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Foreign Fling (Part 4)

I'll post a few more Provencal beasties later on, but now onto the final (and most exciting) part of the Holiday, the Alps. Unfortunately we only had 2 days in the Alps, only one morning of which wasn't raining, nevertheless, as ever, I went away awestruck by the quantity and stunning variety of butterflies. On our journey to where we were staying we were lucky enough to drive through the Little St Bernard pass - safe to say I was lost for words at the stunning displays of wildflowers tumbling into rushing torrents, these with Apollos gliding over the scabious heads - just incredible!

So, the butterflies, in our one butterflying morning we managed to clock up 40 species, with many of the iconic ones which I have long gazed at with awe in field guides and never dreamed of seeing in the flesh.

Golden Skippers were around in good numbers with fairly even proportions Essex and Small.
I was delighted to photograph both species roosting together on one very cloudy afternoon.
There were also a few pyrgus species around, including these two Olive Skippers (kindly identified by Guy).
Black - Veined Whites were common once again.
The real highlight (alongside the Apollos which I never managed to photograph) were several absolutely stunning Scarce Coppers.
A few nice Swallowtails were also cruising around in the meadows.
Kidney Vetch was abundant on the poor, rocky soil - and as a result, so were Small Blues.
Other Blues included Silver - Studded, also very common.
I was pleased also, to see several beautiful Mazarines.
Roosting near the Mazarine was my first ever Mountain Ringlet (kindly Identified by Guy).
Titania's and lesser Marbled were the commonest fritillaries seen, but we also noted Pearl - Bordered, Niobe and Dark Green.
After our first walk we did have another, higher up at around 2300m. I like to think we would have seen things like Glandon Blue and Mountain Clouded Yellow had the weather been better, but who knows?

Lovely images again, William.

I absolutely agree about Scarce Copper. It really IS a beautiful butterfly and I doubt I could ever tire of seeing it.

Wow the Scarce Copper is stunning - it looks like it's on the wrong continent and should be flapping around the edge of a rainforest

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:Wow the Scarce Copper is stunning - it looks like it's on the wrong continent and should be flapping around the edge of a rainforest

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel, you need to get over to France one day to see it!

Totally agree David - but it'll be a while yet...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Guys - Scarce Coppers really are stunning, and they posed beautifully in the cloudy weather we had (at least it's good for something!)

Recent Doings

Since returning from holiday, it's been 'all go' on the patch, with butterflies everywhere. Like everyone else, Peacocks have been out in excellent numbers along with Small Skippers. Other winners have been Marbled White and Silver - Washed Fritillary, along with increased numbers of patch rarities Brown Argus and Wall Brown. Most excitingly though, my first ever patch Essex Skipper. These have been threatening to spread into West Somerset for some time, and with this one on my transect, it seems they finally have
My Green - Veined White Larvae pupated just before I left and emerged sometime whilst I was frolicking in Alpine Meadows.
A visit to a friend's who has turned his garden into something of a butterfly paradise proved very enjoyable with abundant Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells.
Cycling home I stopped in at a bramble filled field and was delighted to find a mating pair of Silver - Washed Fritillaries - a patch first, unfortunately they remained in the middle of a giant brambles (queue incredibly scratched legs).
As well as this pair there was a rather nice menage a trois...
Small Skippers were also feeling the love with this courting couple...
The next day I found found an egg - laying female and photographed her progeny.
And a Large Skipper did the same...
The resultant egg hatched after a week...
I missed photographing the hatching by a matter of seconds, but nevertheless, it was a privilege to see it and get a few pictures of the resultant larva snacking on it's egg shell.
And whilst I'm on immature stages, an oddity from a couple of days ago. I was watching a female Comma fluttering fussily around a patch of nettles near my home, when she landed to lay an egg. This she did and when I moved in to examine the resultant egg I was surprised to find it was almost transparent instead of the usual pale green, I cannot think why this might be except that it was unfertilised or something similarly strange - any ideas?
Here's a more normal one from last year.
Also on the nettles were several Red Admiral Ova, including 2 laid together, I think by separate females as I saw a female laying on the leaf and she only alighted for a few seconds, scarcely enough for one egg I thought, let alone 2.

Fantastic images William - that Comma ova looks like a delicate piece of glassware - could it be unfertilized?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Somerset Chalkhills

Chalkhill Blues aren't so common in Somerset as in many of the counties further east, but every year I make the pilgrimage to see them at a site on the Poldens just down the road from the famous Collard Hill, Hatch Hill, it is a lovely site, as all on the Polden ones are, with the panoramic views, wildflower displays and intermittent leafy woodlands that characterise this part of the world. Anyway, the grassland just down from the Hood Monument houses a good colony of Chalkhill blues, which I went to see a couple of days ago. As ever, they were around in fairly good numbers, often feeding on the Scabious and Knapweed which abounds on the site.
It's quite an exposed site and 'catches the weather' meaning that strong winds sent many butterflies to roost on my visit.
These included a few 'special editions' like this female.
Another female I found was busily ovipositing among the Horseshoe Vetch, she alighted in a decent - sized patch and I watched, enthralled as she crawled happily around depositing eggs here and there, either on the undersides of the leaves or the surrounding vegetation, probably laying 6 or 7 eggs within the clump - fascinating!
Here are some more Females...
And some males to finish...

Love the photo of the Peacocks up-thread; the blackness of the underwings makes it look like the silhouettes of the butterflies have been cut out of the picture to reveal black card beneath.

Good to know that the Poldens Chalkhills are doing well - I understand the ones in the Mendips are having a reasonable year.

Great Chalkhill shots, the second one in particular is gorgeous!

Catching Up

What with one thing and another I haven't posted any photos for a while, but a few here from a fairly successful late August and September. Highlight was getting regular views of Brown Hairstreaks at a Master Tree I discovered near my home (even if they were 15m above my head at a highly uncivilised 8:30 in the morning) and subsequently seeing a female at low level (my first time in 3 years of watching these beauties, though sadly without the camera!)
It's been good in the garden too, and my Sorrel and Bird's Foot Trefoil have been littered with Small Copper and Common Blue eggs respectively. The Former has caused me to get out measuring leaf sizes, plant heights and grass height as I'm fascinated by their selection of Sorrels for laying, on top of this, the wildflower bank in the garden seems to be going well, so I'm optimistic for a colonisation by Common Blues next summer - watch this space!

Certainly will watch this space William, especially if you can keep filling it with such cracking images. I know I have a thing for Hedge Browns but that shot of the adult is just fab-tastic If you're after male Brown Hairstreaks then I recommend Shipton Bellinger as they regularly come down - most at "bramble height" .

Have a goodun

Wurzel

William, your photo's remind me of water Colours, they're so delicate and quite lovely Goldie

Goldie has taken the words out of my mouth. I love the style of your photos William. If I ever attempt that style it just ends up a poorly composed and cluttered mess. Something for me to practice next season.

Thanks for the kind comments guys, it's always a real buzz when someone appreciates my photos!

Autumn Joy

It's been a fairly uneventful Autumn season so far this year, what with returning to the grindstone and the shorter, cooler days, but nevertheless, there's been plenty going on in the garden. The Michlemas Daisies have been full of Nymphalids in particular, with my favourite Autumn Commas.
The Sorrel in the garden is now replete with Small Copper Eggs, nearly always on the smallest, most underdeveloped (but most nitrogen rich) Sorrels, this one (which had 9 eggs on) is a case in point.

I absolutely love that first Comma shoot it leads your eye into it and the contrast of the orange with the purple is sublime

Have a goodun

Wurzel

William,

Stunning photos of the Comma & Red Admiral on the Michaelmas Daisies. So different to any photo I've seen recently (espacially the first one).
Not sure how I missed your PD earlier, so have only just seen your ovum shots from the summer. Fantastico!!

Kind Regards Kev

Thanks Wurzel and Kev, your kind comments are much appreciated!

Recent Doings

The butterfly season is definitely winding down now, and during the past week or so the only species I have seen have been Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell. Nevertheless, the Small Copper Larvae that have resulted from the egg-laying are a real delight, as were 3 Brown Hairstreak eggs found near my home.

Hi William

As always your varied photos are all superb, like a breath of fresh air I will echo Wurzels comments and say that the first Comma on Michealmas Daisies is an absolutely outstanding image It is also nice to see Gatekeeper early stages, something a little different.

Keep up the good work

William I love the Red Admiral and Comma shot best, if there's any thing I like better than one Butterfly it's Two Goldie