Spain Butterfly Queries

[tobyholmes]

Hi, I recently spent 3 weeks sightseeing, birding and butterfly-watching in Spain and since this was my first proper trip looking for butterflies outside of the UK, I have quite a few butterflies I can't place. I found the Pyrgus species hardest to separate. If anyone can help with any it would be greatly appreciated!

I've labelled each species with a letter, and put a couple of photos for some.

The ones on this post were in the Picos de Europa, around the second/third week of July. The skippers, the Erebia species and the blue (Mazarine?) were at the top of the Fuente De cable car (around 1800m above sea level I think). The fritillary was on the lower slopes of the valley (I think about 600m above sea level).

Thanks a lot,
Toby

[David M]

Hi Toby, I'll have a stab at these, although the only ones I'm sure of are B, which is Marbled Skipper, and E, which as you thought is Mazarine Blue.

A - Mainly based on the underside image, I think this is Safflower Skipper.

C - Confident this is Piedmont Ringlet

D - Quite melanistic, so tricky to be sure. I reckon Heath is more likely than Provençal.

F - I'm going for Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper.

[tobyholmes]

Thanks David, much appreciated. I have a few more if you get the time to help.

All butterflies except number 3 were photographed in a dry riverbed near Albarracin in Montes Universales around the end of July. The one in number 3 was at Loarre Castle in the hills near Huesca, at about 1000m above sea level I think.

I thought the skippers might be cirsii and onopordi, and the last two I thought were Ripart's and Oberthur's Anomalous Blues but as I understand it ripartii doesn't fly in Montes Universales?

Many thanks,
Toby

[David M]

Hi Toby,

You are right with your Pyrgus and also with your ripartii and fabressei. Ripart's does fly in the area around Albarracin (saw about half a dozen myself a week or so ago).

The Hairstreak is tricky, but the jagged lower end of the hw 'streak' suggests Ilex. Sloe, Blue-Spot and False Ilex generally have a much more linear 'streak'.

As for #3, the lack of any dark marginal colouring on what we can see of the upperside would all but rule out Damon Blue, and given you were in an area of Spain where it is recorded, I think you may have stumbled upon Forster's Furry Blue there. Well done!

[Matsukaze]

For me (2) is a Blue-spot Hairstreak that has lost its spot to predator attack, a not unusual form of damage for it that I haven't really noticed in the other species. The bold line looks more like this species, and I have photos of examples where the line is a bit wiggly at the base like this. That line looks a bit bold for Ilex, though I'm open to being convinced.

[Andy02]

Easier once someone sticks their neck out but , I think blue spot also.
How about this one from Montes , David. A region full of worn hairstreaks in August.
I went for Sloe ?

[David M]

...How about this one from Montes , David. A region full of worn hairstreaks in August.

That one's a Purple Hairstreak, Andy.

I saw two of these during my stay; the first I've ever encountered there.

The week was very poor for Hairstreaks generally.

[Andy02]

How funny David. That is the one hairstreak I didn’t even consider!