Chris Jackson in Marseilles

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Folks,
The year starts down here in the south of France as would be expected, blue skies, sunny, but with a chill wind.
The odd Red Admiral can be seen from time to time.
This weekend has been relatively mild which prompted me to get out and check out a couple of guaranteed sightings.

In my local Parc des Bruyères my 3rd stage Southern White Admiral caterpillar from 2018 is still in its hibernaculum on Lonicera implexa:

We can make out its hairs in this view. Photo taken with flash. The fresh leaves nearby look as though they may have been nibbled?

On the outskirts of Marseilles it is relatively easy to find Two-Tailed Pasha caterpillars:

Here is some context down a fire track in Saint Marcel. The Ulex parviflorus is in flower.

Context (sorry about the blue skies ):

Context: This is where the TTP cat. is at head height on Arbutus unedo:

In the same location, this is freshly sprouting Biscutella laevigata (Buckler's Mustard). I am slightly perplexed because this is the host plant for the early Spring species, Western Dappled White and Provence Orange Tip, and I have never seen this plant pushing up before March. Either I am mistaken or is this the sign of an early season?

Chris

[essexbuzzard]

No need to apologise, Chris. It’s nice to see the sun still shines somewhere. Your buckler mustard does seem early but, provided it doesn’t throw up any flowering stems, it should be fine.

Nice Two-Tailed Pasha caterpillar pictures, too. For that, and for the blue sky, you set a

[Wurzel]

Blue sky! I can't remember when I last saw one of those

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

I've seen those habitat shots so often I almost feel they're my own 'home patch'!

Don't apologise for the blue skies, Chris. We get them here too but generally with 5-8c temperatures rather than the low teens.

Good luck with your Admiral/Pasha larva tracking.

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Essex, Wurzel and David.

Yep, blue skies do boost the moral in the winter.
As well, temperatures today in Vitrolles are between 6 and 12°C, so during my lunch break I went up onto the plateau and predictably saw at least 4 Red Admirals.
In the distance I saw 2 different whites, and I suppose that one could have been P. brassicae and the other E. crameri.

Context - Plateau de Vitrolles, next to my workplace:

Chris

[David M]

In the distance I saw 2 different whites, and I suppose that one could have been P. brassicae and the other E. crameri.

Crameri in mid January? Is that normal, Chris?

[Chris Jackson]

In the distance I saw 2 different whites, and I suppose that one could have been P. brassicae and the other E. crameri.

Crameri in mid January? Is that normal, Chris?

I suppose P. daplidice could be a more likely option by a couple of weeks.

[David M]

...I suppose P. daplidice could be a more likely option by a couple of weeks.

That wouldn't surprise me unduly. If you can capture a January crameri I'll be beyond impressed!

[Charles Nicol]

thanks for the midwinter cheer Chris ! i love that little hut that the caterpillar is sheltering in

Charles

[Andrew555]

What a cute caterpillar that Pasha is! Interesting stuff Chris.
(love the blue sky!)

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for your encouragement David, Charles and Andrew.

Today 16th February, south of France - 16 to 17°C in Marseilles

As each year on the outskirts of Marseilles in February (or sometimes in January), as soon as the temperature reaches 15 or 16°C, I can almost guarantee sightings of ex-hibernators in exactly the same spot, on the same bush or on the same pile of scree, year after year.

N. polychloros warming itself on its pile of scree:

Its pile of scree in the dry river bed:

And as always at the same time and in the same place but perched higher up, L. celtis:

My 2019 list so far:
1: V. atalanta
2: P. brassicae
3: C. crocea
4: P. rapae
5: P. daplidice
6: L. megera
7: N. polychloros
8: L. celtis

Chris

[Wurzel]

Wow those are great shots of the LT and L. celtis Does the L.celtis have a summer brood - I was wondering if I'd catch up with it in August?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Chris Jackson]

... Does the L.celtis have a summer brood - I was wondering if I'd catch up with it in August? ...

Hi Wurzel,
I've sent you a PM with my sightings, however August appears limited, at least near me.
One theory - could it be that hibernators, like L. celtis, aclimatised for the winter, fear the hottest months ?

Meanwhile, today I popped back to my local spot and managed to get off a couple of shots. Possibly the same individual as yesterday.
On the outskirts of Marseilles - L. celtis:

In this shot, the forewings are positioned very slightly asymetrically, so I guess I''ll have to go back and improve

Chris

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the PM and info Chris More cracking shots The markings don't appear real on this butterfly to me for some reason, almost like they've just been splodged on

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Good upperside images of celtis are hard to come by so well done there, Chris.

It's a fascinating butterfly. It looks like it's been designed by Jackson Pollock and its behaviour is pretty unusual too.

I've only ever seen them once, in the Var in April 2015. Like many vanessids, I miss out on them when in France in late spring and high summer.

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks Wurzel and David.

I believe temperatures in the UK this week have nothing to envy over the south of France.
At the moment we can easily see Large Tortoiseshells coming out of hibernation.
Here, today at lunchtime, high up in an oak tree

(FZ1000)
Here is the oak tree that survived major wildfires 3 years ago:

A female Small White attracted my attention and this is what she deposited:

(FZ1000)
on a 'brassicaceae'.
Chris

[Wurzel]

We may have had parity in terms of temperatures but definitely not in terms of butterflies Chris - great shot of the Large Tortoiseshell

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

I believe temperatures in the UK this week have nothing to envy over the south of France.
At the moment we can easily see Large Tortoiseshells coming out of hibernation.

Indeed, Chris. We had 21c at Kew Gardens last Tuesday. Back to the usual wind, cloud and rain now though. Hopefully it won't last too long.

Great (as always) to see your early Large Tortoiseshells, although there have been sighting over here too. I guess there's a decent likelihood that this species is again breeding in the UK, although until someone finds conclusive evidence it's hard to be sure.

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks Wurzel. I'm looking forward to hearing about your adventures in Portugal this year.

.. Back to the usual wind, cloud and rain now though ...

I know, David.
The UK and most of France (apart from here on the south coast) is under the weather.
Down here we still have sun and highs of between 17 and 20-odd °C.

This weekend in Marseilles I saw my first Holly Blue and Green Hairstreak.
For these species, this date is about "average" - I have known earlier and later extremes.

My first Green Hairstreak 03 March 19, on Mediterranean buckthorn:

My first female Lang's Short-tail Blue, on Sage-leaf cistus:

Both seen here in my local Parc des Bruyères:

A few metres away, each year the Large Tortoiseshells have the same ritual, defending the same territory on the trunk of the same lime tree:

The lime tree in the Parc des Bruyères:

And here is a Western Dappled White in the same park:

My 2019 list continued:
9: Swallowtail
10: Speckled Wood
11: Cleopatra
12: Comma
13: Western Dappled White
14: Lang's STB
15: Holly Blue
16: Green Hairstreak

Chris

[Chris Jackson]

07 March - south of France

With temperatures up to 17°C in the south and with intermittent cloud, during my lunch break I wandered down into the olive grove behind work. Although this place was burned to a cinder 3 years ago, the vegetation has slowly come back, and so have the Glanville Fritillaries:

The cats. currently measure 21 to 23 mm - here on Plantago:

There is Plantago lanceolata growing about almost everywhere here, however for some reason, the Glanville Fritillary caterpillars are still in exactly the same spot that they used before the fires - on the path at the foot of this olive tree in the centre:

A view from the opposite side:

Same view - after the fires in 2016:

So this is a dynamic species that re-populates rapidly .
Cheers,
Chris