www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hey everyone
I have just come back from Iceland recently, and people have been telling me that there are no butterflies in Iceland.
However a came across a white one fluttering by, or was I seeing things?
Or are there really butterflies in Iceland?
Mouse

Conventional wisdom is that there are no butterflies in Iceland. However, there are about 100 species of moth, of which many are endemic to the island. Is it possible you saw a white moth?

Guy

probably, Im not sure because I am vision impaired, but yeah probably then! That would explain it! Thanks
Mouse

that makes me wonder, what sort of moth was it then.
If it was even a moth
mouse

Just talking to a friend that was with me, and she is sure it was a butterfly. Now I am real confused
Mouse

Just been to Norway North of Tromso which is above north Iceland and there were a heck of a lot of white day flying moths. One of the most common pollenators out there that I saw. Any moth would be day flying this time of year there as it's 24h daylight!

Incidentally there there were several butterflies too. Must get round to uploading some of them!

I would certainatly like to see those ones of the butterflies. I guess it was a moth then. They can't fly at night really in summer!
Mouse

Here's a link to an Arran Brown I photographed. They were verry common out there.

http://www.ephotozine.com/u18805/gallery/955832

Its a great photo, but I dont think it was one of those, my friend said it wasnt either
thanks for your help
Mouse

Always open to comment on the ID. From the book I had it was the best match...

Any ideas therefore as to what it might be?

I still have no idea, it was probably a moth then
Have to go back out there some time and see if there really are butterflies in Iceland
What an excuse to go abroad!

Mouse

Oh I see. you mean what you saw wasn't an Arran Brown?

Ok, well I wasn't suggesting it was being as it was brown and not white!

I did see one variation on a green veined white up there but only two of these.

In general, the moths there were very small. About the size of a Common Blue perhaps and very slow flying.

erm for me to see it, it must have been a bit bigger!!! however the white one you mentioned sounds interesting!!
Mouse

Iceland is an island and in tough climate, but that does not stop migrants. Both P. brassicae and P. rapae have been recorded there. There may well be no native butterflies as the only not obvious migrant is N. urticae.

oh right cool!
The climite isnt that harsh, I was walking around the geysers in a t-shirt!
Mouse

It makes sense there should be some vagrants there, JKT, and I'm interested that there are. Tolman includes Iceland in the region covered by his books but none of the individual maps (which normally include migrant areas) are coloured in up there.

Even with your information about the whites, I still think I won't be planning a butterfly holiday to Reykjavik in the near future... Finland's another matter - Lapland frit, eh!!

Guy

Well yes, there were two or three sunny hours in the two weeks I spent there. Fortunately that species was abundant. I also got a picture of P. centaurae and a reasonable underside picture of B. thore, but that was it. Wait, I also hunted down one miserable E. polaris, which was spending the rainy dusk hidden in the grass. Good high ISO performance is sometimes handy. If you ever visit there, I hope you have a MUCH better luck with weather! If you do, I'd love to show you the places I know, though they are not that many.

after hearing about the whites, maybe it was a butterfly after all. Next time im over there, I will try and get a shot as proof. Knowing me it will be of the white moth
mouse