not dare disturb for obvious reasons
There was also one shield bug around, so I got the camera out to try and get used to my new lens that I hope to put to master as season comes up cheers!

May 10th 2017 - Stockwood
after a while going round on private farm land off the road, i get to see what seems like a small copper.
the day before, one corner of the field was full of white/greenish butterflies. could not ID since they never settled and they were too tiny to be brimstones.

May 11th
Back in stockwood to make some some photograph if any encounter on path. I found two small coppers but both left themselves fall into the grass with their dew. Also got to see a Green-veined white, but same old: jumped down the grass
A later walk in Eastwood Farm I saw the following: Holly Blue x3, SW and OT by large numbers still... and finally two large green butterflies flew by: I guess these were Brimstones in a hurry.
In Arno's Vale Cemetery: an early small skipper flying very low, two holly blue with the usual odd flying pattern, three worn small tortoiseshell, Orange Tips and Speckled woods in numbers.
The biggest surprise of the day was the damselfly and the giant moths in Eastwood park though (what I actually got to approach.

Took me one year to repost here.
Spring is here, butterflies will be soon. In the last four weeks, seen from the window: holly blue, speckled wood, small white, orange tip. All very occasionally and some will certainly be flying in better number soon

and another year and here here. Just some orange tips flying around in Broomhill (bs4) by river Avon. Glad I got to catch few on camera. I did not see many in 2018, or was too busy with work at their usual flight time.
shot on Monday 2018-05-06

Good to hear from you again Sonomoha Lovely Orange-tip on a very sculptural perch

Have a goodun
Wurzel

Good to see you're still getting out and about, sonomoha.

Love the Orange Tip image, although I can't work out what it's perched on.

David M wrote:Good to see you're still getting out and about, sonomoha.
Love the Orange Tip image, although I can't work out what it's perched on.

Wurzel wrote:Good to hear from you again Sonomoha Lovely Orange-tip on a very sculptural perch
Have a goodun
Wurzel

Hello David, hello Wurzel,
Thank you for your feedback. I had a question on that orange tip. The antenna tips appeared to be tainted in blue. Is that normal ?

He is perched on a sort of vine I collected those in some remote place, the Agdz oasis palm grove, few years ago.
To avoid cutting live flowers and food plant, a senior suggested me to use vine and mature poppy. It appears some species don't mind hoping on when you get the vine closer

sonomoha wrote:I had a question on that orange tip. The antenna tips appeared to be tainted in blue. Is that normal ?

They're very fond of nectaring on bluebells. Could some of the colour have transferred to the antennal tips?

David M wrote: They're very fond of nectaring on bluebells. Could some of the colour have transferred to the antennal tips?

Could be. Thank you. I would never have thought about that, no even remotely

Finally went to see the family in Italy for some quality time last week.
A longtime friend booked a day off to take me to Parco Valle del Treja, half-an-hour drive north of Rome. A Magnificent place for dragonflies and damselflies. It is also a great place for butterflies, no less than a dozen species in and out the grass in a 30 square-metres corner, including moths, skippers and larger butterflies (First time seeing a grizzled skipper and did not manager to photograph it because getting closer to grass would have just worsen my allergies ). I certainly hope to have the opportunity to visit this area in the future. Few images attached. Thanks to admin Guy for help with ID
Small copper, abb. Lycaena phlaeas f. caerulopunctata
silver-studded blue Plebejus argus

After a short visit to Rome, we are now back in lovely Bristol.
This spring is already being like no other for some reason: I broke my main camera on the last night in Rome (happened last summer too) and it is still Ramadan. So I guess it is very tough to go out there while starving and without a camera
Anyway, during a walk this Saturday (May 25), I saw my first british blues: many common blues, a brown and a small copper. This was in Victory Park (bs4), tiny green area by where I live. The place is usually full of 6-spot burnet moth in right time, but it is also good for the common blue. Brown argus and small copper seem very discrete in numbers though. Photo attached, although no brown argus when I went back Sunday morning

Good luck with the fasting and butterflying That was a great tip passed on from the senior, something I'm going to consider - just need to find my 'stick' now What other species did you get to see in Italy?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

sonomoha wrote:...I broke my main camera on the last night in Rome (happened last summer too) and it is still Ramadan. So I guess it is very tough to go out there while starving and without a camera..

Lol! Yes, it must be that much harder when it falls near midsummer! How did you get those two butterflies on your hand?