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Summary

In total, at least 30 non-UK species were seen during the 7 day trip. In order of abundance they were:

Super-adundant

Pearly Heath

Abundant

Black Veined White

Common

Marbled Fritillary
Spotted Fritillary
Piedmont Ringlet (particularly at altitude)
Bright Eyed Ringlet (at altitude only)

Appearing fairly regularly (between 10 and 50 overall)

Provençal Fritillary
Purple Shot Copper
Large Wall Brown
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper
Lesser Marbled Fritillary (dampish places mostly)
Purple Edged Copper (about a dozen seen at 1500m)


Single figures - (numbers are the minimum seen and positively identified)

Great Banded Grayling - 6
Ilex Hairstreak - 5
Long Tailed Blue - 5
Sooty Copper - 2
Scarce Copper - 2
Mazarine Blue - 2
Map - 2
Lang's Short Tailed Blue - 1
Turquoise Blue - 1
Sloe Hairstreak - 1
Olive Skipper - 1
Lesser Purple Emperor - 1
Weaver's Fritillary - 1
Tufted Marbled Skipper - 1
Marbled Skipper - 1
Mountain Clouded Yellow - 1
Large Tortoiseshell - 1

There may well have been more species than this, but it isn't always possible to photograph a particular butterfly, especially erebia which seem to fly endlessly. I'm also fairly confident that the 'Wood Whites' flying at 1900m weren't sinapis, but proving otherwise (apart from habitat preference) would have been near impossible.

I still have two species I'd like feedback on. The first, I think, is Piedmont Ringlet, but the ocelli are abnormally pronounced:



In both the above and below image it is the female that is the more visible:



For most of us (myself definitely included), pyrgus are the hardest butterflies of all to identify. However, this one found alone at 1800m on the plateau du saquet appears different to any of the others I saw during the week:

Summary - UK species

Of course, there was a huge range of species we are familiar with from the UK. Here they are in order of abundance:

Super-abundant

Heath Fritillary

Abundant

Ringlet
Large Skipper
Marbled White
Small Skipper
Meadow Brown
Small Heath
Silver Studded Blue (serious numbers at altitude)

Common

Essex Skipper
Clouded Yellow
Dark Green Fritillary
Small Copper
Small White
Mountain Ringlet (above 1600m)
Wall Brown
Wood White
Common Blue


Between 10 and 50 seen

Green Veined White
Red Admiral
Small Tortoiseshell
Small Blue
Speckled Wood
White Admiral
Large White
Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary

Single figures seen

Swallowtail (about 10)
Comma (8 or so)
Holly Blue (8 or so)
Dingy Skipper (about 6)
Silver Washed Fritillary (about 6)
Orange Tip (4 seen)
Brimstone (2 seen)
Brown Argus (2 seen)
Peacock (1 seen)
Hedge Brown (1 seen)
Painted Lady (1 seen)
Green Hairstreak (1 seen)
Pearl Bordered Fritillary (1 seen)
High Brown Fritillary (1 seen)

39 UK species and 30 non-UK species seen in total. I was a little sad that there were no Cleopatras or Berger's Clouded Yellows, whilst Blues were a little thinner on the ground than in the Massif Central last year (although Fritillaries more than compensated).

I think anyone visiting this part of the Pyrenees should see 60+ species given favourable conditions. What's more, the scenery and the vegetation is magnificent. I'll definitely go back there again some time.

Hi David.

I agree your Erebia are meolans. This is an incredibly variable species! The disposition of the ocelli and the pattern of the red bands is correct in your first insect - note in particular the displaced apical spot and the way the spots on the hindwing push right to the outside of the red. The underside is pale but absolutely the right pattern and general appearance for meolans. I looked through my pictures to see if I could find any with that pronounced spotting and although I had nothing exactly like yours I do have this photo showing similar elongation of the spots:



For an interesting contrast, and illustrating how very different the species can look across its range, compare with this individual from near Martigny (I netted it because at first sight I had absolutely no idea what it was!):



As for the Pyrgus, it's very difficult to call without seeing an underside or indeed knowing more details about size &c. I think there are two possibilities: alveus and serratulae. Although male alveus in the Pyrenees has much more prominent white on the hindwing (they resemble centralhispaniae) the females do not - or at least not always - and yours is, of course, a female. As we have discussed before, serratulae is very variable and can also have this appearance on the upperside. Obviously, a glimpse of the underside would sort out these two. Perhaps details of the cell spot and the spot beyond it on the forewing might be helpful - but it's rather late here in CH for me to get the books out and do the necessary! I've also just watched the fantastic new BBC production of Henry IV Part 2 and my mind is ringing with Shakespeare, not butterflies!! Henry V next week is definitely not to be missed...

I won't make it to the Pyrenees this year as I'm saving money to take a year's sabbatical in 2013-4 so your posts have been particularly enjoyable!

Guy

Just caught-up with the excellent report - sounds like a great trip, Dave
I am just as confused with Erebia and Pyrgus as I ever was.....Good job we have Guy to give us a steer!
(And funnily enough, I was also watching Henry IV, II last night too; I also watched part I.....
Excellent production that really brought the play to life in a very human and understandable, if very bloody, manner)
N

Thanks, Nick. Yes, thank heaven for Guy as without his input I fear there'd be several species fewer that I'd get a handle on.

Guy - I thought so regarding the erebia. There were several others that presented similarly bold markings and the undersides were the giveaway for meolans.

I'm intrigued by your impending sabbatical. I'm fairly confident you've got something pretty special planned?

A very nice read! Interesting to compare notes between what we both saw in our different destinations. I always try to tell myself to take more scenic shots while I'm out, but I never quite seem to manage...

DaveF wrote:I always try to tell myself to take more scenic shots while I'm out, but I never quite seem to manage...

You look to be doing alright to me, Dave.

The contentious Carcharodus skipper which was ultimately considered to be Marbled (C. lavatherae) could just possibly be Southern Marbled (C. baeticus) if the region David was in is known to be within its distribution and I think it is one of those species that is essentially Iberian but “spills over” into southern France.

Here is a photo of and equally worn example but this is 100% baeticus. It is even sitting on its larval hostplant Marrubium vulgare. To me, it looks very similar to David’s, especially those hindwing discal markings. The key characteristic ID for baeticus is the sinuous submarginal line on the hindwing, very obvious on fresh specimens but seems to degrade very quickly as is the case on mine and David’s may be the same.

I had some reservations about lavatherae – no “panes”, hindwing marginal marks not looking quite right – and I suspect Guy may have had the same, given the lack of conviction in the ID.

I am on the road and do not have any reference sources, so I don’t offer any strong opinion either way, but I think it is worth looking at it one more time.

Thanks for the guidance, Roger. As ever, you and Guy have been invaluable.

Just one last question: do you think the Wood Whites flying on open ground at 1900m were more likely to be réali rather than sinapis?