Butterflies in the Pyrenees and Cévennes

[Ian Pratt]

My wife and I are planning a trip to the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees and the Cévennes at the end of this month into July. Can anyone recommend good sites for butterflies? The last time we visited the Cévennes in May/June 1992 I was not as interested in butterflies and it rained torrentially. Hopefully better luck this time!

[Padfield]

No one seems to have replied to you, Ian, unless they did so privately.

I only ever visit the central Pyrenees so I haven't got any specific information for you (which is why I didn't reply). But I can only imagine you will have a fantastic time because the region is stacked with butterflies.

I have two hot tips for mountain regions:

1) 4x4 farmers' tracks can be fantastic. They are often rutted and covered in little puddles where butterflies love to gather, always easy to walk along (always walk them, never drive!) and generally bordered by diverse flowers and other vegetation.

2) Look out for mud, damp patches, stream crossings &c. and come back to them at about 3.00pm when the sun is at its hottest. In the mornings these places may have little on them but in the afternoon they may be alive with literally hundreds of skippers, blues, whites, swallowtails &c.

Guy

[Paul]

Hmmmmmm... points well and truly taken! Salivating at the thought!!

[Ian Pratt]

Many thanks. I will report back with hopefully some decent photos.

[Ian Pratt]

Saw about 60 different species many new to me eg purple-shot copper, piedmont ringlet, marbled fritillary, spotted fritillary and large blue. Also some new marbled whites but funnily enough no painted ladies !
Let me know if you wouold like a full list and any photos. The scarce swallowtail in the Célé valley is in the July competition. Also saw lesser purple emperor at the same site!

[Padfield]

I'd love to see some more of your pictures.

I read on this site that painted ladies are infrequent this year in England too. We have them in Switzerland, though they arrived later than usual, and there were quite a few last week in the central Pyrenees, so I think possibly they just started out late and didn't penetrate so far north. I don't know why they weren't around in the Cévennes.

You should be well primed for my 'mystery 7' picture in the Competitions section...

Guy