www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi, I've lurked around the site for a while looking at some of the great photos and decided it was time I said hello.
I live just south of Lancaster and have some very good local sites which I visit as often as I can when work and family allow.
I'm interested in photography and have a few of my shots here; http://www.paulmurphyphotos.com
Looking forward to maybe contributing a few of my own.

Hi Paul - and welcome.

You're clearly a talented photographer and I look forward to seeing more!

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi, the pure talent you have is amazing. I loved the photos of butterflies and every thing else was also incredible.

Well done!

Felix

Welcome Paul

I loved your French butterfly pics. Also the fieldfares & the starlings.

Charles

Stunning photos Paul - good work!

Cheers

Lee

Hya Paul, some really quality shots there. I'm on my first winter of bird photography. This is a cracking site for a lot of reasons. Dont ask me too many questions about Lepidoptera, i've a few blind spots.

Thanks to everyone for the very kind welcome to the site.
I do have lots of questions; I'm very much a beginner. My interest was spurred by the beauty of the butterflies and realizing a few years ago that I'd come to live close to such an important area for our declining Fritillaries. Since then I've explored many of the local limestone hills and got to know a few good spots away from the main sites.
My first question is about Marsh Fritillaries. This is a species I've never seen and I'm very keen to see and photograph them, if possible.
We're planning a family holiday to Pembrokeshire this May and I was wondering if anyone knows of a reliable site where it's possible to get close enough to photograph them. I understand this sort of info can be very sensitive but if possible I'd appreciate some guidance. I understand Castlemartin has been good recently. Does anyone know about access to this area and where would be a good place to start looking?
Thanks in advance for any help.. Cheers, Paul.

Hi Paul, marsh fritillaries or not, you should go to Castlemartin, it's a highly inspiring place. I haven't been in season for this species, although I seem to remember that there was an unusual population explosion there a few years ago - I imagine numbers are more ordinary there now.

Access in range east is on the coast path only, info here:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/About ... martin.htm

I can't really see it as perfect for families though to be honest, at least if your kids want to run about and avoid military debris!

Alexander

There may be a closer site for Marsh Fritillary - take a look here: http://www.cumbria-wildlife.org.uk/marsh.html

The site is Finglandrigg.

Cheers,

- Pete

Agreed - some lovely butterfly pictures there, Paul!

I would have no hesitation in identifying your mystery skipper as malvae (grizzled skipper). The ground colour is well within parameters and the markings, notably the central mark on the hindwing, are characteristic.

Guy

Many thanks guy, I've updated my website accordingly.

Cheers, Paul.

As an addendum, I suspect your grizzly is of the subspecies malvoides, which is characteristic of southern France. My friend, Tim Cowles, finds this as far north as the Rhône Département and it is common in the Drôme. Some of the characteristics he has noted (for instance, the weakness of the spots around the edges of the wings and the brownness) hold for your insect. I don't know what its distribution is further west, but the Dordogne is a similar kind of latitude. Some authors count malvoides as a separate species from malvae.

Guy

Wow Guy, that's impressive knowledge!
I've just done a quick web search for malvoides and found a good picture on Timothy Cowles' website 'The Butterflies of the Rhone'. My individual was fairly worn but I think you're spot on with the ID; malvoides definitely has the warm tones and less defined white markings.

Thanks again, Paul.