Very rare and quite expensive
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:06 pm
For those few Erebia specialists whom it might interest, here are some piccies of my first and to date only confirmed Erebia christi (Rätzer's ringlet). Matt and I went hunting for it on a bit of a whim today and this sadly broken female was the only certain sighting we had in four hours on site. I had two other good candidates that I couldn't reach and Matt had one other (that he couldn't reach either). This species inhabits inaccessible shale slopes and has a galactic distribution restricted to a very few sites near the Swiss-Italian border, where it is said to be uncommon. The cost? Matt's car broke down and had to be towed away to a garage. I fell down a near-vertical slope vainly pursuing my second 'possible' and dislocated my shoulder. BUT IT WAS WORTH IT!!
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/christi091.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/christi093.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/christi094.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/11july2009a.jpg)
(Still a mass of snow, even though this was one of its lower altitude sites)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/11july2009b.jpg)
(Much easier going on four feet than two - I must train Asha to use a butterfly net!)
Guy
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/christi091.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/christi093.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/christi094.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/11july2009a.jpg)
(Still a mass of snow, even though this was one of its lower altitude sites)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2009/11july2009b.jpg)
(Much easier going on four feet than two - I must train Asha to use a butterfly net!)
Guy