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It was nice and sunny today near Valbonne in the Alpes-Maritimes, and despite quite a strong wind, I saw several different butterflies. I was able to photograph a very patient Small Copper:
and a somewhat less patient Common Blue:
Other species seen were a male Orange Tip, two Large Tortoiseshells, some Brimstones, and a couple of Clouded Yellows. So it looks as though the butterfly season has well and truly begun here.
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Colin

Cheers Colin! It's great to hear from our overseas friends,even if you run the risk of making a few of us in good old Blighty a little jealous at times!

West of Biot, where the D4 starts to bend, there is a track on the left (a gate at the start) where I saw an interesting number of species a few years ago, including Camberwell Beauty.

Also on the N7 right at the border of A-M and Var, there is a track on the south side (you can park on the north side) where I have seen Camberwell Beauties (two or three) plus Large Tortoiseshell and several Southern Festoons in early April. The Festoons may be out around the end of March.

Roger Gibbons wrote:West of Biot, where the D4 starts to bend...

Roger, is this the start of the track in question?
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Colin

That's it. I think you can park there without blocking the track. Looks a little more overgrown than when I was last there, and may be no longer the type of ride that Camberwell Beauties patrol.

If you are interested (I don't know how far afield you travel from Valbonne) I can suggest a superb June/July location north of Vence (in confidence).

Roger

This morning in Valbonne it was sunny with only a little wind, so I went out in shorts and T-shirt for the first time this year. And for the first time this year I saw the following butterflies, for which I would appreciate confirmation of my identifications.

A Western Dappled White, which didn't seem to appreciate being photographed:
A Green Hairstreak, which kept flying away, but which kept coming back to the same place:
A Mallow Skipper, which I couldn't get close to:
A Dingy Skipper, which I thought was the Mallow Skipper until I got home and looked at the photos:
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Colin

Hi Colin,

Certainly a Green Hairstreak and a Dingy Skipper, pretty sure you're right on the other two as well.

Best wishes,

Lee

Thanks Lee, for confirming my identifications.


Today I was able to photograph the upper-side of a Camberwell Beauty for the first time It wasn't easy to cater for the bright white marginal borders next to the purple-black ground colour. I shall try do do better the next time.
Then I photographed the underside of a Queen of Spain Fritillary for the first time:
Also a Holly Blue:
and a Speckled Wood:
Seen but not photographed: Peacock, Large Tortoiseshell, Brimstone, Cleopatra, Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral, Orange Tip.
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Colin

I think that's a lovely Camberwell beauty - you've got the balance just right in my opinion.

I also agree with your identifications. I wondered about the possibility of Portuguese dappled white for a while, because I couldn't quite make out the line of the hindwing and it looked rather round - but I think I was misreading the picture. In France the hindwings of Portuguese dappled whites can be quite well marked, like western dappled whites.

Good to see your season accelerating too! What a March!

Guy

I also wondered whether the Dappled White could be Portuguese as the hindwing costa looked rather smooth but on close inspection the bend is visible right close to the costa. However, I have shot of a Dappled White which has a very smooth costa, so this key is not 100% reliable.
http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html ... ar_17Apr07
The forewing cell mark just has to be Dappled, doesn’t it?

Also Portuguese does not occur in the Alpes-Maritimes according to the PACA Atlas.

That’s a lovely Camberwell Beauty, almost perfect and you would not know it was a hibernator but for the whitening of the margins. Here is one I saw last year and you would have look to hard just to determine what it was.

New sightings today were a male Provence Orange-tip, (Southern ?) Small White, Swallowtale and Scarce Swallowtale, this last being in the garden. I only managed to photograph the White.
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Colin

That certainly looks like a southern small white.

Male Provence orange tips often rode on large circuits, stopping at the same flowers each time round. If you have the patience, you can watch a circuit or two then wait by the best flowers for a picture.

Guy

possibly not the most exciting sighting but my Dad saw a Scarce Swallowtail this week in Turkey. He saw it and actually went to my Turkish butterfly books and ID'd it.

I'm so proud, I mean you try and encourage them, without pushing them, let them find their own way....

This morning I encountered a Small Copper, form caeruleopunctata, with what seem to be bigger than usual blue spots:
A pity about the shadow of a blade of grass across the wing.

Apart from that, there were many Brimstones, Cleopatras, Orange Tips and Speckled Woods, and a Red Admiral.
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Colin