www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks to everyone who took an interest in Part 1.

Here's Part 2.

http://www.ibirdz.co.uk/bulgaria/bulgariapart2.html

Apologies Michael for this episode if you haven't seen any Apollos yet.

Hi Paul,

The second part is even more impressive! I have to say I've never seen so many Apollos on a single flower

The Cleopatra is worth a special mention. As far as I know, this is only the second record of this species from Bulgaria (http://www.butterfliesofbulgaria.com/goncle.html)!

Either of the two Ripart's Anomalous Blues could be Kolev's instead - do you have photos with a larger portion of the forewing underside visible? Kolev's usually has a well-defined white streak extending from the central spot to the postdiscal row of black spots. Unfortunately here again (as in Phalakron/Common Blues - see my comment to part 1) genitalia is key...

Finding Freyer's Fritillary in the Trigrad gorge is also very interesting - too bad you couldn't take any pictures. As far as I know, this species hasn't been found anywhere near the Rodopi massif - the closest locations are the south Black Sea coast in Bulgaria and NW Greece. Strange enough, one of its subspecies is named rhodopensis...

Cheers,

Nikolay

Hi Nikolay

Assen mentioned to us when we found the Cleopatra it was quite rare for Bulgaria.

I'll check my photos of the Anomalous Blues for a streak of white on the underside of the forewing as you suggest. I thought we may have found Kolev's Anomalous Blue on the road to the Bunderitsa Hut in the Pirin Mountains at a site known to Assen for this species but on checking relevant information maybe this is not the correct area for this species. Any help with this would be appreciated.

I'm fairly certain of the Freyer's Fritillary. It appeared to have the curvature of the black lunules/lines either side of the orange post discal band curving in the same direction unlike Glanville Fritillary which was also in the same area. I didn't get great views and wouldn't like to submit this one as an official record though, especially without a photo record.

Thanks again for your comments and help.

I'd just like to add that the Cleopatra has been seen a couple of times on tours led by Nick Greatorex-Davies but I'm afraid I don't have details of the records.
I think I may have photographed Kolev's Anomalous Blue myself this year, near Zabardo, not far from the type locality of Hvoyna. What do you think, Nikolay?
M.

Hi Guys.

There is definitely a faint white stripe extending from the central spot outwards.

Mikhail, excellent shot! This definitely looks like typical Polyommatus orphicus, with the bold markings, the curvature of the postdiscal spot line, and the white streak on the fw uns.

Paul Wetton wrote:There is definitely a faint white stripe extending from the central spot outwards.

Paul, do you mean Mikhail's photo, or yours?

Cheers,

Nikolay

Hi Nikolay

Unfortunately I meant Mikhails photo

Here is a shot of an Anomalous Blue below Mount Vihren in an area I was informed Kolev's Anomalous Blue had been seen on a previous trip but it doesn't show enough of the forewing.
On video of an Anomalous Blue seen along the Popovi Livadi Pass one individual at least (three were present) definitely shows evidence of a pale stripe in certain lights. Here is the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiB35ve-Q2s[/video]

Do all Kolev's Anomalous Blues have this faint pale streak?

Could you both have a look at my post in the identification section called "The Blues" both being more expert on Bulgaria ID's than myself as it quite confused me.

Thanks

This definitely looks like typical Polyommatus orphicus, with the bold markings, the curvature of the postdiscal spot line, and the white streak on the fw uns.

Many thanks Nikolay.

Hi Paul,

I believe the butterfly in the photo is Polyommatus ripartii. This is a typical specimen from the population around Vihren-Banderitsa, characterized by reduced underside ocelli. The photo of ripartii on my website is also from that region (http://nsbutterflies.com/splibg.html?f=lyc&s=plerip) - you can see the similarity. I don't think P. orphicus has ever been reported from the region - there are no suitable habitats at this altitude.

By the way, I forgot to mention another characteristic of P. orphicus - most specimens completely lack the bluish dusting at the base of the hw uns. The difference is clear comparing Mikhail's and Paul's photos. Caveat: whether this is seen on a picture depends very much on lighting. Regarding the white streak on the fw uns, as far as I remember from the original description it is fairly constant in populations of P. orphicus. Some specimens of P. ripartii also exhibit this feature, but overall in a population it is not very common.

Back to the video: there are two (different?) specimens of Anomalous Blues. The first one (first 3 seconds) could be Kolev's, but I cannot see enough detail to make a conclusion. The second one (after 3s) looks very much like Higgins' (P. nephohiptamenos), with lighter uns colour and white hw fringes that distinguish it from ripartii; note as well the bluish basal suffusion distinguishing it from orphicus. Around Popovi livadi (from 1400 m up to the Orelek peak) I have found only P. nephohiptamenos of all Anomalous Blues. So if both segments of the video are shot at that location, I'd say both specimens are Higgins' Anomalous Blues. Although abundant at that site, this species is very rare overall and it's an excellent find.

There is another interesting butterfly in the video - the blue that flies over at 0:22-0:24 may very well be a Phalakron Blue, which is known from that location. Of course it can't be identified only from this footage, but it's quite possible.

Cheers,

Nikolay

Hi Nikolay

Firstly many thanks for your help in identifying these Anomalous Blues. The video was actually taken beside a small stream, very close to the main road, actually lower than the road, that goes over the Popovi Livadi Pass. I did venture higher up to the radio mast on Orelek peak on a different occasion and managed to find and identify Higgin's Anomalous Blue up there.
I assume that lower down there is the possibility of different Anomalous Blues.

I have some more video taken at this location and will look to see if Phalakron Blue may have been recorded. I will post on YouTube and send you the link or place the video on this site.

If possible could you also have a look at some video of a Blue I placed in the identification section called "The Blues" in the forum for your advice on the identification of this butterfly.

Many thanks.

Re. your Plebeius photo



I'm wondering whether the larger blue in the centre with the distinctive large black spots isn't a female Amanda's Blue? Just a thought...! Reminiscent of one I saw in Greece in July.

Hi Dave

It's a tricky one due to the wear and tear but I thought I could detect some orange on the upperwing underside as well. I'll take another closer look at this one. We did see Amanda's Blue in this area so it's a definite possibility.

All the best.