www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Correct - over to you Guy!

How are you all on scientific names?

Which three British butterflies are these?

a) I have beautiful eyebrows.
b) I was granted immortality so I could be with my beloved Dawn forever. But while she was reborn every day, I aged and withered eternally.
c) I am a divine messenger and personification of the rainbow.

Guy

a) Orange Tip
b) Gatekeeper
c) Iris !!

Bloody brilliant question Guy!

Felix.

(b) and (c) spot on, Felix. I suspect you were just overhasty with (a). I think Anthocharis means 'joy of flowers' and 'cardamines' refers directly to the foodplant (not quite sure what it means in itself, but it may have something to do with hearts).

Tithonus is one of my favourite mythological characters - and beautifully immortalised (as if he needed any more immortality) in Tennyson's poem.

Guy

Ooh - tough one. I had to look 2 of these up

a) Green Hairsteak (Callophrys is Greek for "eyebrow").
b) Gatekeeper (Tithonus of Greek mythology!).
c) Purple Emperor (iris).

Hmmm. Green Hairstreak? (Callophrys is roughly Greek for Beautiful eyebrow). I thought that you quite literally meant a butterfly with beautiful eyebrows - I thought it was a little odd ! ! !

That's the one. And they do have beautiful eyebrows too!

The ball's in your court...

Guy

PS - I've just noticed there are now two green hairstreak answers - so Pete will have to adjudicate!

The honour goes to Pete - he achieved three correct answers before I. Besides, I am supposed to be working!!!

Felix.

I've run out of questions

Felix - over to you!

Cheers,

- Pete

Ok, last one from me tonight otherwise I shall be at the PC until the wee hours - and I want to get up early and look for butterflies tomorrow!

Here goes:

On the Ventnor Downs, Isle of Wight, an attempt was made by certain parties in the early part of the 20th century to award a particular cline of a species of butterfly subspecific status. Even into the late 1970's this matter continued to be a subject of discussion and debate in certain entomological circles.

I need the species and the subspecific name that was suggested for this geographical form... This is my 'killer question' , I'm all out from here!!

Felix.

That's going to take some research! The most notable clinal species is meadow brown but I have no knowledge of the Isle of Wight populations. I agree, though - the marking ain't gonna do itself and there's a big pile sitting on my desk! It might not be tonight...

As an aside, I tried to track down the etymology of 'cardamines' and it does seem to be obscure. It is cognate with cardamon (cardamom), which comes in turn from the Greek kardamomon, but no one knows what the ending (which is also found in cinnamon/kinnamomon) means. A related form of the word (kardomeia) is found in certain Linear B texts so it certainly has some history!

Guy

Well done Felix - the first question to not get answered within a day.

So - what is the answer? And then ask another one

Cheers,

- Pete

Before Felix gives us the answer, I'm going to have a guess and say Glanville Fritillary and the subspecific name was vectis. Worth a guess I'd say...
AH

Sorry for the delay chaps!

The answer is Adonis Blue, Ssp. vestae.

"Wing expanse small, males a more silvery blue than type, orange lunules greatly diminished on female upperside and dull on the underside of both sexes. Underside ground colour of both sexes very dark".

I think that M galathea should pose the next question because I love the idea of vectis for an IoW sub species!! That was a very well considered guess!

Felix.

Thanks Felix!
Sorry that this Q. is not very clear cut but here you go: the distribution of the Adonis Blue is closest to which species of orchid? There are two answers which come to mind, so I'll consider either correct.

Early Purple?

Early Purple?

I don't think so - here in North Devon Early Purples are like a weed in some places, and you would have to be very fortunate to see a Devonshire Adonis!
I reckon Bee?

Roger

Do Helliborines count?

I often find Musk Orchids on my Adonis Blue sites, so I shall go for that...

Felix.

is one orchid Early spider orchid?