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Nice Black-eyed Blue and Spanish Festoon, Colin.
I dream of Spanish Festoons - how lucky you are to live in the Alpes Maritimes.
I saw a Black-eyed Blue today, but had to cross over into the Var to see it; it is as though butterflies recognise départemental boundaries. Wow .
Cheers, Chris

NB: It turns out my Black-eyed was a Green-underside, how disappointing

HI Colin,
just seen your last posting , you have at least one envious UK Butterflier.

All the best,
TREVOR.

Great images of the Black-Eyed Blue, Colin. Your specimen's uppersides are positively radiant!

Hello Chris, Trevor and David,

I was really very lucky with the Black-eyed Blue. At first I thought that it was only another Baton Blue, then getting closer I thought it was a Green-underside Blue, then I realised that it was Black-eyed Blue. I just managed to get a couple of photos before it disappeared into the woods.

Here it has just started to rain so it looks like I won't be seeing many butterflies today .
--
Colin

After rain most of yesterday, this morning was sunny and cloudless.

On my walk towards the Roche d'Ardy I saw my first Common Blue #25 of the year, a very tatty female. Also my first Southern White Admiral #26 of the year.
The most frequently seen species was by far the Painted Lady.
I must have seen well over 20 of them, including four on the same Thyme plant. There were a few Baton Blues, including a female. This is a male.
There were several Orange-tips including this female,
one Small Heath and a few Wall Browns,
a few Berger's Clouded Yellows, several Wood Whites,
and just one Spanish Festoon.
--
Colin

Hi Colin,
Wow .... Southern White Admiral ?
According to my records from 2014, here in the Bouches du Rhone, I saw my first Southern White Admiral:
=> 4 weeks after the 1st Spotted Fritillary,
=> and 3 weeks after the first Western Marbled White,
and so far I have seen neither Spotted Frit nor Western M White !!!

In 2013 there was only 1 week difference between the species though. Still ..., seems pretty early to me.

What do your records show, Colin ?
Apart from that, great photos
Cheers, Chris

Hello Chris,

I've never seen a Western Marbled White, though I believe there should be some around here, so I've given my data for a regular Marbled White:

Spotted Fritillary:
May 05 2011, May 07 2012, May 11 2013, May 17 2014
Marbled White:
Jun 07 2011, May 30 2012, Jun 18 2013, Jun 05 2014
Southern White Admiral:
May 07 2011, May 09 2012, May 09 2013, May 01 2014

So it looks as if the Southern White Admirals are a bit earlier than usual.

Today, and previous days, I've been astounded by the number of Painted Ladies I've seen. How many are you seeing chez toi?

And I'm still waiting for my first Fritillary.
--
Colin

I will keep my eyes peeled for Southern White Admirals then, this weekend.
(I see them at home on the outskirts of Marseille, but never here at work in Vitrolles (32 km away)).

As for Painted Ladies, I've had the odd sighting, no more than once a week, on and off since the begining of the year - nothing stupendous. However we had bad weather last weekend and the Mistral was blowing a gale yesterday, so I should be getting out at lunchtime today with a bit of luck. I will be keeping an eye out for Painted Ladies.

Otherwise on my "expected" list I have:
Brown Argus (long over-due)
Spotted Frit
Western M White

Cheers, Chris

This morning in the Parc de la Brague there were fewer butterflies than yesterday, perhaps due to a cool wind, with Orange-tips being the most numerous. There were also several Painted Ladies, though not as many as yesterday.
Also flying were several Berger's Clouded Yellows, a few Wall Browns, a few Green Hairstreaks,
a few Wood Whites, several Brimstones, and my first Adonis Blue #27 of the year.
--
Colin

This morning was quite windy and I didn't see many butterflies.

What I did see were a couple of Wall Browns, several Berger's Clouded Yellows, a few Small Heaths, and a solitary Wood White that was not at all disturbed by my presence.
I didn't see any Painted Ladies, Spanish Festoons or Orange-tips .
--
Colin

This morning down near my local quarry, I saw one female Provence Orange-tip,
and one Green-veined White.
Also seen, but no photos, were one Scarce Swallowtail, one Small Copper, several Speckled Woods in the woods, two or three Green Hairstreaks and a Small Heath.
--
Colin

Even though it was overcast this morning, I saw my first Fritillary of the year, a Weaver's Fritillary #28:
I also took photos of a Common Blue,
and a Small Copper:
Also seen, one Wood White, one Painted Lady, a few Berger's Clouded Yellows, a few Wall Browns and a couple of Speckled Woods.
--
Colin

On the way down to my favourite quarry this morning I saw this female Provence Orange-tip,
and a bit later this courting couple.
Near the quarry I saw my first Mallow Skipper #29 of the year and my first Glanville Fritillary #30 of the year.
Also seen were a few Orange-tips, a couple of Small Coppers, one Wood White, a couple of Baton Blues, a couple of Wall Browns, several Speckled Woods, a female Brimstone, a Green Hairstreak, a male Clouded Yellow and a few Berger's Clouded Yellow.
--
Colin

Hi Colin,

I don't believe i have ever commented on your P.D. even though i always look forward to reading about your exploits. The photos of the butterflies you post are beautiful, and todays selection are again beautiful, especially the Provence Orange-tips. What a stunning insect.

All the best, Nick,

Hello Nick,

Thank you for your kind comments.

I agree, Provence Orange-tips are gorgeous. I was very lucky with the courting couple this morning, as if they hadn't been courting they would have flown away before I could get my camera out of my pocket. And by the looks of things, they did get around to mating :
And the other day I was also lucky as it was cloudy and the female Provence Orange-tip was waiting for the sun before flying away.

Best regards,
Colin

Great shots Colin, Provence Orange Tips are definitely on the wish list

BWs,

William

Love that series of Provence OT photos, Colin.
Hope they will still be around in Marseilles next week when I get back home from hols.
Chris

You're making me envious, Colin.

I saw 60-90 POTs last month but none were indulging in courtship activities. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen OTs in 'cop' either.

This morning, on a hill to the north of Biot, I saw my first Meadow Brown #31 of the year and there were many of them.
Also, at last, my first Red Admiral #32 of the year, but no photo. There were many Wall Browns,
one or two unidentified Whites, a possible Swallowtail, several Painted Ladies and a few Speckled Woods.
--
Colin

Some great sightings and gorgeous photos recently Colin. I particularly like those Provence Orange Tips