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Geranium Bronze (I think).

Long tailed blue? (if anyone could confirm what this butterfly is I would be grateful)

Another blue, I don't know what it is.

A very tatty scarce swallowtail.

Nice pics, the first is Geranium Bronze, think the blue is Long Tailed, looks a bit like Langs Shot-tailed, but I am thinking more long tailed. Not really sure what other blue is

Hi Susie,

Your Geranium Bronze is lovely. I really like the open winged shot.
The first blue is a long tailed blue, (saw loads in Kos) so I'm pretty certain of the id.
The next blue I'm not sure, but Guy will know.
Isn't it surprising how many one tailed, Scarce Swallowtail nectar on Lanata?

Cheers
Denise

Denise wrote:The next blue I'm not sure, but Guy will know.

Well, I'll have a go!

The combination of cell spot, white wedge and general polyommatine underside reduce the options to two genera - Polyommatus and Lysandra (in the old money - I really don't like the modern way of lumping everything into Polyommatus). There is really no sign of marginal chequering, so Lysandra is ruled out. To the best of my knowledge, the only true Polyommatus species in Portugal is the common blue, Polyommatus icarus. SO, I suggest that is what she (for it is a female) is.

And yes, great pictures. GB is weirdly difficult to photograph well (considering it spends its entire day sitting around doing nothing) but your pictures give a good feel for the butterfly.

Guy

Thank you for the ids, Guy, Denise and Dave, much appreciated.

Wouldn't it be lovely to go on a holiday to somewhere hot and sunny and just spot butterflies, without all the inconvenience of having to enjoy yourself with your family!! I couldn't get over seeing Monarchs in the wild, they are such beautiful creatures, but sadly I didn't manage to get a picture.

On the Lantana where I photographed the Scarce Swallowtail above, there were about three more pristine Scarce Swallowtails (but they were very fast and flighty), a Monarch, various Whites, and DOZENS of Hummingbird Hawk Moths. It was heaven. Unfortunately I couldn't stay there for more than 10 minutes. I could have happily sat there all day.

I think maybe that your Scarce Swallowtail - Iphiclides podalirius, may possibly be Spanish Swallowtail - Iphiclides feisthamelii...I say because Lanfranchis indicates that podalirius does not extend further south than the Pyranees. Guy? Roger?

Martin.

Perhaps it was on it's holidays too.

Martin wrote:I think maybe that your Scarce Swallowtail - Iphiclides podalirius, may possibly be Spanish Swallowtail - Iphiclides feisthamelii...I say because Lanfranchis indicates that podalirius does not extend further south than the Pyranees. Guy? Roger?

Martin.

You're absolutely right - that is feisthamelii. I just didn't want to appear a pedant!! Not all books recognise this species but Fauna Europaea does and so do most of the modern authors. Tolman doesn't but for some reason he hasn't updated his fantastic book since it was first written.

Incidentally, I love the format of the new Tolman but it is not only not updated but has also introduced a lot of errors, both in the maps and the captions to the pictures (for example, it proclaims that Zephyr blue has silvery-green pupils to the black submarginal spots on the unh, which is unhelpful because this is precisely what Zephyr blue doesn't have!!)

Guy

Tolman’s Collins book is, in my opinion, only a great book because of Richard Lewington’s superb illustrations. Much of the text is a straight lift from Higgins & Riley (1970) and Tolman has abbreviated much of the excellent detail in H&R and there are errors in a few of the distribution maps. H&R is worth buying it you can get your hands on it - maybe the only way nowadays is from a second hand bookstore or eBay.

Geranium bronze: I have sat for many hours with the camera and tripod trained on the geraniums on our patio in Frejus. There’s one on them nearly all of the time, and they are very sedentary, but as Guy says they’re monstrously difficult to get a good photo. Here’s the best I could do this year. It’s not a fresh specimen as indicated by the worn fringes, and it’s only slightly out of focus. The patterning of the underside makes it look out of focus even when it isn’t. It's just a perverse little butterfly.

Reading this with interest.. haven't found GB's particularly difficult (??) but writing this really to say saw some really unique behaviour with a courting couple ( of GBs ) recently...... deep in undergrowth.. the two pictured would circle each other slowly, pausing in a 69 ( sorry) & vibrating wings for a few seconds before flitting a short distance to do the same. This was repeated many times over 15 mins I watched them. Any similar observations??



one of my better results!.. my focus is never going to be as good as Roger's though.



On a final note.. I saw this feisthamelii...

Great pics and thank you for the correct ID for the Swallowtail. My little butterfly book doesn't have feisthamelii in it, hence the incorrect id by me. What are the differences between the two, apart from territory?

from Lafranchis's description... Spanish Swallowtail - upperside ground colour white, forewing costa yellow,
Scarce is pale yellow ups GC, like this..

These are podalirius. But note that one is really quite white compared with the others. That is perfectly normal.



Guy

A butterfly that seems to spook easily in my neck of the woods...

Thank you for the explanation, Paul.

More wonderful photos too.